Plan with a deadline: French from 0 to B2 in 8-9 months

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vahid
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Plan with a deadline: French from 0 to B2 in 8-9 months

Postby vahid » Tue Jun 09, 2020 8:50 pm

Hello Everyone,

As the title says, I know that this is a very hard target, but I have to make it done.
Let me explain it a bit..

Introduction
As I mentioned before, I have to be prepared to take the TEF or TCF test within the next 8-9 months and acquire the level B2.
Despite having a hard target, I am determined to get it done, and I’m willing to pay the price (time and effort).
Due to the global pandemic and “working from home”, I can spend up to 4 hours a day for the next 8-9 months.


Background
* I am self-taught in learning languages, and have never been a “class” person.
*‌ I am not a polyglot but I know Persian (native), English (C1), German (A2), Swedish (A1).
*‌ Anki is my method of learning for almost everything. From languages to Tech and Liberal Arts.
* I do like the Assimil method and combining it with Anki has boosted my ability to retain the information.


Question
As I mentioned before, I believe in the Assimil method and have the following resources at my disposal.
But Assimil, as you all know, is not enough for reaching B2 level (all 4 skills).
So what are your valuable recommendations/resources for my situation? (Please see my resources)
And what approach do you recommend? I do like Deka Glossai approach for learning languages (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZKaTLI ... e=youtu.be), but I’m not quite sure it even reaches level B1 and it is enough for Writing and Speaking..


Resources
1. Assimil French with ease with CD https://www.assimil.com/collection-sans ... 07195.html
2. Assimil Using French
https://www.assimil.com/collection-perf ... 01094.html
3. French Frequency Dictionary (Essential and Intermediate, up to 5000 words).
https://www.amazon.com/French-Frequency ... 82-8581741



Cheers,
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tastyonions
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Re: Plan with a deadline: French from 0 to B2 in 8-9 months

Postby tastyonions » Wed Jun 10, 2020 8:44 am

I’d say once you finish the first level of Assimil, start reading the news and opinion sections of French newspapers (Le Monde and Le Figaro are the big ones) and noting down words and expressions. There are also book series catering specifically to those exams, so maybe ask a teacher with lots of experience in preparing students for them, or someone who has passed the B2 exam.
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Re: Plan with a deadline: French from 0 to B2 in 8-9 months

Postby DaraghM » Wed Jun 10, 2020 11:45 am

That's going to be a tough call, but it is possible. I did something similar with a goal of 1,000 hours, which took me about a year and a half. I used a lot of resources. You'll need to start working through authentic CEFR aligned French materials. Here's the study materials I covered ,

A1\A2
Grammaire en Dialogues - Niveau Debutant
Vocabulaire en Dialogues - Niveau Debutant
Vocabulaire Expliqué du Français - Niveau Débutant
Alter Ego 1
Guide Alter Ego 1
Alter Ego 2
Guide Alter Ego 2

B1\B2

Hachette: Grammaire Pratique du Français
Grammaire Progressive du Français - Niveau Intermediaire
Grammaire Progressive du Français - Niveau Avancé
Communication Progressive du Français - Niveau Intermediaire
Vite et Bien 2 (B1)
Vocabulaire Progressive du Français - Niveau Intermediaire
Vocabulaire Expliqué du Français - Niveau Intermédiaire
Les 500 Exercices de Grammaire B1
Édito - B1

B2

Bescherelle : La Grammaire Pour Tous
Vocabulaire Progressive du Français - Niveau Avancé
Version Originale 4
Version Originale 4 - Cahier
Version Originale 4 - Guide
Grammaire Progressive du Français - Niveau Perfectionnment
Les 500 Exercices de Grammaire B2
Édito - B2

Also
Le Monde
Point de Vue
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Re: Plan with a deadline: French from 0 to B2 in 8-9 months

Postby lavengro » Wed Jun 10, 2020 4:32 pm

Hi vahid,

I appreciate you are not looking for input on whether this would be a possible or realistic project, but instead you are looking for advice on how to achieve it. But for what it may be worth, particularly if you are making serious life plans based on this coming to a successful conclusion in such a short time frame, I would suggest that there can be for some (and perhaps most) people a world of difference between having four hours technically available during the day to study v. being able to engage in effective, active study for four hours a day, particularly when you may be contemplating four active hours of study each and every day for eight or nine months.

