As we grow our online collection of language learning resources, YouTube stands out as an incredible free video platform. YouTube is a practically infinite source of French language content (or any language content!). But, when it comes to inspiration, there are few categories of videos more engaging than TED Talks. With over 3,200 TED Talks uploaded to their site (and hosted through YouTube) and even more independently organized TEDx events, there are videos en français for all interests!
Thanks to YouTube’s hosting, you can even choose to watch with French or English subtitles to further your comprehension. To activate this feature, click the settings gear in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen. Then, click “Subtitles/CC” and select your language from the offered list.
We hope you’ll enjoy this second curated selection of educational, relatable, and inspiring TED Talks en français ! Let us know what inspires you by sharing this post or commenting your favorite find below. You can find our first list here.
LEARNING AND THE BRAIN
The multilingual in you Sébastien Roger de Nuñez is fluent in 11 languages and believes that multilingualism is possible for anyone who is willing to try. Whether you’re learning for fun or out of necessity, trying a language related to your native tongue or completely foreign, Sébastien encourages listeners to dive in on day one and invent and learn as you go, rather than waiting until your comprehension is perfect. Changement : 7 secrets pour franchir le pas After the massive success of her first TED Talk on traversing borders, making mistakes, and moving on, Anjuli Pandit shares her best pieces of advice in French, despite it not being her first language. Vous avez une mémoire infaillible : prouvons-le Have you ever entered a room and completely forgotten why you needed to be there? So has Sébastien Martinez. He may hold the title of Champion of Memory in France, but he hasn’t always been this way. Sébastien shares the keys he used to unlock his remarkable memory to help listeners do the same. Quand les neurosciences rencontrent l’éducation 50% of the population believes that intelligence is assigned at birth and unchangeable. That’s why Eric Gaspard, a math professor passionate about neuroscience, created the education program "Neurosup." This startup project experiments with new methods, focusing on the behavior of the human brain, to facilitate knowledge acquisition. A la découverte de notre cerveau Albert Moukheiber is a clinical psychologist and doctor in Neuroscience. His Talk focuses on the mistakes our brains make and the impact they can have on our lives.AROUND THE WORLD
C'est lorsque l'on se perd que le voyage commence vraiment… Marine De Nicola has lost herself all over the world. Her TED Talk tells us about her adventures, from learning multiple languages to becoming a pop star in China to fighting leukemia, reminding listeners at each step that it is once we are lost that the journey really begins. Des rues de Kinshasa aux tapis rouges des Oscars Rachel Mwanza’s happy childhood in the Democratic Republic of Congo changed completely when her father lost his job. What follows is a tale of survival and a modern witch hunt that brings Rachel to the red carpet at the Oscars and (even better) back to the classroom. Comment vivre à 25 ans dans un monde qui meurt ? Eliott Schonfeld is a global explorer with the goal of achieving total autonomy. By 25, he had already crossed the Gobi desert, escaped grizzly bears, met isolated Himalayan tribes… and missed his own funeral when he wasn’t able to contact his family during one of his trips. Pourquoi faut-il croire en l'exploration spatiale? Thomas Pesquet has been passionate about space adventure ever since reading Tintin in childhood. In 2009, at 30 years old, he was the youngest member to join the new class of European astronauts. In this TED Talk, he argues for the importance of believing in space exploration.SOCIETY
Désolé ma puce, ça n’existe pas pour les filles ! Mélissa Plaza, professional soccer player and Doctor of social psychology, shares her personal story of growing up as a “garçon manqué” and fighting the limitations of gender stereotyping. #FakeNews : Internet est-il devenu l'ennemi de la démocratie ? Romain Badouard opens his talk with several news posts that had circulated Facebook… all of which are false. Rumors are nothing new, but belief in Internet falsehoods have serious effects in the real world. Badouardcalls for common spaces of debate to revive democracy. Le spectre de nos différences Doctor in cognitive neurosciences, Laurie-Anne Sapey-Triomphe works towards the better integration of people with autism in society at the Neuroscience Research Center in Lyon. She challenges our preconceptions of people with autism in the hope of better understanding their experiences. Championne de France de cyber-harcèlement Marion Seclin crowned herself “champion of online harassment” after one of her online videos generated over 40,000 negative comments and threats. With no platform, company, or individual offering solutions to this onslaught of hate, she asks her audience to help fight for those living through a similar situation by sharing their positive thoughts online. La musique classique dans les banlieues Zahia Ziouani shares the story of how she became an orchestral conductor despite the prejudices of those around her. Her lifelong musical passion and her experience as a woman at the helm inspired her to found the Divertimento orchestra, with diversity at its core and a mission to bring orchestral music to new neighborhoods. Comment faire la guerre à la guerre? Idriss Aberkane is an expert in Knowledge Economy, Biomimicry and Cognitive Neurosciences with three PhDs. In this Talk, he discusses the ways revolutions come about, from the ridiculous to the violent. How can we fight against war, a disease whose casualties are measured in Megadeaths (1 million human deaths)?INSPIRATIONAL LIVES
Einstein, un exemple d'échec scolaire Manuella Hachet shares her take on the famous quote attributed to Albert Einstein: "If you judge a fish by its capacity to climb a tree, it will think all its life that it is stupid." La magie de retrouver son âme d'enfant Butzi invites his audience to rediscover their inner child, to find joy in everyday life, and to awaken their creativity. Any life can be enhanced by a little fun - and magic! Changer le monde sans travailler Lionel "Ploum" Dricot starts his talk by asking his audience what they do in their lives. Their responses, based primarily on career path, inform his thoughts on how we can create a better society. En chacun de nous sommeille un champion Boxing champion of Africa and kickboxing champion of the world, Zack Mwekassa knows a thing or two about beating the odds. With powerful stories from his eventful life, Zack shares his passion for helping listeners wake the champion inside. Rien ne nous arrive par hasard Nadalette La Fonta Six was a real-life Wonder Woman, succeeding at home and in the office - until her untreated scoliosis and a botched surgery left her paralyzed. Standing upright, she delivers a Talk about overcoming and recovering her sense of self. Looking for more? Click through to watch on Youtube and browse the “Up Next” recommendations column to the right of the screen for more Talks on more topics. For even more curated online resources en français, check out our posts about free e-libraries, audiobooks, podcasts, and kids YouTube!
Ingrid Marquardt
Librarian
Ingrid began her passion for French through the immersion program in Milton, MA, and has followed it around France and the world. She took a break from this first love to pursue a B.A. in English with a minor in Irish Studies at Boston College and a Masters of Library and Information Sciences at Simmons College. She is thrilled to meld her excitement for libraries and French language and culture in her position at the Center!
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