French Exchange

[teacherwith2kids]

Do 'proper' French exchanges happen any more? You know, the type where you get shipped off to France all alone for a couple of weeks (I did three, my parents said 2 wasn't enough) to live with a French family, then they come back to you for a similar length of time?

I specifically mean NOT ones organised as a school party, with the whole (English) class getting together for lots of sightseeing / events - I mean the hardcore 'got to speak French all the time' ones?

[HPparent]

They used to do this at my daughter's school but dropped it just before she did GCSE, I can't remember the provider. There seem to be a lot of ads for English host families for French kids, so I am sure there are English kids going to France too. Why not Google?

[teacherwith2kids]

I did Google, but the websites I found were a bit 'made on my kitchen table'ish, so I wondered if it was now a really fringe activity... hence posting here to see if it was still 'normal' in some schools

[HPparent]

Have you tried Institut Francais? Perhaps they know of reputable providers?

[collywobble]

We have just had a German exchange student to stay for a week and my daughter is going back to Germany for a week in October. It was organised through school. She's currently in year 9 and studying German so hopefully it will help with that. We had a lovely girl called Lisa to stay and although the language barrier was difficult at times it was a great experience that I'd do again for my other children.

[AliceInSandwichLand]

Use Lingoo, which is an Internet exchange site like a dating site but for language exchanges. English speakers have a massive choice of wonderful French families. Between my two daughters and the best friend of one of them, who we suggested used Lingoo, we have 5 long term repeat language exchange partners (3 French, 1 Spanish, 1 German), all of which have been wonderful successes and have become family friends. My older dd and her French partner met through Lingoo when they were 15 and will both be 20 this year. The French girl is studying English at university and my DD is studying French, Spanish and Russian at uni - both their lives have literally been altered by how good their exchanges were. If you need any more information about Lingoo feel free to ask.

[thatmum50]

My sons local school do a French exchange, but it is completely different to the one you described.
They go away for a week (well those who chose to go. Only 12 boys out of 201 went this year, and i can only put that down to the complete shambles that is my sons school MFL department, ut that isnt important)

They mostly do sightseeing and only spend 2 days out of the 7 actually in school

Most of the time is spent with the rest of the people who go.

Then they return and stay with over here and it's the same thing. And due to this they barely have to speak French.

COmpletely pointless in my opinion

[BackforGood]

ThatMum - that's my experience of the schools around here too - it seems you are not 'immersed in the language' for any length of time, and are actually just on a trip to the country with your English speaking mates for the vast majority of the time.
Shame, as my exchange did my French the world of good.

[teacherwith2kids]

That's really why I'm looking into 'independent' French exchanges, as although DS's school offers language-related 'trips', the experience of living with a french family and HAVING to speak French on an exchange, though a painful experience at the time, is why I can still sopeak French 30 years later!

[MillyMollyMama]

My DD did a work experience trip to Paris organised by the school. I think it was lower 6th but they did have to speak French all day "at work" and with their host family. My DD worked in a workplace nursery. I imagine the school went through an exchange provider but it worked very well. Two members of school staff were on hand to organise trips into Paris.

[Biscuitsneeded]

I think you may be better off trying to set one up privately, as yes, the school versions nowadays tend to be much shorter and involve lots of day trips where only English is spoken... Ask around and see if anyone can help you. Maybe the French teacher at your child's school knows some teachers in France who could recommend a suitable family..

[AliceInSandwichLand]

Seriously, use Lingoo, as mentioned above! It will give you a huge choice of wonderful families. My younger DD, for example, chose a girl from near Geneva (from a choice of about 60 families who contacted us when we put our profile on the site) with similar interests. Last summer they spent a whole month together (2 weeks each way) and got on like a house on fire. They exchanged again at Easter for 10 days each way and are doing the same thing in the summer, when DD is going to the exchange girl and the rest of us are driving down after a week so the two families can spend a couple of days together. DD has chosen science A levels but will continue to see her partner anyway because they are now so close. My older DD's two exchange stories have both been equally successful, or more so given she is now doing languages at uni. You can choose a partner who suits you and customise the stay to exactly what suits you both, the website only serves as an introduction. I really can't recommend it highly enough - it has been so good for both my DDs.

[teacherwith2kids]

Thanks all! I do know one of the French teachers from DS's school - a French native - so will see if she has any personal recommendations, otherwise will try Lingoo.

[ephpa95]

I can also recommend Lingualinks - lingua-links.com. They are fabulous!

[Chocolatemousegirl]

DS did a French exchange via school last year as part of AS French. He stayed with a French family for 2 weeks and did work experience in a French junior school for the first week and some trips out with his English teachers and friends the second week. It seemed to work well as teenagers the French and English mixed together in the evenings and the use of French and English intermingled all the time. worked well when his French exchange partner stayed with us and did work experience in a local cafe

[Everhopeful]

That sounds brilliant, chocolatemousegirl - did it happen in Y12 then (sorry, DD only Y7 and am still a bit flaky on what happens when) and did the schools organise the work experience part as well?

[Chocolatemousegirl]

Yes, February year 12 - 1 week half term and 1 week during school term. School arranged the whole thing, about 24 of them went over, I think it has been happening for years. DS came back full of confidence in speaking French - no choice really when faced with a class of 30 8 year olds!