The French language has a deep history in human civilization. There’s a certain elegance in its pattern, speech, and especially how it sounds. However, many beginners find learning difficult because of grammar and spelling complexity.
As French is one of Canada’s two official languages, learning French is essential to improving opportunities for work and living in Canada. Many students in Canada take French language programs such as French immersion and French as a second language course. Immigrants can also have their kids educated in Francophone schools.
This article discusses the best way to learn French in Canada, French online classes, and how private tutors can help students understand the language.
How Do You Get Started with French for Beginners?
Although learning the French language is relatively easy, it involves some crucial steps and tips you can follow to make the process simple. French for beginners usually start with the following steps.
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Start by learning French sounds
The French alphabets share several similarities with English letters, and nearly 30% of English words have French origin. That’s more than any other language, making French notably easier to learn for people who already speak English. However, the difference between the alphabets is that certain French letters have accents.
These letters are pronounced very differently from English letters. So, as you learn French, it’s vital to pay attention to these letters’ sounds rather than the notes themselves.
There are 16 vowels and 23 consonant sounds in French. If you speak English, you will already understand 20 consonants and six vowels, leaving you just three new consonants and ten vowels to learn.
Practicing each sound of the French alphabet is crucial. However, if you haven’t started studying French sounds and want to learn the language, it’s better late than never. See the benefits of grade 12 French studies.
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Try speaking French
You will feel uncomfortable on your first try, but getting used to French and gradually developing confidence is a vital initial step.
To improve your speaking skill, you should hire a French tutor. You can start by listening to how French native speakers in Canada do some pronunciations. However, talking to them could be more challenging. It would help if you found someone to teach you the language or learn French online.
To improve your speech, you can also find language exchange apps where you can get paired with native French speakers who will teach you the language. At the same time, you’ll teach them yours. This opportunity can be quite beneficial because you can make friends with your language exchange partner and have informal French lessons with them.
This is good for your budget as most courses to learn French online is expensive. However, language exchanges can be inefficient and difficult to benefit from fully, so working with a professional tutor is always preferable.
Lastly, you can search up local French communities to join their activities. For example, you could take French courses in art, music, or any other subject you’re interested in. If you enjoy developing your skills, why not do it in French?
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Read in French
Reading in French is an essential process in learning French for beginners. Generally, it is doubtful that you will master a language if you are not adept at its literature. Of course, it won’t be easy to start, but with time, the words should be more meaningful after seeing them a couple of times.
Beginner’s should take baby steps with simple books such as:
- Mon père est femme de ménage” de Saphia Azzeddine
- Le Petit Nicolas” de René Goscinny
- “Le Petit Prince” d' Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Another great method is to read French online using news platforms, movies, sports, and entertainment. If you watched a movie, listen to a song in your language. Try getting the French versions to brush up on your vocabulary skills.
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Listen to French Recorded Audios
When you get to a stage in learning the French language, you can still find yourself confused when someone speaks to you in French. There is a major difference between written French and spoken French. They can often sound and look like two different languages.
Hence, it is essential to listen to your French learning to-do list. Reading helps solidify your French vocabulary, but it won’t necessarily make you understand how to buy food from a restaurant.
To learn spoken French online, you can listen to french music, podcasts, audiobooks, or even watch videos on YouTube.
How Can You Learn French Online Effectively?
When it comes to learning languages, not everybody can learn independently. For example, most people interested in learning French seek French for beginners classes online, using platforms like YouTube to take lessons and practice vocabulary.
It doesn’t mean that some people are less gifted in learning languages. It just means people know differently, and self-studying is not for everyone.
Most students need the experience of a teacher to guide them through their studies while finding creative ways to explain some difficulties in the language. Therefore, it is perfectly normal to jump at free tips, videos, and online tutorials on the French language.
However, free might waste your time and derail your learning process if the material is poor. Beware of social media sites with random videos claiming to teach the language, which may offer you ineffective learning methods.
If you are serious about learning the language, you should look for structured methods that take you through different learning stages.
Superprof is an excellent online platform with teachers experienced in teaching the French language. With profiles detailing their experience, you can easily decide which tutor is right for you and start your learning journey. Most importantly, they have a teaching pattern and follow a structured learning scheme.
What Way Can You Manage Your Time When Learning French Online?
Most people interested in learning a new language always find it difficult to fit its study into their schedule. Learning a new language demands a lot of organization and patience. It may discourage you and even frighten you, but you must be determined to complete your task.
The best way to learn French online and manage your time is by setting specific goals for your study. Your objective is the fuel that drives your determination and success. To create objectives, you will need a plan, and to have a plan, you would require organization.
Organizing your French learning plan is of the utmost importance to ensure a successful outcome. You have to be methodical in studying to keep you grounded and organized.
You should devote time to learning French each week, not just a few days in a month. In planning French for beginners’ study periods, the learning must be regular and integrated into your everyday life.
You should learn French after breakfast, before taking a nap, or even before bed at night. It should be a deliberate conscious process if you want to succeed in mastering the language quickly.
How is Hiring a Private Tutor the Best Way to Learn French?
Most times, people who want to learn French either go for a class, get a tutor, go to France or get a self-teaching program. If you are a student searching for a French conversation class, group classes can be a great option.
However, French group classes are only beneficial to people with experience learning the language. Therefore, learning French for beginners should not entail only group classes, as they cannot cater to the needs of every student.
Hiring a private tutor comes in because one of the best ways to learn French is to have a one-on-one teacher who gives you full attention. They adapt to your needs and check whether you are getting your needs fulfilled or not.
It is worth paying for a private tutor if you can afford it. However, an excellent French tutor would be an essential asset on your road to mastering the language. Here are some qualities you need to look for in a perfect French tutor.
- They should be organized, punctual and reliable
- They must have a genuine French accent
- They should understand French grammar completely
- They should also have experience explaining French grammar to a foreigner
You have to check reviews and references and see for yourself before committing to any private tutor.
Superprof saves you the trouble of looking for qualified tutors by providing you with a platform of qualified French teachers. Each tutor has a profile explaining their background and experience with previous students. The first hour of the lesson you take with a tutor is free, and you can use it to decide if they suit your learning objectives.
Taking French for beginners classes is a proper way to start your learning journey. However, it would be best to consider hiring a private tutor to maximize your potential for learning the language fully. Indeed, it pays to stick to a structured and meaningful learning process.
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