There was something different about the conversation among 25 Flathead and Glacier high school patrons at Colter Coffee Wednesday evening. Over the cacophony of multiple conversations one thing was clear: Everyone was speaking French.

Milling around from table to table were high school French teachers Stephanie Hill and Patty Hodges. Hill, a teacher at Glacier, and Hodges, a teacher at Flathead, organized the French language table, Cafe et Conversation, last March.

First- through fourth-year students from the two high schools mingle, practice their fluency and work toward proficiency.

“Sometimes ones go with twos, sometimes fours with twos,” Hill said. “It’s really something we can’t replicate in a classroom very easily. We had a French 1 [student] and she really only knew how to do beginning conversation, but she came with her sister and she just kind of sat and listened, which gives them a chance to see what they can do in future years.”

Hill also encourages French speakers in the community to join the conversation and challenge advanced speakers.

To get things going at the Cafe et Conversation, Hill and Hodges set conversation cards in the back room of Colter Coffee. The cards are helpful for beginner or intermediate students such as Flathead sophomores Mica Riendeau and Sydney Bean. Both are second-year French students.

After about 20 minutes Riendeau went to exchange a conversation card.

“They range in difficulty,” Riendeau said. “You don’t have to stick to the card. You can expand on it.”

The topics typically reflect what students have learned in the classroom.

“The seasons is what we’re learning right now, temperatures and weather mainly,” Bean said. “It’s new vocab for us, so we’re trying it out.”

At each table are placards with simple French responses such as “how” or “why.”

When Riendeau and Bean were asked if the Cafe et Conversation forces them to speak French the entire hour, Bean replied “Oui, beaucoup (yes, very much)!” Bean said it makes speaking French fun because it is more natural than in the classroom.

This is especially true for fourth-year students such as Glacier seniors Kelsie Davis and Kendra Vogel and junior Tyler Brockman, who don’t rely on the conversation cards. Their conversation is organic, covering a variety of topics from the day-to-day life of a high schooler.

Occasionally, English words such as “Facebook” are dropped in the conversation when there isn’t a French alternative.

Students agreed the event helps them with fluency, especially coming up with quick responses since the advanced students have classes are spoken entirely in French, Vogel said.  

“They speak so fast,” Vogel said with a smile.

Riendeau said she comes to Cafe et Conversation for extra credit, but added: “I think it’s a great way for Flathead and Glacier to come together and put the rivalry aside and share our interest together.”

Building a community outside the classroom is something Hodges remarked on earlier.

“We’re all learning a language together,” Hodges said.

Cafe et Conversation is held once a month from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays. The next gathering is planned Nov. 28.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at [email protected].