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Want to make French a part of your future? «Bravo, bonne décision!»
We're a duo, Mr. McNeil and Ms. Prescott. We love teaching French, and are passionate about making French both fun and useful! Our methods rely on helping you act out your knowledge, not just keeping it to yourself. «Le français, c'est pour communiquer, n'est-ce pas?»
Before we get started, remember one essential reality: you are now engaged in SELF-GUIDED PRACTICE. This is not the same thing as learning. Try not to get discouraged! It's normal to have difficulty when trying something all alone. Once you are here with us at Mercersburg, you'll have partners for conversations, and teachers to answer your questions.
If you're wondering what you might do to study on your own, here are some of our thoughts:
The best options for reading also have an audio component. Listening and reading at the same time is a fantastic method! Some good ways to start are to select something you already know (like a fairy tale or a fable) and start a reading adventure with the familiar story, «mais en français!»
We love this! Try Joe Dassin, Edith Piaf, Gotan Project, MC Solaar, Stromae, Vanessa Paradis, Zebda .... This site presents apps that can help you «chanter en français!» Identify favorites, make a French playlist in Spotify or iTunes, and listen often.
Watch films made in France, Belgium, Switzerland, or Canada with French subtitles, or watch a familiar American movie but with French subtitles! What's even more exciting is that France is known as a high-level source of «Le court-métrage,» or "short films." You don't need to invest several hours in one movie to improve your French.
Try some short stories to start. Select a book you liked when you were very young (as in suggestion #1), then read it in French. And don't forget the accessibility of poetry! If you're just starting out on the path to appreciating the genre, start with Jacques Prévert. Think French poetry is at the root of all that is beautiful? Confirm it by reading from some LaFontaine.
Practice your vocabulary and verb tenses by trying sets on "conjuguemos." It's free! Although not all the sets on there are flawless, most are without mistakes. You can practice vocabulary AND verbs!
Change commands and simple elements of your phone to French! Many Language Media Center Ambassadors (student helpers) say that it makes a difference.
Once you've gotten a start in French, create your own sets on Quizlet to practice and reinforce what you know. Use pictures when you make your sets. Most importantly, keep using them! The "spell" feature helps with your listening comprehension, and makes you write words correctly before you can move on. If you want to know more, ask to join Madame's group.
My personal favorite is BrainScape, but a lot of students like DuoLingo, and Babbel. There are more out there, too! «Mais, attention:» some are not free, and some are poor quality. Always be a discerning consumer of web content!
This classic and time-tested method is an excellent way to overcome the challenge of unexpected spelling. The French language does not offer sound-spelling correspondence, so dictation is a great way to practice new forms.