Tips for Getting the Most out of Your French Language Holiday
Sep 14th, 2006, 04:44 AM
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Tips for Getting the Most out of Your French Language Holiday
I thought it would be a good idea to start a general thread discussing general trips and strategies for organising a French language holiday in France. I’ve studied at several schools in France, and researched a number of others. Now, my husband and I live in Paris and have been taking lessons from time to time. Here’s my top 10 list of tips. Some of these will work for other countries and languages, too.
(1) There are several “quality associations” for French language training in France. One is called SOUFFLE (www.souffle.asso.fr) and another is FLE (www.fle.fr). Member schools adhere to a “charter” specifying commitments they’ve undertaken; SOUFFLE member schools are subject to inspection. Their websites are a good place to start researching schools, although I’m sure there are other good schools out there. I’ve used them to choose language schools for the three immersion programmes I’ve taken, and plan to use them again.
(2) Look carefully at student-teacher ratios when comparing the prices of various programmes. For example, Alliance Française in Paris has relatively low fees, but my husband found that the general courses there had very high enrolments – more than 20 students in one of his morning classes. (Note, by the way that Alliance Française in Paris is not a member of either SOUFFLE or FLE. The only branch of AF that is a member of either group is AF in Toulouse.) By contrast, I recently enrolled in a relatively expensive programme at Millefeuille Provence, but there were only two other students in my class and I got lots of personal attention – almost the equivalent of private lessons. Be sure to call the school and ask what their usual student-teacher ratio is for your level (e.g. intermediate) and what the actual, maximum ratio they have allowed this year.
(3) Private lessons aren’t necessarily worth the price. I’ve generally found that the private lessons offered, either as part of a package or on their own, are very expensive (e.g. 50 euros an hour or more). If you plan to spend any length of time in the city where you are going to take the programme, you can probably find teachers who offer much more competitive prices (e.g. because there’s no overhead charge or % that goes to the school on top of the teacher’s fee), or you might find that setting up a free language exchange with a French person who wants to practise speaking your native language. In France, one resource for locating a teacher is www.kelprof.com, a website that helps teachers find students and vice-versa. (No guarantees about quality, though: buyer beware.)
(4) If you already speak some French but your knowledge is rusty, invest some time before your course in brushing up your language skills. I restarted French, after a fifteen year break, in London in 2002. Previously, I had taken 5 years of French in high school, a summer of French immersion, and a year of studies at university. But I could hardly remember how to conjugate the present tense of avoir and être. Not surprisingly, when I showed up for my placement test at Alliance Française, they told me I should take the Level 1/A course (i.e. absolute beginner). I protested, and managed to talk my way into 1B. After a week’s worth of classes (5 hours), my teacher recommended that I be moved to 1C. And when I re-enrolled for another session, she placed me in 2A (instead of 1D). I think that, if I’d spent even as little as 10-12 hours refreshing my knowledge of elementary French grammar, I would have been able to start at level 1C or 1D right from the beginning of the course. And, if you are planning to take a short, intensive course (e.g. 1-2 weeks) in France, you won’t want to waste your time and money sitting in a course at the wrong level. There are a couple of books I’ve found that are quite useful for refreshing your knowledge of French grammar and vocabulary, including the “Teach Yourself Series”, Schaum’s Outline of French Grammar (a test prep review book) and the BBC Language series, The French Experience (although that one requires a larger investment of time). (I worked through the Schaum’s Outline of Spanish Grammar on a couple of trans-Pacific flights just before I headed off to a Spanish immersion programme.)
(5) Don’t automatically and meekly accept the class level your language school tells you to take. I’ve often found that the placement tests that most schools administer are very cursory and don’t really measure your capacity. And schools have an interest in placing you at the lowest level, hoping that you’ll re-enrol with them for additional courses at higher levels (and therefore getting more of your money). I’ve successfully argued my way into higher level courses in each situation where I thought I’d been placed at too low a level. You could also sit through the first day or first few days, and then ask to be moved to a higher level (e.g. at the start of the following week. It’s your money. (My husband did this at Alliance Française in Paris.) Or, if you plan to enrol for more than one session, you can ask to skip a level, or to move levels halfway through a course.)
