Saturday, January 25, 2020

Teaching English In Kindergarten Education Essay

Teaching English In Kindergarten Education Essay If piety is to take root in any man ´s heart, it must be engrafted while he is still young ; if we wish any to be virtuous we must train him in early youth ; if we wish him to make great progress in the persuit of wisdom , we must direct his faculties towards it in infancy, when desire burns , when taught is swift and when memory is tenacious. The process of education is one of the most important and complex of all human endeavors. A popular notion is that education is carried out by one person, a teacher, standing in front of the class and transmitting information to a group of learners who are willing to absorb it. This view simplifies what is a highly complex process involving an intricate interplay between the learning process itself, the teacher`s intentions and actions, the individual personalities of the learners, their background, etc. This research paper aims to provide a coherent psychological framework that will help language teachers to make connections between the process of learning and the making of decision in the classroom of kindergarten. In order to do so, it is necessary to adopt a particular approach to psychology which will be helpful at the moment of teaching English to children. The infantile education across the years has been extending this field of action to children. For the 4 and 5-year-old children, kindergarten has turned into an ideal area where to share the game and the learning with other children. The progresses reached in the skills and skills motorboats focus their behavior. English learning in kindergarten has become a phenomenon to education. The most standing points are the capacities to learn a new language rapidly. Children utilize different types of mental resources to incorporate words and meanings. They do interpretations of the listened and observed around them and this relation is notable with the new language. As a consequence, children increase their attention and their autonomy increase as well. Another essential aspect at this level is listening skill considered as essential to encourage the retention of information and actions which they consider to be children`s own childhood. Teaching English to children who have not yet reached a first grade age presents challenges which may not be so noticeable at first. It is the young children who exhibit voracity and aptitude for assimilating English which definitely diminishes with age. In light of this, there are several facets to bear in mind which will make teaching this special age bracket all the more rewarding. Very young children may often not grasp that teacher does not understand what they are saying, and may be very puzzled that neither can they make this strange adult comprehend their chatter, nor make head or tail of what is being directed at them. , but their willingness to please and expressive body language easily makes up for any frustrations. Incorporating several key themes into every lesson plan will maximize learning and enjoyment potential for all. Meeting the language development needs of such culturally and linguistically diverse students is challenging for teachers. A supportive, student-centered environment will assist the language development of all students. Such an environment, which values and accepts students languages, cultures and experiences as the foundation for instruction, will support and nurture each students language acquisition and development. Teachers who are aware of students sociolinguistic backgrounds can assess individual linguistic competence and assist students in developing English abilities in familiar and non-threatening contexts. Students are more likely to experiment with language and take risks during independent and collaborative language activities if they perceive their languages, cultures and experiences as significant, and if they recognize that their peers and teachers share this perception. It is important to say that teachers have not been trained to teach English in kindergarten. However, Kindergarten and elementary school teachers play a vital role in the development of children. What children learn and experience during their early years can shape their views of themselves and the world and can affect their later success or failure in school, work, and their personal lives. Kindergarten and elementary school teachers introduce children to mathematics, language, science, and social studies. They use games, music, artwork, films, books, computers, and other tools to teach basic skills. Teachers play an important role in fostering the intellectual and social development of children during their formative years. The education that students acquire is key to determining the future of those students. Whether in elementary or high schools or in private or public schools, teachers provide the tools and the environment for their students to develop into responsible adults. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM The importance of teaching English in kindergarten as well as the importance of teachers ´ role The focal point of this research is to appreciate the significance of teaching English in Kindergarten due to the fact that teachers have not been trained to deal in this level nor the use of methodologies in the process of learning. Also, it aims to take consideration the teachers ´ work. OBJECTIVES The goal of this study is: To understand how children acquire a second language To appreciate English teachers  ´role To describe the methodologies to teach in kindergarten. To appreciate the importance of teaching English to children for future levels. SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS STUDY This research is about how a new language is learned in kindergarten. I believe that this information about findings and theoretical views in second language acquisition can make a better judge and proponents of various language teaching methods. Such information can help to evaluate moment to moment of reflections about our children in kindergarten and teachers teaching a second language in this level. Also this work focuses in knowing the characteristics of the 4 and 5-year-old children of age during the process of learning. How incredibly is seeing children to manage to be orientated and to be located without having problems with what it concerns the language. HYPOTHESIS Teaching English in kindergarten is possible to fail because of: Lack of teaching training in kindergarten Lack of methods and resources to teach in kindergarten Chapter II BACKGROUND Teaching English in kindergarten must be as motivating as possible. Teachers should work with children taking into account their autonomy, curiosity, their capacity, and their willingness to do, say, listen, everything at the same time. The classes must take place in an environment full of motivation for children to acquire confidence in themselves. It is through play that much of childrens early learning is achieved. The physical, socio-emotional and intellectual development of children is dependent upon activity. Therefore, opportunity for play is a key aspect of the Kindergarten program. The program builds on, rather than detracts from, this natural approach to learning. Through touching, manipulating, exploring and testing, children find out about the world around them. Through interacting with other children and adults, they find out about themselves and their relationship to others. Through play, children imitate adults and experiment with what it means to be a caregiver, a fisher, a firefighter, a doctor and so on. Through play, they learn how to solve problems and work cooperatively with others. The features of the room of roleplaying are: a receptive and supportive environment for learning materials and equipment designed to provide for multi-level and multi-content experiences instruction based on the individual needs of each child an integration of ways of learning with understandings to be developed a total learning environment which provides for alternate ways of learning: play, games, sensory education, concrete manipulation and physical participation emphasis on language development. For the purpose of this study it is necessary to mention important authors as guides Age of acquisition We now turn to a learner characteristic of a different type: age. This is a characteristic which is easier to define and measure than personality, aptitude or motivation. Nevertheless, the relationship between a learner ´s age and his or her potential for success in second language acquisition is the subject of much lively debate. Chomsky makes a distinction between acquisition and learning explaining that It has been widely observe that children from immigrate families eventually speak the language of their new community with native-like fluency. Their parents rarely achieve such high levels of mastery of the new language. Adult second language learners may become very capable of communicating successfully in the language, but there will always be differences of accent, word choice or grammatical features which set them apart from native speakers who began learning the language while they were very young. One explanation is that as in first language acquisition there is a critical period for second language acquisition, the CRITICAL PERIOD HYPOTHESIS suggests that there is a time in human development when the brain is predisposed for success in language learning. Language learning which occur after the end of the critical period may not be based on the innate structures believed to contribute to first language acquisition in early childhood. Rather, older learners depend on more general learning abilities. According to Chomsky, learning take place in a formal environment where the learner depends on the teachers and learns form him/her. Another important author is Piaget who claimed that individuals are actively involved right from birth in constructing personal meaning, their own personal understanding, from their experiences. In other words, everyone makes their own sense of the world and the experiences around them. Piaget himself was mainly interested in the way in which people came to know things as they developed from infancy to adulthood. Thus, his theory is one which is action based, more concerned with the process of learning. Piaget ´s theory is based in learners passing through a series of stages: Sensori-motor stage : for the young infant, the most important way of exploring the environment is considered by Piaget to be through the basic senses. Intuitive or pre-operational stage: between the ages of 2 and 7. This is when the child ´s thoughts become more flexible and when memory and imagination begin to play a part. Concrete operational stage: between the age of 7 and the formal operational stage. Piaget ´s staged do have a message for the language teacher. When teaching young learners, we should not expect them to have reached the stage of abstract reasoning nd therefore should not expect them to apply this to sorting out the rules of the language. It is more important to provide experiences in the target language which are related o aspects of the child ´s own world. An original thinker in his own right, Bruner extended aspects of Piagetian theory to suggesting that three different modes of thinking needed to be taken into account by educators. These he termed the