If you’ve been considering a study abroad experience and researching schools to learn French in France, you’ve probably entered these questions into your favourite search engine:
How much progress will I make learning French at a language school in Paris?
What is it really like being an adult learner at a French language school?
What is it like studying French at ACCORD Paris?
Our latest blog takes you through a day in the life of a French student at ACCORD Paris, to give you a clearer insight into what to expect when you choose a French course at the long-standing language school accredited by Qualité FLE. Let’s join Sophie on an average day at ACCORD Paris and find out what the school has in store for you…
Before class at ACCORD
My alarm rings at 7am and I take a few minutes in bed to wake up before heading for the kitchen at my home stay.
I contacted ACCORD Paris before booking my course to ask about the different accommodation options available and I’m so glad I chose to book a host family through the school. Before my arrival, I was sent complete information about my host family, their phone number and email address so I could introduce myself and let them know my arrival time, their address so I could look it up online, information about them and their home, details about my bedroom and how to get to the school using public transport. It made everything so much easier on the Sunday I arrived and gave me that extra peace of mind about travelling to a foreign country and a busy city.
My hostess is getting ready for work, but she’s left me everything I could wish for on the dining table for my breakfast. I’ve developed a real taste for strong French coffee whilst here, so I’ll be buying some coffee to take home with me at the end of my stay. I have my breakfast and get ready for the day.
All the home stays are within half an hour of the language school by public transport and my host family is no different. I love feeling like a real Parisian, as I join the throngs of people on their way to work or skipping down the stairs to the metro. I downloaded the Navigo pass which basically gives you unlimited travel depending on which zones you’re in, making taking the metro a breeze because you just tap in and hop on the train rather than queuing for tickets for every single journey.
The first Monday I went to school from my host family, I was nervous even though I’d read the directions a million times and could see the directions every time I closed my eyes. But now I don’t even have to think about it, the metro system is very easy and convenient to use. I get off at “La Motte-Picquet-Grenelle” and love walking down Avenue de Suffren to get to class. It’s full of traditional Parisian buildings with wrought iron windows and trees lining the street… You get the feel-good factor before you’ve even walked into the school.
Morning class at my French Language School
Class starts at 9am and I’m usually 5 or 10 minutes early. I walk into school and say bonjour to the lovely staff on reception, they always have a smile on their faces. What I really appreciated about the school on my first morning here was that I didn’t have to do a test to put me in the right class for my level of French. I’d have felt a bit cheated if I had – although I know that most schools do just that. When I booked my course at ACCORD, they sent me a level test for me to complete myself (remember: Google’s for noodles!) and return before my arrival, so the teaching staff could put me in a class where I would feel challenged but not lost. That meant I could join class right away at 9am on Monday rather than wasting a morning waiting for the results of my test.
The classrooms themselves are lovely and bright. We all have our own individual chairs and desks to work off and the classroom is set up in such a way that it feels very laidback and relaxed. We all sit in a circle and the teacher is part of the group rather than isolated, which I personally have found makes me feel more confident about speaking or asking questions when I’m unsure of something we’ve covered. The focus is very much on speaking here at ACCORD, which is ideal because that’s something I struggle with: I find that I can understand a lot of what is being said to me, but expressing myself on the spot or putting my thoughts into coherent words isn’t quite as simple. That’s exactly why I chose to come to Paris to learn French as I wasn’t getting anywhere with Duolingo. Being surrounded by the language has had a real impact on me and the lessons in small groups (there are only 10 of us in my morning class) have given me a huge confidence boost.
The other students in my class come from all over the world (Italy, Japan, Switzerland, Brazil, etc.) and I don’t speak any other languages, so we can only communicate in French… which is a good thing! I’ve barely used any English since I got here (apart from texts home and the odd phone call) and I feel like I’m starting to think in French rather than in English, which has made expressing myself far more natural. Apart from not speaking any English, I also love how multicultural the school is and how we’re encouraged to learn about each other’s countries and cultures during our classes. Speaking of that, it’s time for a coffee break with my classmates before the rest of the morning’s lesson…
Lunch
I booked the Oral French course at ACCORD to add another string to my bow at work. The company I work for regularly deals with French clients and I feel I would be a greater asset at work if I could communicate with our clients using their language. The Oral French course includes General French classes in the morning then Oral Communication lessons on Monday and Friday afternoons. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, I make the most of my afternoons to explore the city with the friends I’ve made here at the school. On Mondays and Fridays, I have an hour to grab something to eat before my classes start again, so I always tend to stay near to the school.