(7) Listen to the radio or watch TV in French. Even if you can’t understand a word that is being said, eventually the sounds will start to sink in. I kept the radio on in my room whenever I was in it, and I often listen to the radio on my way to and from work.
(8) Try a homestay (at least for part of your programme). Now, this is where I must admit that I haven’t practised what I preach. But I know that I would learn a lot more if I completely immersed myself in the language by staying with a family, instead of staying in a residence or hotel. (But I am intermittently somewhat hermit-like and really need to spend time alone every day, so I’ve avoided homestays so far. I’m a wimp who likes 3-4* hotels, not someone else’s bathroom ...) The next best option is to find a school that offers a residential programme, or a programme where you take your meals at school in a French environment. (For example, at Millefeuille Provence, the students stay at the school, which is located in a chateau, and there is a strict “only French” rule in all the public areas, including at mealtimes.)
(9) Start as you mean to go on. In other words, from the moment you get off the plane/train etc until the last day of your course, speak nothing but French to everyone, except your partner (if you brought him or her along – and even then, you should speak French when you are in a group). It’s very hard to switch from your native language to French, if you start off in your own language.
(10) Keep a journal – in French. It can be as simple as you want it to be. Just write a paragraph every day. It can take the form of a shopping list, or your laundry list, a description of what you learned in class, what you saw on TV, what you want to do, etc. All of these descriptions allow you to practise grammatical structures and improve your vocabulary. The exercise will generate some questions that you can discuss with your teacher – and you’ll have an interesting record of your trip.
(1) There are several “quality associations” for French language training in France. One is called SOUFFLE (www.souffle.asso.fr) and another is FLE (www.fle.fr). Member schools adhere to a “charter” specifying commitments they’ve undertaken; SOUFFLE member schools are subject to inspection. Their websites are a good place to start researching schools, although I’m sure there are other good schools out there. I’ve used them to choose language schools for the three immersion programmes I’ve taken, and plan to use them again.
(2) Look carefully at student-teacher ratios when comparing the prices of various programmes. For example, Alliance Française in Paris has relatively low fees, but my husband found that the general courses there had very high enrolments – more than 20 students in one of his morning classes. (Note, by the way that Alliance Française in Paris is not a member of either SOUFFLE or FLE. The only branch of AF that is a member of either group is AF in Toulouse.) By contrast, I recently enrolled in a relatively expensive programme at Millefeuille Provence, but there were only two other students in my class and I got lots of personal attention – almost the equivalent of private lessons. Be sure to call the school and ask what their usual student-teacher ratio is for your level (e.g. intermediate) and what the actual, maximum ratio they have allowed this year.
(3) Private lessons aren’t necessarily worth the price. I’ve generally found that the private lessons offered, either as part of a package or on their own, are very expensive (e.g. 50 euros an hour or more). If you plan to spend any length of time in the city where you are going to take the programme, you can probably find teachers who offer much more competitive prices (e.g. because there’s no overhead charge or % that goes to the school on top of the teacher’s fee), or you might find that setting up a free language exchange with a French person who wants to practise speaking your native language. In France, one resource for locating a teacher is www.kelprof.com, a website that helps teachers find students and vice-versa. (No guarantees about quality, though: buyer beware.)
(4) If you already speak some French but your knowledge is rusty, invest some time before your course in brushing up your language skills. I restarted French, after a fifteen year break, in London in 2002. Previously, I had taken 5 years of French in high school, a summer of French immersion, and a year of studies at university. But I could hardly remember how to conjugate the present tense of avoir and être. Not surprisingly, when I showed up for my placement test at Alliance Française, they told me I should take the Level 1/A course (i.e. absolute beginner). I protested, and managed to talk my way into 1B. After a week’s worth of classes (5 hours), my teacher recommended that I be moved to 1C. And when I re-enrolled for another session, she placed me in 2A (instead of 1D). I think that, if I’d spent even as little as 10-12 hours refreshing my knowledge of elementary French grammar, I would have been able to start at level 1C or 1D right from the beginning of the course. And, if you are planning to take a short, intensive course (e.g. 1-2 weeks) in France, you won’t want to waste your time and money sitting in a course at the wrong level. There are a couple of books I’ve found that are quite useful for refreshing your knowledge of French grammar and vocabulary, including the “Teach Yourself Series”, Schaum’s Outline of French Grammar (a test prep review book) and the BBC Language series, The French Experience (although that one requires a larger investment of time). (I worked through the Schaum’s Outline of Spanish Grammar on a couple of trans-Pacific flights just before I headed off to a Spanish immersion programme.)
