FAQs
Q
Why should I use this book and its website?
A
Because you would like your students to be as fluent in French
as possible before leaving school/university/college
as possible before leaving school/university/college
Q
Why should I choose French by Repetition?
A
Because it’s the best, indeed the only, system on the market for
learning to speak French rapidly.
learning to speak French rapidly.
Q
Surely there’s no need for students to learn a whole lot of
colloquialisms – ‘Too many cooks spoil the broth’ etc. etc.?
colloquialisms – ‘Too many cooks spoil the broth’ etc. etc.?
A
Agreed. But what you have here are everyday English
expressions, not a collection of amusing colloquialisms
expressions, not a collection of amusing colloquialisms
Q
Do students really use these expressions every day?
A
Students have their own language of course. But they will need
to be able to converse in adult language to pass exams – and if
they are to find employment in an adult world.
to be able to converse in adult language to pass exams – and if
they are to find employment in an adult world.
Q
These expressions do not seem to relate to a
particular scenario
particular scenario
A
Everyday expressions do not, by definition, relate to a particular
scenario. Take the very first expression: ‘I was a bit taken
aback’. To what scenario could such an expression be said to
belong? At the Supermarket? At the Pet Shop? At the
Mortuary? Everyday expressions are needed anywhere and
at any time.
scenario. Take the very first expression: ‘I was a bit taken
aback’. To what scenario could such an expression be said to
belong? At the Supermarket? At the Pet Shop? At the
Mortuary? Everyday expressions are needed anywhere and
at any time.
Q
What’s so good about combining book and audio this way?
A
It’s using the latest technology to enable students to embed as
many French expressions in their heads as quickly as possible.
No other language course on the internet combines text and
audio in this way; nor presents it in such a learner-friendly way.
True, there is no easy way to learn 4000 French expressions –
but this is the easiest method on the market.
many French expressions in their heads as quickly as possible.
No other language course on the internet combines text and
audio in this way; nor presents it in such a learner-friendly way.
True, there is no easy way to learn 4000 French expressions –
but this is the easiest method on the market.
Q
What makes the method so easy?
A
This is how it works: The student downloads the audio to an
iPod (or whatever)*. The student clicks on a module, listens to it,
tries to memorize it, clicks backwards to check, repeats the
process if necessary, moves on to the next module. Thanks to
the earphones, nobody else is disturbed. So the student can
listen to the audio day or night, any time, any place.
iPod (or whatever)*. The student clicks on a module, listens to it,
tries to memorize it, clicks backwards to check, repeats the
process if necessary, moves on to the next module. Thanks to
the earphones, nobody else is disturbed. So the student can
listen to the audio day or night, any time, any place.
Q
But learning by rote is surely undesirable .Would it not be better
for students to discover these expressions in their own time?
for students to discover these expressions in their own time?
A
But how many years do you suppose it would take for a
student to ‘discover’ 4000 French expressions? Ten years?
Pianists don’t discover scales, mathematicians don’t discover
their times table. Learning by rote/by repetition/by heart is the
only way to assimilate a language within the time- scale
available to a student.
student to ‘discover’ 4000 French expressions? Ten years?
Pianists don’t discover scales, mathematicians don’t discover
their times table. Learning by rote/by repetition/by heart is the
only way to assimilate a language within the time- scale
available to a student.
Q
Why should students buy the books? They could get by on the
audio alone couldn’t they? And it’s free!
audio alone couldn’t they? And it’s free!
A
Yes, they could. But being able to visualize words as well as
hearing them is a great help to memorizing. And of course the
book helps with unfamiliar words and with spelling. Anyway,
since the audio is free, students can start off without spending a
single penny. Then, if they think the book would help them
memorize more effectively, they can order a copy.
hearing them is a great help to memorizing. And of course the
book helps with unfamiliar words and with spelling. Anyway,
since the audio is free, students can start off without spending a
single penny. Then, if they think the book would help them
memorize more effectively, they can order a copy.
* It is possible that the teacher is not familiar with this kind of
technology. But the student almost certainly is. In any case there is
a full description of how to download the audio here.
technology. But the student almost certainly is. In any case there is
a full description of how to download the audio here.
