Issue #1

Hi there!

I wanted to start off my first newsletter by saying thank you for being here. If you’re here it means that you have questions about your relationship to language, identity, and belonging.

I am a French confidence coach who helps English-speaking Quebecers transform their relationship with French so they can learn, speak, and live it with confidence.

Unlike traditional language coaching, I don't focus on grammar or vocabulary. I help you build the self-trust, resilience, and sense of identity that make using French feel natural and sustainable.

In this initial newsletter, I wanted to give you a little tour of my website so that you can explore its features and find out more about my story, my mission, and articles that I’ve already written.

The main page of my website is where I share my mission statement. On this page you’ll learn about:

· My professional experience

· My beliefs about language learning

· How I empower my clients

Next, in the tab just to the right, you’ll find the My Story page. Here, you’ll learn about:

· The symbolic meaning behind my business name “Coaching Accent Aigu” – I love a good symbol!

· My past experiences with French and the way that I interpreted these experiences

· How I changed my relationship with French to actually thrive and belong in Québec

· Some tangible results that came from this process of transformation, for me and for my clients

The middle tab of my website is the Links section, where you will find a series of articles that I’ve written about language confidence. I’ve grouped them into three categories (Belonging/Identity, Practical Mindset Shifts, and Language Insecurity) so that you can go ahead and take a look at the ones that speak most to you and your experience:

Belonging/Identity:

​Expressing the Real Me: In this article I challenge the belief that we can’t be our true selves in another language

​Who Gets to be Francophone: In this post, written in French, I explore what it means to be francophone even when, (and I would say especially if) your mother tongue is not French

​Belonging is a Choice: This short article asks questions to get you thinking about what belonging means when you do not have a native francophone québécois accent

​The Only Anglo in the Room: In this article I share an experience of being the only one with a non-native francophone accent in the room, and how this can actually be a powerful thing

Practical Mindset Shifts:

​The Montreal Switch: This article is about what happens when someone switches to English when you’re speaking to them in French, and what to do in response

​When People Switch to English: This article, one of my most popular ones on LinkedIn, dives into some common limiting beliefs that we face when someone switches to English

​Making Mistakes: In this article. I explore the number one reason why we tend to be harsher on ourselves for making mistakes in our second language, compared to in our native language

​Mindset and Language Learning: In this post I point out the importance of our mindset when learning languages, and I guide you through how to challenge yourself when you’re thinking negative thoughts

​Confidence Myth-Busting: In this article I challenge the common myth that you need confidence in order to start speaking, and offer alternatives that are more empowering and that actually get you the results you desire

​Self-fulfilling Prophecies: Here I tackle the issue of what happens when we anticipate other peoples’ judgements of our language skills, and how to stop falling victim to other people’s reactions

​Never Feeling Good Enough: Here I go deep into what happens when we only focus on what we don’t know in the language we’re learning, and how to actually develop a more accurate view of our skills that is helpful rather than harmful

​Apologizing for not being a native speaker: Here, through a personal example, I lead you through a line of questioning to explore what it means when we apologize for our language skills

Language Insecurity:

​Common Insecurities: In this post, I list examples of common insecurities that a lot of English-speaking Quebecers have so that you can identify your own language insecurities

​Symptoms of Language Insecurity: In this post I use a personal story to show what happens when our fear of making mistakes blocks us from speaking, and what to do to prevent freezing in the language

​Examples of Linguistic Insecurity: In this article, I identify 5 common symptoms of language insecurity that you may be experiencing right now, with examples

The fourth tab is the Testimonials & FAQ section where I share testimonials from people I’ve had coaching sessions with, as well as answers to common questions that I get asked about my services

The last tab is a link to My Linkedin Profile - follow me on Linkedin and don’t hesitate to reach out and say hi! :)

That’s all for the tour! I hope you enjoy checking out my website, and I’d love to know which articles resonated most with you. Hit reply to let me know which one you related to, or if there’s another topic you’d like me to tackle.

Thank you again for being here,

Valerie/Valérie

Coaching Accent Aigu

Interested in finding out more? Book a free consultation with me to see how I can help you speak French with confidence:

Free consultation with Valerie