Learn-French

Passing the Junior School Delf B2 - French Test

2019-06-11T12:09:00.002-07:00

Passing the Junior School Delf B2 - French Test

What is the DELF?

The DELF, a diploma of French language studies, is an official certification of the French Ministry of the National Education in French as a foreign language. It is an internationally recognized diploma which allows you to validate your level of French with universities or schools, employers or of administrations in the world. This diploma is valid for an unlimited period of time.

What is the school and junior version?

There are 4 versions of the DELF: public, school and junior, Prim and Pro. The DELF for the general public is an exam for older teenagers and adults. The school and junior DELF is aimed at teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17. The DELF Prim is an exam for children between about 6 and 11 years old. And the DELF Pro is for people who work or want to work work in a French-speaking professional context. Each version of the DELF assesses the same levels of difficulty. For example, the DELF school and junior has the same level of difficulty as the DELF for the general public.

What are the DELF levels?

There are 7 DELF and DALF diplomas corresponding to the levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for languages (CEFR): DELF A1.1, DELF A1.1, DELF A1, DELF A2, DELF B1, DELF B2, DALF C1 and DALF C2. Attention, for the school and junior DELF, there are only 4 levels: DELF A1, DELF A2, DELF B1 and DELF B2. Each diploma evaluates the 4 competencies: oral comprehension and production, comprehension and written production.

Where to take the DELF?

You can register for the DELF at a DELF-DALF test centre. There are more than 1,200 centres exams in 175 countries. To find the centre nearest you and to know the procedure For the registration form, you can consult the list on the CIEP website: http://www.ciep.fr/delf-dalf.

How to prepare?

This book can be used independently or in class with a teacher. It is divided into four skills such as the exam.

We propose a 4-step approach:

Understand: a double page that presents the test by competence, know-how, exercises and documents, general instructions and examples of questions/answers.

Preparing: activities to acquire the skills needed to succeed.

Training: activities close to the examination with methodological advice. Ready for the exam ! memorize the basics: vocabulary, grammar, tips, etc.

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Guide de communication française

2019-06-03T13:26:00.001-07:00

Guide de communication française

For once, we present here a FLE tool that is not intended for teachers but for learners. The "Guide de communication en français" is a small book (format close to the A5, about 200 pages) from Didier FLE to slip into the bags of your learners who go to France. You can view a copy online here.

What's in it?

You will find 12 thematic units (first steps in a French-speaking country, opinion, shopping, written communication...) each containing several lists of sentences and expressions to be used in a multitude of activities of daily life.

If I take the example of the "Descriptions" unit, I find the following sub-sections:

describe a person
describe an object
talk about a place
talk about a change
compare
talk about a quantity

These sub-sections are then followed by examples of dialogues featuring the expressions presented. There is more or less one dialogue for each sub-section. Practical, all the dialogues are available in mp3 to download on Didier's website, and it's free, even if you didn't buy the guide.

To complete all this, you will find at the end of the guide a glossary in French, English, Spanish, German, Chinese, Japanese and Arabic.

What to do with it?

Be careful, this book is not a method. You will not find any sequences of activities, exercises or authentic documents. No. It is a reference book, close to what is called a "phrasebook" in English.

Its use in the classroom therefore requires a little thought on how you want to use it. Personally, I would be happy to give him a role close to the dictionary. Just as you should always have one (several) dictionaries in a FLE classroom, this book should be there. Students will find suggestions for developing their vocabulary. As it is designed for learners from A2 to B2 level, it will be suitable for the greatest number of people.

You can also use it for all activities around creating dialogues. I'm not a fan of this kind of thing myself, but if it's part of your practice, this book will help you do it effectively. It can also be used as a basis for creating activities such as the one proposed in the multiple dialogues article (activity 1).

But this book is, in my opinion, mainly designed for independent work. It will be most useful during a trip to a French-speaking country and will promote learning. Indeed, thanks to the different tools (lists, dialogues, lexicon, mp3) the learner can enrich his vocabulary and communicate in many situations. The main difficulty in this case is that of working independently. Unfortunately, many of our learners are not used to this.

Why do I love him?

This book is not revolutionary. That is not its purpose. It provides solid references for communication. The expressions presented cover a wide range of language levels.

The most important thing, in my opinion, is that it is not designed for tourists travelling to France for a week (with phonetic transcriptions in the tourist's language and the usual clichés about the French) but for learners. It is a long-term learning tool that would make an excellent welcome gift for a learner coming to spend some time in France.

To download it, just follow the link below.

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Le Vocabulaire progressif du français

2019-05-31T06:41:00.000-07:00

Le Vocabulaire progressif du français

Le Vocabulaire progressif du français is a book for teenagers who are just starting to study French.

This book, faithful to the spirit of the progressive collection, includes:

on the left page, a vocabulary lesson: the words are put into context in a lively and illustrated way;

on the right page, application exercises and various activities that are organized according to a pedagogical progression. Every two units, four pages of exercises allow the learner to practice and check vocabulary acquisition.

The glossary is grouped into practical themes: getting around, making phone calls, shopping, ordering from restaurants and cafés...

The vocabulary discussed is commonly used in France. The themes unfold over the course of a story: students from an international high school take a trip to France.

At the end of the book, there is a summary of words and expressions with a column for translation.

A booklet containing the answers is placed inside.

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Why you should use this beginner's grammar book

2019-05-29T11:49:00.004-07:00

Why you should use this beginner's grammar book

in a previous publication I gave you one of the books that can help you in your learning of the French language as beginners. In this new position I offer you another book that gives you a series of exercises to take your hand and get you on the right track regarding the principles of French grammar. Remember that hard work and perseverance are the keys to success!

