We don’t know if Molière ever turned in his grave. Over time, the great playwright nevertheless had the opportunity as the spelling level of French students continued to plummet. According to a National Education report published last year, CM2 students made 19.4 mistakes on average per dictation in 2021, compared to 14.7 in 2007 and 10.7 in 1987. A regression which of course raises questions without really knowing how to reverse the trend. Like video games, accused of inciting violence, some hastily pointed the finger at social networks. It’s true that your eyes sometimes bleed when you browse X, Facebook or Instagram because some of the mistakes are so gross.
But spelling or grammar errors have always existed, the French language and its subtleties even trapping some of its most beautiful feathers. So be careful not to demonize social networks. Between videos of cats, dance or fitness advice, it is even possible to learn how to improve your French on its platforms. “Spelling vigilante”, Sylvain Szewczyk was one of the first ten years ago to go to war, with humor, against nasty mistakes via his Bescherelle ta Mère account, very popular on Facebook and Twitter.
Dyslexic, MaitressAdeline struggled well with spelling
With the rise of Instagram and TikTok, other defenders of the language of Molière have taken over. This is the case of MaitressAdeline, a network star with more than four million subscribers. With her colorful markers and index cards, this school teacher shares her tips for getting used to French in her videos. Tips for learning to tell the difference between “theirs and theirs”, to conjugate the subjunctive or to recognize the many homonyms in our beautiful but sometimes twisted language.
“I try to address as many people as possible, so I stick to fairly simple rules that I can teach to my students,” indicates this school teacher, who is leading a CE1-CE2 class this year in Bouches-du -Rhone. However, the young woman was not always a spelling enthusiast. Dyslexic, she even struggled with French during her youth before finding the key by making her own files. “I eventually got a taste for it and discovered that you could have fun with spelling and grammar,” she assures.
“Restore people’s confidence”
In the same vein, Madam speech therapist also distils his advice and tips to help his hundreds of thousands of subscribers on TikTok and Instagram to erase the most common mistakes. To do this, she uses simple techniques that she puts in place with her patients, often suffering from dyslexia or dysorthography. “I rely on neuroscience with a lot of visuals or quizzes,” she explains. And I realized that it also worked for people who have spelling difficulties without necessarily having problems,” she explains.
Despite the success of her videos, the Breton speech therapist does not claim the title of academician either. “I didn’t invent spelling or a particular method,” she admits. And I don’t perform miracles either. My videos will perhaps allow certain people to correct certain mistakes but that does not replace years of schooling either. »
Tips to avoid mistakes
By reading the many comments they receive, the two influencers are however aware of helping people. “Many people are ashamed of making spelling mistakes and suffer from them, especially in the world of work,” emphasizes MaitressAdeline. I’m just trying to give them confidence so they feel less alone and less stupid. »
“And then it happens to everyone to make mistakes,” reassures Madam the speech therapist. For example, I sometimes hesitate between task and stain and I have to think of a trick to avoid making a mistake. » As a grammar and spelling influencer, it would indeed be a mistake to fail.