Olly Richards – French Uncovered (Beginner)
Dear Friend,
When you first started learning French, you might have imagined yourself living some kind of “fairytale”…
And with good reason!
Who wouldn’t be tempted to…
Buy a house in the South of France & enjoy relaxing conversations with friends and neighbours over a late-afternoon apéritif
Read European news in French, communicate with French-speaking patients & clients in their own language, or advance your career by applying for coveted Canadian government jobs
Enjoy cinema or music… even Proust in the original French & gain a deep understanding of French culture from a native perspective
Travel to former colonies, immerse yourself in the culture & communicate with the locals in effortless French
But if you’ve ever tried actually speaking French in the real world, your dreams may have quickly turned from “fairytale” to folie!
Here are just a few confessions I’ve received from French learners:
I’ve lived in France for 5 years, but am still too scared to say anything! I don’t want to keep feeling stupid every time I make a silly mistake!
All my French friends speak perfect English, so it’s been difficult to make progress — I feel like I’ve failed…despite living in France!
French people speak so fast! They blend their words together, swallow syllables… I feel lost at sea, trying to decode what’s being said. I give up!
I know some French… but people don’t understand me because I mispronounce words! It is so frustrating!
There are so many words that sound the same to my ear. Often, the words are the same, but they are spelled very differently & have completely different meanings.
Sentence structure & grammar differences are hard. It’s so different from English… it’s like learning three languages at once! And verb tenses can get pretty nasty!
Do any of these struggles sound familiar?
If they do, then read on.
I’d like to tell you about an innovative approach to learning French through the power of story, that can have you closer to living your “fairytale” than you may have thought possible…
I Didn’t Have A Clue How To Learn French
My name is Olly Richards.
And perhaps the most interesting fact about me is that I’ve taught myself eight languages.
I’m also an author and teacher, and my learning methods have helped thousands of people around the world successfully learn a second language.
In fact, French was the very first foreign language I learned!
I was 19 years old…
But I didn’t have a clue what I was doing!
All I knew was that I had dreams of strolling down the Champs-Élysées in Paris, exploring the streets of Montmartre, and buying as many pains au chocolat as I could lay my hands on…
So, I began learning French the only way I knew how:
I bought a textbook and signed up for French classes.
(After all, that’s what people normally do, isn’t it?)
After studying for a few months, I took a trip to Paris. I spoke French with real people for the first time and… I had the shock of my life!
The people I met didn’t speak anything like they did in my textbook. I struggled to understand anything!
To make matters worse, when I tried to speak… c’était une catastrophe!
I was completely tongue-tied, and it felt like I hadn’t learned a thing from my months of study. I felt ashamed at my failure to communicate.
Many years later, I discovered that I wasn’t the only one to struggle like this with French!
“I Feel Tongue-Tied When I Speak French!”
You see, it turns out that most French students have a pretty hard time learning to speak French in the real world…
(Even those who have gone to live in France!)
It’s not uncommon to hear students say:
“I live in France, but I can’t communicate with people or understand what they say… it puts me at a distinct disadvantage!”
Or…
“I’d just like to be able to hold a conversation without feeling stupid about making silly mistakes!”
What you’ve just read is the harsh reality of learning a new language.
And it’s reflected in the statistics:
You’ve heard the saying “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”?
But what if it is broke?
Well… then it must be fixed!
The brutal truth is that traditional language learning methods don’t work well in the real world.
Here what “traditional” language study looks like:
Work through lessons in a textbook
Learn grammar rules
Memorise lists of words
Sound familiar?
These methods are great for passing grammar tests. They’re also convenient for mass schooling, where tests are the mechanism for measuring progress.
But, I’m not interested in learning French in the school system.
I’m interested in learning French in the real world!
And when you’re face-to-face with a native French speaker, guess what?
They don’t care about your test results!
Here’s the reality:
Traditional Methods Of Learning French Lead You To “Think In Rules” & Translate In Your Head, So You End Up Tongue-Tied When You Come Face-To-Face With Native Speakers
Look…
There’s a reason you feel tongue-tied when you speak French… It’s because you’re “thinking in rules” and “translating in your head”.
