The French Corner

Pour Utiliser Un Dico: A Lesson Plan

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 04:54:00 +0000

About a year and a half ago, I wrote a post called A Thorough Guide to How to Use a Dictionary for French Students. I recently created a lesson plan based on it that I have not yet implemented, but I would like to use in my classroom. I believe knowing how to use a dictionary is a valuable skill that needs to be taught, otherwise the effectiveness of the dictionary is greatly diminished. As a teacher of first year French students (7th graders), this is not a lesson I will implement right away (especially since a certain amount of prior knowledge of French grammar is required), but I think in most cases it would be a good lesson to give before doing the first writing assignment or project of the year. Students can use the first page of notes as a sort of "cheat sheet" when they are writing subsequent compositions.

Objective: After the completion of this lesson and with practice, students will be able to effectively use a dictionary to improve their reading and writing skills in the target language.

Materials:
• SMART Board or non-interactive projector connected to computer
• Website: Wordreference.com
• Guided notes/Paired practice worksheet
• Classroom set of dictionaries

Instructional Sequence:
• Distribute guided notes and paired practice to students
• Project guided notes on SMART Board or other projector
• Have student read introduction and explain the importance of the skill of using a dictionary
• Fill in symbols and meanings with students (have them figure them out)
• Have student read context paragraph; clarify the meanings of “context” and “idiomatic expression”
• Have student read agreement paragraph; clarify when a verb or an adjective would have to be changed
• Show WordReference.com, explain how it works
• Let students work on paired practice for 10 minutes before going over it.
• Undoubtedly, the issue of using an online translator will come up. If/when it does:
o State that using a translator to write a paper or an assignment is cheating, and will be treated as such
o State that translators don’t do as good a job as you can with a dictionary, and it is very obvious when they are being used
o Remind students that taking the shortcut of using a translator, besides not being effective, does not give you any practice with the language, and as a result you won’t perform as well in class and on assessments.

Guided Notes and Practice (Key)

What's New at the French Corner

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 05:54:00 +0000

As you may have noticed if you visit the blog's website (as to opposed to reading this in your RSS reader), The French Corner has taken on a new look. I decided a change in design was long overdue; I have had the same one for a couple of years now I think. I have a very happy announcement to make to my readers; I will begin my first year of teaching this fall! I will be teaching 7th grade French at Maple Avenue Middle School in Saratoga Springs, NY. As you see at left, my family got me a little cake to celebrate the milestone. I started this blog as a simple website when I was in high school and it has grown into a place where I share many of my teaching creations through my coursework and field placement. As a teacher I'm sure I will have plenty more to share, but naturally I will have less time to devote to this blog in my first year of teaching, just as I did when I was student teaching. I have quite a few posts in the works for the rest of the summer, but once fall rolls around I know they will drop off quite a bit. I am so grateful that through this blog I discovered so many other blogs about teaching and learning foreign languages, which have given me all sorts of teaching ideas, some of which I have already implemented, and many more of which I will implement in the future.

On an unrelated note, Joyeuse fête nationale, a little belated!

Une Entrevue Avec Joe Jonas

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 02:05:00 +0000

When I was student teaching I created a couple of Xtranormal videos to use in listening activities reviewing basic French grammar. I wanted to make a talk show interview with a celebrity, and I settled on Joe Jonas because one of the Xtranormal avatars was a dead ringer for him. I chose Conan O'Brien as the talk show host (not realizing his tenure was almost up!) because, again, it was the closest match with the characters. I also created a sheet for students to complete as they watched the movie, which I uploaded to Scribd. If it weren't for all the amazing bloggers out there that talk about all these incredible tools (Box of Tricks, Joe Dale and Les Chevaliers du Château de Champions to name a few), I never would have thought to create this!

See the Activity Sheet for this Video

When I "Discovered" French

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 04:08:00 +0000

With Discover Languages Month coming to a close very soon, I wanted to take a chance to share some of the resources that I used when I first "discovered" French, eleven years ago. These are the books, websites, movies, etc. that I used all through high school and some of them I still use today. If you're just discovering French or looking to recommend something to someone who is, have a look at this list!

Books

My First French Vocabulary actually was my first French vocabulary once upon a time, years before I started learning it at school. It's out of print but you can get it used at Amazon dirt cheap. It's sort of a game - the book is broken up into a top component, a middle component, and a bottom component, and you have to find the pages that match up to make one themed page (incredibly hard to explain, I apologize!)
501 French Verbs helped me understand all the little minute details of verb tenses like direct object pronouns in the passé composé or the imperfect subjunctive tense. What I like about it is along with seeing all these verbs conjugated, they give you some useful expressions with the verb, and they have a whole section on how to use each tense, along with practice exercises.
French à la Cartoon was a great way to learn about some common French idioms. This is a book of cartoons, translated from French to English. The idea behind the book is that a language can't be translated word for word, so by reading these you pick up on the cadence of how the language is written along with some idiomatic expressions. There is a pretty extensive glossary too!
Le nouveau petit Robert's title is misleading; it's far from petit. This is a complete French dictionary, with the definitions all in French.
I read La Ferme Des Animaux (George Orwell's Animal Farm) for extra credit in 10th grade English class. This book has the French text on one page and the English text on the opposing page. This is another excellent way to pick up some vocabulary and study the cadence of the language, because you will be able to see that many things are not translated literally.
The Firefly French/English Visual Dictionary (English and French Edition) has a picture of every "thing" you can think of, accompanied with the French and English word for it. When I first looked at it, I was in awe of how complete it was.
Paris by Assouline is a beautiful book comprised solely of photos of Paris.

