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Re: French Group 2016 - Les Voyageurs

Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2015 10:55 pm
by Cavesa
Bon courage!

This looks like a fine group and I wish you all a great year!

I'm not joining any French TAC groups anymore as I am just maintaining the language now. However, I'm certainly gonna follow your logs and activities :-)

Have lots of fun!

Re: French Group 2016 - Les Voyageurs

Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2015 11:52 pm
by eebeejay
The next few months are going to be particularly busy for me at work so I'm not sure I can commit to working through a course with you all. But don't let that stop any of you who want to! I won't feel left out.

I do really like the idea of having a Jules Verne book club though.

Re: French Group 2016 - Les Voyageurs

Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2015 5:27 pm
by tomgosse
Bonjour à tous,

Thank you all for your input. Reading over your posts it seems to me that the idea of a group project is a non-starter. Many people are already in the middle of studies, or planning to start a project later on, or have other responsibilities.

So, in the Spirit of KISS (Keep It Simple, Silly) I think we should go back to basics:
* This group is open to people of all levels.
* Members should subscribe to this post.
* Members should start and keep a log that chronicles their studies. It's okay to use a log that's already started, or just chronicle it here. What ever is easier for you.
* Members should subscribe to the logs of other members (and read them!).
* If you want a study-buddy you can announce it here.

I wish everyone a good week.

Re: French Group 2016 - Les Voyageurs

Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2015 6:19 pm
by emk
I thought I would just mention that I've been enjoying a recent episode of Les années lumière, a weekly 2-hour science podcast from Québec. This is one of my favorite podcasts (in any language). I particularly enjoyed this segment on "deep learning", a series of recent advances in artificial neural networks:

Les carnets insolites du prof Durand : Les ordinateurs autodidactes.

La science peut aussi être ludique. Stéphane Durand du Centre de recherches mathématiques de l'Université de Montréal présente des faits de science qui dérident, étonnent, décoiffent même. Cette semaine, le grand classique 2001, l'Odyssée de l'espace évoquait une avancée technologique qui relevait de la fabulation pour l'époque: un ordinateur capable de faire ses propres apprentissages jusqu'à décider par lui-même de ses actions. Ce scénario est maintenant une réalité : Les ordinateurs autodidactes.

This segment has a light Québecois accent, and there's no transcript (AFAIK), but the diction is fairly slow and clear. There's also a demonstration of spoken English to Chinese translation by a deep learning system.

Re: French Group 2016 - Les Voyageurs

Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2015 1:05 pm
by Voxel
Je vois que ce groupe s'est bien agrandi. Bonne chance à tous !

Re: French Group 2016 - Les Voyageurs

Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2015 1:33 pm
by iguanamon
While reading a BBC article today about how the Paris attacks are being explained to children, I came upon a link to French News for children Le Petit Quotidien. It seems to be like the old US school magazine The Weekly Reader. This kids newspaper is aimed at 6-10 year olds. There's also Mon Quotidien aimed at 10-14 year olds; L'Actu for 14-17 year olds and L'Eco for those 15-20 years old.

These are free but, of course, you have to give something to get something and they want you to register with an email address and password in order to download the pdf versions. This could be useful for providing graded native reading material for French learners. I don't speak French. Neither am I learning it. Nor do I plan to at present. Someone who does can check this out and see if it may be useful to the group.

Re: French Group 2016 - Les Voyageurs

Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2015 7:33 pm
by haziz
I am not sure if it is a good idea for me to join, if I intend to tackle French only starting in June 2016 (after I tackle the DELE exam in May). I don't want to try to learn both Spanish and French simultaneously. French is next after I gain some basic fluency in Spanish.

Re: French Group 2016 - Les Voyageurs

Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2015 8:18 pm
by tomgosse
haziz wrote:I am not sure if it is a good idea for me to join, if I intend to tackle French only starting in June 2016 (after I tackle the DELE exam in May). I don't want to try to learn both Spanish and French simultaneously. French is next after I gain some basic fluency in Spanish.

Join and follow along until you are ready to start studying. :)

Re: French Group 2016 - Les Voyageurs

Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2015 12:02 am
by James29
The last few days I have been spending a couple hours a day working through French for Reading by Sandberg. It is amazing. I learned Spanish a more traditional way... Pimsleur, Michel Thomas, Assimil, FSI, etc. This method is totally different and I am loving it.

The book basically breaks down basic vocabulary and grammar into programmed phrases that build up to a reading at end of each chapter. It only teaches the learner how to read and it is entirely "passive." Now, just after three days, I am actually reading and understanding some very simple texts. This book has hooked me on French... I hope it remains to keep my interest. I've had a hard time sticking with French in the past.

Re: French Group 2016 - Les Voyageurs

Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2015 12:31 am
by tomgosse
James29 wrote:The last few days I have been spending a couple hours a day working through French for Reading by Sandberg. It is amazing. I learned Spanish a more traditional way... Pimsleur, Michel Thomas, Assimil, FSI, etc. This method is totally different and I am loving it.

The book basically breaks down basic vocabulary and grammar into programmed phrases that build up to a reading at end of each chapter. It only teaches the learner how to read and it is entirely "passive." Now, just after three days, I am actually reading and understanding some very simple texts. This book has hooked me on French... I hope it remains to keep my interest. I've had a hard time sticking with French in the past.

If I may ask, where did you buy it and how much did it cost ?