I'm still looking for a French program -

[Melissa B]

Any suggestions??

 

I have First Start French. It is going fine, but slowly. But, my dd seems to do much better with direct method or reading method - I'm not sure what other similar type programs are called.

 

I want to find a good direct French program and supplement with First Start French.

 

I see lots of audio programs and a few grammar-based programs, but no programs like Lingua Latina, Cambridge Latin, etc., for French.

 

Is anyone using something like this?

[Mamagistra]

I'd like to know, too. :001_smile: :bigear:

[Kfamily]

:seeya:

[dawn of ns]

I have no idea if this would fit your needs but one more option is L'Art de Lire, a Canadian program. I just started it with my daughter and she's enjoying it.

[Trivium Academy]

Have you looked at:

1. Écoutez Parlez, French Oral Program? It's at Rainbow Resource and http://kaleeka.com/id1.html (don't order from there though)- it has optional workbooks that provide written exercises

2. Pimsleur or Michel Thomas? Here's an interesting blog about it http://1step-ahead.blogspot.com/2008/03/french-for-mommies-pimsleur-versus.html

3. Abeka French DVD

4. http://www.professortoto.com/

5.BJU and Calvert have middle school textbook programs

6. 20 Middle School Hands On French lessons http://www.teachersdiscovery-foreignlanguage.com/item_details.php?item=02%2B010%2BB01369&eUID=&SBJ=French

7. TPR in First Year French http://www.teachersdiscovery-foreignlanguage.com/item_details.php?item=02%2B013%2BB00821&eUID=&SBJ=French

8. French is Fun

9. Galore Park French

 

www.carlexonline.com and www.worldofreading.com have french programs as well. Hth! I don't know if any of these are what you are looking for..just trying to give you options to look at

[amsunshine]

If one shouldn't order Ecoutez, Parlez from Rainbow Resource, where should one order it from?

 

TIA!

[Trivium Academy]

Sorry, I meant from the kaleeka website- it's more expensive there than at RR. :D

[Melissa B]

Thanks for all of the suggestions so far.

Unfortunately, everything I have looked at seems to fall under grammar-based, coversational, or supplementary materials.

 

I am still looking through some of the links though.

 

Thanks for the link to the World of Reading website. It has an excellent selection of books and CDs for most any foreign language.

 

Here are a couple that look especially interesting for French:

 

http://www.wor.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=3510

 

http://www.wor.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=3345

[8filltheheart]

I have found it next to impossible to teach French from just one book. Hence, I own a lot of French programs!!

 

French Prep is a good course, but it really requires a teacher that knows French in order to fill in the gaps (which there definitely are) We put away FP last yr for a while and worked through First Start French, but again, it wasn't a perfect fit.

 

The best combo we have found (though I am definitely open to better.....this is simply working b/c I only know the same amount of French as my kids) is Tell Me More (Auralog French) and French Prep.

[McLinda]

HERE IS THE LINK:

http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:hXNWyT3y8UQJ:www.coffeebreakfrench.com/+coffee+break+french&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us&client=firefox-a

 

:)

[Guest laed]

this site has instructional French videos www.studio4learning.tv

[Guest laed]

another site with free French tutorial videos http://www.studio4learning.tv

[MIch elle]

The Learnables French Basic starts with pictures/audio, then Basic Structures I is matching pictures to sentences while listening. There is no English only French.

[Melissa B]

Thanks for the additional suggestions. My problem is that I would really like a program that focuses on learning through reading rather than learning through speaking. I would love to have an audio of someone reading the text, so she could hear it spoken, but the main portion needs to be reading focused - the grammar and vocabulary are learned by reading a graded story or text. Again thanks for all of the suggestions - any others?? :D

[Kfamily]

I wonder if Danielle, the author of First Start French, would have any suggestions. I've just recently read again her author's note at the beginning of FSF and remember feeling relieved that she seemed to suggest that the main goal of FSF was to be able to read in French, of course I assume as you move through the program, and not to expect fluency. This is just my humble interpretation and may not be exactly right. She recommends that we add audio books etc. to round things out. I wonder if she might have some suggestions that would help us. My goal for the next couple of years with French is to help her get closer to reading in French and to have some basic converstional skills. I am hoping if I keep my goals minimal we might actually make it.:D Maybe she'll see this thread and have some ideas. I'd love to sort this out myself.

 

Sorry this is not more helpful!:001_smile:

[danielle]

The problem with beginning with a reading based approach is that you really can't read anything without a minimum vocabulary. Generally, newspapers are about the simplest authentic reading, but for a Romance language, you generally need (I've heard) about 2500-3000 vocabulary words. You can't begin with readings until you have some vocabulary and basic grammar structures learned: at least present tense, imparfait, passe compose and futur.

 

In First Start French, Book One I covered about 400 of the most common words in French, and several hundred more in the first part of Book 2. In book one, the dialogues are short because you're working with a very controlled vocabulary and very limited grammar. In Book 2, as vocabulary increases and grammar and verb tense proficiency improves, I move into short readings on historical characters, cities, French scientists and artists, etc., still using a controlled vocabulary. Book 2 is finished on my end, in editing at Memoria, and should be available quite soon.

 

For reading practice, I'd suggest searching for "Chansons et comptines" on the web, getting very elementary French children's books from the library (Babar and Le Petit Prince are way too hard for early beginners) and working through them by following the suggestions in FSF for "using Great Books". The other resource I love is a magazine called "J'apprends a Lire", but it will be a bit hard for an early beginner. See if you can get just one copy, or get it through a library or newsstand--a subscription will be overwhelming, but I believe it's available thru Amazon (I get it at a local newsstand).

 

For older students, I really love Euronews on the web--short segments with text and webcasts. Also, if you have dvds, try turning on the French subtitles on kids programs. Wikipedia is available in French. Some entries are identical translations in French of the English language article (or vice versa), but some are completely different. Some are written in the passe simple, a literary tense not usually taught until the more basic levels of French are mastered. You might check out a book called "Easy French" put out by Usborne. It has a comic strip text and some grammar. It's not enough of a text to really teach anything as a stand alone and is aimed at teens-adults, but it is a decent supplement. There's also a book called "Les Portes Tordues" which has a continuing story at a fairly elementary level. It's a bit of a horror/mystery and my dd was a bit scared by it when she was younger, but it does emphasize reading and listening. I'd use it as a review/supplement after completing FSF Book 2.

 

I agree with the poster who said that few texts are completely stand alone. I would encourage you to go with a spine and supplements, for the best experience. I'm sorry I can't offer more help--like learning classical music or math, the most fun begins after you get the basics down. If the student perseveres, worlds open up.

 

Best of luck.

Danielle

[danielle]

To the OP: I know Lingua Latina and to be truthful, I don't know any program like it for French. While I admire LL, my dd found it confusing for Latin as so little is explained about what is going on, and so little explanation for the grammar. Sigh! it seems there's never a perfect program. Once your child is older, I'd strongly suggest using French in Action, but I really think that the child, even a gifted learner, needs to be in about 7th grade at least before the program is really suitable.

Danielle