The first true action grammar

A complete learning path:

- I observe

- I analyze and explain

- I'm comparing

- I practice

- I'm taking action

- I consult the grammatical memento

-I test my skills in Assessment

A fully action-oriented approach:

- to acquire or review grammatical skills

- to master oral and written communication

In a classroom or autonomous situation

Collection IN ACTION directed by Anna Mubanga-Beya and Anatole Bloomfield,

Professors and trainers at the Alliance Française de Paris-Ile-de-France.

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The best grammar book for beginners

2019-05-28T14:40:00.002-07:00

The best grammar book for beginners

Would you like to improve your French and prepare for levels A1 and A2 (DELF, TCF, TEF)?

Grammar Essential of French A1/A2 (beginner) allows you to discover the grammar of French in a progressive, simple and dynamic way in three steps: "observe", "reflect" and "memorize". 675 exercises: for each of the 45 lessons, more than 15 oral and written training activities and 1 continuous or interactive speaking activity.

Exercise book / Answered exercises / Audio files

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The best French spelling book for beginners

2019-05-27T11:47:00.003-07:00

The best French spelling book for beginners

If we want to gauge the level of proficiency of a language and its rules by anyone, we generally observe its assimilation of spelling.

As a beginner, it is difficult for you not to make mistakes or to realize the mistakes made during a conversation or a text that has just been written. Hence the need to practice using it well.

I want to talk to you today about a beginner's spelling book.

BOOKS + AUDIO

Progressive spelling of French Beginner level: With 400 exercises + answers

The mission of this book is to provide the necessary tools to master the spelling of French. This booklet includes the answers to the exercises of the book Orthographe progressive du français débutant as well as a CD recording of the 30 dictations from the same book.

To download it follow the link below

Exercise book

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KNOW THE WORD CLASSES AND THEIR FUNCTIONS

2019-05-25T10:34:00.000-07:00

KNOW THE WORD CLASSES AND THEIR FUNCTIONS / CONNAITRE LES CLASSES DE MOTS ET LEURS FONCTIONS :

The class and function of a word should not be confused.

The class of a word actually corresponds to its grammatical identity as recorded in the dictionary; its function depends on the role it plays in a sentence.

1. The word classes / Les classes de mots :

The words

- The words of the French language are divided into nine grammatical classes.

Five classes are variable / Cinq classes des variables :

the name ............ le nom.
the determinant ........... le déterminant.
the qualifying adjective ............. l'adjectif qualificatif.
the pronoun ............ le pronom.
the verb ............. le verbe.

Four classes are invariable:

the adverb ............ l'adverbe.
the preposition ........ la préposition.
the conjunction .............. la conjonction.
the interjection .............. l'interjection.

- Example: « Hélas ! mon pauvre argent, mon pauvre argent, mon cher ami, on m'a privé de toi ! » (Molière, l'Avare).

-"Alas! My poor money, my poor money, my dear friend, I was deprived of you! " (Molière, the Miser).

In this sentence, we note:

- The names "argent / money" and "ami / friend" (one refers to something, the other to a being);

- The determinant "mon / my" used three times in front of each of the names;

- The qualifying adjectives "pauvre / poor" and "cher / expensive" which respectively describe the names "argent / money" and "ami / friend";

- The pronouns "on / they", "m' / me" and "toi / you";

- The verb "a privé / private";

- The preposition "de / of" which introduces the pronoun "toi / you";

- The "alas" interjection.

- Only the adverb and conjunction classes are therefore not represented in this sentence.

It should be noted that, except for the preposition "de / of" and the interjection "hélas / alas", all the other words could vary in absolute terms:

friend, friends / ami, amis.
my / mon, ma, mes.
poor / pauvre, pauvres.
dear / cher, chère, chers.
private / a privé, priver, privent.
me, us / me moi, nous.
you, you, you, you.

However, the name " argent / money" is used only in the singular; likewise, the pronoun "on / they".

The word groups

- The grammatical class of a group of words corresponds to that of its core word - the core word of a group is its main constituent; the other words depend on it.

Thus, the group "mon pauvre argent / my poor money" is a nominal group - groupe nominal - since its core word is the name "argent / money".

- Similarly, we speak of an adjectival group - groupe adjectival - (e.g., "impossible de vivre / impossible to live"), a pronominal group - groupe pronominal - (e.g., "sans toi / without you"), a verbal group - un groupe verbal - (e.g., "prendre tout le monde / hang everyone"), an adverbial group - un groupe adverbial - (e.g., "très bientôt / very soon").

- In the case of a fixed group of words operating as a single word, we speak of a locution / la locution.

We distinguish between verbal phrases - locutions verbales - (e. g. prendre conscience / becoming aware), adverbial phrases - locutions adverbiales - (e. g. tout de suite / immediately), prepositive phrases - locutions prépositives - (e. g. à cause de / because of), conjunctive phrases - locutions conjonctives - (e. g. après que / after that).

- Some words may change grammatical class depending on how they are used.

This change most often corresponds to a substantiation, i.e. the use as a common name (also called "noun") of a word or group of words belonging to another grammatical class.

Thus, the adjective "pauvre / poor" can be substantiated (the poor).

2. Grammatical functions

- Giving the grammatical function of a word or group of words consists in identifying the role it plays in a sentence either in relation to the other words or groups in the sentence or within a group.

- We distinguish between functions that depend on the verb and those that do not depend on the verb.

Grammatical functions in the sentence

- At the sentence level, we distinguish the following functions:

the subject .......... le sujet.
the additional agent ............. le complément d'agent.
the attribute (of the subject or COD) ......... l'attribut ( de sujet ou de COD).
the circumstantial complement ........ le complément circonstanciel.
the essential complement with circumstantial value ........ le complément essentiel à valeur circonstancielle.

- The subject / le sujet :

e.g.: "My mind is troubled. - Without you, it (grammatical subject) is impossible for me to live (logical subject).

« Mon esprit est troublé. – Sans toi, il (sujet grammatical) m'est impossible de vivre (sujet logique).