ACCORD Paris is in an amazing location: it’s just a few minutes’ walk from the Eiffel Tower and Champ de Mars, meaning I can grab at jambon beurre or slice of quiche from one of the many nearby boulangeries and either chill in the park or people watch by the fountains without straying too far from school. Sometimes, me and my classmates grab a bite to eat at Chalet Manège for a cheeky crêpe and a catch-up at one of the little tables by the carousel. I won’t lie, we’ve taken a LOT of selfies here because of the incredible views of the lush green trees and the Iron Lady herself looming above us!
My afternoon classes
Once I’ve sated my appetite, I’m ready for another round of French lessons. Usually we stay in class, but today we’re going on one of ACCORD’s famous sorties pédagogiques. When our teacher first mentioned them in class during the first week I was here, I thought it was just a way to get us out of the classroom… I couldn’t have been more wrong: instead of trailing after the teacher and listening to them reel off facts about the places we’re visiting, we go on proper field trips to explore the sites ourselves and communicate with each other and members of the public in French. It pushes your out of your comfort zone and once you’ve done it, you realise you really can accomplish whatever you want using the language.
We did one last Friday where we were split into two groups and we did a scavenger hunt on rue Montorgueil. I’d never even heard of the street before (being a self-confessed foodie in Paris, I hang my head in shame), so I was intrigued to understand why the teaching staff had chosen this seemingly random part of Paris to explore. The idea was for us to seek out information to answer questions, riddles and more before cracking a final code and getting more correct answers than our rival time. It was so much fun and we learnt lots: new French vocabulary, the history of the street, its ties to the French Revolution, traditional Parisian architecture, the street’s place in French literature and culture… It was a real eye-opener and I actually went back to visit the street a little more over the weekend.
After class
My classes finish at 5pm on Mondays and Fridays, by which time I’m pretty much all talked out and ready to decompress. My host family is very flexible about dinner, so as long as I let her know that I’m staying out later or going out for a meal with my classmates, she’s totally fine to either save me some food in the fridge for me to eat when I get home. Obviously, I text her in French, even though I spent the first couple of days writing without any accents because I couldn’t find how to put them on using my smartphone… she must have thought I should sign up for a Grammar and Writing course at ACCORD next!
Sometimes I like to go for a walk by the Seine and listen to passersby chatting away before I head underground to catch the metro home. Other times, me and my classmates grab a bite to eat after visiting a museum or we go to watch some live music at one of the many bars that stage performances in the evening. Even though Accord doesn’t organise any social activities for its students, it always has a list of what’s on in Paris up at the school and on its website, so you can plan your schedule depending on the exhibitions or events that are happening in the city. It’s been really convenient for me personally, because it can feel a little overwhelming when there’s so much to choose from and so much happening in the French capital.
When I get back to my home stay, I love sitting with my hostess and chatting to her about her day. Not only is it great listening practice for me, but it’s also gives me a real insight into the French way of life, which is something I can use when I get home and start speaking to our French clients. Choosing to stay with a host family has made a real difference to my study abroad experience because I get to put into practice all the communication skills I’ve gained during the day in class at Accord; it’s an extension to everything I’ve learnt during my lesson which I simply wouldn’t be able to have had if I had chosen to stay in a hotel or with an English friend. It’s like a 2-for-1 deal! When I go to bed tonight, I know it will take me a few minutes to start thinking in English again and I love that. Hopefully I’ll be dreaming in French sometime soon…
Would I recommend taking a French course at Accord Paris? Without a shadow of a doubt! It’s an immersive experience and the knowledge you gain is something that you simply can’t achieve on your own with an app. It’s not just about getting to grips with the grammar or learning new vocabulary; it’s about gaining confidence to speak with real French people and not being put off if you don’t understand everything that is being said to you, it’s about understanding French culture and what matters to the French people, it’s about embracing the French way of life for a week, a fortnight, a month or a year and squeezing every last drop of it. It isn’t a once-in-a-lifetime experience, because I know I’ll be back for more in a few years’ time to take me up to the next level and help me achieve my career and life goals.
Merci ACCORD!
Sophie