There’s a reason you don’t understand fast, spoken French… It’s because you’re spending all your time studying, rather than immersed in the language!
There’s a reason you lose interest in studying French after a few months…It’s because you’re not using a method that entertains and inspires you!
So what should you do instead?
Quebec City, Canada
The Secrets of Fluent French Speakers
If traditional methods to learn French leave you tongue-tied…
Then the secret to speaking French fluently is to turn that method on its head!
Look…
Successful French learners start with the end in mind.
They learn in a way that helps them achieve the most important things of all:
Effortlessly understand fast, spoken French, so that you can take a full part in conversations, enjoy your travels to the full, or live a rewarding life in your local community
Master French phonetics so that you can accurately pronounce even the most difficult words, make a good impression on the people you meet & sound less “foreign” when you speak French.
Speak French with confidence, so that you can easily and warmly communicate with the people around you, without fear of making mistakes, and keep the conversation in French without the annoyance of reverting to English at every opportunity!
Enjoy the process of learning French, so it feels like less of a chore and more of a joy, so you can make faster progress towards your goals and enjoy the journey.
Now, doesn’t that sound like a more appealing way to learn French?
Yes, I thought so too!
That’s why I decided to develop an innovative new method to teach French that turns traditional learning on its head.
It’s a method that I’ve created specifically to help you avoid the frustration associated with speaking a new language, so learning is more natural & fun…
This Method Helps You Communicate Effectively In French, Impress The Locals With Your Command Of The Language & Fully Integrate Into The Local Community.
This method is based on the power of story.
And in some ways, this method isn’t anything new.
Stories, after all, are as old as time!
But when you apply this method to learning a language, it’s anything but traditional!
In fact, this “story method” might not make any sense to you at first. But if you’re serious about learning French, then what I’m about to show you is important…
And if you’re planning a trip to France, Belgium, Canada, or indeed any of the 29 French-speaking countries in the world…
And you’d like to elevate your experience from “tourist” to “insider”…
Then this will be the most important information about learning French that you’ll read this year.
Here’s how this method works..
How To Learn French Through Immersion
You already know that traditional methods to learn French leave you tongue-tied and unable to understand fast French…
It’s because you’re “thinking in rules”, rather than relaxing and thinking in French!
So how do you learn to think in French?
Well, you’ve heard of the concept of “immersion”….
And you probably share the intuition that immersion would be quite helpful for learning French…
When You Learn With Immersion, French “Learns Itself” In The Background, While You Relax & Surround Yourself In The Beautiful Sounds Of The Language!
Now, that sounds great…
And when you learn through immersion, great things happen…
Rather than struggling with grammar rules… you gradually learn rules naturally, from context.
Rather than memorising lists of vocabulary… you learn words organically, as they appear in context.
Rather than panicking when you hear fast French… you get used to spoken French from the beginning, by immersing yourself in the language.
But…
If you’re like most people, you’re probably not quite sure exactly how to make “immersion” work as a method…
After all, if you’ve ever tried watching French TV, or reading a book in French, you probably didn’t learn very much!
The reason?
TV and book are far too hard for beginners!
The trick to getting immersion right is to use material that’s at just the right level for you…
Because when your material is at the right level… then you can learn!
Are You Ready To Learn French Through Immersion?
If what you’ve just read about learning French through immersion sounds good…
Then you might be interested in my new French programme for beginners – French Uncovered.
I’ve “bottled up” everything I know about learning French and created an exciting online course that contains everything you need to learn and master French:
A complete curriculum for beginner French learners, with learning guidance throughout to make sure you learn the right way
All “immersion” material prepared for you, so you can begin enjoying reading and listening to French at the right level without wasting time searching for the right material
Full language instruction from world-class teachers, so you won’t have to do any guess work – you’ll learn the shortcuts that will have you speaking fluent French in no time!