- The additional purpose (direct, indirect or second) / Le complément d'objet (direct, indirect ou second):

e.g.: "We chose the time I spoke to my traitor son (COI). - My money (COD) was stolen from me (COS). »

« L'on a choisi le temps que je parlais à mon traître de fils (COI). – On m' (COS) a dérobé mon argent(COD). »

- The additional agent / Le complément d'agent:

e.g.: "The Harpagon tape was stolen by his valet. »

« La cassette d'Harpagon a été volée par son valet. »

- The attribute (of the subject or COD) / L'attribut (du sujet ou du COD):

e.g.: "Harpagon is stingy (Att. of the subject); he considers money as his reason for living (Att. of the COD). »

« Harpagon est avare (Att. du sujet) ; il considère l'argent comme sa raison de vivre (Att. du COD). »

- The circumstantial complement (of time, place, manner, cause, consequence, etc.) / Le complément circonstanciel (de temps, de lieu, de manière, de cause, de conséquence, etc.) :

e.g.: "Is there no one who wants to resurrect me by giving me back my dear money (CC in a way)? »

ex. : « N'y a-t-il personne qui veuille me ressusciter en me rendant mon cher argent (CC de manière) ? »

- The essential complement with circumstantial value / Le complément essentiel à valeur circonstancielle:

e.g.: "The content of the Harpagon cassette amounted to ten thousand ecus".

« Le contenu de la cassette d'Harpagon s'élevait à dix mille écus ».

Grammatical functions within a nominal group (GN)

- We can also distinguish the following grammatical functions:

the epithet (bound or detached) / l'épithète (liée ou détachée).
the affixing / l'apposition.
the additional name determination / le complément de détermination du nom.

- The epithet (bound or detached):

« Hélas ! mon pauvre argent, mon pauvre argent, mon cher ami, on m'a privé de toi ! » / "Alas! My poor money, my poor money, my dear friend, I was deprived of you! " - Mad, Harpagon goes so far as to say: « Je veux pendre tout le monde ; et, si je ne retrouve mon argent, je me pendrai moi-même après. » / "I want to hang everyone; and, if I can't find my money, I'll hang myself afterwards. "

- The affixing:

e.g.: « C'est La Flèche, le valet d'Harpagon, qui lui a volé sa cassette. » / "It was La Flèche, the valet of Harpagon, who stole his tape."

- The additional determination of the name:

e.g.: « De grâce, si l'on sait des nouvelles de mon voleur, je supplie que l'on m'en dise. » / "Please, if anyone knows of any news of my thief, I beg to be told."

Learn A Foreign Language by Following Simple but Effective Tips

2019-05-24T06:01:00.002-07:00

Learn A Foreign Language by Following Simple but Effective Tips

In this article I will illustrate the importance of learning a second language for expanding one's life and possibilities.

Knowledge of a second language has its advantages and the importance of learning a second language is greatly underestimated.

The importance of learning a second language is greater today than ever. As the world becomes smaller and smaller with increasing advances in communications technology and transport, people are moving faster and faster both physically and in cyberspace. Immigration and tourism are growing rapidly in many countries. They can live in a country with an "official" language, but there is a possibility that many other languages will be spoken in that country.

But how do you learn a foreign language?

Here are some tips.

1. make sure you enjoy it. Make it fun. It will make the learning process easier for your brain.

2. don't get stressed if you can't remember words or sentences. Slowly everything will come together.

3. take enough time to learn. Promise yourself that you will learn for "x" hours a week. If you are a student or work, don't put too much pressure on yourself by thinking that you can study more than you actually find comfortable. This will be counterproductive because you will not enjoy it and you will be stressed (see points 1 and 2 above).

4. learn with someone. It will be easier and you will each have a "practice partner".

If you live in an area where your neighbors' main language is not your own, wouldn't it be nice to be able to speak their language as well? You can get to know them on a more personal basis, be invited to more parties and more easily ask for help when you need it. Of course, if you don't want to talk to your neighbors or live in an area where everyone speaks the same language, that wouldn't apply. But what if you are the kind of person who likes to spend a lot of time online? The Internet brings the world to your desktop! Wouldn't it be nice to be able to chat with someone on the other side of the world in your own language?

If you are a single man or woman looking for the right one, why limit yourself to those who speak your own language? The perfect solution for you if you speak another language! Many such relationships are established, but are problematic because of the lack of communication. Good knowledge of each other's mother tongue is a great help.

If you own a business or work in sales, the importance of learning a second language should be obvious. Knowledge of another language allows you to make international business contacts, prepare advertisements for markets that speak another language, or do sales work in neighborhoods with mixed languages. Expanding your market is one of the best ways to grow your business, so why not learn the language of the market you are interested in? You have probably read stories of advertising damage where a product name or copy has not been well translated. You can prevent this from happening by learning the language.

The importance of learning a second language for business opportunities also applies to employment opportunities. At least one other language in your CV is a big advantage. It means that you are more valuable to the employer because you can help more customers, maintain more business contacts or prepare more targeted advertising.

Try to figure out how you would say everyday events in the new language. For example, you need to make an appointment with the doctors by phone. When you're done, try to figure out how you would have said it in the second language you're learning. Find out, write it down and then teach it to your practice partner. Teaching is the best way to learn.

The advantages of the second language are numerous.

Language Translation To Count On

2019-05-24T05:52:00.001-07:00

Language Translation To Count On

What is more frustrating than having no language skills? You might think that you have found them and find that they are far from as good as you need them to be. Regardless of why you need language translation services, there is no doubt that you need quality products and services. You don't need someone with broken language skills to do your translation work for you. The problem is often that you won't know the quality of your language translation until you have had the opportunity to talk to the person or company individually. However, it is usually too late.

