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AS level french.

Heya,
I started a new school and am doing AS level french, but finding it very, very, VERY difficult.
Does anyone have any tips or advise? I am really behind from the rest of my class, as I did not learn a lot in my old school and I seriously need to work on my vocab, grammar, and well everything basically!

Any books, help or advise would really be appreciated :smile:
Reply 1
Avatar for Chubasco
Chubasco
1
Advanced French vocabulary is good.

'Mille et Un Points' is a pretty good grammar book, it has loads of grammar points explained.

Why don't you talk to your teacher about what you can do to improve your French? I go to a sixth form college that takes students from about 6 or 7 different secondary schools so there was sometimes quite a gap between what students from different schools knew but my French teacher put on revision sessions for those people who needed extra grammar work.
Reply 2
Avatar for Gooner
Gooner
14
Well, this may seem a bit backwards, but I would advise getting a good GCSE revision guide. I recommend the CGP revision guide. Then at the back you will find all of the grammar needed at GCSE. If you just learn that for the next month, let's say, you'll be able to start on the harder stuff next month and won't be as behind. We were never formally taught grammar at GCSE, and this caused everybody in my AS French class to get confused when being taught things about direct and indirect object pronouns etc because the teacher expected us to know what a pronoun was. I understood the GCSE grammar, and for that reason, found the A-Level grammar we learnt simple. As for vocabulary, you can only really improve by learning from the beginning of the course, so you should buy Advanced French Vocabulary, and set a target to learn let's say...the chapter on the cinema in one week and then the topic on literature the week after etc. Language learning is an on-going process, and therefore you can't just revise the few weeks before your exam which is possible for another subject such as Biology, let's say. If you want further advice, look at generalebriety's thread on learning a language at: http://thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=421620

**Sorry if any of that post was a little convoluted. I've a little bit of a hangover**:p:
Reply 3
Avatar for rotor
rotor
OP
14
Thanks you guys!
The idea of using a GCSE book is a really good idea, and GCSE's the new school Im at did teach them loads of grammer, and in my class theres only like 3 new students, 2 of which have been taught grammer before..and then me..who hasn;t been taught any!
Reply 4
Avatar for Gooner
Gooner
14
rotor
Thanks you guys!
The idea of using a GCSE book is a really good idea, and GCSE's the new school Im at did teach them loads of grammer, and in my class theres only like 3 new students, 2 of which have been taught grammer before..and then me..who hasn;t been taught any!

Maybes it would be a good idea to talk to your teachers then, and ask if they can slow down the pace at the moment because you simply don't have a firm grasp on the GCSE grammar list, but say that you're currently learning it, so before long you'll be just up to the same standard.:smile: The teacher should really only go to the pace of the candidates who find the given subject area harder anyways:s-smilie:
Reply 5
Avatar for rotor
rotor
OP
14
I think its because the rest of the class understand it except for me..that theres no point her going slow JUST for one person?
Reply 6
Avatar for quintsy
quintsy
17
Do you know which exam board they were with for French at GCSE? It's just I wouldn't instantly assume that the problem is down to you; it's quite possible that they did a different exam board with a different vocabulary list.

If you find out which one they did and it's different to yours, then it might be worth going onto the board's website and looking up the vocab (here for AQA- page 49 onwards or OCR here) and also some of the grammatical structures which they state as necessary for GCSE. I know you might be a little reluctant to stick your neck out and tell your teacher that you're finding things a little tough, but it's understandable that the transition might be hard due to different teaching styles etc. My new German teacher used to do Edexcel which is completely different to OCR (our GCSE board), so we have to tell him when something he expects us to know is new. Do tell your teacher if you're finding things a little hard, and I'm sure (s)he will be willing to help. :smile: You can even go outside of lessons i.e. at lunch if you don't want to get in the way of the class.
Reply 7
Avatar for dans
dans
12
Tell them. In my experience language teachers are the nicest people and will help you out whenever possible as they realise that we find it difficult.
Reply 8
Avatar for JonnoE
JonnoE
My AS French teacher was the same guy who took me for my GCSE and, an dans said, he is one of the nicest and, more importantly, helpful teacher/lecturer I have ever had.

I would definitely go along with what has been suggested, invest in a book going over GCSE French and perhaps a question book to show how your knowledge is coming on. Also, invest in an English/French dictionary - VERY helpful, as not only is there the vocabulary, possession (masculine and feminine) you get verb tables at the back so that your verb conjugation is improved.

Good luck!!!
Reply 9
Avatar for dans
dans
12
Yeh a good French dictionary is a very good idea! As JonnoE said, you get all of the added bonuses. I'd either invest in a book on Advanced Grammar for French too, or alternatively just a simple grammar book, like: Collins, Easy Learning French Grammar book which is very helpful. ISBN: 0-00-719644-X
Reply 10
Avatar for rotor
rotor
OP
14
I have a "schaums" one, is that good?
Reply 11
Avatar for Chubasco
Chubasco
1
Yes, it's very good, my teacher photocopies loads of stuff from that to use as grammar exercises. I've got the Spanish Schaums, which is also good.
Reply 12
Avatar for Gooner
Gooner
14
I ditto what Crazy_emz says about schaums. They're at just the right standard for an A-Level student;yes;
Reply 13
Avatar for dans
dans
12
Never even heard of it, but any textbook will help surely!? And also, from what the others have said, it sounds cool.
Reply 14
Avatar for Chubasco
Chubasco
1
Sure, most textbooks will help but some textbooks are better than others! (All textbooks are equal but some textbooks are more equal than others :p: ). And Schaums is pretty damn good :smile:
Reply 15
Avatar for rotor
rotor
OP
14
Cool, I may start doing some excerises from there :smile:
Ooh is there any other recommended books?
I have mot a mot as well for vocab.
Reply 16
Avatar for dans
dans
12
Crazy_emz
Sure, most textbooks will help but some textbooks are better than others! (All textbooks are equal but some textbooks are more equal than others :p: ). And Schaums is pretty damn good :smile:


Too true, too true.

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