Question about language coursebook (Language Programs, Books & Tapes) Language Learning Forum

Question about language coursebook
Tags: Teach Yourself \| French
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Language Learning Forum : Language Programs, Books & Tapes

happycheeks
Groupie
United Kingdom
Joined 4705 days ago
57 posts - 59 votes

Speaks: English*
Studies: Russian

Message 1 of 3

07 July 2012 at 3:54pm | IP Logged

I saw in another book called teach yourself French. It said I shouldn't fall into the
trap of "I know it" then moving onto the next chapter. So this really stresses me out.
The first chapter was greetings and I know how to greet people. I know it off by heart.
Do I have to study all of the chapter until my brain knows it perfectly? This is what
puts me off. It can get boring if I keep repeating stuff and listening to audio about
1,000 times. I prefer learning vocabulary such as colours, clothes or food. I like
studying grammar too. It interests me. I actually enjoy studying grammar. But then, I
hear people say "Oh no don't study grammar when you start learning a language". But you
need to learn grammar to be able to form sentences. Anyway,should I study a chapter until
I know everything in that chapter perfectly?

Edited by happycheeks on 07 July 2012 at 4:31pm
1 person has voted this message useful

iguanamon
Pentaglot
Senior Member
Virgin Islands
Speaks: Ladino
Joined 5260 days ago
2241 posts - 6731 votes

Speaks: English*, Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Creole (French)

Message 2 of 3

07 July 2012 at 5:38pm | IP Logged

@happycheeks, the ultimate test is "do you know the material?". Your knowledge, or lack of knowledge, will be made abundantly clear to you when you engage the language. After you study a chapter, try it out, at the very least by doing on-line, or workbook, exercises on the points studied. It would be better, in my opinion, to test yourself in the real world.

Studying, by itself, won't get you to where you want to be. It is my opinion that you need to engage the language by reading native material, listening to native speech, speaking and writing to and for natives. That is the true test of what you know and what you don't know. The feedback you get from natives, or when you don't understand what you've read or listened to, is very important to gauge your progress. In this way you learn what you need to work on in order to improve.

Edited by iguanamon on 07 July 2012 at 5:49pm
2 persons have voted this message useful

happycheeks
Groupie
United Kingdom
Joined 4705 days ago
57 posts - 59 votes

Speaks: English*
Studies: Russian

Message 3 of 3

07 July 2012 at 6:02pm | IP Logged

iguanamon wrote:

@happycheeks, the ultimate test is "do you know the material?". Your
knowledge, or lack of knowledge, will be made abundantly clear to you when you engage
the language. After you study a chapter, try it out, at the very least by doing on-
line, or workbook, exercises on the points studied. It would be better, in my opinion,
to test yourself in the real world.

Studying, by itself, won't get you to where you want to be. It is my opinion that you
need to engage the language by reading native material, listening to native speech,
speaking and writing to and for natives. That is the true test of what you know and
what you don't know. The feedback you get from natives, or when you don't understand
what you've read or listened to, is very important to gauge your progress. In this way
you learn what you need to work on in order to improve.

Thanks for your advice :)

1 person has voted this message useful

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