So the question is, how do you find the right products and services for the language translation you need and can rely on? While this is difficult to give a clear answer, it helps to know someone on the other side well enough. The good news is that those who speak other languages tend to speak English so that they can help you tell whether what your language translation services offer you was correct and that it made sense.

When you start looking for a language translation, be sure to consider several things. The old saying "You get what you pay for" sounds right here. If you find that something is less than high quality, you will be burned later. In other words, take the time to find the right options for your language translation before it goes too far. Language translation can be done in a variety of ways. For example, a real person could do the work for you. Or you can find high-quality software programs for language translation. Then, of course, there are all the other possibilities in between. And, do exactly that, look at them. Language translation is the key to your success.

How To Get Your Kids To Speak Your Language

2019-05-24T05:47:00.001-07:00

How To Get Your Kids To Speak Your Language

Note: This experience had to do with preserving Spanish for our children, but the principles apply to anyone who tries to help their children speak and preserve any language and culture.

LAND OF MANY PEOPLES

This country,,,, (The authors have raised their children in the United States, but they believe that their experience can be useful for people in other non-Spanish speaking countries). This country is made up of people from all over the world. We or our parents came from Latin American countries. We live here now. We work in two different worlds, the American world and our parents' world. We all live in these two different worlds in different ways. Some of us were born in the countries our parents came from, others of us were born here. It makes a difference how and how much we live in our two worlds.

COUNTRY WITH MANY LANGUAGES

The only thing that is most important in the world of our parents is their language, which is also ours in different ways. The Spanish language of our parents is a daily topic for all of us. We can be proud to say it well. We may be ashamed that we do not speak it well. Some of us may have gone through periods when they tried not to speak it because we wanted to speak English better. We can only speak it when we meet someone who needs help understanding the English language. We may only remember some of the sayings of our grandparents or children's songs taught to us by our parents.

You may want to check your Spanish (or learn it for the first time). We could only find a reference for you. It's expensive and a textbook, not too appealing, but complete. Take a look at Nuevos Mundos, Spanish for Native Speakers 2nd Edition, workbook: "Curso de espanol para estudiantes bilingues".

F. Bruce Robinson, Deputy Director of the National Endowment for the Humanities Educational Programs Department, asks, "How does America get this important resource from people who speak other languages? Instead of trying to suppress the knowledge these students bring to school, we should try to build on it." (Chronicle of Higher Education, 2 February 1994, page A15)

OUR CHILDREN AND OUR LANGUAGE

We all want our children to speak the language of their heritage. We ignore the opinions of those who say that it is better to forget Spanish and concentrate on speaking English well. These people are simply wrong. It doesn't hurt your English to speak another language; it helps. Spanish is especially useful for children who learn their English vocabulary. Just today I taught my daughter the difference between vowels and consonants. Knowledge of Spanish really helped with the idea of consonants. I told her that the consonants have no voice; they can only be pronounced with the vowels. The Con-Sonants conjure up the deception with the vowels.

But although most of us think it's a good thing for our children to speak Spanish, most children in the USA whose parents were born in Latin American countries don't speak good Spanish.

Even though both parents speak Spanish at home, children often answer their parents in English. Look around at your Latin American friends and relatives and you will see that most of them give up teaching their children to speak Spanish. The Chicano and Puerto Rican families seem to have a bit more luck than the Latinos from other countries to keep the Spanish language alive in their barrios, but also their younger generation loses the mastery of the Spanish language.

However, parents who want their children to speak Spanish can swim against the current and create the conditions for their children to grow up with Spanish. It is not easy. Most families fail in their determination, but it is feasible. This report will give some hints on how you can improve your chances.

REASONS FOR OUR CHILDREN TO SPEAK SPANISH.

There are many reasons why it is good for the children to speak your language. One obvious reason is the advantage that it could be for them in the job market. As long as we live in a world of shrinking distances and growing world trade, someone must be able to talk to people from other countries.

Professor Francisco X. Alarcَn from the University of California at Davis says that "now that we are on the road to a global economy, it's okay to be bilingual in the US. (Chronicle of Higher Education, 2 February 1994, page A15)

Another good reason for you to work with your children who are learning Spanish is because it will make you proud to hear the compliments of your friends and countrymen because your children are able to speak your language. You will grow in prestige as a person who appreciates your roots.

Your children will also be able to speak to their relatives, thanks to an improved telephone service that penetrates the most remote villages of our countries. The United States extension is economical enough to call several times a year. The thrill of talking to their uncles, aunts and cousins will get the children to maintain their language.

Not only will they be able to talk to their relatives on the phone, they will also be able to visit them. The experience of knowing another culture will put them in front of their classmates who have no connection to their roots.

Another reason to encourage our children to speak Spanish is the story of a former group of Latin American immigrants to the United States, the Italians.

"Some social critics were aware of the consequences of sudden assimilation. Mary McDowell, a social worker, wrote in 1904:

The contempt for the experiences and languages of her parents, which foreign children sometimes exhibit.... is undoubtedly partly due to the school's overestimation of speaking English. This exclusion from family fidelity deprives the Italian child of one of the most striking and valuable qualities. She attributed the lawlessness of some of the immigrant children to their disrespect for their parents and thus for all the authorities".

(La Storia: Five centuries of Italian-American experience, Mangione and Morreale, p. 222)

Finally, the ability to speak another language can significantly increase a child's self-esteem. If the child's parents make it clear that they are proud of their language and their people, the child will feel closer to their parents and their heritage, their customs and above all their values.

HOW TO ENCOURAGE THEIR CHILDREN TO SPEAK SPANISH.

Start early. Try to speak only Spanish with the child. If only one parent speaks Spanish well, that person should always speak Spanish with the child. Do not be afraid to "confuse" the child. Children can identify with different speakers of different languages as they grow up.

