Anna's Language Lab

As we reach the end of this busy summer term, wishing all my pupils and their families 'bonnes vacances'. Have a fabulous break and will look forward to seeing everyone in September! 🇫🇷🇩🇪

*AUTUMN TERM UPDATE*

I have received numerous enquiries regarding availability for the autumn term and am currently only taking bookings for daytime slots for home educators / adult learners.

If you are interested in an after-school slot and would like to be added to the waiting list for September, please do get in touch.

This week, we are learning about the Tour de France which started on Saturday in Bilbao, Spain. The race takes place over 23 days, comprising 22 stages over a route which is more than 3,500 km long. Did you know...that the riders would need to eat 66 bananas a day to replace the calories burnt - oh la la! 🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🚴‍♂️🚴‍♂️🚴‍♂️🚴‍♂️🚴‍♂️

Well after today's AQA French writing exam, that's a wrap for all the GCSE language exams this year for my Year 11 pupils. A huge well done to all of you for your calm determination throughout. Wishing you the very best of luck with your remaining exams and will look forward to hearing your results! 🇫🇷🇩🇪

A beautiful picture of the hot air balloon festival which takes place annually in Annonay at the beginning of June. Did you know...that the word for hot air balloon in French is montgolfière named after its inventors Etienne and Joseph de Montgolfier? Annonay, in the Alps, was where Etienne and Joseph launched their very first hot air balloon in 1783 and the town marks this historic event with a colourful festival each year. 🇫🇷

"Thank you very very much for all your support over the years, I have really appreciated all your help! I will miss our lessons!"

Now that was a lovely email to receive from one of my Year 11 parents today 🥰🇫🇷

"Hi Anna, just wanted to say thank you for your lovely email 😊. You are such a help to # # and we really appreciate it! You hit the nail on the head with keep calm so thank you! You give her the confidence she needs. "

Wishing all my Year 11 pupils the very best of luck as they complete their French & German speaking exams this week and next. You've got this! 🇫🇷🇩🇪

Over the Easter break, I was very fortunate to visit Berlin, which I had not visited since I was studying German at Magdeburg University in 1997! It was fantastic to show my children around this vibrant, constantly evolving city. Here are a few pics of the highlights and am looking forward to sharing more with my students as we start our new term of lessons this week 🇩🇪

Wishing everyone a wonderful Easter weekend - Joyeuses Pâques! 🐣

This week, we have been learning about German Easter traditions. Did you know...that in Germany it is traditional to light an 'Osterfeuer' (Easter bonfire) on the evening before Easter Sunday. This tradition has been around for centuries and marked the end of the winter. 🐣

This week in French, we are learning about 'les cloches volantes' or the flying bells, which according to tradition, deliver Easter eggs to children in France.

On Maundy Thursday, the Thursday before Easter, church bells across France are silenced to mourn the death of Christ and they remain silent until Easter Sunday. According to legend, the bells would fly to Rome to be blessed by the Pope and would then begin their journey back to the French churches, picking up eggs along the way before scattering them into the gardens for the children to collect.

What's your favourite Easter tradition? 🐣

In French today, we have been learning about the beautiful Notre Dame Cathedral and finding out how the renovations are progressing. It is hoped that the work will be completed for the Paris Olympics next year 🎉One of my pupils has created a beautiful stained glass window craft inspired by Notre Dame - bon travail! 🇫🇷

Sharing for World Book Day! I always like to have a French or German book on the go, either a French or German novel or a book relating to the culture or history of the country. This is my current read, can’t wait to share some of the things I learn with my students 📚🇫🇷 🇩🇪

Spreading a little love 💗 💕 ❤️ on Valentine's Day 💝

Ouh! là! là! What a busy start to 2023 it has been! It has been a pleasure to get to know all my new pupils this term and am looking forward to continuing our French & German adventures after half-term. In the coming weeks, I will be working hard with my Year 11 pupils to prepare them for their GCSE speaking exams as well as supporting my younger and adult learners to reach their language goals. Have a great half-term everyone and à bientôt!

February 2nd is a special day in France known as La Chandaleur and on this day it is traditional to eat crêpes - délicieux! Originally a religious festival, it dates back to Roman times and falls 40 days after Christmas, marking the end of the festive season.

According to tradition, it was essential to eat pancakes on this day to ensure the crop would be plentiful for the coming year. The elected “tosser” would try to flip a crêpe with one hand while holding a gold coin in the other. If successful, the family was assured of prosperity for the next year.

Before the luxury of fridges and freezers, eating pancakes was also a way of using up eggs and butter before Lent.

But really, who needs ancient traditions as an excuse to enjoy a delicious crêpe? Bon appétit!!

