sandst Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 I am not sure what to buy. The original plan was to enrol my dd in the Aliance Francaise Saturday (6 weeks courses). These run one per trimester but the cost is around $210 plus books... Also it would require travel time of over 1 hr each way and with all the other matters we need to work out as a familyI do not seem to have the time to invest... I can speak, read and write in French. It is a bit rusty but know most of the grammar rules and it would also work nicely as a review for myself. Looked at Roseta Stone but am not really impressed with it. Is there a good French program recommended for a 12 year old. Fluency, Reading and Grammar included. If it had some CD for pronunciation that would even be better... Thanks. :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen500 Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 Galore Park's So You Really Want to Learn French sounds like a good fit for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandst Posted March 3, 2012 Author Share Posted March 3, 2012 Thanks... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cschnee Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 While I like Galore Park's program, I find the chapters too long. Check out Breaking the Barrier french http://www.tobreak.com/ French in Action video series (free!) http://www.learner.org/resources/series83.html (though I'm not sure where to get the printed materials), and this series of videos and this video series (also free, with teacher guides) http://www.knowitall.org/instantreplay/content/LanguageIndex.cfm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dassah Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 I have found that First Start French is a very concise Grammar course for French. I use a tutor for dd 10 because I didn't have a strong enough background to confidently teach French and our tutor thinks the program is excellent. I don't believe I would use it without adding online videos, etc., simply because it is so foundational and to-the-point that it would be a bit boring/unexciting alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen500 Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 I have found that First Start French is a very concise Grammar course for French. I use a tutor for dd 10 because I didn't have a strong enough background to confidently teach French and our tutor thinks the program is excellent. I don't believe I would use it without adding online videos, etc., simply because it is so foundational and to-the-point that it would be a bit boring/unexciting alone. I really recommend against using First Start French. The grammar instruction is sorely lacking, the audio cd not very professional, not enough practice or direct instruction to the student, boring...the intro even says that if you really want to learn to speak French you can just go to France :001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrunner Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 I really recommend against using First Start French. The grammar instruction is sorely lacking, the audio cd not very professional, not enough practice or direct instruction to the student, boring...the intro even says that if you really want to learn to speak French you can just go to France :001_huh: :iagree: Look elsewhere. Unfortunately I don't have good suggestions. We decided to design our own way for French. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joyful_Journey Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 My 6th grader began Galore Park's French this year. I'm spreading out the chapters, so it has been very manageable thus far. She is really enjoying it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 If you speak French, I highly recommend Galore Park's SY French. It's solid and efficient: I've had all kinds of compliments about Calvin's French level from his school teachers, now he's at school. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unity Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 I also very much disliked the First Start French online samples, mostly because I remember seeing a few things that were not authentic. (e.g. they taught to say "une chatte" for a cat, but generally people just use the masculine "un chat" because the feminine has s*xual overtones. Anyway, I highly recommend Discovering French, which you can get for a decent price through Calvert. You get a traditional school French textbook, a lesson manual, access to all audio CDs, and another workbook. A DVD is available on Amazon but it's usually very pricey and technically not necessary. I use all components of the program but not through Calvert. The sheer quantity of audio materials is unmatched by any of the homeschool programs. I think there are 9 Audio CDs per grade! Also, there are many different speakers on the CDs, which is much better than just getting used to a single speaker. I do speak French, I learned French many years ago with a program like this (or at least, I started with one like this), and I think it's great. I think it could be used effectively with a non-French-speaking teacher, too. French in Action is also excellent--I taught that program to Yale undergrads--but the first book in the series is intended to be college first-year French. It moves much, much faster than Discovering French or a similar program targeted at young people. But FYI the books can be bought on Amazon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielle Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 I haven't been around the forums for a long time (we're just completing our 10th year of homeschooling, much of it as WTMers) due to family issues that were just overwhelming, so it's quite interesting to see comments on First Start French, of which I'm the author. Of course, there are people that like or dislike almost any program (including WTM!) and we definitely found plenty of recommended programs over the years that didn't work for us, either. But I do want to clear up some erroneous information in the above posts, in case First Start French would help some people. First, I just re-read