1. read the child simple stories and fairy tales in Spanish. If you can't find children's literature in Spanish, do your own translations while you continue. It is not necessary that the translation is perfect. Make up your own stories. It is important that your child has the memories of listening to nursery rhymes in Spanish.

2. leave your radio with the Spanish language stations. Linguists attach great importance to "passive listening" as part of language learning, especially for small children.

3 In most areas there is a Spanish language television channel. Use the Saturday morning cartoons in Spanish.

4. teach your child simple nursery rhymes and simple songs. If you don't remember them, or if you haven't learned from your parents' traditions, look for them in garage sales, university bookstores, or your local library. Do you remember el patito or pinpَn? Search for songs in Spanish.

5. rent videos in Spanish. They are being offered more and more - and not only in cities with a large Spanish-speaking population!

6. use proverbs and dichos in Spanish. Some of the expressions you would say in English are also legitimate proverbs in Spanish. Get your child used to hearing them in Spanish. You can do this even if you don't speak Spanish well. For example, say mejor tarde que nunca instead of "better late than never". Little by little, poco a poco, you will feel at home with unique Latin expressions. You have absorbed some of the culture. They differ stubbornly from Anglo-Saxon proverbs.

7. get used to saying Menos instead of "just as well". The English expression is "better than nothing"; in many South American countries the equivalent expression is peor es nada. Find proverbs.

8. don't correct your Spanish when you speak. Do not interrupt the course of your conversation. Do not make your Spanish conversation another homework assignment. It should be something special, even something "mysterious" in your family. Children like the secret and intrigue of having something special. Speaking Spanish should be a joyful, non-threatening experience. If you make mistakes in grammar, correct them by using the same expression correctly a few minutes later. Don't come straight back to them with the right form, otherwise they will become aware of their expression and suffocate their freedom of expression.

9. get a good syllable to teach them the value of letters and reading in Spanish. If your child's mother tongue is Spanish, teach him to read Spanish before learning English. You will do them a big favor. You will learn to fathom the regular spelling of Spanish, which is a good basis to learn how to read in English. You will get the same results as those who spend money on expensive phonics programs.

The best way to get your children to grow up in Spanish is to send them to spend some time with relatives or friends where they will only speak and hear Spanish. This works best at the age of about 7, when children play easily with each other, and when Spanish is a matter of course for the child who has very little to do with the language. Another good age for a child exposed to a Spanish-speaking environment is the age of about 12. At this age, the child has greater mental development and can observe customs and situations in which certain expressions are used. At the age of twelve, most children are still prepubescent and are not hindered by the embarrassment, self-confidence and "otherness" that prevent teenagers from learning a language or customs other than their own.

Use one of the above methods, but start! Your efforts will teach your children the importance you attach to Spanish, even if these efforts are not always fully successful.

How to Choose Exactly the RIGHT Foreign Word

2019-05-24T04:49:00.002-07:00

How to Choose Exactly the RIGHT Foreign Word

English has many words with more than one meaning - for example: "can" - to know it; tin containers. Many foreign words also have several definitions. How can you make sure you make the right choice? Mistakes can be embarrassing!

Instead of searching for a single word, create a list of synonyms (words that mean almost the same thing).

If you want to find the word that means 'can', as in 'being able to be', your list might be so similar:

Can

able

If you now search for 'can' in foreign language dictionaries, you can discover the following in the English[Foreign Language] section:

German

can, can, canister, kِnnen, may not be used for

You know that all nouns are capitalized in German, so you eliminate the first three words. The main definition for "kِnnen" is "be able to", and the main definition for "may" is "may". Therefore, the correct word in this case is probably "kِnnen".

French

poubelle, arrosoir, pouvoir, pouvoir

Poubelle' means 'trash can'; 'arrosoir' means 'watering can'; and'pouvoir' means 'being able'. The right word in French is probably "pouvoir".

Portuguese

lata, ferro-velho, poder

Lata' means'can, tin, tin can';'ferro-velho' means'trash can'; and'Poder' means'being able'. The correct word in Portuguese would most likely be "Poder".

Check' can mean:'Check';'Bill at a restaurant';'part of a pattern of square';'to ensure or confirm'. If we look for the definition that means "secure or confirm", we could make the following list:

check

ensure

verify

corroborate

Now let's see what we find when we examine the word "check."

Italian

A search in an Italian dictionary results in the following partial list:

controllare, verificare, assegno, assegno, assegno bancario

Controllare' (to audit, to check, to check, to check, to check, to control, to verify);'verificare' (to audit, to check, to check, to monitor, to verify);'assegno' (to check, to verify); and'assegno bancario' (to check, to verify).

It seems that either "controllare" or "verificare" would suffice.

Swedish

The result list:

besiktiga, kontrollera, check

The backward search gives us these definitions: besiktiga' (inspect, audit, check, verify, check, control, verify); 'kontrollera' (audit, check, check, check, monitor, verify); and 'check' (check, check).

It seems that we could use either "besiktiga" or "kontrollera".

Use your common sense, books, people and resources on your computer.

Whenever possible, try to find a dictionary that contains sample sentences. Seeing a word in context is the best way to focus on its exact meaning.

Thesauri and grammar features of the word processor will provide valuable services. There are many online dictionaries - use them whenever you can. Make sure you have at least one recently published printed dictionary and/or thesaurus near you. If in doubt, try consulting a teacher, a friend who speaks the language, or an online forum.

Don't be afraid of making mistakes. This is the way we learn. Whenever possible, try to use words in everyday language. Remember: your language acquisition will progress faster if you are not obsessed with mistakes.

How Can You Do It?

2019-05-24T04:42:00.001-07:00

How Can You Do It?

You know it's true. Everyone has told you. You have to spend as much time as possible listening to a foreign language. But how?

Employees - Friends - Family

If you are lucky enough to have people around you who speak the language, spend as much time as possible with them. Be warned, though. The daily conversation with friends and relatives is likely to be filled with idioms and grammar that would make your foreign language teacher nauseous.

