Going to French school on vacation?
Isn’t this a paradox? Not necessarily!
We have great solutions to spend studious but dynamic holidays! Forget the boring image of French lessons in class!
Our language stays in various destinations in France have it all and will make you love the language of Molière! They are a perfect combination of a small group course and immediate practice during visits and cultural activities: no escape, you have to get started and take your best accent Français!
Mix work with pleasure to learn French on vacation
The immersive approach used by our French as A Foreign Language teachers is optimal to encourage students to stay focused and facilitate their learning of French.
The theory merges with the practice of the language in a fun and non-binding context. In the eyes of the students, the French language, as difficult as it is useful, as beautiful as it is complex, seems more within reach, or within earshot … Indeed, our teachers and guides create the best conditions so that the learning is first of all a pleasure, a hobby, and no longer a constraint, like a compulsory course at school. The students’ listening and desire to learn are immediately felt!
Lena, 16, Russian student
“I loved the French lessons in the morning because you don’t feel like you’re in school. We learn without realizing it, and afterwards the words come by themselves. And it also gives us the vocabulary to better understand the visits that we make in the afternoon with the group. “
The organization of French lessons during language holidays
How French courses work
The French lessons taught during language stays are generally given in the morning, when the minds are clear (but not necessarily always wide awake, of course!) to capture all the attention and concentration of the students, before they express and spend their full energy during afternoon activities and discoveries!
French lessons last at least 2 hours, spread over the morning, from Monday to Friday. In total, depending on the programs and destinations, students benefit from 10 to 20 hours of face-to-face lessons per week, with a qualified and experienced teacher.
The learning groups are limited to 10 or even 15 students depending on the context, in order to allow everyone to express themselves, to participate, and to benefit from the full attention and vigilance of the dedicated teacher. Groups are formed according to the age and level of each. As a result, students work on comprehension and oral expression more simply, more spontaneously, and can practice conversation in pairs or by exchanging with the teacher.
Objectives of French courses on language holidays
We know that French is difficult because of its diabolical grammar and conjugation! So you have to go through these learning stages, a bit tedious but fundamental for a good expression. For this, the French courses organized by our teachers aim to strengthen grammatical skills, spelling and vocabulary, and to develop knowledge of French culture and civilization. Many tools and knowledge combine to promote oral and written communication, and encourage the fluidity of students’ speech in any situation.
The content of the French courses
Interactive lessons
The FLE courses offered by VAL are not linear, on the contrary! We rely on dynamism, interactivity, leisure, to give students confidence, free them from any apprehension by arousing their curiosity.
Role-playing, theatre and music
By leaving his position as a pupil, by role-playing for example, he appropriates the language of Molière and integrates words and expressions more quickly. The teachers thus offer activities, songs (the repertoire of Zaz, well known abroad, like that of Stromae), pieces of plays (Un Grand Cri d’Amour, Le Malade Imaginaire, Le Prénom, …), in order to diversify the teaching aids and to provide attractive and simply fun lessons, which nevertheless give a little holiday air… The pupils thus discover the great classics of literature or French songs, and develop their cultural and artistic knowledge by learning French “in the text”. The focus is also on pronunciation and self-confidence, which are essential elements of language learning.
Comfortable French schools for vacations close to activities
Those who travel with us will have the chance to receive French lessons in modern, comfortable and well-equipped teaching facilities. All educational materials, including digital and, in some cases interactive, are available to teachers and students learning French.
And there is a little bonus! The campuses are close to places of visit and relaxation that students can enjoy after class. So trips are limited and time optimized for lessons and activities.
Take the example of the destination Nice (see our language stay program in Nice and Provence) where our agency offers Summer Camps and linguistic and cultural stays of 1 to 2 weeks: the campus is located 5 minutes from the beaches…
Hayden, 14, American student
“I realized that I understood my teacher better when I was in France, lessons are easier on vacation than at school! And learning on a beautiful campus like Nice is impressive, you feel bigger”.
Certified French teachers… fascinating too!
Our teachers are all native French speakers and offer very dynamic lessons adapted to this particular context of language holidays. They hold a FLE diploma and demonstrate a seasoned experience in teaching the French language to students of all nationalities and of all ages.
They participate fully in the language course, sometimes following groups of students during visits and cultural activities, alongside professional guides and tour guides. This makes it possible to forge bonds of complicity between teachers and students, to ensure the good practice of French in a lively daily context. They can thus identify the level of each learner, and detect possible subjects, grammatical or semantic items, to be deepened in the following lessons.
Adèle, French as Foreign Language teacher, 39 years old.
“I particularly appreciate the French lessons for foreign student vacationers because there is a special atmosphere, a form of relaxation and availability of the learners which are very beneficial to learning the language. Without stress, without pressure, I teach on campus and sometimes outside, in situ, on a market place for example. This is why with VAL, we keep a fairly small number of students, in order to keep their full attention, and possibly provide a lesson in a public site, to challenge the students and throw them into language immersion directly! ”
Learning French on vacation is above all a great experience and a guarantee to make rapid progress effortlessly. While writing this article, we thought about several movie scenes where foreign protagonists babble a few words of French creating sometimes comical situations. To conclude with a touch of humour, we can’t resist sharing with you the extract that won our preference: Wendy, the American from the Auberge Espagnole…