My terrible french

[jdp349]

I'm currently taking a french class. I'll admit it's against my will, I'm terrible at foreign languages but am very talented in other subjects. I think the personal opportunity cost for me is far too high and I'd be better off further specializing in something I have a natural affinity for, however the University seems to think wasting my time teaching me a skill I don't really want or care about is a good idea.

Regardless, I still have to take this class, and most importantly get a good grade. It seems the best and most logical way of doing this of course is to learn the language. The problem is that the professor is horrendous, I don't think my french has even marginally improved in a few weeks. The textbook just sucks and bombards you with so much material that you're not even sure what it's trying to teach.

Can anyone suggest some strategies or resources that might be helpful? I'm sort of at a loss here. I just keep getting low marks regardless of how much effort I put in and it is incredibly demoralizing. As you might have guess already, I'm quite frustrated.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. My dear jdp349...

I was a language major in college, but believe it or not, I can sympathize! One of the requirements for my graduation was a year of Latin.

I loathed it.

I struggled and scraped, and barely passed.

For you, I would suggest (if you can afford it) a tutor.

Studying with someone who knows the language well, and who can sympathize with you will be a big help. Who knows, you might even find yourself enjoying it...

Good luck!

Or should I say.....Bonne chance!

:hi:

[Canuckistanian]

2. You have to immerse yourself in a language

That's why so many kids here in Canada take "French Immersion" classes. It's sink or swim. The teacher doesn't try to translate, he/she just speaks French. Very slowly sometimes, but without fail.

They watch French TV, listen to French songs. They cook in French. They have gym in French.

I'm going to take French lessons later this year - I work for the government and I need to speak it for advancement purposes. I can already read it, but speaking Québecois French is a challenge. They like to swallow every second syllable and I can't tell where one word ends and the next begins.

You know, I speak better German and Russian than I do French and I'm ashamed I really haven't learned the OTHER official language of my country.

[RainDog]

3. you have to look at the material every day at first

depending on your learning style, you can make flash cards or post-it notes and stick them around your house with the french word for things on them. you can (and probably have to) listen to cds of basic french verbs and nouns in their various forms.

we learn language by repetition and by hearing it spoken by others. rent a movie like Amelie or City of Lost Children or The 400 Hundred Blows and listen to the people speaking French, even tho you won't understand all (or maybe any) of the words. But you will hear intonations, etc.

oh, if you can, get a Simpsons dvd set (preferably season 5 or earlier... :) you can set the dvd to have the language as French and have English subtitles. That's another way to relate what you know with what you're learning.

I write stuff down to learn it because that's how I remember things. If I just read something I'm not going to remember it. Also say your vocab outloud so that you hear it from yourself as well.

good luck. one of my sons is majoring in French. the other detests language study.

[BurtWorm]

4. Watch French movies with English subtitles and English movies with French subtitles.

Get the sound of French in your head. Buy Tintin comic books in both English and French.

This is first year French? For college? Do you do the language labs?

[elleng]

5. I'm very sorry to hear this.

I studied French for years, in high school and college, and only felt I REALLY understood it when we began reading poetry, in college! BUT

I observed my daughters trying to learn languages. Its clear that everyone differs in the way they learn, and if your prof doesn't teach your way, you'll struggle. (Happened with my older daughter, in high school. She tested out of first year french, but teacher had such a bad approach that we agreed Amy should drop the course. She took up Italian in college, and was a star! Spent a semester in Rome.)

I suggest you go to a book store or library, and spend some time looking thru the available french language books. This includes travel-type books. See if you can get an idea what approach makes sense to you: words and phrases, reading first, speaking first, grammar/rules first, food first. Go to a french restaurant! Movies! Songs. Follow up by buying such book(s), lessons, and if you can find french lesson books, try to affiliate with a tutor or course that conforms to your best approach.

Write if you'd like to discuss.

Best of luck.

:hi:

[TicketyBoo]

6. I'm not sure about your finances.

Some universities have free tutoring by upper classmen, so I'd check that out.

If money is not a problem, have you heard of Rosetta Stone? I don't have personal experience with it, but it comes highly recommended by teachers.

http://www.rosettastone.com/learn-french

[grace0418]

7. Do you have an iPod? I found very helpful (and free) language podcasts on iTunes

before our last trip to Europe. I had taken a lot of French and some Italian in college, so I wasn't starting from scratch, but I just skipped the first couple of lessons. Sometimes I wouldn't even actively pay attention, I just put the headphones on and let it run to help my brain just get accustomed to hearing it again.

It's worth a shot and doesn't cost anything.

[demmiblue]

8. Livemocha.com

http://www.livemocha.com/

I haven't used the site myself, but I have heard good things about it. Good luck!

[LynzM]

11. that was going to be my rec

:thumbsup:

[bif]

9. Here's some advice.

Language was a requirement where I went to school. I'm bad at languages too. I took French. To this day I can speak it and read it okay. But I can't understand it. Why? Because I skipped the language labs. DO NOT SKIP THE LANGUAGE LABS! I wish I could do it all over again.

[dysfunctional press]

10. rosetta stone..?

:shrug:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001AFFPAE/ref=asc_df_B001AFFPAE1040124?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&tag=googlecom09c9-20&linkCode=asn&creative=380341&creativeASIN=B001AFFPAE

[Capn Sunshine]

12. I suggest the immersion technique

find a French speaker who really turns you on, and vice versa. Spend every waking moment with them. No sex until you master "voulez-vous coucher avec moi?"

[Captain Hilts]

13. Read sports or film newspaper headlines/articles online. Make BBC French your homepage. nt

[Odin2005]

14. Here is a good website for language learners.

http://www.unilang.org