Internet broadcast

There are many free internet radio stations. They broadcast day and night, 7 days a week. All you have to do is find them. Try Internet searches like the following in your favorite search engine:

- Free Internet Radio English

- free internet radio Norwegian

- free internet radio French

- Internet Radio Spanish

- Internet radio Portuguese

Disc jockeys and talk show presenters are not allowed to use perfect grammar. However, news broadcasts are usually correct.

Books on tape or CD

You can buy audiobooks online on websites like Amazon.

Unfortunately, not all audiobooks are the same. Sometimes the story is overloaded with distracting loud noises and music. The volume can vary from horrendously loud to whisper-quiet. If you can listen to a sample before you buy, do so. Never buy more than one audiobook from the same publisher or speaker until you are sure you are producing acceptable recordings. Sometimes the volume of the narrator varies so much during a reading that it makes the book almost useless.

Look for audio samples that contain a printed copy of the book - great for learning!

TV Channels

Check your cable or satellite TV offering. You may find one or more channels in the language you are trying to learn.

Movies and TV series on DVD

Most major centres and websites such as Amazon have foreign language productions with English soundtracks and subtitles. Try to watch everything at least once without subtitles. Pay attention to the speakers' lips when pronouncing words. Lipreading is part of the language learning process.

If you prefer to buy English productions remastered for foreign language markets, you lose the edge - and you may have to buy or hack a DVD player to play DVDs from other regions. There is a link at the end of this article that leads to a page with more specific information.

North American TV series like M*A*S*H and Golden Girls have 1/2 hour episodes. If you leave out the intro and final credit, you will have about 20 minutes of material. Try learning some new vocabulary every time you watch an episode.

What are you waiting for?

Take advantage of all the possibilities the technology has to offer!

Foreign Language - Tips To Improve Your Foreign Language Skills

2019-05-24T04:32:00.002-07:00

Foreign Language - Tips To Improve Your Foreign Language Skills

Learning a second language can be a daunting task. If you are lucky enough to have bilingual parents or attend a school that teaches second languages, it's great. But what if you are older now and interested in learning a second language? The good news is that there are many helpful tools you can access.

Learning an additional language is advantageous in many ways. You can easily communicate in another language and express your thoughts, ideas and opinions in another language. Some languages help you to strengthen your interaction with others and you can increase your business and business to make a better profit.

Foreign languages are not easy to learn. A person must work hard on vocabulary, grammar and expressions to understand the basics correctly. Here are some tips to help you learn a language faster and easier:

1. spend more time

In order to understand a language perfectly, you need to spend more time with the language. You have to read different books written in your preferred language. Listening to music and conversation in this particular language will help you find the right pronunciation and use. Use the help of a foreign language if you have difficulties. You can also practice it by chatting with other people.

2. computer programs

If you enjoy learning with multimedia programs on your computer, there are several different brands that you can use. Most combine visual lessons or videos with the ability to practice speaking the language using a microphone. An excellent example is the Rosetta Stone software. They use a method of total immersion that can be frustrating at first, but if you stay with it, you will see how your understanding develops.

3. travelling abroad

Regular trips to different countries of the world will help you to understand their practices and culture. You can see and understand their values, traditions and the meaning of their assigned language. Sometimes you will encounter the native language of a particular area and learn a few words.

4. online programs

There are many programs for learning a second language online. This gives you the advantage of learning from any computer and gives you instant access. Rosetta Stone has an online version. There are also many websites with language reference and dictionary.

5. learn the essence of languages

Languages are the essence of human existence. It is the perfect medium to share your way of thinking with others and gives you the opportunity to analyze the thoughts and actions of others. It is difficult to survive without any language, so appreciate it and learn it thoroughly.

6. audio programs

If you don't have a computer or prefer to learn while doing other things, such as sitting in rush-hour traffic, an audio program may be best for you. I recommend the Pimsleur programs. They combine a teacher with native speakers who allow you to hear a word or phrase and then give you the opportunity to repeat it. In fact, you may be tired of repeating it, but you will learn it.

7. full immersion

By far the best way to learn a language is to live in a country that speaks the language. Of course, you still have to use one or more of the above methods, but if you can do it while living with people who speak the language, you will learn much faster and speak better. No matter how good the program or class is, it is not exactly the same as the actual life of the language. You may not really be able to move to another country, but if you can study there for 2 weeks to a month, it will be worth it.

Creative Use of your Computer Can Make Language Learning Easier

2019-05-24T04:27:00.001-07:00

Creative Use of your Computer Can Make Language Learning Easier

Your computer can be used as a creative tool for learning a foreign language. Some innovative ideas can make your language lessons an entertaining, truly memorable experience.

Audio Modification

Many companies produce software packages that allow you to transform your voice (or someone else's). You can make your voice feminine, masculine or robotic. It can be raised to a high pitch or lowered to bass.

So how does that help you learn a new language?

Many foreign languages (e.g. French and German) assign a gender to nouns. If you are learning new vocabulary, why not include female nouns in a female voice, male nouns in a male voice and neutral nouns in a robotic voice? This approach can also be applied to other types of vocabulary learning. Perhaps you could include a list of German dative verbs in a woman's voice and a list of German accusative verbs in a man's voice. You can even record audio files recorded by other people and make them more interesting by morphing voices or adding sound effects.

An Internet search for "Voice Cloaking" or "Voice Modification Software" offers many resources to choose from.

Not just printing

If you have a color printer, you can spice up your vocabulary lists with color casts - perhaps female nouns in red, male nouns in blue, and neuter nouns in dark gray. You may want to highlight irregular verbs in a different color - or print bold or italic to highlight them on the page. Experiment with different fonts and weights.