Music

Gourmandises by Alizée is a fun techno-pop album, and one of the first French pop albums I listened to. Once you've heard that you can move onto Mes Courants Electriques, which is a little mellower. Her latest work, Psychédélices, I found disappointing.
The French Album by Céline Dion is great collection of songs by one of the most famous Québécois chanteuses. Most people either love or hate Céline, and I think she has a great voice that sounds even greater in her native language.
Lorie sings sugary sweet pop that I couldn't get enough of in early high school. Her Live Tour CD has a nice range of songs on it. The lyrics are simple enough that students can learn from them.
Zebda are a rock band from Toulouse who mainly sing about social issues. Their CD Utopie d'Occase is a good start.

VHS/DVD

Back in the stone age when VHS was the medium of choice for viewing...well, videos, I acquired quite a collection of Disney Sing-Along Songs videos in French. What's so great about these videos is that they are all "karaoke" so to speak; the lyrics appear at the bottom of the screen. You also generally know the lyrics in English, making it much easier to pick up any French words you don't know. The issue with VHS and DVD for those who want to purchase international titles is that they are often not region-compatible. The US and Canada share the same VHS and DVD formats, so buying Canadian titles in French was how I got my French VHS. Since most European countries share VHS and DVD formats, buying French titles in Europe is a cinch. I believe the Sing Along Songs DVDs now come with a French language track, which I assume means they also have French subtitles, so now the compatibility issue is obsolete.

Websites

When I was first learning French, I often read blogs or websites written by young people in French. It's a great way to pick up some slang, especially internet slang! For instance, the equivalent of LOL is MDR in French (mort de rire = dead from laughing) The number 2 is often used in place of "de" (of/from) since "de" and "deux" (2) have the same pronunciation! One place to find blogs like this is MySpace France.

The Olympics and Cognates - The Sequel Post

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 04:53:00 +0000

Photo by Centre_France

My last post was mostly teacher-centered so I wanted to take the opportunity to write a similar post geared at those of you who are learning French.

Cognates are a blessing; they are easy to memorize and easy to pick up on in reading and listening. French, although not a Germanic language like English, has an abundance of cognates for English-speakers, and more and more pop up as English words infiltrate French language, much to the chagrin of the Académie Française, the prestigious organization charged with keeping up the "Frenchiness" of the French language. Cognates, despite being recognizable, sometimes difficult to pronounce. My 9th grade French teacher once told our class that it's not the foreign-looking words that cause the most trouble to language learners, it's the ones that look just like the learner's native language, because he or she has a tendency to pronounce them in their native language.

Cognates are very common in sports, because French words for sports often come from an English word. Of the 15 winter Olympic sports, all but two are cognates, or have a cognate within them. Some of them, like curling, are simply an English word altogether. Which leads me to my next point. As I mentioned above, English words are popping up more and more in the French language. An ad for Visa on the French language Vancouver website declares "Go le monde," as in "Go World." Why not "Allez le monde"? It may be due in part to the fact that Visa wanted to keep their slogan as close as possible to the recognizable English one (this is totally conjecture on my part though), or perhaps they thought putting an English word in made it catchier. The worksheet I made for the activity in my last post has this ad in it, as well as four other ads whose
text and photos contain clues to what the words mean.

Other topics that contain many cognates from French to English

The internet and technology
Geography
Pop culture

Using les Jeux Olympiques as an Opportunity to Learn About Cognates

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 03:59:00 +0000

Word collage created with Wordle

For one of my grad classes I will be developing a mini unit of instruction this semester. I have already written one of the lessons, which I will teach to my classmates, and I thought I would share it here. I have seen so many great resources on Twitter and in the blogosphere about the Olympics that I thought this topic would be great for a lesson. After perusing the French version of the Vancouver Olympics website for ideas, I realized that learning the names of the winter sports would be pretty easy since so many of them are cognates, so I centered the lesson around introducing the concept of cognates to students. The lesson finishes off with an assignment that asks students to use their knowledge of pop culture as well as cognates to decipher ads in French that I found on the Vancouver site. This is a pretty short lesson (20 mins) so in a real world setting it would probably only take about half the class. If you haven't already, I strongly recommend perusing the French edition of the Vancouver website for lots of opportunities to practice your French, as well as the Education Center for some great teaching resources! Also see the Sports & Leisure vocab page for general sports terms.

