Le groupe français 2016 - 2023 Les Voyageurs

An area with study groups for various languages. Group members help each other, share resources and experience. Study groups are permanent but the members rotate and change.
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James29
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Re: French Group 2016 - Les Voyageurs

Postby James29 » Wed Nov 18, 2015 2:41 am

I'm interested in this group. I've started studying French and have quit about five times over the past few years. I have a few fairly good reasons to learn the language, but it has just always taken a backseat to my Spanish which is going great. Spanish will always be my priority. Over my five false starts with French I've managed to do Michel Thomas, Paul Noble, an old Berlitz basic course... and I've been doing one Assimil lesson a day for almost two weeks now. I'd really like to get to a good reading level and have purchased French for Reading. I'll check in some other day when I have more time.
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PeterMollenburg
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Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 15&t=18080
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Re: French Group 2016 - Les Voyageurs

Postby PeterMollenburg » Wed Nov 18, 2015 8:02 am

James29 wrote:I'm interested in this group. I've started studying French and have quit about five times over the past few years. I have a few fairly good reasons to learn the language, but it has just always taken a backseat to my Spanish which is going great. Spanish will always be my priority. Over my five false starts with French I've managed to do Michel Thomas, Paul Noble, an old Berlitz basic course... and I've been doing one Assimil lesson a day for almost two weeks now. I'd really like to get to a good reading level and have purchased French for Reading. I'll check in some other day when I have more time.


Your situation with French sounds like my Spanish situation- French remains my main language and may always be that way. Spanish I've had around as many false starts as you with French.

Anyway, keep up your Assimil pace, sounds like you're having a good start this time round!
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Doraemong's Pocket
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Re: French Group 2016 - Les Voyageurs

Postby Doraemong's Pocket » Wed Nov 18, 2015 12:56 pm

Hi there

I'd like to join the team if you don't mind. I've passed both the A2 and B1 DELF exams but have been waning in my motivation recently. I need a kick up the backside. Rather than reading about methods, I need to put them into action.

I love reading in French but it's still fairly simple stuff. Le Petit Prince, Le Petit Nicholas, Road Dahl stuff. My speaking sucks. I can have a conversation with a native for a while but everything comes out too slowly.

I'll start a log soon
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Mohave
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Language Log: http://how-to-learn-any-language.org/vi ... f=15&t=766
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Re: French Group 2016 - Les Voyageurs

Postby Mohave » Wed Nov 18, 2015 3:12 pm

tomgosse -

Thanks for taking leadership and starting this French Study group. I look forward to your response to PM's question about the level of this study group. I suspect I am somewhat in the same boat (it's kind of fun to be able to say that!). Either way, whether I am a full-fledged team member, or not, I still intend to support you and your team!

I've mainly focused on native materials only trying to finish a Double Super Challenge in French. I routinely do three language exchanges a week and some texting with HelloTalk. My plan is to do an intensive month or two of focused grammar and vocabulary studies starting in January. However, in Februrary or March, I will start learning beginning Spanish, and use only native materials in French to maintain.
Last edited by Mohave on Wed Nov 18, 2015 3:38 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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tomgosse
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Re: French Group 2016 - Les Voyageurs

Postby tomgosse » Wed Nov 18, 2015 3:35 pm

PeterMollenburg wrote:Hi Tom, and others,

I'm not sure I fit the prerequisites in terms of level... is this a 2016 French team (with members of all levels) or a 2016 French beginners team with a few more experienced and native speakers?

It seems that most of the folks that have requested to join so far have some experience in French and my gut feeling is that it will stay that way. So, I would say that this is going to be a group with members of all levels.

Anyway if I can join here's my details. If I can't just disregard this post for the most part and wish me well on my own adventure(s) - not obligatory of course ;) One of my best attributes as a team member/oberver or one who provides a little input here and there may reside in the fact that I've completed a decent amount of French courses and can provide insight into them for others.

Here's my log:
viewtopic.php?t=784

My current level is estimated around B2

My motivation of late has been weakening, but my contact with the language is ongoing (my active studies have considerably dropped in the last couple of weeks).

My aim is to fully return to courses for the time being. I know there is fantastic value in native content and it can't be ignored, but once again i'm realising by distracting myself with all that fantastic native content i'm not ploughing through my huge course list like i'd like to be. It's very much overkill really, but it's a goal of mine and a source of drive. So for the meantime i'd like to really step up my course focus in my 'active study hours' and use free time outside of those allotted hours for exposure to native materials with some watching and some reading, potentially a little listening.

Current courses I'm actively aiming to plough through (steadily) are:

1. Rocket French Platinum:
Currently I'm 3/4 through the course, but will do at least one re-run through. I can't recommend this course enough for intermediate learners B1/high B1/perhaps B2 as it certainly is a more challenging audio course when compared to all the levels of Michel Thomas and Pimsleur 1 through 4 (haven't used 5).