Websites and Online Sources

Each student should bookmark at least one online dictionary (preferably several). Each dictionary will work a little differently. Some offer audio clips. Others allow users to submit new words and phrases. (Note that not all user posts are 100% correct.) The best dictionaries will clearly display "verified" user posts and will flag handling and dialect expressions accordingly.

Are you a poet? Help is as close as your computer. Online language resources include helpful rhyme dictionaries. An internet search for 'French rhyme dictionary', 'German rhyme dictionary', 'Spanish rhyme dictionary' etc. will give you good results.

Try to rely on accredited educational institutions (domains ending in .edu) for your grammar research. For example, if you are looking for Hungarian verb conjugations, try a search like 'Hungarian Verbs Conjugation Center:.edu'. Although at the time of writing the previous search does not work on MSN, it works on Google, Yahoo!, Ask.com and many others. The "site:edu" section of the search limits the results to domains ending in "edu" - usually universities and other similar educational institutions.

Online Chat and Video Conferencing

Video cameras, VOIP, microphones ..... put them all together and talk to foreign friends from all over the world. Using a language in conversation is probably the fastest way to learn.

Whatever you do, remember that the more senses you stimulate during the learning process, the more strongly the learning will be shaped. Turn your language lessons into an entertaining sensory experience and you will probably stick to it. If it becomes monotonous, you may lose interest.

Capitalizing on the Benefits of a Foreign Language Translation Firm

2019-05-24T04:22:00.001-07:00

Capitalizing on the Benefits of a Foreign Language Translation Firm

In today's ever-growing business world on an ever-smaller planet, it's not just easy to market your company's products and services around the world, it's just good business sense. With the spread of the Internet in every aspect of our English-speaking culture and society, it makes sense to engage globally and deliver your products and/or services to the whole world. Although the Internet may appear to have reduced the size of our world, there are still distinct cultural and language barriers that make marketing a product or service from an English-speaking organization to a foreign market an immense challenge.

To be globally successful, you need to consider the translation of foreign languages as a necessary part of your business. Regardless of whether you are considering opening international offices, or whether you only want to make your services available to foreign markets, you should use the services of a professional foreign language translation agency to make every aspect of your business (both electronic and paper-based) understandable and user-friendly for every nationality you choose to promote your business.

To make the most of your company's expansion abroad, you should open offices in other countries in addition to providing services and products over the Internet. This may mean that you need to hire people in countries that are not native English speakers. While this is undoubtedly an advantage when it comes to helping your company immerse itself in another culture and establish your products and/or services there, it will also be difficult to adapt your company's policies and procedures to a group of employees who will not be able to read manuals and documents in English and understand some of the informal grammar. For this reason, hiring a foreign-language translation company is a sensible business decision.

A translation agency for foreign languages usually employs native speakers from many different countries.

Their employees not only have an inherent understanding of one or more foreign languages, but also a command of English. In addition, it is possible to hire staff who are specialists in specific business areas, which helps to facilitate translations and enables translators to transform your materials into understandable, relevant and culturally sensitive documents. For your business, translators can customize software, training and development materials, websites and internal corporate documentation. Foreign language translators use the latest software, which translates the documentation into almost any language in the world, as well as the documentation into English, so communication channels are open and unimpeded. Many different industries use foreign-language translation agencies, including medical, legal, computer, and of course business and marketing.

If you are considering the global development of your business, it is very important to learn about the cultures of the countries you want to reach. There are often strong differences between countries, even if they are neighbours. There are also often strong differences between English-speaking and non-English-speaking countries. Sensitivity to other cultural standards helps you understand the business climate in each country where you want to expand your business. This is of utmost importance for a successful expansion into non-English speaking countries. For this reason, using one of the many online foreign language translators available is a useful method of training for you and your company. There are several website translators available free of charge online. The time you take to research the needs of your potential customers will pay off for you in the long run.

For the global expansion of your business, there is no better decision than to hire a foreign language translation agency to convert all your English business documents into any desired foreign language. And taking the time to explore the non-English-speaking markets you want to expand into will help you understand the cultural climate in which you want to bring your products and/or services. Foreign-language translators will help your company make the transition into the global business world.

All About French- Speaking Countries

2019-05-24T04:17:00.001-07:00

All About French- Speaking Countries

The French language

Around 200 million people around the world speak French. This figure includes people who speak French as their mother tongue, second language and pupils of all ages, who do not live in a Francophone (French-speaking) country but have learned French. In fact, French as a foreign language is the second most widely taught language in the world after English. It is also the only foreign language that can be useful both around the world and in the United States. French is second only to English in the list of the 10 most influential languages in the world. Proof of this is the central role played by France. It is one of the official working languages in dozens of powerful international organizations such as the European Union (EU), the United Nations (UN), the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Trade Organization (WTO) and many other global institutions.

The French language of today is a direct result of long phases of development. In its long history, France has been attacked by various ethnic tribes. The most distinguished of these are the Franks. They adopted Latin, which was spoken at that time. Thus the French language is a descendant of Latin. It is also known as one of the Romance languages, which includes Catalan, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese. They are so called because their mother tongue Latin was the language of the Romans. Over the years, the early French language has changed in terms of words and grammatical structures. It has evolved into today's global French.

Speaking French - Here, there and everywhere

The French-speaking world encompasses the entire globe with its language, which can be heard on all continents. Besides English, French is the only language spoken as a mother tongue on 5 continents.

In Europe, French is the official language of France, Luxembourg, Monaco, Belgium and Switzerland. France, with more than 60 million inhabitants, is one of the most modern countries in the world. It is one of the leading personalities in the European Union. French is a common official language in Switzerland. This picturesque country is one of the richest countries in the world. It is the centre of many international associations. Over the last fifty years, Belgium has developed into a progressive European state. Brussels, the capital of Belgium, is the seat of the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).