Grade Level - Beginner

Goals
1. Build students’ vocabulary pertaining to winter Olympic sports
2. Increase students’ awareness of cognates in French and English
3. Connect a current event (the 2010 Olympics) to the curriculum

Materials
1. Pictogram Worksheet (Foreign Language House has a free one!)
2. Large visual representations of Pictograms (Find them here)
3. “Les expressions des Jeux Olympiques” worksheet
4. Koosh ball or similar to toss around classroom

Instructional Process
• When the students enter the classroom, they will see a cluster of words in French relating to the winter Olympics displayed on the board (this could be a Smart Board or projector).
• Once class starts, the teacher asks the students if they recognize any of the words in the cluster and their meaning in English, and finally if they know what connection all these words have.
• Teacher asks students how they knew what some of the words were, such as Jeux Olympiques (similarity to English), and explain what role cognates play in French and English, especially in sports
• Teacher distributes Pictogram worksheet, with the 2010 pictograms for each of the 15 winter sports. Students have 5-7 minutes to complete the worksheet individually or with a neighbor, matching the French terms with the correct pictures, relying on their ability to find cognates along with process of elimination
• Teacher goes over correct answers with the class, using photos or projections of large pictograms as a visual aid for the students to follow along with. Teacher will demonstrate pronunciation and have students repeat. Students will correct their answers and write the English word underneath the sport. Teacher can remark on how some of the sports are named. After going through all of the answers, teacher will review pronunciation again.
• Students will rely on their knowledge of cognates and popular culture to complete tonight’s homework, which is a worksheet with five current advertisements by sponsors of the Olympics. Students will answer the questions about the ads. Teacher distributes assignment and explains it, then students put it away and clear desks.
• At the end of the lesson, every student stands up and must answer a vocabulary or grammar question related to the lesson (eg what’s the French term for downhill skiing?) before they may be dismissed. The teacher has a koosh ball, and asks students the question, and students who know the answer may raise their hands and the teacher will toss the ball to a student. Once they answer correctly, they can sit down, and throw the ball back to the teacher.

The Francophile's Guide to Discovering the History of Versailles

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 03:33:00 +0000

This post was inspired by a number of things. First, my copy of Le grand livre-jeu de Versailles arrived in the mail today from Canada. Yes, the same book I purchased in Versailles proper, and which never made it into the bag, and thus, which the Estate of Versailles essentially made 10 Euros on and never refunded me or apologized or sent me a new one despite my repeated efforts to reach them, or....you get the picture. So I spent CDN$30 + shipping additional to get the book from Amazon.ca, since it is not sold in the US. All that rigamarole, I know, but it's a neat little book. I can see some definite classroom possibilities. Customer service aside, I had a great time when I went to Versailles in May. For the first time, I toured the gardens in an electric car, which allowed me to really soak in the experience. I ended up buying the CD of the music that they pipe in, called Les Grandes Eaux Musicales de Versailles (click the link to hear some of the music and watch a short video). For some reason, this particular visit to Versailles really made me appreciate the history more than before. I think it's really important for French students (and teachers of course) learn about the monarchs who passed through Versailles, as many were very influential in French history. So, I have compiled a list of fun online resources that I think are very helpful for students wanting to learn more about it and teachers looking for new ways to share it with their students.

Discover Versailles Through a Photographer's Eyes
As you may know, one of my big passions is photography (I have a blog about it, The Sassy Shutterbug), and just as much as I enjoy taking pictures and playing around with them in Photoshop, I love looking at other people's work to get an inspiration or to see things from a new perspective. When I want to look at photos from a specific location, I use a site called Loc.alize.us (click the map to view it in real time), which uses Flickr API to show geotagged photos on a map. You can zoom in closer to see more photos, and if you like what you see, you can view photos on their individual Flickr pages. This is a great way to take a visual tour of the grounds of Versailles and see exactly (provided they were accurately geotagged) where pictures were taken. Even if you've visited Versailles before, you'll most certainly discover something new!

Le roi soleil: A Musical Interpretation of the Sun King
What better way to learn about history than with some music? The French are known for their historical musicals, and Le roi soleil offers a chance at glimpsing into King Louis XIV's life with songs to get hooked on. Admittedly, I have not watched it in its entirety, but thanks to YouTube I have enjoyed a number of the musical selections. Here is a popular song called "Etre à la hauteur." You'll notice portions of it were filmed on the grounds of Versailles. Do a search for "Le roi soleil" and you'll find many more videos!

Grand Versailles Numérique
Grand Versailles Numérique, available in French or English, is a Flash-powered interactive website which allows you to view Versailles from different perspectives throughout its history: past, present and future. View 3D maps, pictures from past and present, and historical videos. This would be a great tool for the classroom.

More Versailles on YouTube
The Château's own YouTube Channel features a great variety of historical videos, akin to what you would see on the History Channel, except most of it is in French.

