“Candy a été fondamentale dans mon processus d’apprentissage de la langue française. En plus de toute sa compétence technique, elle utilise une méthode créative, qui à travers une démarche ludique et poétique, elle fait comprendre, de façon très habilité, le rythme et la fonetique de la langue. Candy se livre totalement en donnant les leçons et, ça cela, engage les élèves d’une façon incroyable. Elle fait apprendre et au même temps ses élèves s’amusent. Candy est magnifique!”
Denise Amorim, du Brésil
“Last Friday I had the unique opportunity to attend Candy’s promenade to Place des Vosges. Five years ago, I was introduced to Lutece Langue. Candy was my first teacher. Since that time, I have continued taking a week of the intensive classes once or twice a year. All the teachers are wonderful and have their unique style.
As a teacher of 37 years, I can appreciate that not all students learn in the same style. Candy’s approach reaches out to a diverse group of learners since she incorporates multiple avenues to access the language. Using a “real world” experience in Paris gave me an opportunity to learn and practice French in various situations. As we walked to our destination, Candy instructed us to only speak French. Although participants were at various French speaking levels, it gave me the opportunity to experiment and learn from others. The afternoon was well organized. With visiting Victor Hugo’s house, completing a written questionnaire about his life, discussing our findings, reading and reciting one of his poems, we certainly were exposed to a multi-level learning experience. This type of experience with Candy is one I hope to attend in the future and recommend it to all! “
Beth, US, teacher
I have been very fortunate to study French with Candy. Learning languages can be challenging for various reasons. As compared to speaking English, French requires much more specific articulation toward the front of the mouth, including the lips, and the face. To be understood in French, it is imperative to produce the sounds, particularly the vowels and the ‘r’ in the way that a native speaker does. For a learner, these issues can be huge impediments to progress and to proficiency. Candy employs a variety of methods to improve the manner in which students understand and approach the sounds of the French language. She has developed unique methods to allow students to accurately hear and precisely imitate sounds. Her techniques go far beyond simple mimicking. She actually requires us to stand and ‘act out’ the vowel sounds. This kinesthetic approach is pure genius! When I stretch my arms over head and let out a loud ‘iiiiiiii’ sound, a lovely French ‘i’ emerges from my Texan lips ‘easy as pie.’ (for reference, that ‘i’ sounds quite a bit like the ‘ea’ in easy and a nothing like the ‘i’ in pie). She has similar kinesthetic cues for the other vowels and the dreaded ‘r’.
Candy has a true talent for empowering her students. The hand cues that she has developed allow for precise corrections without orally interrupting. This technique lets the student improve fluidity in speech while integrating pronunciation corrections in the precise moment that the error occurs. These cues remind me of the sounds I practiced before with my arms stretched wildly overheard or out the sides. For me, this manner seems to produce the desired effect without undermining my confidence in the way that an oral correction and loss of fluidity can. As a former educator, I consider Candy a master teacher; one who constantly improves pedagogy through reflection on exactly what leads to student success. It is clear that she has considered and analyzed common mistakes and invented her own processes to overcome these obstacles using multiple modes of delivery, practice, and correction. With Candy, you will eventually speak French not just in your mind, or with your mouth, but with your whole body!
Talina, US, yoga instructor
candyraluy.fr 