(5) Don’t automatically and meekly accept the class level your language school tells you to take. I’ve often found that the placement tests that most schools administer are very cursory and don’t really measure your capacity. And schools have an interest in placing you at the lowest level, hoping that you’ll re-enrol with them for additional courses at higher levels (and therefore getting more of your money). I’ve successfully argued my way into higher level courses in each situation where I thought I’d been placed at too low a level. You could also sit through the first day or first few days, and then ask to be moved to a higher level (e.g. at the start of the following week. It’s your money. (My husband did this at Alliance Française in Paris.) Or, if you plan to enrol for more than one session, you can ask to skip a level, or to move levels halfway through a course.)
(7) Listen to the radio or watch TV in French. Even if you can’t understand a word that is being said, eventually the sounds will start to sink in. I kept the radio on in my room whenever I was in it, and I often listen to the radio on my way to and from work.
(8) Try a homestay (at least for part of your programme). Now, this is where I must admit that I haven’t practised what I preach. But I know that I would learn a lot more if I completely immersed myself in the language by staying with a family, instead of staying in a residence or hotel. (But I am intermittently somewhat hermit-like and really need to spend time alone every day, so I’ve avoided homestays so far. I’m a wimp who likes 3-4* hotels, not someone else’s bathroom ...) The next best option is to find a school that offers a residential programme, or a programme where you take your meals at school in a French environment. (For example, at Millefeuille Provence, the students stay at the school, which is located in a chateau, and there is a strict “only French” rule in all the public areas, including at mealtimes.)
(9) Start as you mean to go on. In other words, from the moment you get off the plane/train etc until the last day of your course, speak nothing but French to everyone, except your partner (if you brought him or her along – and even then, you should speak French when you are in a group). It’s very hard to switch from your native language to French, if you start off in your own language.
(10) Keep a journal – in French. It can be as simple as you want it to be. Just write a paragraph every day. It can take the form of a shopping list, or your laundry list, a description of what you learned in class, what you saw on TV, what you want to do, etc. All of these descriptions allow you to practise grammatical structures and improve your vocabulary. The exercise will generate some questions that you can discuss with your teacher – and you’ll have an interesting record of your trip.
Sep 15th, 2006, 08:15 AM
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Bonjour, encore, Kate! C'est sage, votre feuille ici. J'essaie a ecouter au internet (canal radio) et TV5, mais je n'ai pas beaucoup d'occasions a parler francais. Tant pis! Avez-vous besoin de parler en francais dans votre metier a Paris?
Oct 28th, 2006, 05:46 AM
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Kate, thank you for all of your input on french language study. I have been studying french for a little over a year in the US and have been doing many of the things you suggest(journal, listening and watching french programs and movies) and I am already conversant. Next year I am enrolled in an immersion program in Villefranche sur mer. Hopefully, by that time, I will be well on my way to speaking french with some ease. Thanks again for your post, and especially for the advice on the placement tests.
Best.
David
Best.
David
Nov 4th, 2006, 10:44 PM
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Thanks Kate for this thread. I have read and re-read all the info. Still researching my own school for next year hopefully. I would have thought that more people on Fodors would have done immersion courses and have lots to say, but info is a bit thin on the ground. I think I have read everything that has been posted. When you search on the net the choices are so vast one becomes completely overwhelmed. I am looking for a smaller more private school, not the uni young student scene, as this is to celebrate my turning 50 next year - yuk. I would also like to have some sightseeing/cultural tours or time available as well during the time spent at the course. I like the idea of living at the school if the accommodation is good. Nothing too basic. Can you tell me which schools you have actually attended and did any sound like my description above?