enactive, the iconic and symbolic modes of thought. These three categories are considered by Bruner to represent the essential ways in which children make sense of their experiences: through their actions, by means of visual imagery and by using language. The enactive level: learning takes place by means of direct manipulation of objects and materials. The iconic level: objects are represented by visual images one step removed from the real thing. The symbolic level: symbols can be manipulated in place of objects or mental images. How children of 4 and 5 are Kindergarten children, no matter what their cultural and experiential background, have characteristics in common with other children of their age and characteristics that are particularly their own Socio-emotional Development Children develop socially and emotionally during the Kindergarten year. At the beginning of the year some children may be shy and appear to lack initiative. However, as they come to know the situation, the teachers and peers, they usually gain confidence and begin to establish friendships and become an active part of the class. Other children may be too assertive prior to learning from experience more appropriate ways of relating to peers. It is a time of testing and exploring social relationships. Kindergarten children are eager to be trusted with responsibility. They appreciate going on errands, using proper tools, participating with grown-ups in such activities as cooking, bringing things from home, and suggesting solutions to practical problems. Although there are some senses in which Kindergarten students are still egocentric (that is, tied to their own view of things) they are also able, in a suitable group environment, to be of help to each other. They can show considerable empathy toward people and animals when their own needs do not conflict with the needs of others. When helpfulness is noticed, modeled and encouraged by the teacher, helpful behavior is likely to become more common in the classroom. Kindergarten children are developing a sense of independence but are also learning to work cooperatively with others. Kindergarten children are more stable socio-emotionally than they were as preschoolers. They are developing a good sense of humour, which they express by delighting in nonsense and playing with language. They may develop specific fears, such as the fear of death, and mistakenly assume that they have caused such events as their parents separating. Kindergarten students take criticism, name calling and teasing very seriously because they still think that what is said exists in reality at its face value. Physical Development Physical activity is one common characteristic of Kindergarten children, although children vary a great deal in the development of physical skills and abilities. Some children are slow and cautious about trying new things; others seem to accept any challenge that is presented. Most Kindergarten children are full of energy, ready to run, swing, climb and jump, and are eager to try their strength by moving big blocks or boxes. They are developing a sense of rhythm, and enjoy such activities as marching, jumping or clapping to music. These group activities need to be short and allow for more participation than standing. Required stillness is more exhausting and stressful for most Kindergarten students than movement. Sensory development is uneven. The coordination of the eyes and other senses are still developing. Physical growth has slowed down. It is a time of consolidating gains and developing fine motor control. However, over-emphasis on fine motor activities such as writing, cutting and making very discrete visual discriminations may result in tension and frustration. Intellectual Development Kindergarten children love to talk. Their intellectual development is reflected in the rapid growth of vocabulary and the power to express ideas. They are developing visual and auditory memory and the ability to listen to others. Their ears are keen but they still need help in distinguishing sounds, although they can pick up another language and accurately imitate other peoples intonations and inflections. They are especially keen to acquire new words (the names of dinosaurs, for example) and to use such words as infinity and trillion. Kindergarten children welcome opportunities to be inventive with language, to play with rhyming, to joke, to explain things to each other and even to argue. Opportunities to talk about what they do, what they see and what they hear help children construct meaning and learn from their experiences. The language and ideas shared by others enable children to gradually organize and attach meaning to their daily observations and activities. Kindergarten children have a powerful urge to find out about things, to figure things out. They ask many questions, often deep unanswerable questions and they love to play guessing games or solve riddles. Their curiosity leads them to figure out concepts and relationships, and become interested in symbols. They enjoy listening to stories, but they do not learn very much from passive attention to the teacher or mere listening to information. The intellectual growth of Kindergarten students comes from exploration, testing and investigating rather than only from listening. The children are still figuring out the properties of objects and are not yet able to reverse operations, that is, to understand that 250 ml of water in a tall narrow glass and 250 ml of water in a large, flat pan are equal in volume. Their reasoning, from an adult perspective, is still illogical. Happenings that occur together are thought to have a causal relationship to each other, for example, Because I wore my new shoes, it rained.

