|
 |
The correct way to use FSI French | ||
Share with:
| ||
 Language Learning Forum : Advice Center |  | |
| burntgorilla Senior Member United Kingdom Joined 6442 days ago 202 posts - 206 votes  Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish, Danish | Message 9 of 44 16 April 2007 at 11:04am | IP Logged | |||||
|
I don't think I could follow FSI French in that much detail. It's just too dull. I generally listen through the unit, maybe skipping a tape or two when the subject matter is very obvious. I think the grammar bits are the most important, since I also use podcasts and things for new vocab and listening skills. I do think I go through the tapes a bit too quickly - about eight units in two weeks - but then I already knew a bit of French. To be honest, I don't see the point of learning the dialogues off by heart. When are you ever going to say things like that? Better to understand the grammar. The drills are useful since it helps to knock the grammar into your head, and also is good practice for tricky phrases. But I don't think you need to go through every single one robotically.
1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| LilleOSC Senior Member United States lille.theoffside.comRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 6689 days ago 545 posts - 546 votes 4 sounds Speaks: English* Studies: French, Arabic (Written) | Message 10 of 44 19 April 2007 at 5:53pm | IP Logged | |||||
|
Some people recommend repeating lessons several times.Is doing so really that beneficial or can I repeat those lessons my second run through FSI French?
1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| burntgorilla Senior Member United Kingdom Joined 6442 days ago 202 posts - 206 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish, Danish | Message 11 of 44 20 April 2007 at 12:22pm | IP Logged | |||||
|
Whatever works best for you, I'd say. Personally, going back a while later, after I've finished a volume or something would be better for me. I couldn't do the same thing over and over again, and it would be useful to have a time gap between the revision to ensure it sticks in your head. But others might prefer to really go over everything carefully.
1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| LilleOSC Senior Member United States lille.theoffside.comRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 6689 days ago 545 posts - 546 votes 4 sounds Speaks: English* Studies: French, Arabic (Written) | Message 12 of 44 22 April 2007 at 3:15pm | IP Logged | |||||
1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| luke Diglot Senior Member United States Joined 7203 days ago 3133 posts - 4351 votes Speaks: English*, Spanish Studies: Esperanto, French | Message 13 of 44 22 April 2007 at 4:02pm | IP Logged | |||||
There is a scientific approach to learning and remembering called the memory curve. In a nutshell, you learn stuff today. Tomorrow, you review what you learned. Then in one week, you review again. You review again at 30 days and 3 months. I've found it helpful. I'm not reviewing so much that it gets boring. The reviews seem to come at the point they're needed. I think I would have gotten through FSI faster if I'd used the memory curve. I've found it effective with Assimil. The memory curve is a general theory and could be applied to any subject. Edited by luke on 22 April 2007 at 4:04pm 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| Linguamor Decaglot Senior Member United States Joined 6616 days ago 469 posts - 599 votes Speaks: English*, German, Italian, Spanish, Swedish, Danish, French, Norwegian, Portuguese, Dutch | Message 14 of 44 22 April 2007 at 4:36pm | IP Logged | |||||
When I hear things like this in reference to language learning, I can't help asking, "what have you been doing for that week, those 30 days, and those 3 months, that you haven't re-encountered and "reviewed" the language that you have previously encountered and learned?"
There is an assumption being made here that language learning is like learning any other subject, and that general learning principles apply to how it is learned. Most linguists and other scientists involved in the study of human language and its development seem to believe that human language is species-specific behavior, not simply a clever cultural invention, and that general learning principles are inadequate to explain language learning. Edited by Linguamor on 04 May 2007 at 3:54am 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| luke Diglot Senior Member United States Joined 7203 days ago 3133 posts - 4351 votes Speaks: English*, Spanish Studies: Esperanto, French | Message 15 of 44 22 April 2007 at 4:57pm | IP Logged | |||||
I certainly wouldn't argue with any point you make, because you are head and shoulders above the rest and your comments have helped me make some changes in my study techniques and I believe that is helping not only my listening comprehension in particular, but also my ability to express myself verbally in general. That's a real treat for me since I've only been using the "comprehensible input" approach for about 3 weeks, and I'm still doing a fair bit of my study "the old painful way". So, with that disclaimer out of the way, and knowing that you just asked a simple question... Using a program like FSI, which is very sequential in the presentation of material; reviewing what you learned yesterday or last week, or last month doesn't necessarily involve much overlap with the material presented in the lessons you've been working on in the meantime. Hopefully each time you see the previously learned material, these reviews won't take nearly as much time as it took to wrap your head around it on the first encounter. By the way, I read your recommendation for learning Spanish with tremendous interest, and I'd love to hear what you recommend for French. Edited by luke on 23 April 2007 at 5:06pm 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| burntgorilla Senior Member United Kingdom Joined 6442 days ago 202 posts - 206 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish, Danish | Message 16 of 44 23 April 2007 at 2:12pm | IP Logged | |||||
What luke said, basically. Rather than repeating something over and over again, it's better to take a break and repeat it a little while later, just to check that you've remembered it. (Normal disclaimer about everyone being different and all that) 1 person has voted this message useful |
|  | 
Printable version
|
| Copyright 2024 FX Micheloud - All rights reserved No part of this website may be copied by any means without my written authorization. |