Avertissement: Eating Too Much Can Cause Weight Gain

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 03:29:00 +0000

I returned from my trip to Europe with plenty of French magazines to keep me up-to-date on the goings on in l'Hexagone. About a week ago, I was reading Marie France magazine, when I came across an ad for chocolate with a big warning, the type you see on ads for tobacco, at the bottom that eating too much is unhealthy, with a link for Mangerbouger.fr. I visited the site and found out that it's a resource for staying healthy through eating right and exercising. Maybe they ought to be putting these warnings in American ads. I don't know if other countries have similar programs, [readers, please share!]. I'm glad I found this site though, because I think it's a great way to introduce French culture and vocabulary about health and wellness at the same time.

The French Corner in France

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 02:40:00 +0000

Hello, after a long hiatus! Lately my focus has been much more on photography than blogging, but I'm trying to keep up with my blogging the best I can. Recently I went to Europe, and spent some time in France, practicing the language and picking up some awesome educational materials! All the pictures from France that I put on Flickr will show up on the left sidebar and I'm constantly adding more. The one item I purchased in France that didn't make it back with me was an educational book about Versailles which had games in it! The cashier forgot to put it in the bag and I didn't realize it until I got back to the hotel! I've written them but I've yet to receive a response. I got most of the books above at Printemps department store in Paris, which has an excellent children's floor. "Portraits de régions" is an adorable picture book with paintings of life in every region of France, published by La Poste. It comes with stamps too! I bought it at the post office store at the Louvre, and I had a great conversation with the man working there, who showed me all the different books they were selling and which would be most useful for a teacher. "Panique à Paris" is a beautifully illustrated mystery story with pages that pull out. "Mon premier Larousse du Monde" is another beautifully illustrated atlas/encyclopedia of the world's cultures. I think "Ton livre à écrire" is my favorite. It's intended to encourage children to write, and it comes with lots of materials like book report pages and other things I can use in the classroom. I can't wait to pore over all of this this summer!

In other news, my book, Lettres de Paris, was featured in the online newsletter of Francophilia this month with other members' books! Yay!

Getting the Authentic Educational Experience in French

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 17:43:00 +0000

I recently discovered a program which airs on France 3 in France called C'est pas sorcier. It's a wonderful series that teaches science, technology, and French culture and history in a not-tacky sort of way. If you don't have access to France 3, you can still watch the show. YouTube and Dailymotion have a plethora of videos from the show. If you're looking for higher quality, the site has a DVD store for educators (I believe they are region 2 though, so make sure they match your DVD player's specs). The store also has games and other things for sale that would be a great way to practice French or to use in the classroom. This video below talks about the allied invasion of Normandy. They use toy models, then they go to Omaha beach itself. The clip ends with some archived footage.

Update - The video I found has been removed, but there are plenty more on DailyMotion and on the show's site.

What I've Been Up to Lately...

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 04:05:00 +0000

Lately I have not had much time for posting, as I have been busy with schoolwork and with this project: designing a logo for my university's French program and working to create a website and social network for faculty and students to interact on. I even created a Twitter account for it! I thought this might be of interest to those of you who are teachers. I know many of you already use these tools with your students, and I think they will work very well at the college level as well. When I am a high school teacher, I will surely do something very similar. Another project I am working on is Relay for Life. For those of you who aren't familiar, this is an event created by the American Cancer Society that takes place all over the United States. Organizations form teams and compete to raise the most money before and during the actual event. I am the co-captain of the Pi Delta Phi National French Honor Society team at this year's SUNY Oswego Relay for Life which will take place in April. Any donation you can make, even as small as $1 is greatly appreciated and goes towards cancer research! This semester I will be inducted into Pi Delta Phi, Theta Delta chapter.

A Thorough Guide to How to Use a Dictionary for French Students

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 01:11:00 +0000

All foreign language students turn to a dictionary from time to time, whether you're beginning learner or a fluent aficionado. Sadly though, so few students take the time to learn how a dictionary works and few teachers take the time to show their students. To some, it comes naturally, but to others, it's quite confusing. Using a dictionary correctly can vastly expand your vocabulary. Using one incorrectly can lead to some pretty embarrassing sentences! Here, I explain some of the most common mistakes students make when they turn to their faithful dico.

Know your parts of speech
In all truthfulness, you really can't get much use out of a dictionary if you don't know your parts of speech. So many words mean one thing as a noun and another thing as a verb in both English and French. Some words you may look up in French may have an ambiguous meaning in English if you don't understand what the part of speech is. When you go to look up a word, you must know what part of speech it is. Some students loathe grammar and see no point in learning the parts of speech, but I believe that language acquisition comes much faster if you are aware of what you're hearing/reading/speaking/writing. At least know that a noun is a person/place/thing/idea, an adjective is what describes it, a verb denotes the action, and an adverb describes a verb or an adjective. If you have that down, you have a fighting chance at being able to use a dictionary. Knowing all the parts of speech is stronly advised though. If your grasp of parts of speech is still frail, read this lesson on English grammar, which is accompanied by quizzes.

