French Immersion and Student Motivation: What's it Like at L'Institut de française, Villefranche-sur-mère?

In this series of 5 blog pages (this is the fourth of 5) I try to describe objectively what the school offers and some things that perhaps only previous students can share with prospective students. 

I’m neither endorsing nor discouraging anyone from attending the Institut. This is not a site for the school. If interested, please search for their current website address on the Internet. (It’s easy to find). 

French Immersion at L'Institut de française

Students in this program are required to speak only French while in class and on breaks. Participants are paying for a total French immersion experience which speeds up the learning process.

Classmates may have the greatest influence on others in this regard, especially outside of classes on breaks. Teachers and staff will enforce the “French only” policy if needed.

On the other hand, some of the students attending are so committed to making progress that they pledge to themselves to use all of their time inside and outside the school to speak French. If you want to progress, these are the people to spend time with!

Some of the students do not speak English at all. (Within the student body, English is the most common second language.) With some students you will find yourself communicating in French because that will be your only common language.

Motivation

Most people are highly motivated throughout the month. Many attending are sponsored by governments, NGOs, and private enterprises and thus have great incentive to learn.

Most élèves (students) feel mentally fatigued by the end of a day of classes. Homework is assigned each day; it’s usually preparation for the next day. The homework shouldn’t take more than a half an hour. Most people spend 10 minutes on it per night.

A caveat: if you aren’t motivated to work at your French intensively, this is probably not the program for you. 

Some students I’ve met in classes come to the south of France to enjoy the scenery and make contacts. I’ve met (just a couple of) people who have attended these classes up to eleven years in a row and admit that they are not making a lot of progress on their French because

(1) they aren’t using it the rest of the year and

(2) while attending classes their attention is split between their normal work and home-life.

Some feel that eight hours a day of French is enough. I feel it’s to one’s advantage to watch French television, speak to local French people, and read in French while not in classes. This reinforces one's classwork and to builds vocabulary.

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