2. French in Action
I'm aiming to finally get back to this course I think I was on lesson 13 or 14 when I last left it. Unlike many previous attempts I'm not returning to the beginning anymore (nor with any of my courses I haven't yet finished). False starts, and restarts are a huge waste of time- language should pick up where you leave it last, as close to that level as possible.

3. Assimil
Here i've started with Using French, while continuing with the active phase of NFWE (like revision really). i'm enjoying the first handful of lessons of Using French :) I must say though it's a little disheartening that many of the better Assimil courses are older. It seems to be a pattern with modern day language courses- they are dumbed down, cut down, or made smaller for sales and marketing purposes it seems.

4. Fluenz French 4
Great DVD-rom course that provides a lot of production and repetition of various forms. In some ways it's like an easier version of the FSI courses but in DVD-rom format with a nicer presentation. Great for drills. LIke with all my courses I always repeat everything I hear and see out loud. This course is great for that.

Anyway I hope my post is appropriate for this team. If not I hope I can help out from time to time.

PM
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rdearman
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Re: French Group 2016 - Les Voyageurs

Postby rdearman » Wed Nov 18, 2015 3:43 pm

OK, I am still confused about where I should start my "Les Voyageurs - rdearman" log? In this forum or just in the logs. (You'd think if anyone knew it would be me, but no I'm as confused as anyoe else).

I would like to start my log in the right place, although it could always be moved by a mod. So can we between us work up a basic set of rules for new joiners.

1) Announce yourself in this thread.
2) Create or link to a log for other group members to read and review.
3) Read this thread for group activites suggestions, etc.

Is that sufficent? Or is there more?

EDIT: Found emks recommendation here: http://forum.language-learners.org/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=1554 basically my French study group log will be in the regular log area.
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tomgosse
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Re: French Group 2016 - Les Voyageurs

Postby tomgosse » Wed Nov 18, 2015 4:15 pm

Bonjour à tous,

First, I want to thank all of you for your support. I must admit that I'm quite nervous about this, but I know that with your help it will be a success.

I added the following people to the group:
rdearman
PeterMollenburg
James29
Doraemong's Pocket
Mohave

Peter asked :
is this a 2016 French team (with members of all levels) or a 2016 French beginners team with a few more experienced and native speakers?

As I replied to him, it appears that the members who want to join have some experience in French, so I would say that this group is for people of all levels. I don't think we are going to get a lot absolute beginners. I may be wrong.

On that note, I have announced the existence of this group on various polyglot forums on Facebook, my own Facebook page, and on the old HTLAL site. I would like to ask you to help spread the word by posting on your own social media pages.

Now, it's time for the Big Question! [drum roll, please] What do we want to do next? My desire would be to start studying together with other people. And, start sooner than later. Here are some courses in no particular order with my opinion of them:
Assimil - it's popular, not too expensive, easy to obtain.
Foreign Service Institute French - free, very easy to obtain, has a good reputation but may be dated.
CLE textbooks - I've used Grammaire Progessive du Français, only in French, has levels that range from debutant to perfectionnement. Requires that answer book be purchased separately.
French In Action - excellent reputation, but very expensive and can be hard to obtain.

What do you say? Yeah of Nay? Any other ideas? I would also like to arrange a Skype or Google Hangout meetings. The first one would be just a test run to see if we can all access it, and figure out what time of day would work best.

As they use to say on old time radio, "Keep those cards and letters coming folks!" I guess I should add "emails" and "posts". :)

À bientôt,
Tom
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tomgosse
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Re: French Group 2016 - Les Voyageurs

Postby tomgosse » Wed Nov 18, 2015 4:22 pm

rdearman wrote:OK, I am still confused about where I should start my "Les Voyageurs - rdearman" log? In this forum or just in the logs. (You'd think if anyone knew it would be me, but no I'm as confused as anyoe else).

I would like to start my log in the right place, although it could always be moved by a mod. So can we between us work up a basic set of rules for new joiners.

1) Announce yourself in this thread.
2) Create or link to a log for other group members to read and review.
3) Read this thread for group activites suggestions, etc.

Is that sufficent? Or is there more?

EDIT: Found emks recommendation here: http://forum.language-learners.org/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=1554 basically my French study group log will be in the regular log area.


The logs are usually put in the Language Logs forum. You can start a new log or just continue with an existing log. Which ever is easier for you. I just changed the name of mine in the first post, and wrote a link to where it starts.
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eebeejay
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Re: French Group 2016 - Les Voyageurs

Postby eebeejay » Wed Nov 18, 2015 8:50 pm

Thanks for starting this group! I would like to join. My language study is always very on again off again so perhaps you can all motivate me to be a bit more persistent!

Here is my log: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=1408
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tomgosse
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Re: French Group 2016 - Les Voyageurs

Postby tomgosse » Thu Nov 19, 2015 1:11 am

eebeejay wrote:Thanks for starting this group! I would like to join. My language study is always very on again off again so perhaps you can all motivate me to be a bit more persistent!

Here is my log: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=1408

You're in !
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