Do you want to learn or improve your French? Undecided about the benefits of a study abroad experience? The keyword here is “French immersion”. Immersion is exactly what sets a trip to France to learn French apart from an online course or in-person lessons at a venue near where you live. At Active Languages, we only deal with native human translators and real-life immersive language experiences, so we wanted to give you a better understanding of what’s involved in a study abroad language stay.
What is immersion, and French immersion?
An immersive French course is a language experience where you continue to be surrounded by the language you’re learning outside the classroom. If you take an online course or lessons near your home for example, what happens once the lessons are over? You talk to your classmates in English, you see billboards in English on your way home, you see pop-ups in English on your computer, you hear passersby speaking English, the radio plays English music and so on.
If you take a French course at ACCORD Language School in Paris, when you leave the classroom you speak to your fellow students in French (because that’s the only language you all have in common), you hear people speaking French on the street, you read menus and shop signs in French, you listen to museum tour guides in French… there’s no escaping the language so your brain is fully “immersed” in French, which helps you learn the language far more quickly than if you take an online course for example.
Native teachers and speakers
Learning another language is great, but learning from a native speaker is even better. A native speaker will use “real French” that will actually benefit you and will come in handy during your time in France (as opposed to the classic “où est l’hôtel de ville?” which nobody has ever thought to ask a French person outside the classroom in secondary school). Accents are important here too, as you will learn the correct pronunciation and intonation for words and phrases in French from native speakers. Just like in English, there are lots of different French accents so opening you up to regionalisms will help train your ear in different pronunciations and create talking points for you to discuss with any natives you meet during your time in the French capital (is it “chocolatine” or “pain au chocolat”?).
At ACCORD Paris French Language School, the French teachers are trained to encourage students to get talking and communicate with one another so that they can pin-point any areas for improvement and sort out any little niggles quickly. The more you speak, the more confidence you’ll gain and the more fluent you will be.
Embrace the experience
No matter whether you’re in France for a week, a month or a year, you need to embrace the experience to get the most out of your immersion and your French language course. Once French class at ACCORD is over, meet up with your fellow students for a coffee and chat whilst also ordering your drinks in French, listening to French music on the sound system and hearing French chatter in the background. If you want some alone time, pick up a French newspaper from the local tabac or stand and choose a bench in a quiet park or on a bustling street. Make a beeline for a museum, bypass the English visitor booklet and join a tour with a French guide. A trip to the cinema is always a great test for your language skills and there’s nothing quite as immersive as ordering your popcorn in French before settling down to watch the adverts, trailers and feature film without a subtitle in sight! Instead of doing Wordle in English, switch to the French version during your time in the capital to boost your vocabulary and impress your native teacher at ACCORD Paris.
Home stays and French culture
Immersion isn’t all about soaking up the local language, it’s also about experiencing the local lifestyle and culture. A home stay is a great way to elevate your immersive experience as you learn about what life is really like for people living and working in Paris. You get to try the food the Parisians really eat (“What? No snails for dinner again?”) if you choose the breakfast or half board option, meaning you don’t just get your meals cooked for you, but you also get to join your hosts for mealtimes for a healthy dose of conversation. Your hosts aren’t teachers; they may not correct your French if you get something wrong, but they will broaden your vocabulary with words and expressions that may not come up in class. They will also give you an insight into French politics, society, business, education, culture and more during your time together. Time with a native is also a great opportunity to get to grips with less formal language used in social settings, find out how many times you should kiss someone on the cheek when you meet them or just ask any questions about France and the French that you would prefer to ask outside the classroom.
An immersive experience studying French in France is nothing like your language lessons at school, at the local community centre or on your computer. French immersion is a journey through language, culture, lifestyle and everything that makes a country what it is. You’ll come home with a fresh perspective of France after living like a local and speaking like a local. Your confidence will be through the roof, you’ll be fearless when it comes to pronouncing the likes of “grenouille” and your communication skills will come on leaps and bounds in terms of fluency.
If you’d like to find out more about our study abroad options in Paris and the French Riviera, please contact Active Languages and let’s get your French adventure started.
