Prosperous and healthy new year!!! Bonne année ! ¡Feliz Año Nuevo! Frohes neues Jahr!
As 2017 has just begun, I am full of inspiration and hope! I am committed to be a patient and loving mum taking care of my family. I am inspired to tell and create stories to help learners from all over the world to acquire another language naturally and joyfully.
Some weeks ago, I watched Marie Forleo’s video about reviewing last year by answering three simple questions:
Reflecting on the year which has just passed is an excellent way to start the new year on the right foot, so here are my answers to Marie’s questions:
- What did I do, create or experience last year that I am really proud of?
I have tried to implement a “pure comprehensible approach” to get my learners to acquire a language naturally by focusing on the content rather than on the form. I now let my learners drive the stories we create together, I don’t really have set structures nor vocabulary in mind, I just let my learners make up their own stories so that they have true ownership of the acquisition process. I also no longer circle and circle to get repetitions of target structures. Instead, I let the stories flow. As Dr. Krashen states in his article about non targeted input: “Flow is the state people reach when they are deeply but effortlessly involved in an activity. In flow, the concerns of everyday life and even the sense of self disappear – our sense of time is altered and nothing but the activity itself seems to matter. It is when this happens that language acquisition occurs most effectively.” I have also experienced story listening which has proved to be very beneficial to my language learners, especially those who have learning difficulties, such as dyslexia. - What mistakes did I make that taught me something?
I did want to do everything at once: being a good mum, the perfect housewife and a good language teacher… Well, the truth is I cannot do it all!!! I so wanted my house to be spotted clean and at the same time I wanted to dedicate time to my boys and also to blog regularly and to post language resources I would have created. So I started to stop practicing yoga every day and to do little things to keep my sanity. And as result I started to lose my temper and it would impact my family in a negative way. The snow ball effect was setting in! - What am I willing to let go of?
I am willing to become less of a control freak! It is OK if my house is not perfect (as long as it is not a complete mess!), and it is OK if I am not on social networks every day! I need to allow quality time for my family and myself and I am aiming at being on the yoga mat nearly everyday of this year because it helps me to keep balanced and happy: positive snow ball effect!
Question number three is actually a good summary of my new year’s resolution. On the working front, I want to share the “pure comprehensible approach” or in other words the natural way to acquire another language with the most people because I believe it is the RIGHT way! I am so enthusiastic about this approach and I so do believe anyone can learn another language effortlessly and happily that I would like everybody to try it out!
This month of January 2017, I will posting two videos weekly on YouTube where I will be telling short stories in French for anybody who wants to learn or improve French. You can see for yourself that it is fun to acquire French (but please be kind as filming myself has been a big learning curve for me!).
This is my big 2017 project and I hope it will motivate and inspire you to learn another language! Be sure to check out my YouTube playlist: January Challenge – Learn French the natural way! where I will posting a new story every Tuesday and Thursday.
What about you? What is your big project this year?