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Journal français de Thomas

  Tags: French
 Language Learning Forum : Language Learning Log Post Reply
18 messages over 3 pages: 1 2 3  Next >>
tomgosse
Groupie
United StatesRegistered users can see my Skype Name
Joined 3774 days ago

90 posts - 143 votes 
Speaks: English*
Studies: French

 
 Message 1 of 18
12 December 2014 at 3:57pm | IP Logged 
Bonjour à tous!

Inspired by Redflag, I'm going to start my French language log.

This year I started French and Spanish. Dropped the French really early and got totally sidetracked by life in the middle of the year. I hope to stay on track in 2015 and get to an A2 level in French.

Currently, I'm using these resources:
* Duolingo
* Memrise
* Pimsleur French
* Learn French With Vincent Lefrançois on YouTube: French From Beginners to Advanced
* French Pronunciation from the University of Michigan on YouTube: French Pronunciation. I watch these over and over again.
* I watch TV5Monde and usually leave in on in the background during the day.
* I listen to French language podcasts in my car.

I keep making false starts in a couple of French textbooks that I have. I think one of my problems is that I find it more comfortable to sit in the recliner and study on line than at a desk with a book. I also feel that some things would become clearer to me if I read the textbooks and did the exercises.

I know that I have adult ADHD, procrastinate and get easily distracted. Sometimes, like right now, writing a log like this becomes difficult because my mind keeps wandering.

One thing I would like to do this year is join or participate in an on line language exchange. I'm aware of the websites where I can find a partner, but I'm too nervous to do it. I wonder if finding another English speaking French student to practice with on line would help?

I found an app for my Android phone called Time Meter that helps me track the time I spend in study. Right now I spend about one and a half hours a day studying French. I find that tracking my time and setting alarms help me focus.

Well, that is enough rambling for now. I hope to hear from other students during 2015.

Passe une bonne journée,
Thomas



Edited by tomgosse on 12 December 2014 at 4:13pm

1 person has voted this message useful



tastyonions
Triglot
Senior Member
United States
goo.gl/UIdChYRegistered users can see my Skype Name
Joined 4447 days ago

1044 posts - 1823 votes 
Speaks: English*, French, Spanish
Studies: Italian

 
 Message 2 of 18
12 December 2014 at 4:48pm | IP Logged 
Si vous m'envoyez un message sur Skype (brianfearn84) je vous aiderai avec plaisir. Je sais que parfois il est dur d'être débutant et je serais heureux de vous donner un coup de main. Bonne chance !

If you send me a message on Skype (brianfearn84) I would be pleased to help you. I know it can be tough sometimes, being a beginner, and I would be happy to give you a hand. Good luck!
2 persons have voted this message useful



Mohave
Senior Member
United States
justpaste.it/Mohave1
Joined 3789 days ago

291 posts - 444 votes 
Speaks: English*
Studies: French

 
 Message 3 of 18
12 December 2014 at 6:27pm | IP Logged 
Bienvenue et Bonne Chance! I look forward to reading your log and following your progress! It's great that
tastyonions has offered to do a language excgange with you. My first ones were so nerve-wracking!
However, meeting with my language exchange partners has been some of the most rewarding, productive
and fun parts of learning French for me! I looked for people near my age, with similar interests and ability,
and two of my partners and I have continued with for over a year now.   Best of luck!
1 person has voted this message useful



Xenops
Senior Member
United States
thexenops.deviantart
Joined 3607 days ago

112 posts - 158 votes 
Speaks: English*
Studies: Spanish, Japanese

 
 Message 4 of 18
13 December 2014 at 5:11am | IP Logged 
Welcome to the forum! I am very looking forward to my own French learning, but I plan to reach higher levels in my current languages first. :)

About this part here:


tomgosse wrote:

I keep making false starts in a couple of French textbooks that I have. I think one of my problems is that I find it more comfortable to sit in the recliner and study on line than at a desk with a book. I also feel that some things would become clearer to me if I read the textbooks and did the exercises.