Don't stop at the first word you see
It should go without saying that you should not stop at the first word if it is not the part of speech you are looking for, but you must also read the examples, phrases, and sentences that often accompany words with many different meanings. These will give you an idea of what kind of context the word is used in. There will often be a word in parentheses describing in what sense the word is being translated. For instance, looking up "medicine" in WordReference, we have (field) médecine and (drug) médicament as two possible translations. These two words are not interchangeable, but in English the same word is used. The opposite can be true of a French word you are looking up.

Don't translate idiomatic expressions word for word
A good dictionary will have a list of idiomatic expressions that use the word you're looking up. Common verbs like "être," "avoir," "faire," and "aller" often come with an exhaustive list of idiomatic expressions. If you want to know what "avoir soif" means, you will find "soif" mean thirst, but looking under "avoir," you will probably see that "~ soif" means to be thirsty. If you look up two words separately and they don't sound good together in English, look up one of the words and read through the list of idiomatic expressions if there are any. It can be very difficult to recognize an idiomatic expression in English (or whatever your native language) because as a native speaker, it sounds natural to you. In this case, you must be on the lookout for idiomatic expressions whenever you look up a word or phrase. When you go to look up "thirsty" you will most likely find the idiomatic expression "to be ~" (avoir soif) as the first entry, since there really is no word in French that means "thirsty" (the closest is assoiffé which is closer to "parched" in English).

Know what the abbreviations mean
Many students are familiar with the basic abbreviations (n=noun, adj=adjective, v=verb, adv=adverb). What is prep though? Prep stands for preposition, a word that indicates direction or location and always goes before a noun (to, from, over, under, etc.). Trans or intrans indicates if a verb is transitive (can take a direct object) or intransitive (cannot take a direct object). Some verbs have both a transitive and intransitive meaning, so knowing this can come in very handy! To put this in simpler terms, "to go" is an intransitive verb because you can't "go" something. "To do" is a transitive verb because you can "do" something. In French you will see an m or f next to the n on nouns, indicating its gender. "Le" or "la" are not used in dictionaries like they are on vocab sheets.

Resources

Word Reference is the only really good online dictionary. It is incredibly thorough, and where it has gaps, it has an excellent forum where you can post a question or read answers to others' questions. At the end of the word entry, it will link to all the forum posts that talk about the word. It even has a verb conjugator, as well as a very full list of idiomatic expressions accompanying many words. If you're a regular user, you should download their Firefox extension that lets you type your query right into the Firefox search engine bar.
Le nouveau Petit Robert de la langue francaise 2009is an all-French dictionary, perfect for advanced users. Get to know the French language better by reading the French definition rather than the English translation.
Franklin BFQ-450 Larousse French/English Dictionary, an electronic hand held dictionary, is no replacement for a hard copy of a dictionary, but it's nice and compact and perfect for when you're on the go and space is limited.

Photo by Beauty addict

All the Presidents' Pastries: Talking with Former White House Pastry Chef Dr. Roland Mesnier

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 21:19:00 +0000

Dr. Roland Mesnier has had an amazing career, working as a patissier in some of the finest establishments in the world, most notably, at the White House! I recently finished reading one of his books, All the Presidents' Pastries, which chronicles his beginnings in France through his rise to the top, and shares some interesting insight about life working in the White House. Dr. Mesnier was kind enough to take the time to talk to me about his career and what plans he has for the future. I happened upon Dr. Mesnier's book when I passed by his book signing table at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC this past summer. My family was delighted to meet him and buy the book, signed of course! In All the Presidents' Pastries, he describes how he got his start as a patissier in France, and his journey through apprenticeship and his time working in Paris before moving on to various countries. Many people believe the French make the best food, especially the best pastries. I wondered what role he felt his formation in France played in making him the successful patissier he is today. "In France they still teach a real foundation on how to go about doing things," he tells me. Too many people today eat "convenience food," where most of the ingredients are made somewhere else and chef assembles it at the restaurant. "I learned to do everything from scratch." This is a big plus in France and in Europe, he says. I enjoyed reading about all the extensive research Mesnier did for each state dinner, and how beautifully he was able to incorporate the guest countries' cultures into his magnificent pastry dishes. But did he ever find himself putting "French" touches on some of his desserts for the First Families? "I would say 99% of my desserts were French foundation with an American twist, adapted to the American liking." A recipe might call for a nut filling, but he would exchange it for a peanut butter base, something more appealing to the American palate. When I read about how torn Mesnier felt when American-French relations were strained in 2003 with the onset of the war, I instantly remembered how I felt the same way, being a lover of French language and culture but also being an American citizen. "...[I]n general it's always been good between France and America, strained a little bit during [beginning of] the American and Iraq War. I think the press made it a big to-do and it wasn't a big to-do. This sometimes upsets me. The press in America and the press in general are not reporting exactly what is taking place. People would tease me in the White House, but it's not really a big deal. It was never in malice, and I never felt that they had bad feelings towards me as a Frenchman."

And now for the fun questions!

What are some terms an avid pastry connoisseur should know?
Mesnier explains that a pastry connoisseur should know the base of what they are eating, for example, genoise is a very typical cake. They should know what butter cream is, they should know mousse, which is very popular today, and dacquoise, a meringue-base with ground nuts (sometimes almond, hazelnut, or pistachio) mixed in.

