French in Action ~ French in Action Website
You may have already seen this program on PBS stations across the nation. French
in Action is a DVD, audio cassette and workbook series developed by Pierre
Capretz of Yale University. It focuses on the "immersion" method, forfeiting
English translations in favor of learning the language through observation. The
series shows you ‘real’ French people in typical settings speaking and
interacting. I found the course to be fun, entertaining and surprisingly
effective.
Although no English is used, the student quickly discovers they not
only understand what is going on, but are soon able to ‘think’ in French. What
makes the course unique is it simultaneously teaches you about French culture as
well. It uses actual comics, TV ads, movie clips and much more so that you get
the gist of the French mindset and lifestyle. The only potential downside of
this course is it can be rather time consuming, however, if you have the time
and patience to study a new language thoroughly, you cannot go wrong with this
course.
Pimsleur's Spoken Foreign Language Communications ~ pimsleur-language.com
What makes the Pimsleur’s course so attractive is its format; audio lessons, no
longer than 30 minutes each, with each lesson building on the one before it. I
adore this series for its portability. You can easily listen to a CD or cassette
in your car, while cooking dinner, or while doing any other activity. It is also
very effective. This course is not your average ‘quick phrases overview’,
meaning although the first set of lessons will certainly teach you what you need
to know for a quick trip to France, the following lessons take you even further,
all the way to complete fluency.
Learn To Speak French
This is the CD-ROM French course you have seen at CompUSA and wondered if you
should buy it. What I like most about this product is that it allows you to
record your own voice and play it back against a native French speaker. The
lessons are useful, involved and fun! It is not, however, the appropriate tool
for the serious student. If you are planning a business trip or vacation in
France it will suit your needs perfectly. Lessons are focused on the tourist
rather than the expatriate or student abroad.