Q&A with Evelyne K., French Teacher of the Year

We asked Lessonface Teachers of the Year about their process and goals for 2025. Here are the responses of Evelyne K, our French teacher of the year for 2024.

Can you share a story about a student’s breakthrough or notable accomplishment?

Each student has a different level of French and masters a different category of content. One can be more conversational, one more theory-oriented, or one more of a listener. The biggest accomplishment is when a student is able to learn something from another category and merge with what they've already mastered.

One of my students' breakthroughs was accepting and using short cuts in spoken French. His love for the language was preventing him from taking short cuts, therefore he wasn't speaking like a native. He’s now taking the short cuts, and that brought him to another level in the language.

What was your favorite “aha” moment from 2024?

My favorite “aha” moment is teaching how to count in French. From 70 to 99, French doesn’t have specific words for numbers, we use math. 70 would be 60+10, 95 would be 4x20+15. It’s so illogical that it becomes funny!

What’s the most creative excuse you heard in 2024 for not practicing?

Teaching adults, there are a lot of different excuses for students not to practice, as life, health issues, and work get in the way. All these reasons not to practice are legit and understandable. Learning is a bonus, not a duty.

What’s the funniest or most unexpected thing that happened during a lesson this year?

Teaching online, there are a lot of unexpected visitors who come and say hi during the lessons. Cats, dogs, birds, rats are the usual, but sometimes there’s a spouse getting out of the bathroom or an important phone call to take.

We’d love to hear any other entertaining anecdotes you’d like to share!

As I mentioned earlier, teaching numbers from 70 to 99 is usually quite entertaining. Also, teaching spoken French is fun, because it’s not something you get from a textbook, but really essential. French speakers convert “je ne suis pas”, which means “I am not”, to ‘“shui pas”. Every French person does it naturally and it’s hard to recognize it from the written words.

If you could gift your students one piece of automatic knowledge about language-learning, no studying required, what would it be?

One piece of automatic knowledge about learning French would be to be curious: Listen to other people speaking and observe gestures, attitudes, and non-spoken language. This is key to understanding not just the language but also how it is used.

What’s one lasting takeaway you hope your students will carry with them from your teaching, even years from now?

One long lasting takeaway would be to stay humble. It’s normal to make mistakes and to stumble on words. People love when you speak their language and don’t judge over flaws. Go try, don’t let self confidence blocking you. It always rewarding!

Tell us about a word or a phrase in the language you teach that doesn't have a direct translation to English. Explain it as best you can and tell us what that word or phrase says about the culture of your language.

French love to make sounds that have a meaning but do not really translate. When accomplishing a simple task they make a validation sound “tac” or “hop”. Another one is making a move with their lips, usually captioned as "blowing raspberry" in movies, when they don’t know the answer to a question.

What are some gear items that you wish all your students had?

Teaching a language, I recommend using as many resources as possible. It’s the best way to get exposure to a variety of accents. I like app games like Duolingo, TV shows like “The Parisian Agency”, YouTube channels like “Easy French”, podcasts like “News in slow French”, books, and movies.

What exciting goals are your students chasing in 2025? For example: contests, auditions, performances, trips, art shows, or other projects.

The most exciting and rewarding goal from two of my students is to raise their child in the French language. A common great one is to be able to travel to France, Belgium, or Switzerland. Some are also learning to improve their professional experience being able to work for a French company. One very emotional goal is to reconnect to a family member in France after experiencing a loss. Everyone has a different goal and all are amazing!

Learn more with Evelyne K.