my own introduction and cannot see anything in it that could possibly be construed as "intro says if you really want to learn French you can just go to France." Of course, the ideal language learning experience for any language is to be immersed in it, while having some background instruction to make it easier. However, my introduction specifcally cites reasons why it's worthwhile learning a foreign language, EVEN IF you never actually travel to that country. I developed First Start French because I had the problem many people have mentioned--that I couldn't find any good grammar based program for a very introductory level of French. I wanted to give my daughter a basic grounding, focusing on structure. She had done quite well with Latina Christiana, and that is the exact model I based First Start French on--grammar with some reading practice. Is it as good as, say, French in Action? Absolutely not, but French in Action is challenging for junior high, and even for high schools. After all, it was designed as a college course. Also, the interest level for FIA and the topics it considers are IMHO too sophisticated for young kids. My daughter went on to use FIA, so I do have first hand experience with it. Is First Start French a complete French course? No, it's just meant as an introduction. IMHO, Rosetta Stone isn't complete either, but its levels cost upwards of $300, a considerable difference from First Start French. Complete authenticity? True, I'm not a native French speaker, but the program was vetted by a native speaker and an editor with advanced degrees in the language. I would agree that the audio cd of the first volume could be improved, but I had no control over that (it's not me on the recording!). That said, I've heard some pretty bad language recordings on much more pricey programs. Because I strongly believe that language requires participation between student and teacher, First Start French is not a program you can just hand to your kid and walk out of the room. It's designed to be a teach the teacher, then the teacher teaches the student. I highly encourage the supplementing of ANY language program, but this has to be balanced with student interest and time available. I don't believe in mind numbing repetition just for busywork's sake, but of course some students will need more practice in certain topics. I tried to give a good grounding in the basics, without producing an imposing phone book that would cause a young child to be intimidated and just give up. I do suggest a schedule that spaces out the learning over a week so that the student has some time to absorb the material between lessons. First Start French is intended to be a foundation and an introduction--not a program that will take a child to fluency, which even programs such as Rosetta Stone or Pimsleur do not do. Boring? True, there aren't a lot of pictures or games--it's not meant for very young children. Like practicing scales, foreign language requires a lot of memorization and practice. It takes a while to build up enough expertise to really use a language. I make many suggestions for supplements in newsletters which are available online at www.firststartfrench.com, and of course there are tons of rhymes and songs all over the web. The program won't work for everyone, but if you're seeking a grammar based program for middle grades that is relatively inexpensive, gives a solid foundation of grammar and vocabulary (based on syllabi for the National French Exam), is easy to use for a teacher with limited French, and serves as a road map for French exploration, I think it's worth a try. Memoria Press does give a money-back guarantee. Danielle L. Schultz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinL in Canada Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Anyway, I highly recommend Discovering French, which you can get for a decent price through Calvert. You get a traditional school French textbook, a lesson manual, access to all audio CDs, and another workbook. I use all components of the program but not through Calvert. Can one buy the Discovering French program without having to register with Calvert? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unity Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Can one buy the Discovering French program without having to register with Calvert? Oh, sure! It's a regular textbook for schools. You can get it off Amazon. For the very best experience using it you would want the textbook, activity book, CD set, and DVD. To save money you can buy the level 1 (Bleu) instead of 1a and 1b, and just take 2 years on the one level. You do not need the most recent version, but be aware that if you choose one of the older versions your students will learn how to say words like "walkman" and "boombox"--it's always in the technology that the language programs "age." At that unit, I just taught my kids words like "ipod." :-) Calvert is not a bad deal, because the CDs are pricey, and you get access to them. Also they schedule it out for you. But you don't get the DVD (which I like but is not strictly necessary). Maybe you get tests, too--I'm not sure. I made up my own schedule and just bought all of it off Amazon. I'm sure I paid more than I would have with Calvert, but I get access to the audio for more than just the one year, and I can resell the components when I'm done. It is a solid approach to French that introduces grammar in a way that flows naturally with the speaking of it. It doesn't front-load a ton of grammar that kids are expected to memorize before they can use it. Instead, it moves along at a pace that is always demanding a steady amount of work, and introduces grammatical constructs when needed. I don't think novelty in method of instruction is a great thing when you're talking about modern languages, nor do I think it makes sense to treat a living language like a dead one. This kind of textbook program (like a junior version of French in Action) is effective, steady, and moderately fun. French should be one of the fun subjects! Bleu is equivalent to one year of high-school French. 1a is one year of middle-school French. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinL in Canada Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Thanks. I checked Amazon but they have only the text and activity book with no way to see any sample pages. I'd ideally like to compare them to other options I'm considering. I do speak/ understand French well enough to about the early high school level, so would not have a problem teaching it (done it before using the French is Fun series from Amsco but thought I'd check around to see what else is available), but would like to see what the books are actually like. I went to the Calvert site too but found it difficult to locate what I wanted. Maybe I'll check there again. However, Breaking the Barrier French is looking like a possibility--less "childish"-looking than Galore Park French. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unity Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Thanks. I checked Amazon but they have only the text and activity book with no way to see any sample pages. I'd ideally like to compare them to other options I'm considering. I do speak/ understand French well enough to about the early high school level, so would not have a problem teaching it (done it before using the French is Fun series from Amsco but thought I'd check around to see what else is available), but would like to see what the books are actually like. I went to the Calvert site too but found it difficult to locate what I wanted. Maybe I'll check there again. However, Breaking the Barrier French is looking like a possibility--less "childish"-looking than Galore Park French. You can buy the CDs and DVD on Amazon. The audio CDs are currently about $80. What you might consider doing is buying one of the really cheap copies of Discovering French, textbook only, to check it out. Would cost you about $4-5 to have it in your hands to see how the program works. Alternately, I think you might be able to find some sample pages on McDougal-Littel website. There is a significant (free) online component to the program (which is totally optional). You'll have to hunt for that, though. The CDs: http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/061834537X/ref=sr_1_10_up_1_main_olp?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1331132647&sr=1-10&condition=used Low price on the DVD is $285. http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0618345183/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&qid=1331132734&sr=1-1&condition=used Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dassah Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Danielle, Thank you for posting. I think you've given an objective description of FSF and what the goal was you had in writing the program. My 5th grader has found it challenging (as have I) and we are thankful for the simplicity of the layout (and my dd, btw, thinks the "old lady voice" on the CD is funny). :D For what it's worth, I would love for the program to be expanded with DVD's and additional worksheets (games, crosswords, etc.) to round out a 3-5 day week for each Lesson. Since my goal with a 10 year old is to spend no more than 20 minutes a day on French grammar in our homeschool, I have found FSF to be quite adequate. Thank you for sharing your gift of language with your fellow homeschoolers! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehog Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 I just wish that the author of L'art de Lire would comment on what's happened to her French programs. They are great, but I can't get hold of any more, not for love nor money! :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 Danielle, Thank you for the post about your FSF. My dd13 is currently working through the first book independently. So far she is really enjoying it. This is her fifth language so she knows the process of learning a foreign language. She is also very comfortable with the format because of Memoria Press Latin. She is really excited to be learning a more comman language--her friends all take French! She is looking forward to being the only one in our family to know French next summer on our holiday in France. We live in the UK--so this is a pretty command holiday. She is planning to complete book 2 first. Now I just need to figure out what curriculum to use next since she is enjoying FSF so much! Thank you, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerald Stoker Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 nm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deee Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 Hi Danielle, my DS11 and I started learning French together this year using FSF. We both really like it. Its one of the few lessons my son asks to do, he's already excited about being able to translate his Herge book (Tintin) so he can read all the pictures, and his lego figures have started having very basic conversations in French. All this and we've only been using the program for 6 weeks. Thank you! Foreign language has been a bug-bear for me until now. (another) Danielle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinL in Canada Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 I just wish that the author of L'art de Lire would comment on what's happened to her French programs. They are great, but I can't get hold of any more, not for love nor money! :( That's odd--she still seems to have an active website: http://nallenart.