Friday, January 17, 2020

Disadvantages of Social Network Essay

Having a social network or using social network might bring a lot of benefits for students but it is not all sunshine and roses because everything in life will have it own advantages and disadvantages. Thus, the first disadvantages for using social network are it can reduce one learning and research capabilities. When it is too easy for them to have information the students will rely on the accessibility of information on social media specifically and the web in general to provide all the answers to their task. This will effect on the students learning and research capabilities as they only take the information exactly from the social media without learning the topic by heart. Everything is easy to them so the students will become less interested to learn the topic and they just do the research for the sake of completing the task given. Next the disadvantages of using social network are the reduction in real human contact. The more time the students spend on these social media sites, the less time they will spend socializing in person with the others. This will reduce their communication skills as they will not be able to communicate well and effectively in person with the others. Employers nowadays become more and more unsatisfied with the communication skills of the fresh graduates due to this reason. What all might not know is effective communication skills are keys to success in the real world. In fact, there is a lack of body signals besides other nonverbal cues, including tone and inflection in case of social networking sites. Thus they cannot be considered as an adequate replacement for any face-to-face communication. Not only this, students who are spending a great deal of time on these social networking sites are not able to communicate in person in an effective manner. The last disadvantages of using social network are definitely will reduce command over language usage and their creative writing skills. As we all know social network is popular for it slangs words and shortened forms of words simply because it is believed that they are most likely like to use short form of words in order to fit in. For instance, a social media such as Twitter, it gives a limit of words in posting a tweet. Therefore, students will start to use short forms in order to be able to post something. This will make them create a new slang or forms of words that are shorter than the original words. So without a doubt when they do that students will start to get used of using slang and shortened forms of words in their essays and writings. In this point it  gives the students negative sites as it will reduce a student creative writing skills as they ignore the grammar of a sentence. When this happened, students will start to rely on the computer for their spelling and grammar check features. It will definitely reduce a student ways of using a language and creative writing skills. In brief a social network is a very useful media that gives major effect to students. Although it is all good and beneficial it also has it negative effects on the students. The way of using social network is actually depend on the student itself as they should know the real usage of social network and learn how to balance it and use the technology wisely. Students should know the guide lines and its limit every time they use the social network. This is where peers, teachers and parents need to play a major role by making the student aware of what might affect them if they use social network for good purposes and what they are missing out if they spend too much time on such social media.

Thursday, January 9, 2020

Dubois v. Washington Debates Essay - 1872 Words

Dubois v. Washington Debates The Afro-American Almanac located on Professor Tygiel’s â€Å"Sites of Interest to History Majors† have a copy of Booker T. Washington’s famous â€Å"Atlanta Compromise† speech that he delivered in 1895. Neither before, nor since, has one speech had such a profound effect upon the career of a politician and the people that he sought to represent. Indeed, Washington’s primacy was assured when he in dramatic fashion promised (eye witness accounts have him thrusting his hand forward to underline this point) the south that: â€Å"In all things that are purely social we can be as separate as the fingers, yet one as the hand in all things essential to mutual progress.† The south, indeed America quickly embraced†¦show more content†¦Dubois writings, unlike Washington’s writings survived aging and sounds modern. Both Dubois and Washington, however, wanted the best for their people, both were sincerely engaged in racial uplift, a nd therefore in the end neither was â€Å"right† or â€Å"wrong.† Indeed, Washington’s ideas fitted the era that he lived in and Dubois ideas the future. The Atlantic Monthly in the late nineteenth century published essays by both Dubois and Washington as they occurred. These primary sources can be found on line at http://www.theatlantic.com/unbound/flashbks/black/blahisin.htm. They include The Awakening of the Negro (September, 1896, Atlantic) by Booker T. Washington, who later wrote Up From Slavery (1901). In it he argued, â€Å"that the first priority in educating blacks should be to counteract the debilitating effects of slavery which, by utterly subjecting blacks to the whims of white masters, had disburdened blacks of responsibility for themselves.