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Lesson 0 — Orientation / Start-up

  1. A1: French Foundations (OF 01-12)
  2. Lesson 0 — Orientation / Start-up
✅ How to succeed in A1 (simple)
Speak first French first 1 micro-goal
🗣️ Speak (even 1 sentence)
Short phrases → quick wins → confidence.
🌟 Use the cheat sheet
If stuck, use a rescue phrase—don’t switch to English.
🎯 Keep 1 micro-goal
Save 1 sentence in Notes and reuse it 3 times.

① A1 structure (what every lesson guarantees)

📘 A simple, consistent format

  • 50 lessons · 3 hours each
  • Each lesson = Dashboard + 5 activities
  • Focus: speaking for work (meetings, emails, tasks, files)
  • Smart repetition: same building blocks → new sentences

🧩 The 5 activities

  1. Warm-up (often audio): quick wins
  2. Vocabulary: words + ready-to-reuse micro-phrases
  3. Micro-grammar: only what you need to speak
  4. Integrated production: realistic simulation
  5. Mini wrap-up + Summary Report + optional homework

🎯 A1 goal (one sentence)

Communicate simply at work: ask, answer, clarify, confirm, and organize tasks.

② Common mistake: too much writing (“grattage”)

✅ What we do

  • Speak early: short, useful sentences.
  • Repeat with variations (automation).
  • Grammar supports speaking: 1 rule = 1 use.

🚫 What we avoid

  • Long worksheets and long silent periods.
  • 20-minute grammar lectures.
  • Waiting to be “ready” before speaking.
⏸️ Pacing rule (online learning)
Adult retention peak ≈ 40–60 minutes
40–55 min activity 2–5 min break 2 min recap
Breaks reduce stress and fatigue, and help your brain retain new language.

③ Pacing & breaks (essential in online language learning)

⏸️ Breaks are not optional

Plan a 2–5 minute break between each activity. Adult attention/retention typically peaks around 40–60 minutes. Breaks help reduce stress and fatigue—especially in online learning.

🧠 Why it matters

  • Better memory consolidation.
  • Less cognitive overload.
  • More consistent speaking quality.

✅ What to do during breaks

  • Stand up, hydrate, rest eyes.
  • Quick reset: 3 deep breaths.
  • No extra homework during the break.

⏱️ Simple pacing guide

  • Activity (40–55 min)
  • Break (2–5 min)
  • Short recap (2 min)
🧩 Stuck? Use a rescue phrase (French first)
No stress
Je cherche le mot…
I’m looking for the word…
Encore une fois ?
One more time?
Plus lentement, s’il vous plaît.
More slowly, please.
Comment on dit… en français ?
How do you say… in French?
Micro-habit: use 1 rescue phrase per class → speaking becomes easier fast.

④ Communication rules: “French first”

🗣️ Golden rule (from week 1)

Use French as much as possible. English is only a quick bridge to unblock—then we return to French.

🌟 Friendly Essential Vocabulary Cheat Sheet

Say this (FR) Meaning (EN)
Je ne comprends pas.I don’t understand.
Répétez, s’il vous plaît.Please repeat.
Plus lentement, s’il vous plaît.More slowly, please.
Comment on dit… en français ?How do you say… in French?
Je peux essayer ?Can I try?
Encore une fois ?One more time?
J’ai une question.I have a question.
C’est correct ?Is it correct?
Je cherche le mot…I’m looking for the word…
Je peux reformuler ?Can I rephrase?

💡 Learner tip

If you get stuck, use a rescue phrase (e.g., “Je cherche le mot…”).

💡 Teacher tip

Make the class repeat 3 rescue phrases at the start (automaticity).

⑤ The teacher’s role: guide, encourage, correct without blocking

🌈 Positive feedback (ready-to-use)

  • Great! That’s clear.
  • Very good. Nice pronunciation.
  • Excellent effort. Trying is perfect for A1.
  • Yes! Here’s a more natural way to say it…
  • Perfect. Let’s say it once together.

🛠️ Expected correction styles (A1-friendly)

1) Recast (reformulate)

Learner: “Je aller bureau.”
Teacher: “Ah, je vais au bureau. Great.”

2) Echo correction (very short)

Learner: “un réunion”
Teacher: “une réunion 👍”

3) Clarify (quick question)

Teacher: “Today or tomorrow?”

4) Guided choice (2 options)

Teacher: “au bureau or à le bureau?” → au bureau.

📌 A1 micro-rule

We correct what helps communication first (clarity + useful sentence). Not everything at once.

⑥ Netiquette (mandatory)

📷 Camera ON = mandatory

Camera supports pronunciation, attention, and respectful communication. Please keep it ON during class.

⏱️ On time

  • Arrive on time (A1 rhythm).
  • Notify KC if an issue occurs.

🎧 Audio

  • Headset recommended.
  • Quiet environment if possible.

🤝 Respect

  • Let others finish; support each other.
  • Try in French first (cheat sheet).

⑦ “Notes” tool (on every page)

📝 How to use Notes

  • Save useful sentences you want to reuse.
  • Track your frequent errors + the short correction.
  • Keep 5–10 rescue phrases ready.

🔒 Private & personal

Notes are for you. Use them to progress faster—without stress.

👉 Where is the Notes button?

On the right: a small red dot.

⑧ Absence or late? Contact Knowledge Circle (contractual rule)

🚨 Today: absent or late
Contact KC administration ASAP via LiveChat or email.
Include: name + class time + short reason + expected return.
💬 Non-urgent question / help
Best option: LiveChat (bottom-right in MLMW). We’ll route your message correctly.
Contractual communication rule
Please do not ask for a teacher’s email or contact teachers directly for schedule changes. Always go through KC administration.
👩‍🏫 Teacher-only — Orientation script (detailed)

Purpose of Lesson 0

  • Set the frame: A1 is oral-first; writing is minimal.
  • Install “French first” rules and teach the cheat sheet.
  • Model feedback and quick corrections (recast + echo).
  • Enforce breaks between activities (2–5 minutes) to reduce fatigue.
  • Remind netiquette (camera ON) and admin contact rule for lateness/absence.

Recommended flow (15–25 min)

  1. Welcome (2 min) — “We’ll set success rules for A1.”
  2. Show structure (3–4 min) — dashboard + 5 activities.
  3. Oral-first (3–4 min) — micro-sentences, repetition, automation.
  4. French-first rules (5–7 min) — drill 6 cheat-sheet lines (choral repeat + pairs).
  5. Corrections demo (3–5 min) — show recast + echo with smiles, no blocking.
  6. Breaks & pacing (2 min) — “After each activity: 2–5 min break. Retention peaks 40–60 min.”
  7. Netiquette (2 min) — camera ON mandatory + headset recommended.
  8. Admin communication (2 min) — absence/late: contact KC only (LiveChat / scheduling@…).
  9. Notes (2 min) — ask learners to save 2 sentences + 1 rescue phrase.

Copy/paste teacher lines (chat)

French first 🙂 Try the cheat sheet. Use a rescue phrase: “Je cherche le mot…” Great — I recast: … (repeat) Break time (3 min). Stand up + water. Absence/late: contact KC admin (LiveChat).

Boundary reminder

Do not share or request teacher personal email addresses. Scheduling changes go through KC administration.

Notes personnelles / Private Notes

👉 FR — Cliquez le rond rouge à droite.
👉 EN — Click the red dot on the right.
🔒 Confidentiel / Confidential

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