The ideal student wishing to learn French should fit the following description:
1. The student WANTS to learn French.
This may seem obvious to most, but in my experience, it is not always true. Some people are forced to take language training because of their work, others feel it is an obligation for other reasons.
Learning a language should be fun – and it will be much easier if the individual wants to learn!
2. The student does what is expected of them, no matter how simple the activity.
Learning French does take some work however, sometimes simple activities work best in assimilating the language.
The ideal student does these simple activities, even if they seem silly, because they know it will help them in the learning process.
3. The student dares to speak from DAY 1.
Sometimes, when we start to learn a new language, especially as adults, we feel awkward because we cannot say what we want to say, when we want to say it. It’s like a baby learning to talk – so we clam up because we are afraid of being embarrassed!
How long did it take you to learn your mother tongue?
2 weeks??
2 months??
2 years??
Why would you set yourself up for failure by expecting to speak fluent French, using complex sentences, on Day 1???
Start by making an effort to speak, even if you make mistakes. Start with baby steps and repeat them over and over until you have mastered them. In other words, use simple phrases at first and repeat them until you know them well. By building on a solid foundation, you will become more and more proficient over time, until you become fluent.
4. The student has FUN while learning.
This person takes everything in stride and doesn’t let little things get in the way of their learning. Humour is an important element in learning a second language so relax – HAVE FUN WITH IT!
5. The student tries to draw comparisons with their mother tongue.
This strategy helps to develop a greater understanding of the similarities between the two languages. It also creates some sense of control for the student if they can make some connections between what they are learning in French and their own mother tongue.
6. The student tries to focus on context instead of vocabulary or grammar.
It never ceases to amaze me when people give up because they don’t understand a word in a sentence. If they simply look at what is happening around them, they will be able to figure it out.
7. The student takes wild guesses.
This doesn’t sound very scientific, I know, but it works!
Take a stab at it – even if you are not sure. No one will laugh at you.
Try to figure out the correct response to a question or try to put a sentence together, even if you are not 100% sure of yourself. Trial and error is ok when learning another language. There is no cost involved!
8. The student talks to himself or herself a lot.
When a student does this, they are teaching themselves (this is great!) and reinforcing what they have learned.
In learning a language, repetition is absolutely essential, so if you have no one to practice with, practice with yourself!
There you have it – adopt all these strategies and you will be successful in learning French!
You can email me anytime at robert@rebelfrench.com.
A la prochaine……..
Robert
