Archive for the ‘Languages’ Category

What and How to Learn French

Thursday, October 29, 2009 posted by garyha

Learning French

ITS Tutorial School offers a wide range of support services for students wishing to learn a new language. These services include the following:

Here are some guidelines that can help you learn French as an adult.

Start learning what you actually want and need to know

If you’re planning a trip to France, learn travel French (airport vocabulary, asking for help).
On the other hand, if you’re learning French because you want to be able to chat with the
French woman who lives down the street, learn basic vocabulary (greetings, numbers) and
how to talk about yourself and others – likes and dislikes, family, etc. Once you’ve learned the
basics for your purpose, you can start learning French related to your knowledge and
experiences – your job, your interests, and from there onto other aspects of French

Learn the way that works best for you

If you find that learning grammar is useful, learn that way. If grammar just frustrates you, try
a more conversational approach. If you find textbooks daunting, try a book for kids. Try
making lists of vocabulary – if that helps you, great; if not, try another approach, like labelling
everything in your house or making flash cards.Don’t let anyone tell you that there is only
one right way to learn.

Repetition is key

Unless you have a photographic memory, you’re going to need to learn and practice things a
few or even many times before you know them. You can repeat exercises, answer the same
questions, listen to the same sound files until you feel comfortable with them. In particular,
listening and repeating many times is very good – this will help you improve your listening
comprehension, speaking skills, and accent all at once.

Learn together

Many people find that learning with others helps keep them on track. Consider taking a class;
hiring a private tutor; or learning along with your child, spouse, or friend.

Daily learning

How much can you really learn in an hour a week? Make a habit of spending at least 15-30
minutes a day learning and/or practicing

Above and beyond

Remember that language and culture go hand in hand. Learning French is more than just
verbs and vocabulary; it’s also about the French people and their art, music … – not to mention
the cultures of other francophone countries around the world .

Above all it is very important to use the language that you are learning.