On-line French classes--your opinions/comments

[Jen the RD]

We've been doing French at home for the past year and it has gone very well. We could keep doing it that way, but I'm investigating using an online course for dd who will be in 9th grade. I've listed the courses I know about, but I'd like to know if there are others AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, if your student used them what was their experience like. If you feel more comfortable discussing this privately, please pm me. I would be grateful for feedback. Most of these courses from what I've seen are $500+. Before I sink that kind of money into it, I would like positive feedback. KWIM!

 

Potter's School

Keystone High School

Ga Cyber Academy (We live in GA.)

Landry Academy

 

 

Thanks,

Jennifer

[Elinor Everywhere]

:bigear: I'm teaching French at home for 9th grade, but that will be French 2 and I KNOW I cannot teach French 3. So I, too, am interested in this.

[mdhomeschool]

DS did the French 2 class through Keystone. It was thorough, but I find the lack of textbook resources unhelpful (all instructional material is online). Also, almost no teacher interaction except grade comments and Emails. Can't see that it helped his speaking at all.

[Jackie in AR]

Potter's School

 

Dd has taken JH French 1 and 2 (the high school French 1 class spread over 2 years) with Madame Starosciak at Potter's School over these past two years (8th and 9th grades), along with the corresponding French Conversations class. We both have been very pleased. Each class met for 1 1/2 hours per week. The extra hour and a half on just conversation was wonderful, and the cost for that class was only $100 for the year.

 

She is enrolled in high school French 2 / French Conversations for this fall.

 

Do you have specific questions?

Edited June 12, 2012 by Jackie in AR

[fourisenough]

My daughter too JH French 1 this year with Madame S. She was a great teacher and, to the extent possible in an online format, my daughter learned a lot. She knows a good bit of vocabulary and grammar for this year. I am a believer that a student can never truly master a language this way (an immersive experience will be required at some point), but it is certainly MUCH better than we could have done on our own.

 

My daughter will be going to PS next fall and will continue her study of French there.

 

My younger daughter will begin taking Spanish via Potter's School this fall.

[RENEEinVA]

Another vote for Madame S. at Potter's School. She is a wonderful teacher.

[ValRN]

ds took French 1 (high school) this year at TPS. Even though ds does not like the fact that he must take a foreign language, he liked Madame S's class and insisted upon having her for French 2.

[Jen the RD]

First, thank you for all of your responses. Thus far, it seems the overwhelming choice is TPS w/Madame S. I've listened to her speak on the sample and think she has a wonderful accent. I do have some specific questions about her classes.

 

1. How much time did your student spend outside of the class/conversation time completing assignments?

2. How much emphasis does she place on correct pronunciation? I ask this because for most French speaking natives, this is a BIG deal to them.

3. Were the assignments reasonable within the parameters of what vocabulary/grammar the student had learned to that point?

4. I know she uses the BJU text, but does she ever bring in outside literature for translation work?

5. Does she use the BJU tests or does she write her own?

 

Thank you so much ladies,

Jennifer

[Heather in AL]

First, thank you for all of your responses. Thus far, it seems the overwhelming choice is TPS w/Madame S. I've listened to her speak on the sample and think she has a wonderful accent. I do have some specific questions about her classes.

 

1. How much time did your student spend outside of the class/conversation time completing assignments?

2. How much emphasis does she place on correct pronunciation? I ask this because for most French speaking natives, this is a BIG deal to them.

3. Were the assignments reasonable within the parameters of what vocabulary/grammar the student had learned to that point?

4. I know she uses the BJU text, but does she ever bring in outside literature for translation work?

5. Does she use the BJU tests or does she write her own?

 

Thank you so much ladies,

Jennifer

 

My dd just finished French 2 and the French 2 conversations classes w/Mme. S. and I *heartily* recommend her.

 

I'll try to answer your questions:

 

1. I'm not sure on this, as dd did the work in her room. It wasn't tons, but it got the job done. Dd scored very well on the National French Exam.

 

2. I'm not sure on this, so I asked dd. She said their accents were corrected and suggestions made on how & what to change, but not overly so. I would imagine greater emphasis on accents would come in French 3 or 4. Honestly, my French is understandable, but I have problems with certain accents, and I have never had an issue speaking French while in France. While I know the accent is important, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

 

3. Yes. Dd caught on quickly to vocab that was covered in French 1 (we did French 1 at home with a mish mash of stuff, and she jumped in to French 2 with the BJU text). It didn't take long for dd to catch up.

 

4. Hhmm. I think 'no' (remember I only have experience with the French 2), but she assigns cultural events, and other assignments. She also has them listen to songs in French. I think the reading comes in level 3. This is what I remember from my own high school French classes, too.

 

5. Mostly BJU, but the mid-term and final were made up. The orals were BJU, but Mme. S. would ask questions that were not on the test paper.

 

The *only* thing I regret is that I didn't find Mme. S. several years ago so my ds could have taken her classes!!

Edited June 13, 2012 by Heather in AL
To correct one heck of a run-on! :-0

[Jen the RD]

My dd just finished French 2 and the French 2 conversations classes w/Mme. S. and I *heartily* recommend her.

 

I'll try to answer your questions:

 

1. I'm not sure on this, as dd did the work in her room. It wasn't tons, but it got the job done. Dd scored very well on the National French Exam.

 

2. I'm not sure on this, so I asked dd. She said their accents were corrected and suggestions made on how & what to change, but not overly so. I would imagine greater emphasis on accents would come in French 3 or 4. Honestly, my French is understandable, but I have problems with certain accents, and I have never had an issue speaking French while in France. While I know the accent is important, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

 

3. Yes. Dd caught on quickly to vocab that was covered in French 1 (we did French 1 at home with a mish mash of stuff, and she jumped in to French 2 with the BJU text). It didn't take long for dd to catch up.

 

4. Hhmm. I think 'no' (remember I only have experience with the French 2), but she assigns cultural events, and other assignments. She also has them listen to songs in French. I think the reading comes in level 3. This is what I remember from my own high school French classes, too.

 

5. Mostly BJU, but the mid-term and final were made up. The orals were BJU, but Mme. S. would ask questions that were not on the test paper.

 

The *only* thing I regret is that I didn't find Mme. S. several years ago so my ds could have taken her classes!!

 

Heather,

Thanks for taking time to thoroughly answer my questions. Glad you mentioned the National French Exam, too, as I forgot to ask about that. All in all this sounds like my dd would do fine in her class without being overwhelmed. Your last statement is very convincing!

 

Jennifer