What are one or two of his favorite pastries to create?
Crème brûlee, and custard desserts, and of course blown and pulled sugar, which is his specialty.

What are one or two of his favorite pastries to eat? Does he eat his own?
"I do eat my own;" His favorites are pies.

What endeavors is he undertaking in the future?
Writing more books, doing speaking engagements, and demonstrations for the public. "I am still very involved."

Some of his favorite spots in France to visit:
Mesnier loves to visit Paris – there so many good places to eat! He also enjoys the South of France and the Riviera,"especially in the winter time. I also like the countryside and just driving along; most of the time I will come across a wonderful countryside restaurant that has great food. It's very different from America because in France you drive a few miles and the food changes with the countryside. In America when you travel you will find pretty much the same food everywhere you go, which I don't really care for. Out of nowhere in France you can come across some of the best restaurants which is something very special to me."

Some of hisr favorite spots in France to eat good pastries:
"I like to discover new places because there are a lot of terrific places that nobody knows about. You'll never see those places in any newspaper, in any magazine, those are really great places to go. You do not need to go to famous places to have great food."

If you would like to purchase one of Dr. Mesnier's books, click a cover!

Photo Spot: French Pastries

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 04:21:00 +0000

Happy belated New Year! A new feature I am adding this year is photo spot, where I will feature some of my favorite Flickr photos showcasing life in French speaking countries. I have started with French pastries as the theme, and soon you'll see why! If you follow me on Twitter, you know already!

Photo by [phil h]

Photo by sokole oko

Photo by bloggyboulga

Photo by julieb1975

Photo by Jalapeño

5 Ways to Enjoy the Holidays à la Française

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 05:06:00 +0000

After somewhat of a hiatus, I am back to blogging at the French Corner! Just in time for the holidays, I've compiled a list of websites, books, videos, and songs that contain some great Christmas content in French. Much to my dismay, my quest for some great Hanukkah material in French was in vain. If you know of any French Hanukkah songs, movies, books, websites, etc., please share them with me! Also, I have added a playlist on the left column with 29 different French Christmas songs for your listening enjoyment! And now for your edutainment:

Read a French Christmas story or try an English language classic in French

Put a great twist on your holiday reading and discover A Christmas Carol in French (at left)! This bilingual version lets you follow along in both languages and gives readers an interesting insight into the translation process, as you will see that everything is not translated literally. Europa Foreign Books is a great place to find French language books.

Read a Bande Dessinée, Make a Difference
Mon beau sapin is a blog that posts a different French comic about Christmas every day, and visitors to the site help accumulate money which goes towards Red Cross' Christmas Trees project, to give gifts to underprivileged children. What a great way to enjoy a cherished French pastime and make a difference all at once!

Discover Christmas Through a French Child's Eyes
Children's literature can be a fun way to keep up with your French, especially since the vocabulary tends to be simplified. Popular children's website Momes.net has a great section on Christmas with songs, stories, tradtitions, and games. Or, why not try watching a holiday special in French? Below, you can watch the Christmas special from the beloved children's show T'choupi et Doudou.

Watch a Classic French Movie
Joyeux Noël (left) is a movie about the World War I Christmas truce. The movie is actually in English, French, and German, but it was written and directed by Frenchmen. I will admit I have not yet seen this movie but it is high on my list and I am hoping to see it this holiday season. A current film that has been generating a lot of buzz is Un conte de Noël.

Listen to Some Holiday Hits
I love listening to French holiday music. One of my favorite French Christmas songs is "Les cloches du hameau" on Céline Dion's album These Are Special Times. While most of the songs on this album are in English, she does have a couple of French-language Christmas albums, some of the songs of which are on the playlist at left. Another holiday album I love is Roch Voisine's L' Album de Noel.

A bord d'un train / On a Train

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 00:33:00 +0000

Vocab Words

A la gare / At the Station
le train = the train
le billet = the ticket
réservations = reservations
renseignements = information
la consigne automatique = the locker
le TGV (train à grande vitesse) = the TGV; high-speed train that goes through Europe
SNCF (Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français) = France's national railway company
la voie = the track, path, or platform
le quai = the platform
le guichet = the ticket window
disponible = available
indisponible = unavailable
le kiosque = the kiosk, the newsstand
le chemin de fer = the railroad
la salle d’attente = the waiting area
rater = to miss
partir = to leave
l'horaire (m.) = the schedule
prochain(e) = next

A bord du train / On Board the Train
la voiture = the car
le compartiment = the car
le wagon = the car
la couchette = the sleeper car
le wagon-lit = the sleeper car
le siège = the seat
le contrôleur = the inspector
le conducteur = the conductor
monter dans le train = to get on the train
descendre du train = to get off the train
composter = to stamp
debout = standing up
assis/assise = seated

Teaching Tools
I have created an animation using GoAnimate to use in the classroom to help familiarize students with train vocaulary. I have also created a comic-strip version with accompanying comprehension questions.

Click here if you cannot see the animation.

