Galina
Language: Self Study or take classes?
I will be entering college soon and I really want to learn French. For a few months I have been self studying with online resources because my my high school does not offer the language. I believe that my college only offers courses in beginners French and I do not know if I should take these courses or continue self studying. I am not sure whether I would benefit from beginners classes because I might already be ahead, but I would need experience speaking and interacting with others in French. I feel that if you self-study a language there is really no proof of it unless you take a language exam, unlike if you take a class you will get credit. I just need some opinions on this. #college #language #foreign-languages #french #self-study
5 answers
Jaron Hightower-Mills
Jaron’s Answer
I would encourage to take classes, either at your university or at a language school, if you want to improve your speaking skills. I learned (and later taught) French in a classroom setting and have used self-study tools for Spanish and Portuguese. There is nothing like having the opportunity to use the language where you have to be understood by other people.
There are also online teaching options, like italki (https://www.italki.com/home), where you can have one-on-one lessons online.
If you really feel that you are more advanced than the beginning classes, you could also try to spend some time in Francophone area to practice your speaking.
Manuel Garcia
Manuel’s Answer
I would encourage you to take classes in person. Even if you think the level may be too low for you, you might gain some valuable knowledge from the course anyway. If you have been studying by yourself online, chances are you haven't had too much human interaction or speaking practice with other learners and it will greatly benefit you to practice with other learners. An in-person class will also give you the benefit of having an instructor that can answer questions when you are confused and clarify doubts for you.
Bon courage!
-Manuel
Alice Bekombo
Alice’s Answer
I would also recommend you to do the college classes, even if you're not a beginner anymore. It would be a good way to really test your level. You can also use the language communities (like www.fluentu.com) to practice with French speakers.
You can also get a personal tutor. It might be more expensive, but it would allow you to have lessons tailored to your level.
I'm French and tutor students (of all levels) learning French. I frequently test my students, just like in a regular class.
The below website is also a great resource to test your comprehension skills, and get used to hear native French speakers.
http://apprendre.tv5monde.com/
Great advice. I agree that often aptitude comes down to taking a standardized test but as with most other languages you can greatly improve your level of comprehension and fluency if you place yourself in situations where you have to communicate in the language you are learning. It helps you develop "an ear" for the language, which is an important aspect of the French language. I suggest you seek out opportunities to immerse yourself in the language even if it's for just a few hours a week as this will give you more confidence and as also an ear for what sounds right. More than likely, ultimately being able to communicate fluidly is the test you need to pass to satisfy your own expectations.
Bo Bawara
Garth Lewis
Garth’s Answer
Does your college allow you to test out of beginning-level French? If so, you could jump into the next level and still get your on-site interaction. I'd encourage you to continue self-study, but at some point it will benefit you tremendously to use the language in an immersion setting, ie, where you'll be forced to use it with others. That's the best way to learn and imprive language skills. Check to see if there are any Francophone groups in your area - often there are professionals that meet regularly to practice their French..Hope you find this helpful. Bonne chance!!
