| Many people with France travel on their agenda would | | | | a French conversation. In order to help retention, it is |
| like to brush up on their French languageskills before | | | | useful to print out the dailyentry and keep a file to |
| their trip. Make no mistake, learning a foreign language | | | | review from time to time. It?s only by seeing words |
| is very difficult. However, if you studied the French | | | | numerous timesthat they can become part of your |
| language in high school or college you might be able to | | | | vocabulary. By the way, Kristin has compiled her |
| put some of that long-ago effort to good use. Being | | | | essaysinto 3 books which she sells on line, and those |
| able to communicate, even with only a few words at | | | | proceeds help defray the costs of Word a Dayso that |
| your disposal, can make a trip much more fun, and it | | | | it remains a free service. Of course buying the books |
| will perhaps help you figure out where you made that | | | | gives you access to many wordsat once, so that is |
| wrong turn before becoming lost! | | | | another excellent option for improving or reviewing |
| Here are two ways to brush up your French language | | | | your Frenchvocabulary. To subscribe or purchase |
| skills: | | | | books, you can follow the link above. |
| 1. For a number of months I?ve subscribed to a great | | | | 2. For those with a little more time and motivation |
| little free service called French Word A Day. This is a | | | | another excellent tool is a French languagecourse on |
| daily email from Kristin Espinasse, an American | | | | CD called a l?ecoute de la langue francaise which |
| originally from | | | | translates to ?listening to the French language?. I?ve |
| Phoenix who married a Frenchman and now lives with | | | | used this excellent product and have found it to be a |
| her family in Provence. Although theimplication is that | | | | great review of French vocabulary and grammar. |
| you?ll receive one word per day, Kristin provides a | | | | There are 108 lessons broken up into |
| good bit more. Thetheme for each email is in fact one | | | | beginner,intermediate, and advanced categories, and all |
| word, but there are also variations on the word, | | | | this takes 12 hours total of listening time onthe CD. At |
| phrasesusing the word and variations, and a daily | | | | the end of each lesson there is a quick review test. |
| proverb which contains the word as well. A recent | | | | There is both text and audiofor each lesson, so I find |
| addition is an audio link to hear the word pronounced | | | | the best method is to print out the lesson, look it over, |
| properly. Furthermore, Kristin writes an essay she calls | | | | and thenlisten to the audio, reading the text at the |
| ?A Day in a French Life? and uses numerous other | | | | same time prior to taking the review test. The audiofor |
| French words woven into her English text. She | | | | the beginner lessons is in English, but both the |
| summarizes these words at the bottom of the article, | | | | Intermediate and Advanced are in French. |
| which makes an easy reference for additional words. | | | | There is a lot of material packed into these twelve |
| Thus there is an opportunity to learn or relearn a | | | | hours, so I would recommend a pace of 2 or |
| number of words each day. Each email has a link to | | | | 3 lessons per week maximum, each week reviewing |
| her web site with a daily photo of France. In addition, | | | | the previous week?s work. In this waythere is some |
| on the web site are listed the last ten words and their | | | | repetition and also some time between lessons for the |
| accompanying phrases, proverbs, etc. as described | | | | material to sink in. Theprice for the program is 60 |
| above, so one can look over quite afew words right | | | | euros if ordered on line, and this includes shipping and a |
| away, even if your trip is coming up soon. | | | | one yearsubscription to a monthly email newsletter |
| This is certainly an excellent review process for | | | | that has interesting articles about French |
| French vocabulary. Oftentimes I?ll see a wordor | | | | currentevents, culture, politics, etc., written in French. |
| phrase I recognize but can?t quite pin down the | | | | The web site offers numerous other servicesand |
| translation exactly. For example, a recentword was ?le | | | | products, such as audio books to listen to, as well as a |
| lendemain? (the next day). Included was a phrase I?ve | | | | service to exchange email or evenvoice recordings |
| heard before numeroustimes, ?du jour au lendemain?. I | | | | with a French professor who will critique the work and |
| always thought this meant ?from one day to the | | | | offer suggestions forimprovement. The company is |
| next?, which isa literal translation. However, it really | | | | located in beautiful Lyon, France, and you can find all |
| means ?suddenly?, sort of like jumping from one day | | | | their products and services by following the link above |
| intothe next. It?s helpful to pick up nuances like that, | | | | in this paragraph. |
| and I?m sure I?ll remember this the next time Ihear it in | | | | Au revoir et bonne chance! |