Les parties du corps / Parts of the Body

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:53:00 +0000

Vocab Words

La tête / The head
le visage = the face
la mine = the mood
le front = the forehead
un œil = an eye
les yeux = the eyes
le nez = the nose
une oreille = an ear
les sourcils (m.) = the eyebrows
les cils (m.) = the eyelashes
la joue = the cheek
la bouche = the mouth
le sourire = the smile
sourire = to smile
le rire = the laugh
rire = to laugh
les lèvres (f.) = the lips
les dents (f.) = the teeth
la langue = the tongue
la moustache = the mustache
la barbe = the beard
les cheveux (m.) = the hair
le menton = the chin
la mâchoire = the jaw
le cou = the neck
la nuque = the back of neck
la gorge = throat

Le bras / The Arm
l'épaule (f.) = the shoulder
le coude = the elbow
la main = the hand
le doigt = the finger
l'ongle (m.) = the nail
le poignet= the wrist
le pouce = the thumb

La jambe / The Leg
le genou = the knee
la cuisse = the thigh
le mollet = the calf
la cheville = the ankle
le pied = the foot
le talon = the heel
l'orteil (m.) = the toe

Le torse / The Torso
le dos = the back
la poitrine = the chest
le ventre = the stomach
l'estomac = the stomach
le nombril = the belly button
les hanches (f.) = the hips
l'épine (f.) = the spine

Teaching Tools

"Savez-vous planter les choux ?" is a great Québécois folk song that you can use to learn or teach parts of the body. I have found a great karaoke version online that will probably stick in your head after one look:

Savez-vous planter des choux
Uploaded by flora41

The Lyrics:

Refrain:
Savez-vous planter les choux, à la mode, à la mode,
Savez-vous planter les choux, à la mode de chez nous?

On les plante avec les mains, à la mode, à la mode.
On les plante avec les mains, à la mode de chez nous!

Refrain

On les plante avec les pieds, à la mode, à la mode.
On les plante avec les pieds, à la mode de chez nous!

Refrain

On les plante avec le nez, à la mode, à la mode.
On les plante avec le nez, à la mode de chez nous!

Refrain

On les plante avec les genoux, à la mode, à la mode.
On les plante avec les genoux, à la mode de chez nous!

Refrain

On les plante avec l front, à la mode, à la mode.
On les plante avec le front, à la mode de chez nous!

Refrain

Announcing the French Corner's First Book!

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 02:29:00 +0000

Today I am announcing the arrival of the French Corner's first book, Lettres de Paris! The book is 26 pages long and chronicles a fictional Québécoise student's trip to Paris as she writes letters home to her brother about what she sees and shares fun facts. Personal pictures that I have "cartoonified," so to speak, are included to give readers a visual sense of the city. The book is in French, intended for beginning French students. Difficult words are defined in the glossary. I will soon be releasing a Teacher's Edition with activities! I plan on self-publishing more books in the future for French students and teachers. The book is available at $3.99 for the ebook and $11.99 for a hard copy.

5 Ways to Frenchify Your Computer & Internet

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 22:00:00 +0000

They say the fastest way to learn a language is to immerse yourself in it, and it's true. You should always seize every opportunity to use French! If you read this blog regularly, I'd venture to guess you spend a fair amount of time on your computer. There are so many ways to use French on the computer and Internet by changing settings and downloading a few cool programs. What are some ways you

Change your language settings.
You can do this on your computer using the Control Panel, and on many social media sites such as Facebook. Be sure you know enough French to understand notifications and settings before you do this though!

Download a French language Facebook application
The French Corner has an application that displays random French phrases with English translations every time you ask for a new one. French Audio Word of the Day has a new word in French pronounced by a native speaker every day. Linguascope French Language Challenge lets you play games with your friends and practice your vocabulary skills.

Put a French language widget on your blog
Not only will you benefit, but so will your readers! The French Corner's Facebook application is also available in the form of a widget. You can also search for widgets for your computer or homepage at Windows Vista Sidebar (if you have Windows Vista) and iGoogle Gadgets.

Download a Firefox Add-On
Firefox Add-Ons are fun tools to maximize your Internet browsing experience. Some of these tools are quite useful. My favorites are the WordReference online dictionary search tools, which allow you to type in a French or English word and it will look it up on their online dictionary, which is very thorough!

Read French language headlines online
Thanks to the Internet, French language news is only a click away. Mon JT Quotidien is a great kids site with videos in French. Browse newspapers from around the world at Online Newspapers.

Guest Post: Happy Birthday Québec!

