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Fortheo’s French Journal | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Language Learning Log |  | |
| fortheo Senior Member United States Joined 5040 days ago 187 posts - 222 votes  Studies: French | Message 33 of 42 04 June 2015 at 8:45pm | IP Logged | ||
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Wow. It's been a while!
I've been busy lately, but now is as good a time as any to update this log. So, what have I been doing? My 6 week summer french class has started—it's 3 hours a day 4 days a week. That course gives me 12 hours a week of decent grammar study. I also did like half of hugo's in three months, but I slowed down when my course began. I've read 5 or 6 Alex leroc books and 5 or so of the l'avis de marie podcasts. Those take me a while because I listen, read, and then listen/read. I also went back to assimil and started the active phase since I never really properly did that last time. Most of my french studies is in the classroom these days. I do study at home, but it's mostly just me getting input from books or podcasts, or watching a random show. I was going to start FSI, but with my french course right now it's just too much to handle. All is well though! I'm still on board; I'm just sluggishly making my way into some sort of plateau. Some days I feel like I understand every sentence I hear, other days I feel like I've never heard french in my life! I hope all of you are well too. Edited by fortheo on 04 June 2015 at 10:37pm 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Jeffers Senior Member United Kingdom Joined 4913 days ago 2151 posts - 3960 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Hindi, Ancient Greek, French, Sanskrit, German | Message 34 of 42 04 June 2015 at 9:11pm | IP Logged | ||
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Sounds like you're doing well with your resources and your class. What is the class like? Motivated students and interesting lessons I hope.
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| fortheo Senior Member United States Joined 5040 days ago 187 posts - 222 votes Studies: French | Message 35 of 42 21 June 2015 at 12:11am | IP Logged | ||
Thanks for the response Jeffers. In regards to the class, it's good. I get a lot of usefull information from the course. It is as you'd expect from a language class though: lots of grammar, and a few group activities here and there. The students are generally around my level; I think my reading and listening might be a bit better than theres, but generally we're around the same level. I'm not sure if any of them want to continue their french studies after the course though. I do enjoy the fact that it's a small course because it allows me to feel comfortable with the fellow students, whereas large courses make me feel very alone and isolated. Lately I've tried to find some language partners and it's been very frustrating for me. 90 percent of the people will talk to me once and then never talk to me again. The one or two people who stick around always try to change my study methods and make me feel very uncomfortable and frustrated. I will tell them that I want to do something one way, and they will try to do something completely different. It's incredibly hard to get my language partners to speak at my level. I don't know if they're unable too, or if they feel like they're helping me by speaking far above my skill level. I've actually gotten to the point where I flat out had to hang up on a person because she was making me feel so stupid and so frustrated. It is a good experience for me though; I suppose I should get used to being uncomfortable. Edited by fortheo on 21 June 2015 at 12:17am 2 persons have voted this message useful | |||
| PeterMollenburg Senior Member AustraliaRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 5480 days ago 821 posts - 1273 votes Speaks: English* Studies: FrenchB1 | Message 36 of 42 21 June 2015 at 3:41am | IP Logged | ||
Interesting experiences there fortheo. It seems so many of human related issues stem from issues over control. I guess this is just another example. People are taught to be very self-focused and I guess it shows in such activites where often people want to take charge/control of the situation. Thanks for sharing, I hope it improves. Perhaps the professional teachers would do a better job. PM 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| fortheo Senior Member United States Joined 5040 days ago 187 posts - 222 votes Studies: French | Message 37 of 42 21 June 2015 at 5:10am | IP Logged | ||
Yeah, realistically a professional tutor will probably be my best option at my level. I just need to dish out the money. Thanks for stopping by Peter! 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| fortheo Senior Member United States Joined 5040 days ago 187 posts - 222 votes Studies: French | Message 38 of 42 07 July 2015 at 3:40am | IP Logged | ||
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Quick update: I've not gotten a tudor yet because A. I'm very poor. B. I've moved twice in the past month so it's been very hectic.
On to french. My french studies have been all over the place. I still have french in my life for hours each day, but it's very unorganized and I feel like I'm just spinning my wheels going nowhere. My language partners continue to frustrate me by constantly speaking English instead of french, or by being unable to talk at an intermediate level to me. On the plus side I've finally found a use for anki that I can get behind. That use is for Grammar. I input grammar lessons from my books into anki—full sentence grammar lessons with audio—and I use close deletion so that I need to type in which ever grammar point I'm working on. I've gone over grammar so often before, but it just never stuck. So I decided that if anything will get grammar in my head, it will be good ole Anki. Other than all of that I continue to listen to podcasts, read some easy text, and watch shows dubbed in French. I just found a kind of amazing cartoon (well, I've only seen the first episode, but it seems amazing thus far) It's called "les grandes grandes vacances." My biggest problem right now seems to be my perfectionism and my shyness/nerves. I beat myself up any time I make a mistake, and I make a lot of mistakes so you can imagine the frustration haha. I really need to let go of the nerves and perfectionism to advance further. Edited by fortheo on 07 July 2015 at 3:41am 2 persons have voted this message useful | |||
| Mohave Senior Member United States justpaste.it/Mohave1 Joined 4011 days ago 291 posts - 444 votes Speaks: English* Studies: French | Message 39 of 42 07 July 2015 at 4:41pm | IP Logged | ||
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Fortheo - I was very fortunate to find awesome language exchange partners. If your partners are consistently
unfairly splitting the time in English and French, etc, I would try to find new partners. It's one thing if it happens on occasion, but quite another if it happens frequently. To work, these relationships need to be mutually beneficial. There are many sites to find language partners - I use mylanguageexchange.com. Also, for me, mistakes are a part of learning a language. The perfection part for me is also difficult, but I just try to reduce errors and learn from mistakes as I go! Thanks for the cartoon recommendation! I am going to see if I can find it! Bonne chance! On doit maintenir le cap! 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| fortheo Senior Member United States Joined 5040 days ago 187 posts - 222 votes Studies: French | Message 40 of 42 07 July 2015 at 10:07pm | IP Logged | ||
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Thanks for the comment Mohave. I'm not sure what it is with my language partners—we have great convos in English, but I need to lead those convos (I'm the assertive one). However, when I try to speak french I can't take control of the convo and I can't direct it, I need them to, but they're very passive so the convo dies in a few minutes, or once I make my first mistake they switch to English on me.
I've tried to tell them many times, but I think it's hard for them too. I'm not sure, but I'm definitely looking for more language partners. What sites do you suggest for tutors? Edited by fortheo on 07 July 2015 at 10:09pm 1 person has voted this message useful |
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