Coucou les French learners,
j’espère que vous passez un bel été ? I hope you are a having a beautiful summer?
I have just finished the two intensives courses for advanced-beginners and intermediate. C’était génial ! It was a total blast!
In the advanced-beginner class, for two weeks, each day, we read a chapter of my new book about Marie and her dog Médor (coming soon!). Médor has disappeared and Marie is desperately looking for her dog in the streets of Paris. We traveled virtually to Paris, learned about Parisian and Belgian culture and most of all we had a lot of fun!
Christina, who joined the course wrote to me: ” Merci beaucoup Alice! Out of all of the language learning classes I’ve taken in my life, this was my favorite.”
In the intermediate class, we always started the class by reading an authentic text and we then would discuss it.
Lidia, who is a dear member and who joined the course wrote: “ This class was challenging yet comprehensible. It was a joy to experience being a student in a class where there was a variety of rigorous yet engaging texts and activities in French that were made accessible. I felt motivated to participate and be vulnerable because Alice is such a positive and supportive teacher. I highly recommend this class.”
The goal of those daily live sessions were to create a daily French habit and to encourage learners to read in French.
Reading is certainly the most powerful way to acquire new words and new structures. Reading makes you become fluent in French.
#trusttheprocess
The reader in you
I am reading The book whisperer by Donalyn Miller. As a language arts and social studies teacher, Donalyn Miller reflects on her journey to become a reading teacher. She describes how she inspires and motivates her middle school students to read 40 or more books a year!
At the start of the book, Donalyn Miller explains there are three kinds of readers. What kind of reader are you?
Developing readers lack reading confidence, experience, or ability, but are somewhere on the path toward developing reading self-efficacy. Miller prefers this term to struggling readers because development implies progress and effort instead of failure. You may have started to read in French but you read slowly and you find it hard to understand the meaning of a sentence, a paragraph or a page.
Dormant readers don’t find reading personally meaningful beyond school or other outside expectations. Dormant readers haven’t experienced enough pleasure or engagement with reading. You can read in French and understand the plot but you do not find yourself engaged in the story.
Underground readers are avid readers who live two reading lives–one at school and one outside of school. These are often avid readers who may under perform on school reading assignments because they don’t find them meaningful.You read in French because you feel you have to but in truth, you do not really enjoy reading in French.
Your goal is to read in French for PLEASURE. Le plaisir de lire !
Awaken the inner reader in you. Become an avid reader in French.
After taking the two intensive classes for two weeks (BRAVO !!!), Nancy Jane wrote: ” I am reading La Classe Des Confessions & Carl ne veut pas aller en France. It really is amazing how much better I am reading since the immersion!”
Le club de lecture
To turn into an eager reader, JOIN THE BOOK CLUB!
This coming Saturday July, 10
6pm UK / 7pm France / 1pm EST / 10am PST
We will be talking about Theresa Marrama’s cutest book, Léon et Anton.
Anton is different: a mouse that isn’t afraid of cats. He lives in the forest in Québec, Canada with his mom and dad. But Anton is not happy. He doesn’t have any friends. How will Anton be able to make friends? This book is perfect when you start reading in French. It is perfect when you are a developing reader.
If you are a member, listen to the audiobook. And on Saturday, get ready to talk about your favorite pets and wandering alone in the forest…
Increase your vocabulary and comprehension #readingispower
Reduce your stress #relax
Communicate with real people in French #youcandothis
QUOI DE NEUF ?
NEW Audiobook
Listen to Zeinixx by Theresa Marrama.
Though it is a story that involves art, it is not typical in any way… After growing up in Senegal, Zeina decides that street art is her calling. As an artist, she finds a sense of peace in large-scale painting – graffiti. So, she decides to take on a new journey, a new lifestyle for herself that will allow her to express herself in a way that is empowering to women, practice her art,and be part of a community. Her story is one of strength, empowerment and the will to follow your heart. Senegal’s first female graffiti artist, Zeinixx is one of the top graffiti artists in West Africa.
This book is perfect when you are used to reading in French and you are at an upper beginner level. It is a compelling story about determination and empowerment.
La pause café
YouTube series, La pause café is still running. And it is now available as a podcast to listen on the go!
In this series, I interview special guests about language acquisition, moving to another country, being a language teacher and learner and other fascinating topics. This series is perfect for intermediate learners. You get to listen to a natural and interesting conversation in French! You also get to hear different accents as my guests come from different countries and are not necessarily French native. I hope they motivate and inspire you to keep up!
REVIEW OF THE WEEK
Vinzetti says: ” I’ve been learning from Alice and her husband for close to 6 months now. It was the best decision I could have made. I listen to comprehensible input on aliceayel.com for at least 1 hour every night. I read at my level throughout the day. I am at the point where I can understand a 45 minute podcast and I feel I’m ready to start speaking. I would have never thought I would have come this far in under a year, but as long as you put in the work consistently you will progress. There’s hundreds of stories at different levels so one will definitely find something to learn from. Best teacher I have ever had.“
What are you waiting for? Join us now for as little as 5 Euros/month (so the same as getting a nice drink)!
Happy French acquisition!
P.S. Got friends, family, colleagues or clients who want to become fluent in French? Share this with them, they’ll thank you for it!