Trivium Academy Posted September 29, 2008 Share Posted September 29, 2008 French. Both dd8 and I are happy with the curricula, Écoutez Parlez, so I don't know what our problem is. I asked dd7, do you want to drop french? She says, I do and I don't which is exactly the way I feel about it. It's working and it doesn't take long, it's not a hassle but we have no zip about it. Part of me says to just keep using it, who cares about zip! The other part says we can pick up French later and just focus on Latin (which is going very well) and other language arts focuses. We're not having a problem but it's not like we're convicted to do it either beyond my initial desire for dd8 to master french (her heritage and I want her to be fluent in one language before 12th). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kfamily Posted September 29, 2008 Share Posted September 29, 2008 everyone was so supportive and encouraging. They convinced me to hang in there (We are doing First Start French) and so we are! I have just received Lyric Language French and a reproducible book of French worksheets on basic vocabulary to give us some fresh supplements. I voted to keep going but of course you must do what is best for your family. We have narrowed our focus a lot this year but I have decided to keep up with French at least 3-4 times a week. My goal is simple. I hope to finish at least First Start French vol. 1 and 2 by the end of 8th. I hope we can stick to it! Good luck!:001_smile: Whatever you decide will ultimately be just fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted September 29, 2008 Share Posted September 29, 2008 I just wanted to say, though, that sometimes the zip creeps up on you. Calvin and I have been slogging through Latin for some time, not really enjoying it, then suddenly it became one of his favourite subjects. One just never knows... Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C_l_e_0..Q_c Posted September 29, 2008 Share Posted September 29, 2008 It's very hard to muster any desire for a living language if you don't get to use that language outside of your lessons. I know! Just ask me how I failed English from grade 3 to grade 9 ! One thing I did for my kids was to get them magazines. Check this one: http://www.bayardjeunesse.ca/magazines/item.aspx?c=1&ID=45&T=10 The age level is pretty low, so I'm assuming the vocabulary level wouldn't be too drastic. It does go to age 7 though, so your DD isn't that far. It comes with an audio CD You can take a look at a few pages here: http://abonnement-magazines.com/fac-simile/j-apprends-a-lire/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafiki Posted September 29, 2008 Share Posted September 29, 2008 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetbaby Posted September 29, 2008 Share Posted September 29, 2008 We were in the same boat also and dropped Spanish. My sons complained about being bored. They wanted to try Latin after discovering how it will help their future medical careers. LOL! I'm a nurse, hubby is a fire medic and we have other family members who are docs so I guess it's in the genes.:D Anyway, I think we will try to add it or another language at some point. It's a hard decision but it sounds like French could be a keeper for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 IMHO If you drop something it should be Latin. TWTM has Latin starting in 5th grade for children with natural speakers of a modern language around. There is even a schedule for starting Latin in 7th grade. But if you want fluency in speaking a living language, that early exposure helps a lot. Watch some movies in French. DD was cracking up at Sebastian speaking French in The Little Mermaid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindaOz Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 At readinga-z.com you can print out some of the readers there in French. It might be a fun thing to do for something different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddhabelly Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 (edited) I agree about the movies. When we were doing Spanish, I found a really funny series on Discovery Streaming that is all in Spanish. It's called something like "La Tienda de Luis." it's the one about the man who opens a shop but he doesn't even know what his shop is going to sell. His crazy aunt comes to help him, and he asks the local schoolchildren to help him decide what kind of shop he should have. Perhaps there are fun series like that in French? Here's a link to "La Tienda de Luis" for those of you who are doing Spanish: http://www.channel4learning.com/support/programmenotes/netnotes/section/printyes/sectionid100665567_printyes.htm'>http://www.channel4learning.com/support/programmenotes/netnotes/section/printyes/sectionid100665567_printyes.htm'>http://www.channel4learning.com/support/programmenotes/netnotes/section/printyes/sectionid100665567_printyes.htm'>http://www.channel4learning.com/support/programmenotes/netnotes/section/printyes/sectionid100665567_printyes.htm Wow, that got really long; perhaps you can go to http://www.channel4learning.com and search for "La Tienda de Luis." Edited September 30, 2008 by buddhabelly typo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 Gosh, I would drop it and try again later. I took 5 years of french in school. The last 2 years were in a class in college where they spoke nothing but French. The first time I took it, I failed! It wasn't because I didn't know the words or couldn't do it...it was just too much right then. I took a break, took a semester off from French (not college...just French) and the next semester I came back and made the easiest A ever in the class. I just wasn't ready the first time and it really showed. Maybe your dd will do better to focus on one language at a time and then once she has Latin pretty well down, she can begin anew with French. JMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenschooler Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 I'd try to get something to add a little zip, probably Cleo's suggestions. I don't think stopping and restarting will help much to get you towards your goal of her becoming fluent. Maybe if she has something a little more exciting, it will spark more of a desire (well, for both of you!). Let us know how it goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucy in Australia Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 I vote for keep going. Sometimes this learning business goes in cycles, and you get peaks and troughs in the interest level. I was all set to drop piano with my youngest because I thought we were both ready to have a nervous breakdown, and suddenly, he found he could read music (new skill developed) and it opened up a whole new world for him. I know it won't last forever, but I'm enjoying it while it lasts. I'm also remembering this for the next time I feel like I'm banging my head against a brick wall :) I also second Cleo's suggestion of magazines. My guys developed a sudden interest in learning French properly when I bought them a French Asterix book and wouldn't translate it for them. You should have seen them both sitting at the computer using the online translator:lol: They worked out pretty fast it was quicker for them to remember a word or a phrase than to keep having to look it up.:) Bon courage! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Closeacademy Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 You could always take a break until after Christmas and then pick it back up after the New Year. I do this with subjects some times when we seem to bog down. We'll take a break for a couple of months, let the information soak in and then pick it back up again and everything will be fresh and new again. Just an idea.:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C_l_e_0..Q_c Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 My guys developed a sudden interest in learning French properly when I bought them a French Asterix book and wouldn't translate it for them. Oh yeah! Asterix would do that! Goscinny was a master. Just make sure you get an Asterix where he was involved (in other words, published before his death). Those that were 100% Uderzo aren't as good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 (edited) You have had such great replies -- I hope I am not repeating what anyone else said. But one idea we have used is watching videos with other language selections. If they have close captioning, you can start with English captions, then move to French. We have especially enjoyed Caillou -- the language is much simpler than in a "real" movie. (My dc were resistant at first, but now like listening in different languages.) I agree with pp about dropping Latin before French, esp as it is your heritage. Are there any French conversation groups or classes in your area? That might be a nice treat for your dd. Here is a link to Alliance Française -- if there are none in your area, the ones in your state might know of smaller groups near you. http://www.alliance-us.org//en/Directory.aspx Edited September 30, 2008 by Alessandra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagira Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 I voted keep going, at least for the whole year. You may want to pare it down: if it's every day, maybe go for once or twice a week. I would say read an easy young children's book (if you're fluent) and watch Little Einsteins in French a few times. That last one is a good show. Classical music and fine art are introduced to a child. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trivium Academy Posted September 30, 2008 Author Share Posted September 30, 2008 Since I'm learning both Latin and French with dd8, and we have zip with Latin right now- we're going to stop french formally. We're going to focus on Prima Latina right now, then pick up our French lessons again once we're done with PL. In the meantime, I will figure out a fun way to keep French going informally either through videos, movies, a weekly French reading or games. *I* am having a hard time absorbing all the rules of each language and being as effective as I know I could be if we were just using one at a time. I'm sure when it's ds4's turn, it'll be easier for me to explain things without having to on-the-spot learn it myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 In the meantime, I will figure out a fun way to keep French going informally either through videos, movies, a weekly French reading or games. Good plan! Are you thinking computer based games? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trivium Academy Posted September 30, 2008 Author Share Posted September 30, 2008 No, Lingua Fun French which uses three cards you have to put together to create a sentence. We love playing it but haven't lately. We also have a French noun concentration game and other stuff. We haven't used any software programs or computer based games yet...we did mess around with KidSpeak from the library once. I'm just not convinced a computer program can effectively teach a foreign language. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hornblower Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 Have you considered just for a while using the conversational French CD's that Berlitz & Pimsleur put out? We listened to Berlitz Rush Hour French in the car for an entire school year, once a week while driving dd to riding lessons. The kids picked up a lot of the vocab & now that I'm using an actual written 'program' with dd, I see that it's all coming back to her quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisawa Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 I would keep going.... but if you need to drop what you are using... drop it.... I would avoid any grammar for now.... focus on vocabulary and building it into your every day..... Make up sentences using one or 2 vocabulary at a time.... either oral or written.... both..... I would persaviere.... I wish I would have begun vocabulary early on and then moved into curriculum later...... familiarizing words, colors, sayings.... quotes.... is a great building block for later..... Lisa~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisawa Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 Have you considered just for a while using the conversational French CD's that Berlitz & Pimsleur put out? We listened to Berlitz Rush Hour French in the car for an entire school year, once a week while driving dd to riding lessons. The kids picked up a lot of the vocab & now that I'm using an actual written 'program' with dd, I see that it's all coming back to her quickly. I have not read responses yet.... but since your was right above mine... I saw it after I posted.... I agree.... great suggestion.... Lisa~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 No, Lingua Fun French which uses three cards you have to put together to create a sentence. We love playing it but haven't lately. We also have a French noun concentration game and other stuff. We haven't used any software programs or computer based games yet...we did mess around with KidSpeak from the library once. I'm just not convinced a computer program can effectively teach a foreign language. Have you considered just for a while using the conversational French CD's that Berlitz & Pimsleur put out? We listened to Berlitz Rush Hour French in the car for an entire school year, once a week while driving dd to riding lessons. The kids picked up a lot of the vocab & now that I'm using an actual written 'program' with dd, I see that it's all coming back to her quickly. Sounds good! I will be looking for those types of resources when we learn Spanish. I would like to concentrate on vocabulary building for quite a while before tackling grammar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagira Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 We haven't used any software programs or computer based games yet...we did mess around with KidSpeak from the library once. I'm just not convinced a computer program can effectively teach a foreign language. Perhaps you're right. I'm only using Kidspeak because a) I'm just exposing ds to Spanish some more b) he's young and remembers really well through games c) I speak and write Spanish fluently myself and I'm able to reinforce any lessons and words However, I agree that I'm suspicious of a computer-based program teaching a language to kids. I'll let you know if our Rosetta Stone Italian teaches me and dh anything! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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