I have searched on Fodors - Trois Ponts, Coeur de France, Ecole Klesse, Academie des Langues, Parlons en Provence, L'Institut de Francais, Villefranch,Millfeuille Provence and Crea Langues in Provence. Do you know personally of any of these, or does anyone else. David are you going to the Institute in Villefranche? Oh, how to decide - apart from all your great tips and my criteria! Still difficult whenn they are so expensive you don't want to go wrong.
Any further info on particular schools would be great.
I have searched on Fodors - Trois Ponts, Coeur de France, Ecole Klesse, Academie des Langues, Parlons en Provence, L'Institut de Francais, Villefranch,Millfeuille Provence and Crea Langues in Provence. Do you know personally of any of these, or does anyone else. David are you going to the Institute in Villefranche? Oh, how to decide - apart from all your great tips and my criteria! Still difficult whenn they are so expensive you don't want to go wrong.
Any further info on particular schools would be great.
Nov 20th, 2006, 10:32 PM
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Hi Schnauzer:
Of the smaller schools, I've been to Millefeuille Provence (August 2006) and really enjoyed it. My review of it is toward the end of this thread: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34836218
I also attended CIEL de Strasbourg (for a business French course) in 2002 and really liked the school and the city. The school does have a lot of younger students (not teens, but early 20s); however, the business course attracts a somewhat older crowd - late 20s to mid-40s. Strasbourg was a great base for sightseeing in the Alsace region, sidetrips to Switzerland and in southwestern Germany.
I spent a month in Grenoble at the language school associated with the University there, taking a French for lawyers course. Grenoble was also a great base, and my specialised program was great, but I don't think it's what you're looking for.
My husband has attended Alliance Francaise and Ecole France Langue in Paris and was not wowed by either of them (but their schedules were convenient for him). I take classes through Executive Language Services in Paris, and the teachers are great.
Millefeuille was great, but the schedule is jam-packed and there isn't much time for sightseeing or cultural expeditions during the week. However, students often get together on the weekends, rent a car together and go sightseeing in the region.
How much time do you have for your programme? You might consider splitting your time between two schools? Start with a small school in the countryside for 2 weeks, and then move to a city school for a week or two(e.g. Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux, Montpellier) for a slightly less intensive programme in a city providing a base where you can do lots of cultural excursions.
I would add that the other school I'm quite interested in is BLS (Bordeaux Language School). It's a larger school, and probably has a predominantly younger crowd, but it has a good reputation and it's in the heart of a wine region. The school itself, and the city, offer lots of opportunities with respect to wine-tasting, cooking classes and other cultural activities. My dad, husband and I visited Bordeaux last summer and enjoyed it a lot. My dad and I might go back this year and take French classes.
If you want to ask me other questions via private message, you can go onto flyertalk.com, register and then send a private email to Kate_Canuck.
Good luck - you'll have a great experience.
Of the smaller schools, I've been to Millefeuille Provence (August 2006) and really enjoyed it. My review of it is toward the end of this thread: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34836218
I also attended CIEL de Strasbourg (for a business French course) in 2002 and really liked the school and the city. The school does have a lot of younger students (not teens, but early 20s); however, the business course attracts a somewhat older crowd - late 20s to mid-40s. Strasbourg was a great base for sightseeing in the Alsace region, sidetrips to Switzerland and in southwestern Germany.
I spent a month in Grenoble at the language school associated with the University there, taking a French for lawyers course. Grenoble was also a great base, and my specialised program was great, but I don't think it's what you're looking for.
My husband has attended Alliance Francaise and Ecole France Langue in Paris and was not wowed by either of them (but their schedules were convenient for him). I take classes through Executive Language Services in Paris, and the teachers are great.
Millefeuille was great, but the schedule is jam-packed and there isn't much time for sightseeing or cultural expeditions during the week. However, students often get together on the weekends, rent a car together and go sightseeing in the region.