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JadeOrchidSong Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleopatra Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 (edited) We tried FSF and it did not work well. When I previewed it originally, it looked well laid out and progressed well through the language, but my dd struggled with it which is unusual for her as she is good with languages. After meandering around awhile, we settled on The New Chardenal: A Complete French Course (bought used for $4) and I love it. The progression is logical, the vocabulary useful and the application of what is learned is transferred easily to other French books and material. My dd has been reading the Caroline books, relatively easily after about 1/2 year of going through this program. We still struggle with supplementing for listening and conversation but that is more because she has three other languages she's learning and it's simply hard to find the time to fit something else in. We have used J'Apprends a Lire on occasion. The magazines come with a CD of the main story and are useful for listening practice but quite expensive. French in Action is good as well. ETA: Also, for listening practice and pronunciation, watching favourite DVDs in French is excellent practice. Edited March 9, 2012 by Cleopatra Additional information Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ester Maria Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 If you know French well yourself, a good possibility might be using French books? This. I see no reason not to go with a French-in-French curriculum for French as a foreign language, and/or the French materials used in French schools by French-speaking children (in the later stages of learning the language, when the child becomes comfortable enough with using those). Hachette and CLE have a number of various French as a foreign language courses that you may wish to look into. We use those, and then switch to the more authentic materials aimed at the francophone children (easier literary works, language arts materials or CNED for francophone children, etc.). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JadeOrchidSong Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 We tried FSF and it did not work well. When I previewed it originally, it looked well laid out and progressed well through the language, but my dd struggled with it which is unusual for her as she is good with languages. After meandering around awhile, we settled on The New Chardenal: A Complete French Course (bought used for $4) and I love it. The progression is logical, the vocabulary useful and the application of what is learned is transferred easily to other French books and material. My dd has been reading the Caroline books, relatively easily after about 1/2 year of going through this program. We still struggle with supplementing for listening and conversation but that is more because she has three other languages she's learning and it's simply hard to find the time to fit something else in. We have used J'Apprends a Lire on occasion. The magazines come with a CD of the main story and are useful for listening practice but quite expensive. French in Action is good as well. ETA: Also, for listening practice and pronunciation, watching favourite DVDs in French is excellent practice. When is a good age to start this program? Is there English directions in it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleopatra Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 When is a good age to start this program? Is there English directions in it? Age ....... hmmmm...?? Perhaps as young as grade 4 and just progress as quickly as the student can. A better age would probably be grade 5-6. Each lesson consists of a proverb, vocabulary (10-20 words), the lesson (on, for example, adjectives on comparison or the first conjugation or definite articles, etc.), conversation, lecture (reading), two sets of exercises (translating from French to English & vice versa), and pronunciation practice. Their explanations on pronunciation are very detailed and I find it helpful that they include exercises so that you don't forget to practice. The instructions with regard to what the student is doing are in French (ie. "Traduisez en francais:" or "Remplacez les tirets par un pronom disjoint:") but the instructions with regard to the actual lesson are in English. Along the lines of what Ester Maria & Honoria Glossop suggested, we have also used some of Magnard's books. Even though they are "French-in-French", they were reasonably easy to use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyforlatin Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 (edited) We tried FSF and it did not work well. When I previewed it originally, it looked well laid out and progressed well through the language, but my dd struggled with it which is unusual for her as she is good with languages. After meandering around awhile, we settled on The New Chardenal: A Complete French Course (bought used for $4) and I love it. The progression is logical, the vocabulary useful and the application of what is learned is transferred easily to other French books and material. My dd has been reading the Caroline books, relatively easily after about 1/2 year of going through this program. We still struggle with supplementing for listening and conversation but that is more because she has three other languages she's learning and it's simply hard to find the time to fit something else in. We have used J'Apprends a Lire on occasion. The magazines come with a CD of the main story and are useful for listening practice but quite expensive. French in Action is good as well. ETA: Also, for listening practice and pronunciation, watching favourite DVDs in French is excellent practice. Is there an answer key for Chardenal's French Course? ETA: Nevermind, I think I found it. Googled it and it led me back to WTM. Edited March 10, 2012 by crazyforlatin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielle Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 I love J'apprends a lire and J'aime Lire (harder) as supplements. They are expensive, but one of them will last you a long, long time if you are just beginning French. I also adore le Petit Nicolas, but it will require using a dictionary probably on every page (although the pictures help). There are also a number of teen fashion magazines that might appeal to a junior high girl. Lots of goodies on this site, too. http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/french/ My best friend brushed up her French enough to interview in Belgium by forcing herself to watch the news every night in French. There are many, many sites that offer that now and even if you listen for 5 minutes a day, it helps. For Francophile parents, the Bonjour Paris newsletter (in English) is fun for cultural stuff. http://bonjourparis.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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