Watching French films is a great way to develop listening skills in French. Even if one starts relying heavily on the subtitles - the more you watch and listen, the greater your recognition of words and phrases.
The Institut français in South Kensington
17 Queensberry Place
London SW7 2DT
T: 020 7871 3515
includes 'Ciné Lumière', a purpose build, comfortable, cinema - which always has an impressive programme of old and new French films. [It also shows films from around the world (including English Language films) - and during the year has a number of Film Festivals. They've recently held their "7th Spanish Film Festival; Spring weekend"].
At the moment they are running the following 'festivals & series'
- Ciné kids
- Tuesday and Sunday French Classics
- Bold Women of French Cinema
as well as a full programme of individual films.
(Le Mépris is being shown at 2pm on Sunday 28 May)
You can search forthcoming films at http://www.institut-francais.org.uk/cine-lumiere/whats-on/ and book via the website. There are discounts available to members of the Institut français. I find that - despite living in Milton Keynes (70 km away - requiring train travel to Euston, and underground to South Kensington), it is well worth joining. I've enjoyed many a film - and helped improve my french.
Monday, 1 May 2017
Monday, 24 April 2017
Forthcoming Posts
The pace of posts may drop in the coming few weeks. There's an election on - and that means I have less time to research and post - but do subscribe, or return occasionally - I hope to get some time for the research and writing that I enjoy.
Paroles en situations
I've found one relatively new book to be very useful for my studies in French. It has six "dossiers"
1 Écouter des annonces dans les lieux publics
2 Écouter des messages sur des répondeurs téléphoniques
3 Écouter des messages d'accueil sur des serveurs vocaux
4 Interagir au téléphone en situation d'urgence
5 Obtenir des renseignements par téléphone
6 Interagir dans des lieux publics
VERY practical.
One of the problems I've always faced is attuning my ears to spoken French. I might be able to cope in France if everyone wrote down what they say (in legible handwriting) - but the speed of the spoken languages is often too fast for "a bear of very little brain" like myself. 'Paroles en situations' works through a number of situations - with exercises which focus on different parts of the conversation in turn. There are 'transcriptions' of each 'conversation'. It is that in-depth, repeated interaction which I have found so useful. The book also contains a link to the Hachette website which allows one to load the activities on to a computer. I use both the book and the computer exercises.
1 Écouter des annonces dans les lieux publics
2 Écouter des messages sur des répondeurs téléphoniques
3 Écouter des messages d'accueil sur des serveurs vocaux
4 Interagir au téléphone en situation d'urgence
5 Obtenir des renseignements par téléphone
6 Interagir dans des lieux publics
VERY practical.
One of the problems I've always faced is attuning my ears to spoken French. I might be able to cope in France if everyone wrote down what they say (in legible handwriting) - but the speed of the spoken languages is often too fast for "a bear of very little brain" like myself. 'Paroles en situations' works through a number of situations - with exercises which focus on different parts of the conversation in turn. There are 'transcriptions' of each 'conversation'. It is that in-depth, repeated interaction which I have found so useful. The book also contains a link to the Hachette website which allows one to load the activities on to a computer. I use both the book and the computer exercises.
Monday, 17 April 2017
Drill Books
Even the name is uninviting - but can 'drill books' help learn a language?
Rote learning has always had its advocates - but for many of us, it has had little impact in the long term. I remember writing out verb tables many, many times whilst at school. Yet I can still struggle to remember the correct conjugation for even familiar verbs. Similarly attempting to memorise vocab lists has consumed a lot of time - with limited success.
The key to success seems to be intelligent use of the individual words and forms used. The ability to recite verb and vocab tables is of itself of little use - it is being able to manipulate the information to create new phrases that is key. That's one of the reasons that I've found Duolingo so effective. Each time I do an session I am required to solve problems - translation; applying the appropriate endings; drawing on the database of vocab stored in my head. Each practice strengthens the links within the brain - making it easier and easier to solve the problems in the future - until one has gained fluency.
Drill books are designed to do this too. The application of the rules - helps "bed down" the rules in one's brain until they become second nature. I find it useful when doing the exercises to vocalise the sentences I am also writing.
There are a number of Drill books available - from various publishers. I've being using the series "Practice Makes Perfect" series from McGraw-Hill.
Similar drill books are available in other languages
Rote learning has always had its advocates - but for many of us, it has had little impact in the long term. I remember writing out verb tables many, many times whilst at school. Yet I can still struggle to remember the correct conjugation for even familiar verbs. Similarly attempting to memorise vocab lists has consumed a lot of time - with limited success.
The key to success seems to be intelligent use of the individual words and forms used. The ability to recite verb and vocab tables is of itself of little use - it is being able to manipulate the information to create new phrases that is key. That's one of the reasons that I've found Duolingo so effective. Each time I do an session I am required to solve problems - translation; applying the appropriate endings; drawing on the database of vocab stored in my head. Each practice strengthens the links within the brain - making it easier and easier to solve the problems in the future - until one has gained fluency.
Drill books are designed to do this too. The application of the rules - helps "bed down" the rules in one's brain until they become second nature. I find it useful when doing the exercises to vocalise the sentences I am also writing.
There are a number of Drill books available - from various publishers. I've being using the series "Practice Makes Perfect" series from McGraw-Hill.