There are some highly proficient learners in this forum who I believe have achieved those sort of power numbers over time. You may well be one of them (I see you are already an accomplished language learner, certainly way more accomplished than me) but I would suggest in terms of life planning that you base any real world commitments (moving for a job, enrolling in university, etc) on what you have previously demonstrated for yourself was possible for you with your other languages, rather than the usual enthusiastic "I'm going do X for Y hours without fail" sort of pronouncements that so many of us (absolutely including myself, many times) only to see our honestly-held belief in what we believe we can do run into the harsh cold reality that four hours per day is doable for say the first week, an increasingly hard challenge during the second week, and then an impossible burden by week three. Or maybe that is just me.

Definitely not trying to be negative. Absolutely all the best with this project: French is such a beautiful language offering such an amazing range of native language media, and there are a metric tonne of learning resources.
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Re: Plan with a deadline: French from 0 to B2 in 8-9 months

Postby smallwhite » Wed Jun 10, 2020 5:34 pm

vahid wrote:
TEF or TCF test within the next 8-9 months and acquire the level B2

Question
So what are your valuable recommendations/resources for my situation? (Please see my resources)
And what approach do you recommend?


My advice is to ask for advice elsewhere, to please don't follow the advice you receive here, please. On this forum, we typically reach B2 in 4 years or more - if we reach it at all, which most of us fail to. And we can't speak or write it beyond A2. And we have next to zero experience in official language exams. I only remember 3 active members who have sat an official French exam B2 or higher. Most of us can't even get good scores at online mock tests done at the comfort of our own homes. We are Sunday language learners here.
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Re: Plan with a deadline: French from 0 to B2 in 8-9 months

Postby tastyonions » Wed Jun 10, 2020 6:42 pm

smallwhite wrote:My advice is to ask for advice elsewhere, to please don't follow the advice you receive here, please. On this forum, we typically reach B2 in 4 years or more - if we reach it at all, which most of us fail to. And we can't speak or write it beyond A2.

Hahaha. My advice is not to speak for the rest of us.
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Re: Plan with a deadline: French from 0 to B2 in 8-9 months

Postby smallwhite » Wed Jun 10, 2020 6:55 pm

tastyonions wrote:
smallwhite wrote:My advice is to ask for advice elsewhere, to please don't follow the advice you receive here, please. On this forum, we typically reach B2 in 4 years or more - if we reach it at all, which most of us fail to. And we can't speak or write it beyond A2.

Hahaha. My advice is not to speak for the rest of us.

Please do point me to B2 in 8 month logs. Been only seeing B1 still B1 after more than 8 months ones.
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Re: Plan with a deadline: French from 0 to B2 in 8-9 months

Postby tastyonions » Wed Jun 10, 2020 6:57 pm

smallwhite wrote:
tastyonions wrote:
smallwhite wrote:My advice is to ask for advice elsewhere, to please don't follow the advice you receive here, please. On this forum, we typically reach B2 in 4 years or more - if we reach it at all, which most of us fail to. And we can't speak or write it beyond A2.

Hahaha. My advice is not to speak for the rest of us.
Please do point me to B2 in 8 month logs. Been only seeing B1 still B1 after more than 8 months ones.

I was referring more to the "if we reach [B2] at all, which most of fail to. And we can't speak or write it beyond A2."

I agree that B2 is a tough nut to crack inside of eight months.
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Re: Plan with a deadline: French from 0 to B2 in 8-9 months

Postby PeterMollenburg » Thu Jun 11, 2020 8:28 am

tastyonions wrote:
smallwhite wrote:
tastyonions wrote:
smallwhite wrote:My advice is to ask for advice elsewhere, to please don't follow the advice you receive here, please. On this forum, we typically reach B2 in 4 years or more - if we reach it at all, which most of us fail to. And we can't speak or write it beyond A2.