I can hardly believe it but this week we are celebrating 8 years of Anna's Language Lab! Starting with an idea to set up after-school clubs for my sons to learn French and German with their friends, 8 years later I have now taught over 4,000 lessons to many many students based locally in Woking, further afield in Europe and as far away as Nepal! From helping primary-aged pupils take their first steps on their language adventure, to helping students not only pass but smash their French & German GCSEs or giving adults a boost with their job prospects, this job has simply been the best! Thank you, merci & vielen Dank for all your continued support, post shares, recommendations and reviews - it is a pleasure to work with so many of you and I hope I will continue to inspire your youngsters for many years to come! 🇩🇪🇫🇷

2023 On y va! Looking forward to welcoming back all my new and returning pupils this week and next. 2023 let's go! 🇫🇷🇩🇪

Wishing everyone 'bonne année' for 2023! 🥳

As our lessons draw to a close for this term, I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas / Joyeux Noël / Frohe Weihnachten! 🎄⭐️🎁🦌🎅🇫🇷🇩🇪

Germany is well known for its Christmas markets but did you know...that the Striezelmarkt in Dresden is celebrating its 588th year this year, making this the oldest recorded Christmas market in Germany! 🇩🇪🎄

I asked one of my Year 6 pupils to write about different places where people live - what a beautiful and thoughtful piece of work especially the mention of the homeless or ‘obdachlos’ in German. Just one example of why I love working with the next generation 🇩🇪

Thinking of all my Year 11 pupils who are in the midst of mock exams at the moment - you can do this! Stay calm, focus on your exam strategies and remember, your preparation will pay off!! 🇩🇪🇫🇷

The German language has a great idiom for someone who likes saving money - a saving fox🦊. Is anyone else embracing their inner ‘Sparfuchs’ during this cost of living crisis?! 🇩🇪

It's time for some spooky lessons! 🎃👻💀😈🧛‍♂️🧟‍♂️

After a break by the sea, we are back and very much looking forward to the second half of this term. I will be supporting my Year 11 students through their French and German mocks over the coming weeks as well as planning lots of seasonal activities with my younger pupils. Wishing everyone a great start to the new half-term 🇫🇷🇩🇪

My Year 10 and 11 students just love learning idioms! They're not only a fantastic way to make your language skills sound more authentic but also a great way to impress the GCSE examiners. Did you know that in French, instead of saying 'it's raining cats and dogs' we say 'it's raining ropes'?! What's your favourite idiom? 🇫🇷🇩🇪

Did you know...that 26th September is the European Day of Languages? The European Day of Languages has been celebrated since 2001 when it was set up by the Council of Europe to celebrate Europe’s rich linguistic diversity. In fact there are over 200 European languages and learning one or more of them is a way of helping us to understand each other better and overcome our cultural differences. How many European languages do you speak? 🇫🇷🇩🇪

Today is officially the first day of autumn in the UK - Brrrrr where has the l'été gone?!

After a busy start to the new term, we are now in full swing preparing our Year 11 pupils for their French and German mock exams later this term. We support our pupils by providing structured revision plans for French & German as well as coaching on all aspects of the exam.

If your child would like one to one support (either face to face or online) in order to prepare for their mock exams, please do get in touch to secure one of our remaining slots. 🇫🇷🇩🇪

Did you know...The Queen was the most well-travelled British monarch in history completing an astonishing 290 state visits to 117 different nations over her 70 year reign, meeting millions of people in the process. She was fluent in French and delivered many speeches in the French language during her time on the throne.

Just wanted to share this fabulous photo on the front of 'Le Point' magazine and to remind everyone that our regular lessons will be postponed tomorrow as we say 'au revoir' to Queen Elizabeth.

Did you know...on 1st April in France, people use paper fish to play an April Fools trick. This involves sticking a paper fish onto the back of as many adults as possible and then running away yelling “Poisson d’Avril !” (April Fish!). This tradition is said to date back to the 16th century when in 1564, King Charles IX switched France from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar, which meant the new year started several months before it would have under the old calendar. Some people thought it would be funny to wish each other “Happy New Year” and exchange silly presents on the old New Year’s Day – April 1. What's your best April Fools trick?!

As we break up for the Easter holidays, I want to congratulate my pupils on another term of fabulous French and German work. Your enthusiasm, commitment and creativity never cease to amaze me and I feel incredibly lucky to work with such a fabulous bunch. On a different note, is one egg ever un oeuf?! 🥚🇫🇷

With Storm Eunice firmly behind us, isn't it a relief to be storm free! But did you know that 'storm free' or 'sturmfrei' in German is in fact a German idiom?! 'Sturmfrei' means having the house to yourself whilst you partner or parents are away - is anyone looking forward to a 'sturmfrei' weekend?! 💨🏠🇩🇪

A little Friday fun...bon week-end tout le monde! 🇫🇷

Have you ever heard the saying ‘Sticks and stones can break your bones but names can never hurt you?’ Am sure many of you will
disagree. Words are powerful, they can destroy as well as create and we can choose to use them to encourage or to harm. The French philosopher, Voltaire had a lot to say about the power of words! In our language lessons, our pupils learn how to choose the correct words in French or German for many different situations, whether it be formal or informal and that the register and words they use are all important 🇫🇷🇩🇪

This month, I am so very happy and proud to be celebrating 7 years of Anna's Language Lab! From a small acorn, a blossoming business has grown - many thanks to everyone for all your support over the years - you are fantastique! 🇩🇪🇫🇷

Many of you will have heard of the German word 'Schadenfreude' which is frequently used in English to express joy at another's misfortune. However, have you heard of 'Freudenfreude'?! This is the exact opposite of Schadenfreude and means finding joy in another's success. Let's all spread a little Freudenfreude this week! 🇩🇪

This term, we are looking forward to starting back with our online French and German lessons from Wednesday, 5th January. Parents, please check your inbox for confirmation of individual requirements. Merci! 🇫🇷🇩🇪