I’ve worked hard to create the most exciting, fun and innovative French programme you’ll find anywhere.
Introducing…
French Uncovered
Learn French Through The Power Of Story
French Uncovered is my newest contribution to the world, for independent language learners everywhere!
Combining my innovative method of immersion, with thrilling story-based content, French Uncovered is your complete solution to learn French to an intermediate level
You’ll learn to:
Converse with people in confident French, deepen existing relationships and make new friends
Understand natural spoken French, so you can travel around the Francophone world as an “insider”… not just another tourist
Indulge your passion for the French way of life, and deepen your knowledge of French culture by reading in the original language
Start a new life in France, Canada, or other French-speaking country, apply for French-language jobs, and undertake any project that requires a good level of French
Keep your brain fit and agile, performing “mental pushups” while enjoying a method that puts fun and enjoyment at the centre of the learning process
Curious how the course works?
Who Is The Man In The Hat?
In order to understand how French Uncovered works, you need to know about the man in the hat.
Or L’Homme Au Chapeau in French.
You might have spotted him, heading down into the metro:
(He’s hiding for a reason. But you’ll have to read the story to find out why!)
You see, the French Uncovered course is built around a story – L’Homme Au Chapeau – and the story is the engine of the course.
L’Homme Au Chapeau iswritten over 20 chapters, and it’s where you get the immersion you need for the method to work.
The story is written in simple French, so the immersion works at your level, right from the start…even as a complete beginner!
French Uncovered Gives You Immersion In French Through The Power Of Story, Even As A Complete Beginner, With No Previous Knowledge Of French
Stories are supposed to be fun, and the story at the centre of French Uncovered is no exception!
Three friends find a mysterious note left in a dusty library book, and set off to travel around France, following clues left by the man in the hat.
The story is full of suspense, and by following the method I teach in the course, you’ll be amazed how you can read and enjoy the story, even if you can’t imagine understanding anything in French right now!
You’ll be impressed how learning through story keeps you motivated… especially if you’ve had trouble staying motivated with languages in the past.
French Uncovered is as comprehensive as any other French programme, but it won’t feel like study at all, because L’Homme Au Chapeau introduces French grammar and vocabulary naturally, as part of the story.
So why is this method so fun?
Science actually.
Here’s what I mean…
The Science
The method behind French Uncovered is supported by decades of research into language acquisition.
This research shows how “input-based” methods (i.e. immersion) reliably outperform traditional study:
One 2014 study in Spain demonstrated that this style of teaching worked about six times faster than traditional instruction.
In Hungary, a 2007 study showed that students learning with stories can learn more vocabulary than students in regular classes… without any study at all!
Here’s how Dr Stephen Krashen, professor emeritus at USC explains how the method works:
“As we get input through listening and reading, we ‘absorb’ the grammar and vocabulary of the second language.”
Notice the word absorb?
Wouldn’t you prefer to absorb French, rather than study it?
With French Uncovered, you can!
By learning French with stories, you can learn grammar and vocabulary naturally, and wave adieu to rote learning
Meet Your Course Tutors!
In French Uncovered, you’ll learn from language experts with over 30 years of teaching experience between them. Both tutors share a passion for teaching languages through story, which is what brought them together to create French Uncovered!
Olly Richards, Coaching
Olly Richards is a language educator, author and polyglot from the UK, who speaks 8 languages. Through his popular blog and podcast, I Will Teach You A Language, Olly reaches 100,000s of language learners every month.
He has published a best-selling series of books in sixteen languages, consulted for major institutions across Europe, and is a regular speaker at international language events.One 2014 study in Spain demonstrated that this style of teaching worked about six times faster than traditional instruction.
Diane Sbihi, Course Tutor
Diane trained as a teacher with the Alliance Française in France over 10 years ago & has been teaching French professionally ever since!
She has taught French to people from all backgrounds, from children to CEOs, teachers to professional rugby players.
In her own words: “I love the process of learning and I enjoy helping others to learn too, that is why I love teaching.”