Similar drill books are available in other languages
Monday, 10 April 2017
The Duolingo Challenge
While I mentioned Duolingo in a post in my series on tools to learn French - there are many other languages available.
One of the ways to encourage your regular use of this tool is to challenge your friends. The 'league table' so created is based not on language or level - but the number of sessions you take in a week. So, if a friend is pretty strong in another language, say Spanish, you can still compete with them - and beat them by practising more.
You are welcome to challenge me - or put in a more positive way, to be my friend.
I am "David744736" on Duolingo.
One of the ways to encourage your regular use of this tool is to challenge your friends. The 'league table' so created is based not on language or level - but the number of sessions you take in a week. So, if a friend is pretty strong in another language, say Spanish, you can still compete with them - and beat them by practising more.
You are welcome to challenge me - or put in a more positive way, to be my friend.
I am "David744736" on Duolingo.
Monday, 13 March 2017
French Films
Another way of attuning your ears to the French language (or any other language for that matter) - is to watch French language films. Some are broadcast on French TV (see earlier posts on French TV and TV5 Monde.)
Some cinemas will show French language films - and Ciné lumière at the Institut français in South Kensington regularly puts on new and older films. Each year there is a French Film Festival UK involving cinemas across the country. Details of the 2017 festival will be available here.
DVDs are available in shops, especially HMV and language bookshops (see the post on bookshops and on learning French). They can also be ordered through online retailers such as Amazon.
The BFI Player also has some French classics.
Subtitles are very useful - both English (so you link the two languages - and the more you watch films, the more able you are to distinguish literal translations with those giving 'the gist' of what is being said. Reading French subtitles with a French film can be helpful in reinforcing the recognition of particular words.
Do have a look through your 'English' DVD collection - you may be able to listen to the French audio feed, and/or French subtitles.
Some cinemas will show French language films - and Ciné lumière at the Institut français in South Kensington regularly puts on new and older films. Each year there is a French Film Festival UK involving cinemas across the country. Details of the 2017 festival will be available here.
DVDs are available in shops, especially HMV and language bookshops (see the post on bookshops and on learning French). They can also be ordered through online retailers such as Amazon.
The BFI Player also has some French classics.
Subtitles are very useful - both English (so you link the two languages - and the more you watch films, the more able you are to distinguish literal translations with those giving 'the gist' of what is being said. Reading French subtitles with a French film can be helpful in reinforcing the recognition of particular words.
Do have a look through your 'English' DVD collection - you may be able to listen to the French audio feed, and/or French subtitles.
Thursday, 9 March 2017
How to be a good citizen
Politics has been treated in recent years as if it was just another consumer choice. Political Parties use the same information, tactics and tricks as marketing people in any industry. "Special Deals" are the manifesto promises (and as often as unread as the terms and conditions in the small print). Image can seem less important than substance.
Yet in a democracy, we are not consumers - but citizens. We enjoy the privilege of choosing who is going to make the decisions which impact upon our lives (whether it be the Councillors making a planning decision which will change our neighbourhood; or the Prime Minister/President whose decisions could change the future of our country or the Planet). We can also exercise the right to "chuck the buggers out". And with privilege comes duty.
Yet how our institutions work - and how we can influence the decisions which affect us is known to a very few.
One of the issues that Educafé will be dealing with (and its 'sister' blog - Washminster) is how we as citizens can understand how our democracy functions. I will be posting occasionally on the key things citizens need to empower themselves.
Parliament is a mystery to many. It seems very complex - but there's material available which is both informative and uncomplicated.
A great place to start is http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/
I love this short video from Parliament's Education Service.
The House of Commons Library also provides information about some of the practices (and peculiarities) of Parliament. Have a skim through these resources
If you want to read more, I would thoroughly recommend "How Parliament Works. It is written by senior clerks who know their stuff - and how to explain it succinctly, in a way that is understandable.
If you want a copy of the "Bible" of parliamentary practice - then 'Erskine May' is available - at a price. I have bought two editions in my lifetime - but await a massive win on the premium bonds before I can buy the current edition.
Yet in a democracy, we are not consumers - but citizens. We enjoy the privilege of choosing who is going to make the decisions which impact upon our lives (whether it be the Councillors making a planning decision which will change our neighbourhood; or the Prime Minister/President whose decisions could change the future of our country or the Planet). We can also exercise the right to "chuck the buggers out". And with privilege comes duty.
Yet how our institutions work - and how we can influence the decisions which affect us is known to a very few.
One of the issues that Educafé will be dealing with (and its 'sister' blog - Washminster) is how we as citizens can understand how our democracy functions. I will be posting occasionally on the key things citizens need to empower themselves.
Parliament is a mystery to many. It seems very complex - but there's material available which is both informative and uncomplicated.
A great place to start is http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/
I love this short video from Parliament's Education Service.
The House of Commons Library also provides information about some of the practices (and peculiarities) of Parliament. Have a skim through these resources
If you want to read more, I would thoroughly recommend "How Parliament Works. It is written by senior clerks who know their stuff - and how to explain it succinctly, in a way that is understandable.
If you want a copy of the "Bible" of parliamentary practice - then 'Erskine May' is available - at a price. I have bought two editions in my lifetime - but await a massive win on the premium bonds before I can buy the current edition.
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