In Africa, the French-speaking countries include Algeria, Burundi, Benin, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Comoros. Ivory Coast, Gabon, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Guinea, Madagascar, Morocco, Rwanda, Togo, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Tunisia, Mauritius, Reunion and the Seychelles.

In America and the Caribbean, French is spoken in Canada, Haiti, French Guiana, Martinique and Guadeloupe (the last three are French territories).

In Australia and the Pacific, Vanuatu and the French overseas territories of French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Wallis and Fortuna are French-speaking.

In many other countries, French plays an important role as an administrative, commercial or international language. Some of these countries are Andorra, Argentina, Brazil, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Egypt, Greece, India, Italy, Laos, Lebanon, Mauritania, Poland, Syria, Trinidad and Tobago, Great Britain (Channel Islands), USA, especially Louisiana and New England, Vatican City and Vietnam. It is clear that the French language is spoken everywhere.

Convinced to learn global French now? It's very simple. Browse through the French language program of this site and master French in the best place - the comfort of your own home.

Bonne Chance! Good luck!

18 Strategies For Enhancing Language Skills

2019-05-24T01:49:00.000-07:00

18 Strategies For Enhancing Language Skills

The following strategies are offered to improve language skills and overcome language challenges. This list is by no means exhaustive, but is intended to serve as a contact point.

1.Take away the secret.

The first and perhaps most important strategy is to bring students closer to the components of the language, common language challenges and language strategies, and help them understand their own linguistic strengths and challenges. This process is sometimes called demystification - and takes away the secret.

2.Simplify the instructions.

Students with receptive language challenges may need instructions that are broken down into their simplest form. They can also benefit from a comic-like presentation of the steps to complete a task.

3.Provide written copies of instructions and examples.

Students with receptive language challenges may need instructions given at a relatively slow pace. They may need instructions that are repeated to them. They usually benefit from having a written copy of the instructions given orally. Examples of what needs to be done are also useful.

4. offer frequent breaks.

Students who have receptive language challenges can consume a lot of energy listening and are therefore easily tired. Therefore, short, highly structured working hours with frequent breaks or rest periods can be helpful.

5. Give extra time.

Students with receptive and expressive language challenges are likely to have slower processing speeds and should be given extra time for written work and tests.

6. remain seated.

A student may want to sit near the teacher so that he can observe the teacher's facial expression when he is speaking. This may also help to reduce disturbances caused by other auditory distractions.

7. allow voluntary participation.

Students with language challenges should not be brought into the classroom by having to answer questions during class discussions, especially without being forewarned. Rather, they should participate on a voluntary basis.

8. teaching summary and rewriting.

Reading comprehension is often improved by summary and transcription. This helps students to identify the main idea and supporting details. It may be helpful to use key words such as Who, What, When, Where and Why to draw attention to the relevant details.

9. initiate a staging procedure.

Most students find a staging procedure beneficial when writing paragraphs, essays, poems, reports and research. First they should generate ideas, and then they should organize them. Next, they should take care of spelling and grammatical rules. They can also list their most common errors in a notebook and refer to that list when correcting themselves.

10. encourage older students to reinvest in energy.

Older students who have experienced a reading error from an early age need to be convinced that reinvesting in energy will pay off. According to Louisa Moats, an expert on reading, older students who are very poor readers need to strengthen their phonological skills because the inability to identify speech sounds affects spelling, word recognition and vocabulary development. Phonological awareness, spelling, decoding, grammar and other language skills can be taught as a language course in which teachers use more adult terminology such as phonemic deletion and morphological structure. Phonemic exercises can include games such as Reverse-a-Word (Say teach; then say it with the sounds backwards - cheat).

11. giving liberations for foreign languages

Students who have had problems with their mother tongue are more likely to have difficulties with a foreign language. For these pupils it may be necessary to dispense with the requirements of the foreign language.

12. use echo sounder for smooth development.

For fluent development, it is helpful to have a student in the lower classes read echo and also read simultaneously with an adult. The adult and the student can also alternately read every second sentence or paragraph. In addition, the adult can model a sentence and then have the student read that sentence.

13. amplify the auditory input.

Multisensory techniques can be used to improve phonetic skills and memorize visual words. For example, a student can fathom a word or write visual words on a dry erase board using different colored markers while using Hearfones, a Phonics Phone or a Toobaloo device to improve acoustic input. These devices amplify and direct the student's own voice directly back to his ears and cause increased acoustic stimulation of the brain.

14. seeing, saying, hearing and touching.

Multisensory strategies are helpful in learning letter names. Examples include: 1) Distributing shaving cream on a tabletop and the child writes letters into the shaving cream while pronouncing the letter name aloud; and 2) Cutting letters out of sandpaper and letting the child "follow" the sandpaper letter with his or her finger while saying the letter name.

15 A picture says more than a thousand words.

The expression "A picture says more than a thousand words" can be particularly important for the sighted person who has difficulty expressing himself or herself orally. For example, a student can create diagrams, charts, or drawings that help him remember what he has read. If he is good at art, the student can draw or paint pictures to explain his ideas.

16 Teach active reading.

To facilitate understanding, it may be helpful to underline keywords and phrases with a pencil or highlighter and paraphrase at the edge to make reading more active. If the student is not allowed to write in the book, he can write the most important words or ideas on post-it notes.

17. encourage students to read between the lines.

When the teacher first teaches students to conclude while reading, he should first guide thinking with a whole class activity. After the class as a whole has identified a logical conclusion, the teacher should facilitate the investigation of the process by which they arrived at their conclusion. Key questions can be: "What does the author say to us? How do we know that this is what the author meant? Remind the students that the authors give (imply) clues so that readers can conclude.

18. individual assessment and intervention.

Many students with language challenges benefit from individual assessment and resolution by highly qualified professionals. It is important to use assessment tools that have been developed to identify specific skill deficits and offer individual or small group intervention using explicit, evidence-based strategies and methods that directly address the individual needs of each student.