The French Uncovered System
Here’s an overview of the 4-Step process you’ll be using to learn French in the course:
Step 1: Immerse – Immerse yourself in French by reading and listening to the story
Step 2: Learn – Learn words, phrases & grammar from the story with our instructional videos that bring the story to life
Step 3: Consolidate – Internalise what you’ve learned with creative practice exercises
Step 4: Activate – Practise & master what you’ve learned with pronunciation and speaking exercises
You’ll begin by reading the first chapter of L’Homme Au Chapeau story and listening to the accompanying audiobook.
This gives you a taste of immersion right from the start!
But unlike traditional methods, we don’t ask you to learn or memorise anything from the story! (I told you it was different!)
We don’t even ask you to understand everything you’re reading at first!
No…you simply enjoy immersing yourself in French … without feeling like you’re studying at all!
An extract from Chapter 1 of the story.
This immersive experience builds your ability to cope with real French from the very first day.
Over time, this is what ultimately helps you speak French naturally. You build the well before you’re thirsty!
Full English translations of the story are provided, so you can check your understanding and keep up with the story.
Each chapter features a short comprehension quiz like this one so you can check your understanding of the story.
Now comes the magic!
Imagine you had a French expert standing over your shoulder, pointing out useful words and explaining interesting sentences as you read the story:
Words explained
Sentences made clear
Questions answered
Well, that’s exactly what you get with French Uncovered!
In over 80 special video lessons, you’ll feel like you’re sitting with Diane one-on-one, as she brings the story to life on your screen, one sentence at a time!
Right before your eyes, Diane takes key French words, phrases and grammar from the story, and helps you understand them one by one.
In fact, the magic of French Uncovered is that we hardly have to “teach” at all — we just help you notice the important words and phrases from the story, and give you a few little nudges to make sure you understand!
With our “story first” approach, you’ll find that new words stick more easily and your brain learns grammar intuitively.
1) COGNATES
Grow your vocabulary instantly by identifying French words with a shared root in English…
2) VOCABULARY
“Unlock” the story by learning the key words you need to understand the plot
3) GRAMMAR
Uncover grammar from the story naturally… instead of from rules
After each lesson, there are worksheets with creative exercises to help you consolidate what you’ve learned from the story.
Unlike traditional methods, however, our activities don’t aim to “teach”…
The activities and practice exercises in French Uncovered help you:
Review and practice French you’ve learned from the story, so you develop a strong memory through a process of review
Introduce new vocabulary, so you can expand your working vocabulary far beyond what you find in the story itself
Perform creative tasks with what you’ve learned, so you learn to actually usewhat you’ve learned in real situations, not just “collect new information”
A sneak peek inside the beautifully designed French Uncovered member area.
One of the vocabulary worksheets you’ll use to internalise your French knowledge during the course.
You’ll love how fun learning is when you can easily memorise new things naturally, without any rote learning!
Learning to express yourself fully in French, without freezing up, forgetting words, or taking ages to form a sentence, is a central aim of this course.
That’s why, in French Uncovered, at the end of every module, we bridge the gap from the classroom to the real world with pronunciation training and speaking activities that take what you’ve learned from the story, and help you activate it through controlled speaking exercises you can use by yourself or with an French-speaking friend or tutor.
Pronunciation Training: Diane teaches you the sounds of French, step-by-step, in glorious HD video. After learning the basic sounds of the language, you’ll then embed the sounds in some of the tricky words and phrases from the story!
You’ll quickly reduce any foreign accent you may have and speak French with more confidence…
Diane teaching the nuances of French pronunciation
Speaking Packs: In each chapter, you’ll find a set of speaking activities for two people. These packs are written in French, so you can literally hand the pack to an French-speaking friend, partner or tutor. They’ll read the instruction and instantly have a selection of exciting activities to help you practice what you’ve learned from the story.
(Since there is no “live” component to French Uncovered, you can study the course at a pace that suits you, so you can learn most effectively without falling behind.)
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