The Third Step(Part 1)

Getting your attitude right,asking the right questions and consistently preparing your "devoirs"( or homework) would put you one step ahead of the others in your class.

Apart from adopting the right learning stance ,it is important to be mindful of the common problems faced by the average non native french learner. The most common problem I hear of is mastering the pronounciation of french words. Depending on the level you are at, you may ask , " Why?"

The answer is simple.

Although the french utilise the same alphebets as in english , the phonetics involved are absolutely different. A is "arr" B is "bay" C is "say" etc etc etc. A common mistake is the assumption that french words are english and hence ,pronounced the English way.

Allow me to share with you my personal secrets on improving one's pronounciation. The Radio. I personally enjoy listening to Cherie FM (www.cheriefm.fr) which plays a mixture of french and English hits.

Radio France internationale would suffice, but the incessent streaming of rapid news highlights may diminish the fun of learning ( www.rfi.fr)

Another way is through the downloading of mp3 music. This is however a more pricey option. Contact me if you need any recommendations at lthams@hotmail.com

All the best!


Linus