le super samedi de français

French Immersion Day – March 2025

Each year the, Georgia chapter of the American Association of Teachers of French hosts an immersive weekend retreat at a rustic camp several hours from my home. I attended back in 2020 with a group of students—literally right before the world shut down. I feel so lucky to have been able to attend! I saw firsthand how beneficial a single immersion weekend can be, and I learned a lot about how to keep kids engaged while speaking their second language.

This year, I was thrilled to invite my online students to join me at the camp. These kids come from all over the country—Illinois, Wisconsin, Florida, and different parts of Georgia. They were excited to meet each other, meet me in real life, and challenge themselves to speak French all weekend.

And then . . . the camp was canceled. After plane tickets had been purchased, and hotel rooms booked for parents traveling with their kids.

I was stunned for a minute, wondering how I was going to break the news. But then I grew determined. There was no way I was going to let their excitement—and their nonrefundable plane tickets—go to waste. So I got to work.

What I Learned (and Re-learned)

First, I was reminded of how deeply committed these students are—not just to learning French, but to the relationships they’ve built through our classes. When I reached out with the news that the camp was canceled, and offered to do my best to host them myself, two students told me the main reason they wanted to come was to meet me in person. Me! I was so touched, and it reminded of something we language teachers know deep down: relationships matter. They’re not just a nice bonus—they’re at the heart of what motivates learners to go deeper and keep progressing.

Throughout the day of the event, that theme kept surfacing. I had planned about twelve hours of activities, but I also left space for spontaneity—and that’s where the magic happened. The students chatted non-stop between games. They held spontaneous conversation while helping in the kitchen and over meals. They bonded over crêpes and silly language mishaps, but also by sharing their unique interests, goals and dreams.

One of our favorite activities was a childhood game I brought back: “Do You Love Your Neighbor?” It’s perfect for language learning—everyone has to ask and answer questions, so even shy students get into the rhythm and build confidence. We played this silly game for so long, I completely lost track of time. I missed the window to make dessert! But no one seemed to care. They were more focused on exchanging phone numbers and making sure they’d stay in touch.

Why It Might Have Been Better Than the Original Plan

Here’s the thing: I think this day-long immersion might have been even more impactful than the original camp would’ve been. A larger camp has a strict schedule. Students are divided into random groups. The connection we shared during this small, flexible day might not have happened otherwise.

Of course, it wasn’t perfect. It was a one-woman show, and just twelve hours instead of a full weekend. But it taught me so much. And now that I’ve done it once? I’m ready to do it again—on a bigger scale, with more notice, and with even more opportunities for connection, confidence-building, and meaningful language use.

Hey, you should do it, too!

You may not have thought about immersion camps before. Immersion schools, study abroad, and other big immersion opportunities are well-known, but not everyone has the opportunity to participate due to the time and money required. Now you know! There are week-long and weekend immersion camps available if you look for them, and I hope you'll take advantage of a camp that fits your needs.

If you think a one to two day immersion weekend in the Atlanta area would be right for your student, please join our priority list to be updated about our plans!

Want to hear about 'super samedi' from a student's perspective? Check out this post by Adventures of a Young Naturalist!