Antoine Jean-Bressani

I just love slowly building up my students’ communication potential, spoken but also written — and building up relationships too! I don’t like pressure but I find it very satisfying whenever a student remembers a word, or phrase, or a grammar rule that I’ve taught them. It blows my mind when I can get them to fill conjugation tables by themselves — and better even when they use the verbs correctly when expressing themselves. I like taking students as they come and creating a new way of having class for each of them.

I was always good with and interesting in languages. I thought the process was wonderful when I first started learning new languages. The process of gradually being able to say more, to read more and eventually to write stuff by myself. I also like to teach; I like to find the light of comprehension in whoever I am teaching. When teaching languages, each bit of progress gives way new expanses of possibility — and I like the continual enrichment entailed in the learning of a new language. So I had decided to be language teacher before I had even graduated from college!

In Montreal, I have taught mostly immigrants who want to interact with their French environment or who need to pass a test for the purpose of residence or employment.

Difficult. I have taught English extensively, as well as bits of other languages, and I have to say that the number of details involved in speaking (worse, writing) French is particularly intimidating when looked upon as a whole. But I love to build that edifice slowly. And sometimes my students don’t need to be speaking a faultless French!

It’s actually quite different in its common spoken form, though perhaps less so in central urban areas. When I teach, I make a clear distinction between written/formal/more international French, spoken Quebecois French, and local slang.

Usually they are interested in everyday situations that are typical of Quebecois life, especially anecdotal examples thereof.

The hardest part is not letting my students apprehend the large complex of rules as a dark looming shape that will swallow them. The trick is just taking is easy, going as fast as we can but not pushing it, just putting down a block at a time, taking the time to enjoying whatever we’ve accomplished, and getting where the students needs to be — that’s all. With more advanced students, it is the same: not to try to tackle everything, and have everything perfect all at once, but one step at a time.

Patience does! And, generally, a balance of focus and lightheartedness. And, of course, regular practice/study..!