We think we all tend to prefer comfort, but as we Americans say, "no pain, no gain". :P I find studying from books far more helpful than glancing at stuff online, so I would encourage you to endure that.

Something that has helped me study and stay focused (whether it's microbiology or languages) is to have a music album playing when studying. For languages I prefer instrumental, but I make sure it's the same album every time so I go into "study mode", whereas a radio station like Pandora will jerk me out of focus every time the song changes.

Good luck, and happy learning. :)

Edit: I just noticed that you have been a member longer than I have. Oh well.



Edited by Xenops on 13 December 2014 at 6:31am

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tomgosse
Groupie
United StatesRegistered users can see my Skype Name
Joined 3774 days ago

90 posts - 143 votes 
Speaks: English*
Studies: French

 
 Message 5 of 18
16 December 2014 at 2:43pm | IP Logged 
tastyonions wrote:
Si vous m'envoyez un message sur Skype (brianfearn84) je vous aiderai avec plaisir. Je sais que parfois il est dur d'être débutant et je serais heureux de vous donner un coup de main. Bonne chance !

If you send me a message on Skype (brianfearn84) I would be pleased to help you. I know it can be tough sometimes, being a beginner, and I would be happy to give you a hand. Good luck!


Merci,

I will be in touch after New Years. Things are very hectic right now.

1 person has voted this message useful



tomgosse
Groupie
United StatesRegistered users can see my Skype Name
Joined 3774 days ago

90 posts - 143 votes 
Speaks: English*
Studies: French

 
 Message 6 of 18
16 December 2014 at 3:12pm | IP Logged 
Bonjour à tous!

It has been a very hectic week with the holidays approaching. I haven't been able to get as much studying done as I would like. But, I have been able to keep up my minimum daily requirement of doing something on Memrise (30 day streak) and Duolingo (69 day streak). I'm also watching Vincent Lefrançois' videos at French From Beginners To Advanced.

One thing that I would like to ask of people that use Memrise (or any other flash card program) is how often do you add new words? Do you wait until you are really comfortable with your current vocabulary or do you keep adding words on a regular basis? I tend to do the former.

I have been using a program called Time Meter on my Android phone to track my studying time. Last week I spent 11 hours studying and have logged 21 hours so far for the month.

À plus tard,
Thomas
1 person has voted this message useful



tomgosse
Groupie
United StatesRegistered users can see my Skype Name
Joined 3774 days ago

90 posts - 143 votes 
Speaks: English*
Studies: French

 
 Message 7 of 18
01 January 2015 at 5:08pm | IP Logged 
Bonne Année a tous.

This month I'm going to take part in the $1,000 January Mem-athon. The person that learns the most new words in January wins a thousand dollars. I'm shooting for a free t-shirt. Mem-athon

In other news I'm going to pick up the pace with Memrise and Pimsleur French. I also have The Ultimate French Review and Practice and The Ultimate French Verb Review and Practice text books and want to get started with them.

I also want to update this log at least once a week. Can't think of anything else to write so à bientôt.



Edited by tomgosse on 01 January 2015 at 5:10pm

1 person has voted this message useful



Jeffers
Senior Member
United Kingdom
Joined 4691 days ago

2151 posts - 3960 votes 
Speaks: English*
Studies: Hindi, Ancient Greek, French, Sanskrit, German

 
 Message 8 of 18
01 January 2015 at 5:38pm | IP Logged 
tomgosse wrote:
I keep making false starts in a couple of French textbooks that I have. I think one of my problems is that I find it more comfortable to sit in the recliner and study on line than at a desk with a book. I also feel that some things would become clearer to me if I read the textbooks and did the exercises.


Ironically, I don't study online much because that involves sitting at a desk for me.

Why can't you sit comfortably in a recliner while working on your textbooks? The only time you really need to sit at a desk is when you are writing answers to exercises. But you could get a laptop desk or something and even do that in the comfort of your recliner.



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