† Naturally, he advocated a program like the one used at the Tuskegee Institute, which he himself had founded, that incorporated manual labor and life management-skills into its design. According to Washington, â€Å"if students learned useful trades while in school†¦ they would feel confident that they had something to offer and could therefore lay claim to a pos ition in the social structure. In August 1897 The Atlantic Monthly publishedShow MoreRelatedThe Education System Of The United States Essay1504 Words   |  7 Pagesthe civil war brought on many changes to the education system. The education of young African Americans was in question. There were two primary arguments during the reconstruction period. One from Booker T. Washington and the other from W.E. B. DuBois. Booker T. Washington Booker T. Washington felt that African Americans should receive a vocational style education. He called the nation’s attention to education by comparing poor African Americans to wealthy white New Yorkers. He drew attention toRead MoreThe Origins Of A Bitter Intellectual Battle1860 Words   |  8 PagesBauerlein, Mark. Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois: The Origins of a Bitter Intellectual Battle.  The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, no. 46, 2005, pp. 106, ProQuest Central. http://ezproxy.surry.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/195539134?accountid=14179. The article entitled â€Å"Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois: The Origins of a Bitter Intellectual Battle, by Mark Bauerlein, offered valid information to my research question. The main point of this article wasRead More The Great Debaters: The Wiley College Debate Team Essay1444 Words   |  6 Pageswith the escalating conflict of racism in the 1930’s, with their English College Professor, Melvin B. Tolson bringing them together to create the first African-American debate team. â€Å"An outspoken Wiley College professor who boldly challenged the discriminatory Jim Crow laws of the 1930s, Tolsons recognizes that his young debate students possess the spark of a new generation. Convinced that they could invoke great change if given the confidence and tools needed to do so, the tireless educatorRead MoreRadical and Reform Movements in American History1999 Words   |  8 Pagesmovement to the Jim Crow Laws, the legal consequence of the Reconstruction Era, and the reform movement of the Civil War. The early Civil Rights period (1870-1920) reignited the debate of race relations in the United States. Booker T Washington was the most prominent member of the early Civil Rights Movement. Washington was known for his conservative reformists view stances on race relations. However, he did seek to address certain issues on inequality such as the â€Å"inadequacy of the accommodation†Read MoreNaacp1094 Words   |  5 Pages(1910) of the NAACP, headed by eight p rominent Americans, seven white and one, William E. B. Du Bois, black (wikipedia 1). The selection of Du Bois was significant, for he was a black who had rejected the policy of gradualism advocated by Booker T. Washington and demanded immediate equality for blacks. From 1910 to 1934 Du Bois was the editor of the associations periodical The Crisis, which reported on race relations around the world. The new organization grew so rapidly that by 1915 it was able toRead MoreThe History of Affirmative Action1628 Words   |  7 Pagestree, while a white man labored intensely. Along with public promotion, lots of prominent individuals came out spoke vehemently against the establishment of compensatory laws. Of the principal objectors of compensatory laws was Booker T. Washington. Washington believed the best interests of black people would be attained through schooling in the crafts, industrial skills cultivation of the virtues of patience, enterprise, thrift. He urged his fellow blacks, most of whom were impoverished illiterateRead MoreEssay about NAACP1081 Words   |  5 Pages(1910) of the NAACP, headed by eight prominent Americans, seven white and one, William E. B. Du Bois, black (wikipedia 1). The selection of Du Bois was significant, for he was a black who had rejected the policy of gradualism advocated by Booker T. Washington and demanded immediate equality for blacks. From 1910 to 1934 Du Bois was the editor of the associations periodical The Crisis, which reported on race relations around the world. The new organization grew so rapidly that by 1915 it was able toRead MoreEssay on Anna Julia Cooper2476 Words   |  10 Pagesthen and there the whole . . . race enters with me The life of Anna Julia Cooper (1858-1964) affords rich opportunities for studying the developments in African-American and Ameri can life during the century following emancipation. Like W.E.B. DuBois, Coopers life is framed by especially momentous years in U.S. history: the final years of slavery and the climactic years of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. Coopers eclect ic and influential career mirrored the times. Although her lifeRead More Affirmative Action and College Admissions: A Legal and Ethical Analysis3627 Words   |  15 Pagesrespective groups. This social practice has been debated on many grounds, including necessity and ethical permissibility. The debate over the necessity of equal opportunity in education for minority groups can be traced back to the post Civil War