"I've been studying French for years in the United States, with private lessons, classes, books, audio tapes, video tapes and what have you. While I have to consider myself an advanced student, I can also honestly say that I learned more French during the seven days I spent at Dialogue (May 25-June 2, 1997) than I did with all my other efforts combined.
The Dialogue method is different -- innovative -- especially when it comes to pronunciation. French pronunciation is profoundly different from English. With expert one-on-one guidance I was able to reach into the center of the French language and come out with a better ear for sounds that had previously eluded me. In many other fundamental ways I was able to grasp what I call "real French," instead of English translated into French. Because 60% of the vocabulary of both languages is similar, it's easy for an English speaker to fall into the translation trap -- but real French is something else entirely! I've experienced some of it now, and I want more.
I stayed in the lovely home of Claudine and Jean-Luc Godard, two truly hospitable people. Putting aside the warmth that developed between us, the superb meals, and the wine education that Jean-Luc throws in as a matter of course, the addition of real conversation at meals added tremendously to the corpus of my learning. Spa is a lovely place, known for its waters (I tasted waters from seven different springs in one expedition). While there must be many opportunities to live with a French-speaking family, most of them aren't language- teaching visionaries like the Godards."

Monica Winefryde Furlong,

Larchmont, NY