French In Action, as a learning device?

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Carmody
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Re: French In Action, as a learning device?

Postby Carmody » Tue Sep 13, 2016 10:55 pm

The FIA text book that arrived today has

- all 52 lessons in it and
- is pub. by Yale U. Press and
-is hardback and
-is ISBN 0-300- 05821-7 and
-can be viewed here
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss ... -+05821-7+

Reminder to people not familiar with this FIA course, it has:

Text book
Instructor's Guide
Wkbk Parts 1&2
Study Guide 1&2
Audio Programs
Test Banks
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MaggieLaurent
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French in Action reunion

Postby MaggieLaurent » Sun Sep 18, 2016 6:30 pm

Did you know that there was a French in Action reunion. The actors who played Mireille and Robert even did a short "reunion" sketch with the characters reunited years later. You can view the videos here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... oQYkQY4jfT
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Carmody
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Re: French In Action, as a learning device?

Postby Carmody » Tue Sep 27, 2016 4:27 pm

I am sure everyone is using French in Action in different ways to study French.

In chapter One Capretz says :

• "You are not expected to get everything the first time around."
And again at the beginning of each episode it is said:
• "Don’t be concerned if you don’t understand what they say at first."

Or put another way, learn what you can and don’t beat yourself up if you don’t get all the material in the videos and the workbook.

The joy is: you can always go back.

So for me the need for patience and taking the lessons in small segments of time like 30, 45, 60 mins is what is important. The important thing, as everyone here says, is to keep it interesting and mix in other native materials, videos, books, etc. along the way. The dryness of the workbook can be mind numbing but not if you take the workbook a couple of pages at a time.

Good things take time.
Last edited by Carmody on Tue Sep 27, 2016 6:58 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: French In Action, as a learning device?

Postby Elexi » Tue Sep 27, 2016 4:49 pm

I second your comments and third them with my other hand :D .
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Carmody
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Re: French In Action, as a learning device?

Postby Carmody » Fri Nov 04, 2016 6:27 pm

I am only on chp. 14 and am finding this a long haul however one observation is made by the author very early on and that is we are

• Not expected to get everything the first time around
• Have to do Daily Practice
• To relax and have faith that it will build in comprehension with time.

For me, that means to keep moving and not getting bogged down in areas I don't grasp. I can always go back for more review of all the material.

I have no idea how long I will last but I am taking it in small bites as I go. Like climbing Mt. Everest, I guess it is one step at a time, but then again, I never climbed Mt. Everest either.

Sometimes I wonder if I am alone on this treck........
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Re: French In Action, as a learning device?

Postby Marais » Fri Nov 04, 2016 7:01 pm

Carmody wrote:I am only on chp. 14 and am finding this a long haul however one observation is made by the author very early on and that is we are

• Not expected to get everything the first time around
• Have to do Daily Practice
• To relax and have faith that it will build in comprehension with time.

For me, that means to keep moving and not getting bogged down in areas I don't grasp. I can always go back for more review of all the material.

I have no idea how long I will last but I am taking it in small bites as I go. Like climbing Mt. Everest, I guess it is one step at a time, but then again, I never climbed Mt. Everest either.

Sometimes I wonder if I am alone on this treck........

Just out of interest, what is your level (A1 like your profile says?) and how long have you been at French for?
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MorkTheFiddle
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Re: French In Action, as a learning device?

Postby MorkTheFiddle » Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:02 pm

In regards to the OP, a friend of mine reported to me that his college course used French in Action and that it successfully taught him French (to the level it advertises it will take the student). The version of the course that he took did include the audio and workbook portions. So for those of you pursuing the whole enchilada, there is some prospect of success.

Verified success stories are so rare for any of these language products that it is good to know that at least one person met success with one of them.

(Disclaimer: I have no connection whatsoever with French in Action or with Yale.)
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Carmody
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Re: French In Action, as a learning device?

Postby Carmody » Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:22 pm

Thank you, I am in need of the
prospect of success.
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Carmody
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Re: French In Action, as a learning device?

Postby Carmody » Sat Nov 05, 2016 1:22 am

Marais
Just out of interest, what is your level (A1 like your profile says?) and how long have you been at French for?

I guess the usual bkgd with 3 yrs. high school and 1 yr. college, but I have been putting in 2-3 hrs. a day for the past year so I am A!-A2 in different areas.

I have great admiration for your doing what you are and greatly appreciate your sharing your observations; esp. re the "silences." Thank you.
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Re: French In Action, as a learning device?

Postby Ani » Sun Nov 06, 2016 11:38 pm

MorkTheFiddle wrote:In regards to the OP, a friend of mine reported to me that his college course used French in Action and that it successfully taught him French (to the level it advertises it will take the student). The version of the course that he took did include the audio and workbook portions. So for those of you pursuing the whole enchilada, there is some prospect of success.

Verified success stories are so rare for any of these language products that it is good to know that at least one person met success with one of them.

(Disclaimer: I have no connection whatsoever with French in Action or with Yale.)


I really do think FIA is one of the few to do what it says if you follow the whole program. On my homeschooling forum, there is a mother whose daughter taught herself French from FIA and was able to get her writing paper evaluated by a native French teacher who taught native French students. The teacher said the girl was writing at grade level for a native French kid. Insanely huge accomplishment.
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But there's no sense crying over every mistake. You just keep on trying till you run out of cake.


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