Tell richer stories between Édito A2 classes

You leave an Édito A2 class with a small story you would like to tell in French. You understood the chapter theme, but your own details need different words. That is a good starting point for between-class practice: choose one question from the unit you are studying and answer it with something that actually happened to you.

This guide follows the second edition of Édito A2 (2022) from Didier FLE. The publisher's audio and your teacher's assignments are the natural place to begin. Three original scenes from the Édito A2 companion courses offer optional extra settings for practising related topics. They are not the book's official conversations. You can use the same short routine with either source.

Choose the unit your Édito A2 class is studying. Listen to a short exchange from the book or an original companion scene, answer one question aloud using your own details, then check one uncertain phrase. Bring that question to your next class. The three examples below show how to adapt this to different chapter themes.

Start with the chapter you are using

Start with the material your class is using now. The book has its own audio and activities. An extra conversation is useful only if it gives you another setting for a question you want to answer.

Try a flexible sequence that fits around the work your teacher has set.

First, choose a single question or dialogue from your current unité. If your class is discussing life changes, pick a question about something you have done. If it is discussing health, pick a question you might ask for clarification.

Second, listen to the short audio passage provided by the publisher, or use an original companion scene. Listen for the overall meaning first, without looking at the text.

Third, pause the audio immediately after a question is asked. Instead of just repeating the book's answer, say a personal reply aloud. If the audio asks where you went last weekend, don't say you went to Paris if you actually stayed home and cleaned your flat. Use your real life.

Fourth, notice where you stumble. Did you forget the past participle? Did you struggle to pronounce a specific vowel? Write down this one uncertainty.

Finally, bring that specific question to your next class. A sentence you actually wanted to say gives your teacher something concrete to help with.

When you give your own answer, you may notice a word or form you cannot yet use confidently. Write it down and check it. You don't need a fixed number of minutes or a claim about how fast the routine works.

Unité 1: Running into an old friend

In the first chapter of your textbook, Nouvelles vies, you focus on talking about your life path, past events, and future intentions. To practise these skills, you can use an original companion course like Running into an old friend, which is designed to complement this chapter.

The setting is a busy café at Lille-Flandres station on a Friday evening. Antoine is waiting for his train home to Arras, which is 40 minutes late. Suddenly, Céline, an old school friend who lives in Lille, walks past his table. They haven't seen each other for nearly 20 years, since their school days. Because they are old school friends, they use tu to catch up on their lives, careers, and plans.

The scene gives you a chance to talk about what you've done, say what you plan to do, and suggest meeting again.

To practise with this scene, start with a simple listening task. Listen to the conversation and focus entirely on the time markers. Try to identify how long Céline worked as a lawyer, or how many years ago she made her big career change.

Once you understand the timeline, try a speaking variation based on your own life. When the character asks about past studies or jobs, pause the audio. Instead of repeating their story, state what you actually did after school. Choose your own true example and say it aloud in French. If you need to express how long something lasted, check pendant (for a duration that has ended) and depuis (for something that started in the past and continues now) in the chapter before you repeat your answer.

You can use a recording from your book in the same way. Find a question about a life change or intention, pause and give one answer from your experience. Ask a classmate what happened next, or imagine one natural follow-up question.

Unité 7: At the pharmacy

In Unité 7: À votre santé !, your textbook introduces vocabulary for health, the human body, and medical advice. To bring these terms to life, you can explore the companion course At the pharmacy.

This scene takes place on a Monday morning in January, inside a pharmacy in the old town of Avignon. A father named Olivier has spent the weekend helping a friend move, and now his back hurts. He has been sleeping badly, and his 6-year-old daughter has a cough. He speaks with Hélène, the pharmacist. Because this is a professional interaction, they use vous throughout.

The scene includes describing a problem, asking for clarification, and choosing between two products. Treat it as language practice rather than medical guidance.

For your listening task, focus on the specific recommendations the pharmacist gives. Listen closely to identify what Olivier is told to avoid doing, and what treatment is suggested for his daughter's cough.

For a speaking variation, imagine a simple, non-urgent question at the counter. State what you need in one sentence, then ask the pharmacist to repeat or explain a point you didn't catch. You can practise a question about a familiar everyday item without drawing any conclusion about what medicine to use.

