Saturday 24 March 2012

Why are French vocabulary worksheets an essential aid for teaching and learning?

Learning a new language can be difficult, and any assistance that can be given to make it a little easier will help to make learning a little more fun. One of the best ways to make learning a new language seem less daunting for children is to use worksheets as part of the education. These can come in many different forms, and can be simple and basic for beginners or somewhat more difficult for those who have been studying the language for quite some time.
French worksheets are among the most popular found online, and for those who are in the beginner stage of learning the language, sheets that feature pictures tend to be very helpful. Being able to match the word and picture seems to make the whole experience far easier. Many of the most popular pieces of language software actually use that picture method, and it definitely seems to be the most effective way to quickly build up the vocabulary and start piecing the words together to form full sentences.



Word game worksheets are also very useful, with word search puzzles a great way of getting the children to identify the words and learn the correct spelling. It only when they have the spelling down properly that they will find the word and it also get them to use the word in a repetitive manner as many kids will say it in their head as they are searching. Again, it’s a combination of skills, in this case pronunciation and spelling, that helps them to learn the words much quicker. For those kids who are a little more advanced in the French language, a good way to really test their skills is with crosswords. Having both the clues and answers in French can make it especially challenging, but they can also be set up so that the clues are in English and the answers in French, which is another good way for beginners to quickly learn the meanings and proper spelling.



Schools really understand that French worksheets are a fantastic teaching tool. It may not be possible to learn the language by using worksheets alone, but they can definitely help speed up the process. Many of the activities that are on the sheets are in the form of fun little games that will make the kids look forward to learning the language, rather than feeling anxious at the thought.



Wednesday 21 March 2012

How to build up a stockpile of French Vocabulary?

It is inevitable, when learning the French Language, that the amount of vocabulary to memorize is substantial. But acquiring an ever growing supply of words is an essential aspect of developing your communication skills.


There are many resources to help you learn the French Vocabulary,such as word list,
flashcards, posters or text books. 





Everybody has its own preferences.  The main thing is to find some effective methods of storing new knowledge, and not to forget it before having had the chance to use it.

These words can be grouped by difficulties, sounds or length, but very often they are associated by theme.

It is also about learning a manageable amount of words at once.

One of the best way of achieving that is to make 

a Brainstorm

Create a thought shower with a main word in the centre, linked to all other related words that you have learned.

eg: Les repas

All the other words around it include le déjeuner, la salade, le pain ….etc

It is a good idea to know how many words you studied so you don’t stop after 10 when you should have written 20.






Saturday 17 March 2012

Practising the French Alphabet can be a Colourful Exercise

Learning the letters of the alphabet in French will not be the most exciting thing you  will do in life, but thanks to the artist’s creativities you will not lack opportunities or materials.


The ABC can be found in all types of cheerful designs on mugs, wallpaper, towels,  books, cards,  canvas ….and more.

Tuesday 13 March 2012

Starting the conversation with an informal greeting

Inquiring about someone's health, mood, or life in general, is always a good way to engage in a casual chat.
"Comment ça va?" is a familiar approach to ask someone how they are doing.
It is usually answered by "très bien" which means - very well -
                                          "bien" - well -
                                          "Comme ci, comme ça" meaning - so so -
                                          "mal" - not well -
                                          "très mal" - not at all well -

Even if you know very little else of the French language at the moment, I am sure whoever you are talking to, will be appreciative of the effort.

"Comment ça va?" 8x12" poster with Pronunciation

Saturday 10 March 2012

How Children from Nearly Any Culture Can Interact with Flash Cards

 Are there differences in the ways children learn from culture to culture? Or, does such difference lie in the manner of adult administration and teaching methods?

Regardless of the continuous number of opposing ideas contained within controversial child learning debates, one thing remains true. Essentially, kids everywhere love flash cards.

The formative years especially are a great time for kids to learn. Not only is visual acuity at a remarkably high rate, but the innate ability for a child to positive process the information observed takes place with superior speed and quality.

Part of the reason why flash cards can be so highly effective for kids in general is this. Both the faculties of perception and sensation exist within children at an alarmingly heightened state.

Kids have a special desire, in addition to mere learning or observation, to make their experiences highly meaningful. Thus, an astute teacher can create visual learning devices which positively incorporate plus stimulate the natural drives which motivate children.

Flashcards can also be beneficial in capturing the natural curiosity of children because the cards tend to accentuate size perception. That is, often normal reading materials merely demonstrate constantly repeating text characters which gradually dampen interest because they may lack motion or fail to supply the appearance of changing size.

You can think of flashcards as "mini-movies," for example, wherein motion pictures exert nearly the utmost impact as visual stimuli. Creative flash cards for children, when thoughtfully crafted, can then provide the strongly desired element of added movement.

Additionally, flash cards provide control, that is, the autonomous type. In other words, children may regulate the speed, direction, repetition, and depth of knowledge which passes before them, especially when they themselves are allowed or encouraged to teach themselves with the use of well designed flashcard learning materials.

Expand Your French

Friday 2 March 2012

How to Make Learning French Language Skills a Positive Experience

Did you know that parental involvement is one of the key factors in a child's academic success? It only makes sense, when you think about it. Children always crave their parents' attention and approval. When you show interest in your child's schoolwork, you reinforce the behaviour of learning. For example, if your child is learning French language skills, you can practice vocabulary and grammar with him. Ask him to teach you the words that he knows. Kids love to be in a position where they are "smarter" than their parents. You can also provide your child with French language resources such as illustrated worksheets and flash cards that teach the words for common items. Some resources come with the pronunciation. You can work together with your child to absorb the material. This approach makes learning a good experience with positive associations.





(include Vocabulary Pronunciation)