era. The well-known debates between African-American intellectuals W.E.B. DuBois and Booker T. Washington focused on this issue. DuBois believed that the newly emancipated blacks should be slowly integrated into the culture of white America. He argued thatRead MoreThe History of African American Discrimination and the Civil Rights Movement2340 Words   |  9 Pagescontracts for ex-slaves and helped resolve labor disagreements. Former slaves were aided in achieving legalized marriages or tracing lost relatives. Thousands of schools for blacks were created with the help of the bureau, including Howard University in Washington, D.C., Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee, and Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia. Bureau agents, who performed in essence as social workers were frequently the only federal representatives in Southern communities and exposed to derision

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

French Long Stay Visa and Residence Permit Application

If youre a United States citizen and want to live in France for an extended period of time, you will need a visa de long sà ©jour (long-stay visa) before you go—France will not let you into the country without it. You will also need a carte de sejour, a residence permit which you complete after you arrive in France. The following is a general overview of the process required by United States citizens to obtain long term residence in France. This information is derived from the exceptional amount of detail in English on the France-Visas website. Processes change and it is essential that you be au courant with the appropriate method, so plan to become familiar with France-Visas. The process is conducted in part online but it is a long one and can take weeks or months, and you may not be accepted the first time out. No matter what, France will not let you into the country without a proper visa, so dont buy your ticket until you have completed all the paperwork and have your visa in hand. Process and Function Basically, the long-stay visa is operationally equivalent to a Schengen visa—the visa used by residents of the 26 European states and members of the European Union that have officially abolished all passport and other border controls at their mutual borders. That means that with the visa you will be able to visit the 26 Schengen countries. There are some restrictions and some exceptions, depending in part on the purpose and length of your stay.   The visa and residence permit application process can vary not only due to different family and work situations but also based on where you apply. Beware of scams and unofficial websites: the official secure France-Visas portal is: https://france-visas.gouv.fr/en_US/web/us/ The official list of U.S. VFS Global Centre locations—a third party service provider where you will have to go to submit your visa application—is: https://france-visas.gouv.fr/en_US/web/us/a-qui-sadresser Do You Need a Long-Stay Visa?   In general, an American holding an ordinary passport who wishes to stay in France for a period between 90 days to a year will need a Visa de Long Sà ©jour acquired in advance. Exceptions include if you (or, if you are a minor, your parent) already hold a French residence permit or are a citizen of a European Union Member State. All visa requests must be entered online at the secure France Visas website—since you will be inputting personal information, be absolutely sure you are at the right website. The French government has created a Visa wizard so that if you have any doubts about whether you need one or not, use that.   Will You Also Need a Residence Permit? There are two types of long term visas: the visa de long sejour (VLS) and the visa de long sà ©jour valant titre de sà ©jour (VLS-TS). The VLS requires that you submit a request for a carte de sà ©jour (residence permit) within two months of your arrival in France; the VLS-TS is a combined visa and residence permit, which you must validate within three months of your arrival. They are both long term visas but they have administrative differences which are assigned to you by the French consulate. Either way, if you wish to stay beyond the one year limit, you must apply for a residence permit at your local prefecture in France. Categories of Long Stay Visas (VLS) There are four categories of long-stay visas, based on your purpose for going. The categories determine what supporting documentation you will require in advance, at the border, and in France, and any restrictions youll need to adhere to—such as whether you can work for pay while you are in the country.   The categories of purposes of a long-term stay are:   Tourism / private stay / hospital care: all of these purposes restrict you from working for pay.  Professional purpose: If you will be in France to work, you will need a professional visa regardless of whether you are an employee of a company, or self-employed. Youll have to describe the type of business you will conduct and, if you are in a profession that requires credentials such as doctors and teachers, you will need to prove that you meet French criteria to conduct that work.  Studies training: This category includes if you will be taking an advanced degree; if you want to learn French while working as a family assistant or an au pair; or if you want your minor child to study in a French school. You or your child may need to be officially enrolled before you go.  