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 FSI Language Courses Forum : Learning Languages : French
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Malcolm
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Quote Malcolm Replybullet Topic: FSI French: Impressions
    Posted: 09 July 2006 at 5:55pm
I just finished Unit 2 of the FSI French Basic Course (Revised). I've already used Pimsleur French I-III, so I'm not a complete beginner, but I was still able to get quite a bit out of these two units. I'm especially impressed with the amount of audio, which averages to 2.5 hours per unit so far. Most of this seems to be drills, with very little of anything that could be considered a filler. Judging by the table of contents for the first and second volumes, I expect to get reach basic fluency with this course and some extra vocabulary study. Has anyone else been using this course? If so, what are your impressions?
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monax
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Quote monax Replybullet Posted: 10 July 2006 at 8:59pm
I'm only completely through Unit 1, though I've looked at a couple more.  It certainly looks like a very thorough course, and basic fluency is my goal as well.

I particularly like that the drills are completely in French and most of them can be done without the book, once you've read the appropriate grammar sections.  Being able to learn while I'm doing other things is very important to me.

This is also a test for me of whether FSI or Assimil fits my learning style better (I'm also working on Assimil Spanish).

Hopefully we can continue the discussion as all of us who are working on this course get a bit further along.
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rafaelrbp
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Quote rafaelrbp Replybullet Posted: 10 July 2006 at 9:47pm
I'm also in the process of learning French, and although I'm in the middle of Pimsleur, I'm counting on this FSI course to be the key of my studying.

I'm using (together with Pimsleur) the free course "French in Action", so I'll be at a good intermediate level when I begin with FSI. Hope it works!

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Aaaa
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Quote Aaaa Replybullet Posted: 14 July 2006 at 5:05pm
Originally posted by rafaelrbp

I'm using (together with Pimsleur) the free course "French in Action"



With the free 'French in Action' course, is it possible to download the video files or are they just streamed?
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Kveldulv
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Quote Kveldulv Replybullet Posted: 17 July 2006 at 10:29am

Originally posted by Aaaa

Originally posted by rafaelrbp

I'm using (together with Pimsleur) the free course "French in Action"



With the free 'French in Action' course, is it possible to download the video files or are they just streamed?

I have download them with URL snooper.

http://www.donationcoder.com/Software/Mouser/urlsnooper/



Edited by Kveldulv - 17 July 2006 at 10:30am
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Heropsycho
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Quote Heropsycho Replybullet Posted: 31 August 2006 at 12:24am
Do people read along with the book, while listening to the audio... or is it better to have audio on its own, and study the book?
 
As far as learning how to spell, its great to read as well as listen, but i want to improve my listening skills... should i go audio alone, or would that ruin the method of the program???
 
Hero
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Sir Nigel
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Quote Sir Nigel Replybullet Posted: 02 September 2006 at 10:23pm
Firstly, it would matter if the learning were just beginning the language or not. For me I already understood the fundamentals to French spelling and knew a good portion of basic words and grammar. Therefore I use the book to know what all the words are when I listen to the audio (and of course how they are spelt) but eventually go at the exercises without the book as I've memorised the words. If you were just beginning with French I might also recommend looking at the Michel Thomas courses and Rosetta Stone (if you can find it cheap!).

Secondly, when you're knew to the FSI method it's important to remember you continue to repeat the exercises many times so your memory of the spelling will improve with repetition of just the audio. Of course you would look at the book from time to time.
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mouse
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Quote mouse Replybullet Posted: 31 October 2006 at 9:23pm

I personally think that a beginner should not start with this course. Maybe if they first used the FSI french phonetics program [mentioned elsewhere], the course might serve as a good introduction.

Otherwise, as many said, the course is very through. There are many drills to practice from, although they get very dull. Some drills are also a lot harder than the ones in the spanish course.
 
I'm going to go on to units 19-24 soon. The course is so far boring but great and rigorous.
 
I also thank this site and its contributors a lot for providing the units as downloads for free.
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billmasi
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Quote billmasi Replybullet Posted: 25 November 2006 at 9:26pm
I've learned (was taught) Spanish in two three-month sessions of Peace Corps training.  Method was basically the FSI.  It worked and after two years in Ecuador, I was college-grad-level fluent.

I came back to an international business grad school and was taught French by the same method.  Three hours a day of class, more of language labs and work with partners.  Never saw a printed word of the language.  Went to France after eight months of class and was astounded that I could communicate.

Here it is, thirty-five years later and I need French again.  Having seen what's worked, I'm trying to duplicate it, as painlessly as possible.  (Time is not an issue, as you'll see if I simply tell you what today looked like.)

I spent an hour and a half on my bike, iPod playing FSI French course with me actively repeating all dialogues.  Felt a bit funny at stop lights, better in the country. 

Stopped for a time during the ride to have a coffee.  Spent that time reading "Pelican Brief" in French, ticking off vocabulary words to check in the English version when I got home.

After soaking in a tub with both versions of the book, I watched one half-hour French in Action DVD and then spent an hour doing the AUDIO part of the course. 

That's a pretty average French day.  If I'm driving any distance I'll listen to Pimsleur for a change.

I think the three courses together are a dream.  If I could add anything it would be a native speaker here in my little coastal town but so far no luck.

I'd like to point out that French in Action DVD's are *not* the entire course.  There's a textbook that's basically the dialogues and a very small bit of extra material.  There are FOUR Audio CD's and two "Workbooks" that go with the CD's.  (
Bill M
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billmasi
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Quote billmasi Replybullet Posted: 25 November 2006 at 9:45pm
(Continuation - got bumped and partial message was posted.)

French in Action - The AUDIO content is really very valuable and is the most costly part of the program.  It's also where the material of the 52 video sessions is delivered in FSI-like repetition and where one really makes it one's own.  Active rather than passive learning.

There are two Audio CD sections of two CD's and the cost is $ 160 each from Annenberg.  Least I've seen them sell for is $ 150 on eBay.  There don't seem to be many of them out there; I don't think most people who do the French in Action course are aware they exist.

I'd guess that 80% of the active learning in French in Action comes from the Audio.

=========================

GDFellows:

I wish there were a way of saying, "Bless you" in all of the languages we have. 

THANK YOU for your generous work.

THANK YOU for the gift of language. 
 
THANK YOU for all the good that will flow from it.

============================
Bill M
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