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

[tastyonions]

The main reason I suggested newspapers and the opinion section specifically is that they feature the kind of writing that tends to be on language exams: short and fact-based or persuasive texts.

[vahid]

The main reason I suggested newspapers and the opinion section specifically is that they feature the kind of writing that tends to be on language exams: short and fact-based or persuasive texts.

That is very correct. I have added that to my schedule..

[Cavesa]

The main reason I suggested newspapers and the opinion section specifically is that they feature the kind of writing that tends to be on language exams: short and fact-based or persuasive texts.

Not sure about TCF, but DELF B2 writing was nothing like newspaper writing. The main part was letter writing. Not that short actually, fact based and persuasive yes, but also primarily polite and well structured.

I'm not saying the newspapers aren't useful or shouldn't be read. They should. They just shouldn't be overestimated.

[smallwhite]

- Assimil

How many lessons are there and how many days do you plan to finish them in?

[Maiwenn]

Given that you need to take the TEF OR the TCF, I assume you'd have to take the optional speaking & writing sections of the TCF if you took it? If you DON'T have to take the speaking/writing sections, that would simplify your goal considerably. I'm guessing you do, though.

tv5monde has LOADS of past questions as well as a sample test (not including speaking/writing sections): https://apprendre.tv5monde.com/en/tcf
1-2 months before the test, I'd strongly recommend practicing the oral comprehension section under test conditions. That is to say, listen and choose your answer without pausing or repeating the audio (though I think the TCF might play each audio prompt twice?). This way, you can decide how you prefer approaching these questions: reading the written question quickly before hearing the audio prompt or listening (and remembering its content) and then reading the written prompt and selecting your answer. You won't get to control when the audio is played.

For the speaking section of the TCF, it's rather predictable. Part 1, you'll be asked to present yourself for 2 minutes. Practice this. It's always nice to start off on a positive note. Time yourself to make sure you're really filling those 2 minutes. Part 2 will be an interactive role play exercise with a couple minutes of preparation. You'll be asked to pretend like you're a customer looking for information on a product or a dog owner looking for someone to dogsit while you're on vacation or something along those lines. You'll be interacting with the examiner and should be asking questions to acquire information. Part 3 will be persuasive/defending your opinion (not a conversation, no preparation).
https://www.ciep.fr/sites/default/files ... le-tcf.pdf

[vahid]

- Assimil

How many lessons are there and how many days do you plan to finish them in?

My plan is to finish both Assimil courses within five months. So for a majority of the period, there will be two Assimil courses a day..

[vahid]

Given that you need to take the TEF OR the TCF, I assume you'd have to take the optional speaking & writing sections of the TCF if you took it? If you DON'T have to take the speaking/writing sections, that would simplify your goal considerably. I'm guessing you do, though.

tv5monde has LOADS of past questions as well as a sample test (not including speaking/writing sections): https://apprendre.tv5monde.com/en/tcf
1-2 months before the test, I'd strongly recommend practicing the oral comprehension section under test conditions. That is to say, listen and choose your answer without pausing or repeating the audio (though I think the TCF might play each audio prompt twice?). This way, you can decide how you prefer approaching these questions: reading the written question quickly before hearing the audio prompt or listening (and remembering its content) and then reading the written prompt and selecting your answer. You won't get to control when the audio is played.

For the speaking section of the TCF, it's rather predictable. Part 1, you'll be asked to present yourself for 2 minutes. Practice this. It's always nice to start off on a positive note. Time yourself to make sure you're really filling those 2 minutes. Part 2 will be an interactive role play exercise with a couple minutes of preparation. You'll be asked to pretend like you're a customer looking for information on a product or a dog owner looking for someone to dogsit while you're on vacation or something along those lines. You'll be interacting with the examiner and should be asking questions to acquire information. Part 3 will be persuasive/defending your opinion (not a conversation, no preparation).
https://www.ciep.fr/sites/default/files ... le-tcf.pdf

That was a very great information. I do appreciate it.
I'm going to take the TEF exam and I have to do all 4 skills (unfortunately from the time perspective).
That being said, these are a very valuable information that you shared. I also bookmarked the TV5monde link that you shared for TCF. I'm pretty sure that would be a great help while getting close to the exam time, even for the TEF exam.
I have taken the IELTS Academic test almost twelve years ago, and remember how I got prepared for that. It is very close to what you mentioned, of course with differences.
They are all exam after all, and one should be prepared for what is to be faced..

Thanks for sharing you information ..

[Steve]

This is not so much a resource but an observation about learning in general. Take care of yourself so you don't burn out. It seems well documented that stress and negative emotions change body chemistry which affects learning ability. As a particular activity becomes stressful or frustrating or boring, our brain's capability to learn starts to drop off. This varies person to person and activity to activity.

Note that I consider frustration and being challenged as two entirely different things. The one energizes us and the other drains us. I'm talking about recognizing when something goes from being productive to being draining and doing something about it.

I think in the first few weeks it's worth getting a sense of how long you can do a particular activity in a fresh state of mind before efficiency starts to drop off. Depending on the person, an hour of Assimil per day might be best done as 60 minutes at once or 30 minutes in morning and night. If you have a handful of different activities you are doing in parallel, it will probably be worth figuring out what duration and ordering of them keeps you freshest and most motivated. This will likely change over time as well as various activities gain and lose effectiveness depending on progress.

[nbeing]

I wonder how much time you've spent so far posting/replying/commenting here in English instead of devoting it to your goal of learning French? As I see it you now have some excellent advice , good resources that you're happy with and a cunning plan of action. It would be interesting to hear how you are progressing once in a while, but for goodness sake cut to the chase and don't waste valuable time and energy on peripheral issues.
Bon courage!

[PeterMollenburg]

I wonder how much time you've spent so far posting/replying/commenting here in English instead of devoting it to your goal of learning French? As I see it you now have some excellent advice , good resources that you're happy with and a cunning plan of action. It would be interesting to hear how you are progressing once in a while, but for goodness sake cut to the chase and don't waste valuable time and energy on peripheral issues.
Bon courage!

Indeed we often waste time developing plans and gathering resources. I've got a track record of some serious time-wasting. In some ways however such processes are, imo, usually necessary to warm up to the idea of commencing and committing to the (potentially massive) task at hand and getting opinions from experienced learners on how realistic the goal may be. It can all help to increase motivation and enthusiasm via support, shared experiences and even the gathering of nice resources one is keen to delve into or has been recommended. Planning on such a time-limited goal is critical, imo and could make a world of difference to the outcome (provided one proceeds with fervour). Had the OP never posed the question here and waltzed down the road of obtaining B2 French, he/she may never reach it, simply due to the fact that others who have taken the path and succeeded before were never there to say - you'll need to put in some serious work because the task is bigger than what you may realise. The wealth of knowledge and experience on this forum is invaluable and worth requesting given the op's mission at hand. Yet I do agree, it's now time to proceed, it's time to get super-serious

A final note... Whether a good plan and resources are at hand or not, most, as many of us know, stop before the goal is reached. Given the OP has a deadline and a very solid reason to bring French up to the required level, odds are he/she will stick it out. My bet is on the OP reaching the deadline and being consistent, but I'm doubtful whether the level (B2) will be reached in the time frame required. I hope so!