Students often hear that they should spend two or three hours self-studying and practising their subject material for every hour they spend in class. Such might be impossible to do for every academic subject a high school student selects for their Year 12 exams. But if you're learning how to dance, paint or speak another language, the three-to-one study ratio is doable.
Does that mean a student of French must buckle down with a textbook to improve their reading, writing, or pronunciation skills? Not at all. You can take a more relaxed approach. You may even find creative ways to improve your French level.
One such way is to speak French every chance you get. You might not be comfortable talking with yourself while going about your day, though. And besides, how will you know you're speaking correctly? That's why Superprof put together this list of tips, tricks and suggestions for you to get your daily French speaking and listening practice.
How to Learn French on Your Own
The classic picture of the ideal student always at their desk suggests that to master a subject, that must be the perfect learning model. You needn't feel like you have to follow it, though.
You might prefer to learn French on your own by creating an immersive environment. You can watch French films and listen to French music and podcasts as you go about your day. You may even download French audiobooks so you can listen on the go.
There is a certain rhythm and melody inherent to la langue française, so whether you're en route to class or heading out for a walk, there are many opportunities to practice. Try this trick to get your verb conjugation practice in.
For every step you're about to take when walking to your French lessons Sydney, one footfall is a pronoun. The next delivers the verb: je SUIS, tu ES, il EST and so on. You may do this with numbers and word groups, too. For instance, with adjectives: left foot - 'bleu!'; right foot - 'blanc!'.
You can play games while out and about, too. Do you know the 'Letters of the Alphabet' game? For each letter, you must say a word in French: arbre, bébé, chien, dimanche... Give yourself bonus points for assigning the correctly-gendered article.
All of this supposes that you have a decent vocabulary and basic grammar to play with. To build your stores of French words and phrases, Quizlet is a great resource. This platform is often touted as a flashcard application but Quizlet lets you do much more than flip through flashcards.
Once you create your free account, you can start building your study sets. Or you might learn from already-created sets; the platform currently lists more than 500 of them. You can study French vocabulary and grammar while the app is set to study mode, and then flip to the flashcard setting to check your mastery. Quizlet also offers exams and games to diversify your learning experience.
The best part about Quizlet is that you can use it anywhere you have an internet connection. Simply bring your device and spend a few minutes cycling through French words and phrases as you ride the bus or wait for your mates. The best French teachers recommend Quizlet to their students. You should see for yourself what all the hype is about.
Practice French Conversation
In my French class Melbourne, one of my students always turns in amazing work. Before our class starts, they always have their head down; their finger moves across the written page as they silently mouth the words. They're the very picture of dedication and hard work. But they never say a word in class.
When learning a new tongue, students often focus on its 'silent' aspects, namely reading and writing. Listening in their target language gets a lot of attention, too. But the oral side of the language needs just as much work.
Some students are shy and others are afraid of making mistakes. Some feel embarrassed, either because they lack confidence or because they don't want to outshine their peers. These reasons are understandable but self-defeating. The point of learning another language is to communicate with speakers of that language.
You might need time to bring yourself to speak with others. Until then, thanks you your phone's recorder app, you can practice French conversation on your own. Even as a beginner French learner, you can write mini-dialogues. Once you're satisfied your writing represents a complete conversation, engage your recording app and read it out loud.
After a few such recording sessions, you may feel confident enough in your skills to talk with another person. For this, Italki is great. Once you set up your free account, you can find other French learners to chat with. No need to worry about the person on the other end of the conversation; for all practical purposes, this will be like talking into your recorder app.
It won't matter if you're shy, uncertain or mistake-averse. The voice on the other end doesn't know anything about you; they can't judge or criticise you. More importantly, the Italki platform features other language learning just like you. They know your struggles and what it took for you to get where you're at.
The more you practice French conversation, the easier it will be for you to chime in during your French lessons. In-class participation will help you build self-confidence and banish any shyness holding you back. Once you turn loose of those anchors, you'll be amazed at how quickly your French-speaking skills will develop.
How to Learn French Online
Finding free French lessons online can be a challenge. And the old saw about getting what you paid for has merit when it comes to quality instruction online. Another truism is equally valid: if anything's worth doing, it's worth doing well.
If you're one of the confident French students who doesn't speak up in class as a way of not discouraging your mates, you might advance your studies online. Learning platforms like Rosetta Stone and Babbel are tailor-made for you. Such programs offer up-to-date content that allows users to build their French language skills in different ways.
Many language learning platforms offer games, quizzes, and flashcards. However, one thing is missing: speaking opportunities. So if you combined some of the tips in the preceding segment with these online platforms, you would have the full language learning experience.
Babbel and Duolingo focus on reading and listening rather than writing and speaking. They offer no path to practising your conversation skills with a native speaker. Furthermore, Babbel's free version allows only limited learning; you must pay for more advanced materials. Also, many students find Duolingo too basic and gamified; it doesn't present them with a serious language-learning challenge.
If you want to learn French anywhere in Australia, you should go straight to the source. Alliance française has a mission to spread the French language and culture around the world. Australia has 30 such centres, all of which offer French courses. They also host French cultural events.
If you intend to sit the French language certification exam and need help preparing for DELF, Alliance française has the guidance you need. But don't forget that Superprof has more than 16000 French tutors across Australia. They too are ready to help you with your language learning needs.
How to Learn French on Your Own
We wrap up this article by returning to our main theme: how to learn French on your own. Many language learning hopefuls would love to take French classes but worries about the cost of French lessons hold them back. They have a point but maybe it's not a fair point. After all, language teachers have to make a living, too.
We're not here to debate the morality of pricing and needing to earn a living wage, though. We will say that if you have room in your budget, learning French with a qualified teacher is one of the best ways to do so. Moving to a French-speaking country and immersing yourself in the language and culture is better yet.
If your circumstances allow for neither of those options, you can still learn French on your own. This article has drawn a tentative roadmap; it's up to you to decide your path. If you need a few sessions with a private French tutor, that's still cheaper than paying for a full French course.
We're fortunate to live in these technological times. We can connect with practically anyone, anywhere in the world. Videos, listening and reading material in a host of other languages are but a search away. All the educational technology we have at our disposal - the flashcards, recorders and language-learning apps, make our learning efforts easier still.
Motivation is the one thing no app can give you. If you're searching for how to learn French on your own, you may already be motivated for reasons all your own. As that's the case, you can keep your drive up with productivity apps. They're not specific to French learning but they will keep you on task.
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