Le cours de français à Truman:
Studying tips for the students: Learning a new language will open new doors for you, here are some tips to help you in this process.
1. Read the document developed by “National Capital Language Resource Center” called “The Elementary Immersion Learning Strategies Resource Guide” on the top of this page for studying tips and helpful suggestions.
2. Be familiar with the format of your book. Know how your book and the “cahier” (exercise book) are laid out. Know where to find the vocabulary section, the grammar explanations and exercises, the cultural points and the pronunciation tools.
3. Each of us have different learning styles and use different strategies. Find the strategy that fits you best and then try to develop other learning strategies as well.
A. For some people study groups work well. Have the email and phone number of some of your classmates and study with them. Learn how to use the blackboard (an on-line resource: http://ccc.blackboard.com/) in order to communicate with them.
B. For some, study cards are very helpful. Get three-by-five cards and write grammar points, verb conjugations and new words and their genders.
4. The most important element in the process of learning a language is the input you receive. The input is what you hear and read, you can help yourself by reading the chapter you will be working on in class in advance.
A. Memorize all the new vocabulary for each lesson prior to coming to class.
B. Learn to use the all the different tools accompanying your book to accelerate your learning process in class. Your book is accompanied by an audio CD, by lab CDs and a multimedia Disc.
5. When learning a new language, you can use some of the things you know in English, for example, use the “cognate words” when reading a text. BUT at the same time absolutely avoid translating French into English or vise versa. Avoid dressing English in French words!
6. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, speak up in class. Be patient with yourself.
And don’t get discouraged by your instructor’s corrections. She/he is here to help you.
7. Watch French movies, listen to french songs, listen to the French radio on the Internet, etc. Use any chance you get to hear, read and speak French.
8. Do your best to attend every session of your class, this will save you hours of work out of class.
9. Use this website and other websites listed under “Favorite Links” as often as you can.
10. While writing in French check for simple things such as spelling of words, a word’s gender and verbs’ conjugations.
11. As you start writing in French, show your writings to a classmate for peer evaluation.
12. Use the existing soft ware programs in the language lab to improve your pronunciations, but at the same time don’t be too hard on yourself. Think positive.
13. Review often; do not accumulate your homework or your readings, after the first few weeks it would become impossible to catch up.
Encounter any issues such as inactive links, spelling problems, etc. Please email me at mdamghani@ccc.edu Merci Beaucoup.
Have fun learning French.