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Au Revoir

A sermon at church today about being busy got me seriously thinking.  It seems as though I've been functioning lately on coffee and a "sleep is for the weak" mentality.  Not the way to live life, especially one as blessed as mine with a precious young family and a job I love.

Although I've been enjoying this blog and some other online writing gigs, something has to go.  My kids have eaten at McDonald's one time too many.  After the decision, I curled up for a wonderful afternoon nap and woke up to fix a simple, healthy dinner for my family.  I still face laundry and school papers to grade, but I feel calm and relaxed :-)  

I hope you'll come visit me at the one blog that gets to stay:  ForeignLanguageFun.  Encouraging teachers and families to make language learning a fun and natural part of a child's life is my true passion.  And I'll keep working hard to develop useful and cheap language learning materials in English, Spanish and French at the new and growing Foreign Language House.

It has been a privilege to meet so many like-minded Francophiles :-)  I won't completely rule out future blog posts, but for the indefinite future, let me just say Merci et Au revoir!

Learn Spooky French Words for Halloween

C'est octobre.  I love the chill that's in the air this time of the year.  It can only mean one thing . . . l'Halloween!  I took my boys costume shopping this afternoon.  Looks like I'm going to have a little pirate and a Darth Vader this year.  I can't wait to dress in costume and take the kids trick-or-treating on a dark, chilly night.  Tomorrow we're decking out our house with the paper skeletons and light-up bats.   J'adore l'Halloween!

I grew up with this holiday, but it's a relative newcomer to France.  Every year I'm amazed by how it's catching on.

Learn some spooky vocabulary in French, and challenge a friend to a game of Halloween Tic Tac Toe.  It's the latest language download by Foreign Language House.

Disguised as the classic X and O game, this effective activity encourages speaking and communication. Instead of a blank tic tac toe grid, you'll find Halloween vocabulary pictures in each square. Players must speak in order to place an X or O in a box. Beginners can just identify the picture with a single word, while more advanced speakers can make descriptions or create original sentences in a variety of tenses.

haunted house - maison hantée

bat- chauve-souris
ghost- fantôme
owl- hibou
pumpkin- citrouille
black cat- chat noir
skeleton- squelette
mummy- momie
scarecrow- épouvantail
witch- sorcière

spider - araignée

Visit the Foreign Language House storefront at Lulu.com for an ever growing collection of fun, convenient, and affordable language learning downloads. Halloween Tic Tac Toe is less than one dollar :-)

Photo Credit: by Tinneketin at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1083110

Bon Anniversaire à Moi

Today's my birthday--mon anniversaire. The big number this year is 41 . . . not quite as traumatic as the big 4-0h of le 3 octobre 2007.  

Of course, it's only fitting to teach some French birthday vocabulary on this auspicious occasion.  Here are a few useful expressions you can use in a French birthday card:

Bon Anniversaire - Happy Birthday
Joyeux Anniversaire - Happy Birthday
À - to
Pour - for
De - from
Mon cher ______ - My dear (insert boy's name)
Ma chère ______ - My dear (insert girl's name)
Je pense à toi. - I'm thinking of you
Le meilleur reste à venir. - The best is yet to come.

Read Make a French Birthday Card for more words and expressions.

Well, I've got to run!  Time to blow out those birthday bougies:

Photo Credit:  by nkzs at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1076967

Am Stram Gram: Eeney Meeney Miney Moe the French Way

When you're a kid, picking the person to be "It" for a game is serious business.  I grew up with this elimination rhyme:

Eeney meeney miney moe, 

Catch a tiger by its toe,

If he hollers let him go,

Eeney meeney miney moe.

My mother says to pick 

The very best one 

And you are not it!

Meanwhile in France, children were up to the same serious business with an equally silly rhyme:

Am, stram, gram, 

Pique et pique et colégram 

Bourre et bourre et ratatam

Am, stram, gram 

No, it doesn't mean anything.  (Though it's great practice for pronouncing the French "r"!)  Whenever you need to make a decision, turn to Am Stram Gram!

Learn French Clothing Vocabulary with Your Dog

Every beginning French student learns clothing vocabulary.  As a high school teacher, I often send my kids on web quests to experience real language vs. textbook language.  All kids love to shop . . . why not do some pretend internet shopping in Paris?  

Yeah, right.  Just try to find a site with no snicker-producing, parent-complaining photos of beautiful women in sexy lingerie.  Luckily, I had what Oprah calls an "Aha!" moment.  Why not shop for dog clothes?

The Parisians' love and acceptance of man's best friend did not disappoint.  I found the ultimate in canine-couture at Un Chien dans le Marais: the boutique "Pour tous les chiens qui ont du flair!"  My students will spend a little time and imaginary euros in the computer lab today, pretending to outfit the likes of Paris Hilton's high-class chien.

Here are a few basic vocabulary items to get you started on shopping for your best friend:

le pantalon - pants

la chemise - shirt

le pull - sweater

le chapeau - hat

la robe - dress

la jupe - skirt

le blouson - jacket

le pyjama - pajamas

You've got to check out Un Chien dans le Marais!  Doesn't your chien deserve a little flair?

Photo Credit:  planetka at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/771661