Who are Lingoda’s French Teachers?
In our ‘Meet the teacher’ series, we’ve so far met a handful of our wonderful English, German and Spanish teachers. What’s left? French, of course!
We caught up with Nancy, based in Canada, she talks to us about her love of languages, travel, and how her day as a Lingoda teacher is planned.
Nancy, please tell us a little about yourself!
Well, I’m Nancy and I live in the province of Quebec and also in Mexico for part of the year. I have taught French for 28 years at both high school and at pre-university level. Over my career I have had the privilege of teaching in different cities in the province of Quebec and also abroad. The experience I had in each of these places played an integral role in opening up my horizons and shaping my personal and professional views. When I am in Montreal, I teach French as a second language in an English pre-university college and when I am in Mexico, I teach French as a foreign language in the language centre of a university. I love languages, literature, cinema and travelling. My passions are to travel, live and work abroad.
You’ve travelled and worked in several countries, where have you lived and explored?
I am from the small town of Lac-Mégantic. I have lived in Montreal since more than 25 years. I’ve also lived in Quebec city, Val d’or, Rivière-du-Loup and Sherbrooke in the province of Quebec. aside from Canada, I lived and worked in Lausanne, Switzerland for 2 years and in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico for several years.
What does the average day look like for you as a Lingoda teacher?
Usually, my day starts slowly with a good coffee! I teach 2 or 3 classes in the morning. Then, I go to the farmer’s market to buy some food and I cook for lunch time. In the afternoon, I teach 1 or 2 classes before going to work in the evening at the language centre. I love working at home because I can take care of my family, my cats, dog and work!
What is it about learning and speaking other languages that you enjoy?
I love speaking another language to discover different world views. I think it is fascinating to see the world from the perspective of another language. It is very interesting to have this new view when exploring fresh vocabulary and expressing ideas. I really like to be able to communicate with people in their native language when I travel.
You teach with Lingoda, what is it that you like the most about the platform?
I love the Lingoda platform. It is simple and user-friendly. The face to face contact between the teacher and the student offers a similar environment as a traditional class. The presentation are very well structured, clear and simple. They facilitate fast and progressive learning. The small groups offer individualised attention which is a unique advantage. Finally, the possibility of choosing your schedule according to your availability offers a great flexibility that cannot be found in a traditional school.
Why do you think people should learn languages?
Learning a foreign language is an opportunity to open up ourselves to the world and to understand different cultures. It is an excellent way to develop our cognitive abilities and to feed our intellectual curiosity.
Nancy, we’d love to know, what do you like most about the French language?
I love the French language. It is poetic, musical, beautiful and precise. It transmits the French culture, its literature, its great authors, its great filmmakers and its philosophical ideals. The French language is a dynamic living language which evolves with time by creating new words for new reality and by adjusting its spelling to increase accessibility.
Why do you think people should visit, or even live, in France (or a French speaking country)?
Living or visiting a French country is an opportunity to immerse yourself into a rich culture. You could discover it’s gastronomy, its lifestyle and its values.
Isn’t it the best way to open up our mind? It is an excellent way to improve our knowledge of the language by practising it in real life situations which will allow you to develop new friendships.
If you had any tips or advice for a language learner, what would they be?
Learning a language is a long and difficult process but I think patience and tolerance are the key to success. Accepting the fact that you will not understand everything allows you to cross the bridge to success. Speaking the language as regularly possible and daring to make mistakes is the best approach to take!
What words of wisdom do you have for anyone who may be thinking about taking the leap into language learning or travelling?
Openness, discovery, great fun!
If you’re interested in finding out more about our teachers, check out our interviews with Brita, Alan, Andrés and Erika.
