This session helped me work on my French listening skills since the entire movie was in French. Even though Frozen is a story I’m familiar with, listening to it in a different language required more concentration, especially during the musical scenes or fast-paced dialogue. Since French is a language we both want to improve, this turned out to be a fun and effective way to immerse ourselves in natural pronunciation, intonation, everyday expressions, and informal vocabulary.
At the same time, having English subtitles reinforced our comprehension and allowed us to compare both languages indirectly. I recognized some French expressions that I had forgotten and was able to match them with their English equivalents.
Although we didn’t speak much in the target languages during the movie, we paused several times to discuss specific expressions or clarify meanings. This turned the experience into a learning opportunity rather than just entertainment.
This session made me realize that language learning doesn’t always need to be structured. Sometimes, passive exposure can be just as effective. The relaxed dinner and movie atmosphere created a comfortable environment for learning.
Watching a familiar movie in a foreign language was especially useful because I already knew the plot and characters. This made it easier to focus on the language instead of trying to follow the story. I also realized that listening to French in a real, continuous context (songs, jokes, emotional scenes) is much more engaging than practicing isolated vocabulary or grammar exercises.
The English subtitles added another layer to the experience: they highlighted the differences in translation and narrative choices between the two languages.
The biggest challenge of this session was the mix of languages. Having French audio and English subtitles sometimes made it difficult to focus on one language consistently. At times, I found myself reading the subtitles more than listening, or listening without following the subtitles. This confusion is part of the learning process, but it also shows that a more balanced approach might be needed if we aim for deeper understanding.
Another point is that we didn’t practice speaking much since most of the time was spent watching the movie. However, the listening practice was still valuable.
Even though this session wasn’t a typical conversation-focused meeting, it still aligned with our goals. Watching the movie in French helped us refresh the language, and using English subtitles kept us connected to English as well.
The plan also emphasizes flexibility and adapting to new learning methods. This meeting was a great example of how language exposure can take place in creative and enjoyable ways.
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