For the second time this year, AP French students at Bridgewater-Raritan High School had the exciting opportunity to engage in real-world conversations with native French speakers, thanks to the efforts of the AP French Teacher, Maria Kostis.
Phidias Tettekpoe and his wife, Semepha, who immigrated from France, spoke to the students on Tuesday, March 4, in the high school’s library conference room.
The are the parents of Thea Tettekpoe, who is a junior at Bridgewater-Raritan High School.
Ms. Kostis shared the session.
“After their first visit this past October, which left a lasting impact on students, we were eager for another chance to practice our language skills in an authentic setting,” she said.
Ms. Kostis explained the engagement..
“To make the experience even more engaging, we switched things up this time by splitting the class into two smaller groups. This allowed for more intimate and spontaneous discussions, giving each student more time to speak, ask questions, and interact with our guests. The conversations were dynamic and thought-provoking, covering a range of topics that pushed us to express ourselves fluently and confidently.”
“Once again, our guest speakers were highly impressed by the level of French spoken by the students. They noted how well we were able to hold conversations, ask insightful questions, and respond naturally—all signs of the hard work and dedication put into learning the language,” Ms. Kostis said.
“Experiences like these remind us why learning a language is so much more than memorizing vocabulary and grammar—it’s about real communication, cultural exchange, and broadening our perspectives. A huge thank you to our guest speakers for sharing their time, experiences, and expertise with us. They ended the visit by wishing our students well in their futures!