Hahaha. My advice is not to speak for the rest of us.
Please do point me to B2 in 8 month logs. Been only seeing B1 still B1 after more than 8 months ones.

I was referring more to the "if we reach [B2] at all, which most of fail to. And we can't speak or write it beyond A2."

I agree that B2 is a tough nut to crack inside of eight months.


8 hours a day and with previous experience in reaching B2, then I'd say yes. Otherwise you would have to use every single hour effectively of those four hours a day and that means you need previous expeperience to know what works for you and what doesn't - then your efficiency would theoretically markedly improve. I say go for it anyway, but work very hard and don't be surprised if you miss your mark.

Edit: I passed the French Delf B2 exam a few years back. I don't feel you need many exam specific courses at this level (I did none for B2 exam), but one, a few, or all certainly won't go against you (I'm just saying, courses like Assimil are totally fine, but you need more than what you've listed imo).
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Re: Plan with a deadline: French from 0 to B2 in 8-9 months

Postby Cavesa » Thu Jun 11, 2020 9:40 am

Just shortly: Most people around here don't get to B2 in 9 months just because we don't usually study for 4+ hours a day. When we do at times, we achieve remarkable results in a few months too. So if someone sustains the pace for 9 months, I see no reason to talk them out of B2. Of course there are other factors in play. The native language and experience, the intelligence (yes, I know this is unpopular to say and I know I am supposed to pretend IQ doesn't exist or play a role, but it does. What is possible with IQ 140 simply tends to take longer for someone with just 100, but both can achieve remarkable things).

The key is using serious resources that aim for the same goals, to not spread yourself too thin, and to keep going. Use one or two main resources at a time, add more fun only after you'll have studied the main stuff for that day. I'd suggest not wasting too much time on media and other things recommended everywhere. It becomes much more important after B2, and you'll need to put in a lot of time to get the results. Up to B2, it would just slow you down.

Assimil is great. But it doesn't follow the CEFR too closely, which is an issue for a learner in need of passing an exam. Still, it is one of the best beginner resources in the world.

DaraghM gives a nice list of examples of other resources, which I partially agree with. But what I'd suggest:

1.The Progressives are the best workbooks on the market, in my opinion. Grammaire Progressive, Vocabulaire, Phonétique (too underestimated by the self teaching learners, it is great), Communication (which got really upgraded lately). They go well with Assimil or anything else, and give a strong knowledge base. The others on the list are nice too, but if you have a deadline and have to pick between several alternatives, I'd always recommend the Progressives.

2.A CEFR labeled series is certainly a good idea. I personally like Édito, the B2 book was what I had been using before my DELF B2. I'd say Édito is a better series in most ways than Alter Ego. Vite et Bien surprised me recently, when it was available for free on the publisher's website (I am checking such resources for my family members).

But as you have a limited amount of time, I think you can skip A1 or A2 books like Édito completely. Assimil and Progressives can teach you everything. B1 and B2 are much more worth it, for intermediate media and exercises based on application of the knowledge.

3.An exam preparatory book. I agree with PM that it is not that crutial at B2, I hadn't used one before DELF. But I wished I had used it. But with TCF, it might be a bit more important, as the exam like exercises in the standard coursebooks (like Édito) are based on DELF, not on TCF.

4.As far as the digital resources go, Ankiing stuff from the coursebooks can be a great thing. There are some great courses in the user made part of Memrise (the "professional" ones are trash in my opinion, especially given your goals). Kwiziq could be excellent for you. Speechling or Speakly might be useful, but only if you have extra time, I'd say.

5.I do not recommend tons of media, which might be a bit surprising for people who know me (I owe my C2 mostly to the tv series). But that is just not that important up to B2 and takes a lot of time. But you can still profit from extra listening for the lower levels for example on the RFI website, or Lyricstraining is great.

So, if I were to design a plan like DaraghM did, the main part would look like this:
-Assimil
-Grammaire Progressive, Vocabulaire Progressif, Phonétique Progressive, Communication Progressive
-Édito B1 and B2
-a TCF exam preparatory book.

Everything else would be a supplementary activity.
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