The ‘au pair’ and ‘nanny’ have existed in France for centuries. Now, in 2020, it’s all about the English teacher!
There just aren’t enough English teachers to go around amongst French families, who look to welcome English-speakers into their homes. Want to know why? Mômji is on hand with the reasons.
The importance of English today
The official language of 53 countries and spoken by 400 million people globally, English is a huge asset. For English-speakers, it’s a lucky gift, but for those with other mother tongues, it’s something that has to be learnt.
English is the dominant language of business; global companies from Airbus to Nokia to Microsoft in Beijing have made English their official language, just to name three of millions and millions. It also gives users access to a world of entertainment such as TV and film and even access to 52% of the Internet which is in English.
Because of its popularity and worldwide usage, speaking English not only boosts personal prospects such as travel but is a huge advantage for job prospects too, opening a world of employment. That’s why French families are on the search for English teachers!
Boosting school marks
French families may be looking for English teachers to boost their kids’ school marks. Do you remember learning French, Spanish or German at school? Those pesky vocabulary tests were always quite hard.
Given English’s importance in the world, families are keen for children to excel in English at school. Having an English-speaker around the house is the popular way of additional coaching for kids.
Make English learning fun
Taking English lessons away from a classroom setting is important for some French families. All children learn differently and the passive classroom setting isn’t the best for everyone.
Language learning is skill rather than just a subject and is better off practiced frequently, not just a couple times a week in a classroom. Having a dedicated English teacher for a French child allows for personalised lessons, catered to the learner.
Be a part of daily life
Welcoming an English teacher into the home is sought after by French families as the learning can be implemented into daily life. The child can feel more at home in their own living room and more inclined to see the learning as ‘play’ if not at school - which is a good thing! It also helps build a relationship between the family and the English teacher in a way that gets the best for the child.
Combined English teaching with babysitting
In some schemes, like ours at Mômji, English learning can be combined with babysitting. As parents in Paris can often work long hours, it’s a way of tying the two needs of childcare and extra English teaching together in one.
At Mômji, our English-speaking babysitters provide an immersive experience. They simply look after the child as they would in their own English-speaking countries, even doing everything in English. This way the child can pick up the language through everyday activities and routine. Plus, it’s extra rewarding for our sitters who get to see the child in the care grow academically!
There we have it! That’s why French families are on the lookout for people like you!
If you speak English and want to join the Mômji mission, we’d love to hear from you. We have thousands of families in Paris and across France waiting to welcome an English-speaker into their homes. Want it to be you? Apply now through our online form!