First Start French & Ecoutez! Parlez! -- can you help me decide?

[kailuamom]

Can anyone compare the two programs for me? I have looked at the websites and they show one or two sample pages, but I wish I could see more. I am looking for a program that I could do with my dds (8 & 11), both of whom have not had any real French instruction. I know the basics of French, so I could supplement, but I am looking for a program that will guide me as to where to start with them, what to cover, etc.

 

Merci! :001_smile:

[Trivium Academy]

I would choose First Start French in this case. I intend to use Écoutez, Parlez (hopefully up to book 2) until 4th when we'll start FSF. FSF teaches the grammar components better than Écoutez, Parlez does. I feel FSF is more academic than EP is, although EP is moving the student through a spiral approach with lots of review, FSF does that too but has cultural songs and the written work is better built in than EP.

 

I would teach to your oldest, if your oldest was 8, then I would say EP. I think they will have fun with FSF though learning it together. Hope this helps!

[kailuamom]

 

I would teach to your oldest, if your oldest was 8, then I would say EP. I think they will have fun with FSF though learning it together. Hope this helps!

 

 

It does, Jessica! Thanks!

[Melissa B]

I started dd 8 and 10 in FSF this past year. French is what I took in school, but they had never had any French before this past year. After two lessons, I stopped with dd8. It just moved too fast for her. I think it is a great program and dd10 is doing fine. The vocabulary overwhelmed dd8, while dd10 was ready to move on each week. If they had had some previous French I do not think it would have been such an issue. With everything being new it was too much. I plan to restart dd8 at age 10 - although she is learning the songs now.

[DSAcademy]

I really like First Start French and the way it is organized. The kids are introduced to vocabulary, grammar and conjugation. Then they review these elements and use their newly acquired skills to practice dialogues and do some translations. The book is interspersed with information on French culture, has songs (which you can sing along to on the CD) and references for further study, if you want to expand your knowledge. There is plenty of review built into the program, and the lessons are in manageable parts (which you can play with if you need to speed up or slow down). If you added in some additional audio CD's (check your library for French kits that have a reader and CD - aka French books on tape) I think it makes for a really complete program.

 

My 10 year old is half way through the program, and I think it is age appropriate for middle school. My 11 year old is doing French In Action - which is an immersion program - only because she has had two previous years of French and is a language whiz. I haven't used Ecoutez! Parlez!, so I hope that someone familiar with that program can give you some more specific details. But I would definitely recommend FSF.

[kailuamom]

Thanks for the input, everyone! It sounds like FSF is a good starting point for my 11 yo and if my 8yo can learn along, great...if not, I can wait. Now I am afraid my 5 yo boy will want to do some, too, and then I am in some trouble. I don't want to do it b/c of the price, but maybe I will have to get both programs!