How much time do you have for your programme? You might consider splitting your time between two schools? Start with a small school in the countryside for 2 weeks, and then move to a city school for a week or two(e.g. Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux, Montpellier) for a slightly less intensive programme in a city providing a base where you can do lots of cultural excursions.
I would add that the other school I'm quite interested in is BLS (Bordeaux Language School). It's a larger school, and probably has a predominantly younger crowd, but it has a good reputation and it's in the heart of a wine region. The school itself, and the city, offer lots of opportunities with respect to wine-tasting, cooking classes and other cultural activities. My dad, husband and I visited Bordeaux last summer and enjoyed it a lot. My dad and I might go back this year and take French classes.
If you want to ask me other questions via private message, you can go onto flyertalk.com, register and then send a private email to Kate_Canuck.
Good luck - you'll have a great experience.
Nov 27th, 2006, 05:37 AM
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Hi Kate,
I discovered your message by a woman who sent me her test in French.
It seems that you came at Millefeuille recently. Who are you ?
Thanks for your good "promotion" for Millefeuille.
Kind regards,
Dominique
I discovered your message by a woman who sent me her test in French.
It seems that you came at Millefeuille recently. Who are you ?
Thanks for your good "promotion" for Millefeuille.
Kind regards,
Dominique
Jan 21st, 2007, 04:35 PM
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My recommendation is for Institut de Francais a Villefranche. Wonderful immersion program and blend of adult students-many repeat students at this program-from all over the world. Eight and a half hours a day, about 9-10 students in a class. www.institutdefrancais.com. I was in one of their advanced classes this fall and I certainly plan to return.
May 19th, 2007, 09:52 AM
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Brava, Kate_W.
I was directed here from another thread, and find your suggestions so useful I'm going to save them for future reference.
True immersion is very useful, if you can do it. About 40 years ago, a friend and I got summer jobs near Paris, and agreed to speak only French for the duration, including to each other. We both made great strides that summer. After a while, something in your brain clicks over to French - it seems to decide, hey, English doesn't work any more. That was the summer I started generating sentences in French without translating from English.
There was another beneficial side effect: people became very friendly. Parisians would start to talk to us spontaneously on the street. It seemed that although they knew other Americans who spoke French, they had never before seen two Americans speaking French <i>to each other</i>, and they wanted to know why we were doing that.
Some people find this sort of immersion easier than others. I could easily go through an entire summer with my ability to express my deepest thoughts crippled by an inability to use my native language. My wife has a harder time with this, and needs to go back to English from time to time.
My only experience recently with French classes in France was a wonderful experience at the <i>Ecole des Trois Ponts</i> in Roanne. You can see my report on that trip, with pictures, on my web page, at:
http://lkrakauer.home.comcast.net/france04/
By the way, they also give cooking classes.
- Larry
I was directed here from another thread, and find your suggestions so useful I'm going to save them for future reference.
True immersion is very useful, if you can do it. About 40 years ago, a friend and I got summer jobs near Paris, and agreed to speak only French for the duration, including to each other. We both made great strides that summer. After a while, something in your brain clicks over to French - it seems to decide, hey, English doesn't work any more. That was the summer I started generating sentences in French without translating from English.
There was another beneficial side effect: people became very friendly. Parisians would start to talk to us spontaneously on the street. It seemed that although they knew other Americans who spoke French, they had never before seen two Americans speaking French <i>to each other</i>, and they wanted to know why we were doing that.
Some people find this sort of immersion easier than others. I could easily go through an entire summer with my ability to express my deepest thoughts crippled by an inability to use my native language. My wife has a harder time with this, and needs to go back to English from time to time.
My only experience recently with French classes in France was a wonderful experience at the <i>Ecole des Trois Ponts</i> in Roanne. You can see my report on that trip, with pictures, on my web page, at:
http://lkrakauer.home.comcast.net/france04/
By the way, they also give cooking classes.
- Larry
Jun 6th, 2012, 05:44 PM
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Since this thread has been brought back to the top after five years, let me update the URL of the report on my experiences at <i>L'Ecole des Trois Ponts</i>. It's now at:
http://ljkrakauer.com/france04/
- Larry
http://ljkrakauer.com/france04/
- Larry
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