Family purpose: Youll need to provide the address, names, and nationality of your relatives in France, what your relationship to them is, and the reason for your stay.   Starting the Visa Process Once you have determined that you do need a visa, you can prepare your application online at the France-Visas portal, regardless of where you live in the United States. The online application form and you will be guided through the whole process by on-screen explanations. In order to save your form and print it out, youll have to create a personal account that includes your email address. Once you have finished, you will receive the list of required supporting documents required to the type of visa you have requested, and have the opportunity to book your appointment. All visas for France are ultimately reviewed by the French counsel in Washington DC, but first, youll have to appear in person at the VFS Global Centre for your region to get it submitted to DC. There are ten Global Centres in the United States—youll need to request an appointment through the France-Visas portal.   Submission Requirements   The specific documents you need will depend on your specific circumstances, but you will need a current passport, two recent identification photos in the  specific International Civil Aviation Organization (ISO/IECI) format, and whatever other documents (originals and a copy) are required because of your situation.   As of June 1, 2019, the legal requirements to successfully submit a visa are:   Your passport must be clean and in good condition, issued no more than 10 years ago, valid three months beyond your intended departure date from the Schengen Area, and with at least two blank pagesThe purpose and conditions of your stayDocuments and visas (if any) required by international conventions, which will depend on the circumstances of your visitProof of accommodation: either a hotel reservation or a form filled out by your hostEvidence of your financial ability to live in France: you must have proof that you can spend â‚ ¬65–120â‚ ¬ per day depending on where you will be housed and no less than â‚ ¬32.50 per day if youre staying with familyApproved insurance for medical and hospital expensesGuarantees of repatriationDocuments (if required) for the exercise of a professional activity2 recent photographs according to strict ISO/IECI specificsYour return ticket or the financial means to acquire one at the end of your stayNon-refundable application fee which is t ypically â‚ ¬99 ISO IEC restrictions on photographs which are acceptable for identification are quite specific. The photos must have been taken within the last six months, they must be about 1.5 inches (35-40 mm) in width. The image must be a closeup of your head and top of your shoulders, not too dark or light, your face must take up 70–80% of the photograph. It must be in sharp focus without shadows, you must be standing in front of a plain background, and the picture must not include another person. Dont wear heavy framed glasses, dont wear a hat—if you wear religious headgear your face must be clearly visible. Look at the camera and you can smile, but your mouth must be closed.  You will need several copies during the process. Submitting Your Application After you have filled out your form, you will be given an opportunity to set up an appointment at the VFS Global Centre for your region--but you can also do it later. Request your appointment through the France-Visas portal.  Bring all of your original documents to the appointment, as well as at least one photocopy of each. The service provider at VFS will receive you, review your application, collect the visa fee, and capture your biometric data (a photo scanned or taken during your appointment, and ten individually-taken fingerprints). She or he will retain your passport and the copies of all your supporting documents in order to forward them to the consulate. You can track the progress of your application online at the France-Visas site; you will be notified when your documents are ready at the VFS Global Centre you applied at. On Arrival To enter France, you will need to offer the following documentation (at least) to the Border police: valid passport and visaproof of accommodationproof of sufficient financial meansyour return ticket or financial means to acquire oneany document providing details on your profession Unless you obtained a VLS-TS, the visa de long sà ©jour does not give you permission to live in France—it gives you permission to apply for the carte de sà ©jour. If your visa has the words carte de sà ©jour à   solliciter,† you do need to get a residence permit. Start that process within two months of your arrival, at the prefecture of your place of residence within two months of your arrival. If you live in Paris, you must report your presence to police headquartersif you live in another department, you must report to the prefecture or subprefecture of your department   Validate Your Residence Permit (VLS-TS) If you received a VLS-TS visa, you wont need a carte de sà ©jour, but you must validate it within three months of your arrival. While the process is completely online, you will need to provide the information on your long term stay visa, the date you arrived in France, your residential address in France, and your credit card to pay the required issuance fee or electronic stamp.