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 02:32:00 +0000

Bon anniversaire! Québec City is celebrating its 400th anniversary in high style this year – with all of 2008 dedicated to festivities. And as one of North America’s oldest (and coolest) cities, Québec City has plenty of reasons to celebrate.
Founded by Samuel de Champlain in 1608, Québec City would become the hub for French in North America. Anyone who has been to Québec City understands the draw the city has. With winding narrow roads and a distinct French flare, Québec’s capital city is as close to Europe as you can get without crossing the pond. It’s no wonder Québec City is a major tourist destination.
With the 400th blowout going on now, there’s never been a better time to visit Québec City. Every effort has been made to put on a fantastic party all year long. The festivities started in January, but really peaked this summer.
In honour of the 400th milestone, Paul McCartney played a free concert in Québec City to over 250,000 adoring fans in July. He did not disappoint, playing 36 songs during his two and a half hour set – performing hits that spanned his entire career. Other highlights included free performances by Céline Dion and Charles Aznavour, fireworks, and cutting-edge art exhibits.
Sound like a party you want in on? If you hurry you can still make the grand finale on October 19th. Featuring Québec’s own Cirque du Soleil, this is one show you won’t want to miss. For more information on Québec City’s 400th anniversary, click here.

Today's guest post was written by Nic. Nic runs Instant French, a website dedicated to helping people learn French fast.

Photo by *Muhammad*

Announcing the French Corner's Second Facebook App!

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 01:07:00 +0000

I made a new Facebook application, called French Cadeaux, and it's just for fun. It allows users to send free French-themed gifts to friends. Check it out, add it, and let me know what you think! This is my second application. My first, Random French Phrase, which displays French sentences and translations on your profile, is more educational.

Resources for Young French Learners Part II

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 02:25:00 +0000

After publishing my last post on this subject, I realized I had left out a number of great resources so I have made a part two. I want to remind you that many of the resources in my literacy project post I did back in May are great for young learners (after all it was about encouraging student literacy in French!). Again, I encourage you to leave me some findings of your own so I can make a part three to this series! Most of these resources are games and activities.

Lez quizz du WebPédagogique - A great resource for older kids. These quizzes are intended for students in French schools, and they run the gamut of academic topics from the French language to mathematics to history.
Monument jeu d'enfant - A fun and colorful interactive game created by the French National Monument website. Discover monuments throughout the centuries, play different games at each area, and learn fun facts.
Copains de banlieue - An interactive story that tells the history of Paris in the early 1900s.
Fondation Arp Game - A flash game introducing students to artist and sculptor Jean Arp
Lettris - A highly addictive game of Tetris in which the play clears blocks by spelling out French words. The game can also be played in English or Portuguese.
Questions pour un champion - Simulation of a French game show where the player must answer a series of very difficult questions in French.
Didier BRAVO - A series of great French flash games!
TFO Machine à jeux - A plethora of educational games made by this French-speaking Ontario TV station
Languages Online French Games & Activities - A great selection of pre-made games and activities from a site that offers free software to create your own
M6 Kid - A French TV station's kids' site with games, videos, and the like
Zouzous - France5's section on kid's shows, with games, activities, and videos for each one.
Tintin.com - France5's site all about Tintin, the legendary bande dessinée!
Gulli - A great site for kids based from the TV station of the same name
Caillou - A French language TV show from PBS Kids
Babar - Fun activities for all ages at this popular elephant's home on the web
Astérix - Learn all about Astérix, a popular band dessinée!

Resources for Young French Learners

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 23:59:00 +0000

There are so many resources on the internet for young learners of French. Many of these resources are in French and intended for young French children, but this is a great way to immerse your child without even having to leave the house. Some of these resources might work great even as far up as middle school and beginning level French classes. I know this list is only the tip of the iceberg and I encourage you to leave some suggestions of your own in the comments and I will go back in and add them here!

TFou - A children's game site made by the French TV station TF1. Lots of fun things for youngsters and older children alike!
Tivi5 - TV5's children's site, with games, contests, and videos. You'll want to subscribe to this TV station to see all the shows in full.
Lire et Créer - A great place to find children's stories and songs.
JeDessine - Coloring activities, games, even blogs...everything a kid could want, all in French.
Pirouettes Contes - French poem blog for kids.
Tibous - A blog about educational activities for kids
UpToTen - A site with tons of activities for kids
BBC French - Intended for kids learning French
Playhouse Disney FR - The French version of Playhouse Disney!
Mon JT Quotidien - Daily news videos for adolescents
Nicoland - A beautiful "adventure" educational site for older kids
Jeux pour enfants - A great resource with links to games, puzzles, activities, and more.
Ma petite souris - A cute site with games and activities.

The French Remember 9/11

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 20:37:00 +0000

Seven years ago today a horrible tragedy happened in America, and 2,974 innocent people died. As I remember these horrific events, it is comforting to know that people all over the world are remembering with us. In an article in Paris Match called Vous et le 11 septembre, French readers recall where they were and what they were doing when they found out the news that planes had struck the Twin Towers. Many of them were very nice. The picture at left is of one of many mini flags lining the pathways along my college campus today. I helped set them up, and there is one for each person who lost his or her life.

New Feature: Pronunciation Audio Samples

noreply@blogger.com (Samantha) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 19:37:00 +0000

I have recently created audio clips in the Animals vocabulary section. You can hear every word pronounced by clicking on a small icon. I am planning to do this for the entire site, but I would love some feedback on this first! Leave your questions, comments, or suggestions here!