Certified French teacher (French as a Foreign Language) for 11 years / DELF/DALF examining board and marker

Find out more about MARIE

• 1) Do you speak this language fluently because of your origins or because a teacher inspired you to learn?

  I'm French, born in Paris, that beautiful romantic city! My family comes from all 4 corners of France, so I was able to discover the cultural diversity of France at a very early age.

• 2) Can you name a living, historical or fictional character that you think is the emblematic representative of the language's culture?

  When I think of France, I think of Marcel Pagnol, a French author and film-maker who had a great fondness for human relationships and nature. His books filled my childhood with sunshine and his magnificent descriptions of the French countryside.

• 3) Is there a typical word, phrase, tradition or behavior in the language that you particularly like?

  Living abroad, I've noticed that many people are intrigued by the French expression 'oulala'. This expression is typically French! It's used to express surprise, admiration or strong emotion. It's a must!

• 4) Why does speaking this language matter to you?

  The French language is part of my heritage. It makes me feel at home even when I'm far away. It reminds me of my past, but also of the future I want to pass on to my children. It's more than just words, it's the link with my memory and my feelings.

• 5) What is the main difficulty in learning this language and what can help the process of learning?

  The main difficulty with French is that there are many grammatical rules but just as many exceptions.
  For me, the FLE learning method is the best, because it offers a fun and immersive method that is very effective, far from the sometimes demotivating school methods.
  And the secret remains the same: you have to apply your new knowledge to a real situation straight away... then repeat and repeat... and repeat again.

• 6) Provide a valuable anecdote related to your language learning or your days at school.

  As I often say to my students, the more you talk, the more you memorise. I myself am multilingual and the most effective method for me has been to talk to myself, telling myself about my day in the target language for example :-) It's also important to combine activities that you enjoy with learning French: listening to a song, watching a series, reading a good book... the important thing is to combine learning with pleasure to stay motivated over the long term.

• 7) How has travel or a specific trip helped you to increase your skill and knowledge of the language?

  Being a native French speaker certainly helps! But it's true that discovering many different regions of France gives you a different perspective on the language, because each region has its own accent, typical expressions and traditions. For me, learning French is inextricably linked to learning about the culture, to understand the codes of the language as well as all the idiomatic expressions used daily by the French.

• 8) What makes you a Superprof in language?

  I speak 7 languages fluently, and I've had to put a lot of effort into mastering them. I understand perfectly what it's like to learn a language because I've been there myself. What I love most of all is seeing the pride in a student when they overcome a block or realise that they are becoming more and more independent in French.