When Hélène describes the cream and gel, listen for what distinguishes them. Summarise that difference in your own words before hearing what Olivier chooses. The scene is fictional. Rely on a qualified professional for real health questions.

If your class is using another health-related recording, pause at a question and try a polite reply. Check the form of address: Olivier and Hélène use vous because they are speaking in a professional setting. Ask your teacher when that choice might change.

Unité 12: A beach clean-up

The final chapter of the book, Soif de nature, focuses on the environment, wildlife, and expressing personal opinions or concerns. You can practise these advanced A2 structures using the companion course A beach clean-up.

The setting is a beach at Le Crotoy, on the Baie de Somme, on a Sunday morning in April. A local nature group is conducting its monthly clean-up. Gaëlle, the organiser, is welcoming Timothée, a first-time volunteer. Since they are working together for a shared cause, they naturally use tu.

The scene lets you listen for instructions, express worry, and explain what action you would take.

Start with a targeted listening task. Listen to the instructions Gaëlle gives about sorting waste. Identify exactly where the plastic bottles should go, and what Timothée must do with the glass.

For your speaking practice, focus on the protest and opinion elements. When the characters discuss local pollution, pause the audio and express your own view on an environmental issue in your town. You might protest about litter in your local park or express worry about local wildlife. A local example gives you something specific to say. Choose one place you know, describe what worries you, and ask a partner what they have noticed.

You can also use a nature-related passage from the book. Pause after an instruction or opinion and say what you would do in your own neighbourhood. Keep the claim small and concrete.

Change the question, not just the answer

After giving one answer, try asking a new question. In the reunion, you might ask what changed after school. In the pharmacy, you might ask someone to clarify a choice. At the beach, you might ask where an item belongs. A different question gives the other speaker room to respond.

You can practise this alone or with a classmate by noticing the contrasting registers in the three scenes.

For instance, contrast the informal reunion in Lille with the formal consultation in Avignon. With a classmate, practise asking Antoine about his plans for Quebec using tu. Then, immediately switch to the pharmacy scene and practise asking Hélène for advice using vous. Notice how your verbs and pronouns must adapt instantly.

If you are practising alone and find yourself stuck, use these practical strategies:

If a long answer feels difficult, start with a short sentence. In the beach clean-up scene, instead of trying to explain complex recycling laws, simply say: "Je veux aider" (I want to help). You can build on this simple foundation later.

If you encounter an unfamiliar word, try a simpler description. You can check the exact word afterwards. If you forget the French word for "cough syrup" in the pharmacy scene, ask for "un médicament pour la gorge" (a medicine for the throat).

If you miss a detail, replay the short part that carries it. Check whether you missed a word, a number, or the speaker's intention. Then answer with the information you actually heard.

Take one useful question back to class

One good question can be enough for a session. You can bring it to class and use your teacher's answer in another short exchange.

When you practise speaking at home, keep a small notebook nearby. Write down the exact moments where you hesitated. Perhaps you were unsure whether to use depuis or pendant when talking about Antoine's teaching career. Or maybe you struggled to position the object pronouns correctly when the pharmacist gave Olivier advice.

Before your next class, open your textbook and check the grammar tables in that chapter. Often, a quick look at the rules will clarify your mistake. If you are still unsure, write down one specific question and show it to your teacher at the start of your next lesson.

You can bring both your first attempt and your revised sentence. That shows exactly what you wanted to express.

The publisher's audio and your teacher's assignments work for this practice. The original HearSay conversations are optional extra listening on related themes.

If you would like another scene alongside your current unit, the Édito A2 hub links all 12 original companion courses.

HearSay is not affiliated with or endorsed by Didier FLE. Édito A2 is a trademark of its owner. These are our own conversations, written around each chapter's themes.

FAQ

Which edition and chapters of Édito A2 does this guide use?

It follows the second edition of Édito A2 (2022) and uses units 1, 7, and 12. If your edition differs, check your own contents page first.

Can I use the practice idea without HearSay?

Yes. Use the publisher's audio and your class assignments, with a partner or on your own. HearSay offers optional original scenes on related themes.

What if I cannot answer without reading?

Check one word or phrase and try a shorter answer. Ask your teacher about a form you are still unsure of.