French on the Go More Study Tips for Busy Students

French on the Go More Study Tips for Busy Students Madalyn Danielson There are always more ways to practice French in your daily life. Tutor  Darcy C.  shares how to study French as you go about your usual activities Learning any language is just plain easier when you’re surrounded by native speakers, and learning French is no different. Yet for those of us who cannot move to France at the moment, there are  other ways to bring France to us by making French part of our daily lives. Even if you don’t have  much time to spare between lessons, check out these tips to incorporate the language into your  life more frequently and regularlyâ€"you might be surprised at how simple this task can be! For the Reader If you are working on vocabulary, grammar, and reading, see if you can find a French translation  of one of your favorite children’s books. You know you’ll enjoy the story, and you won’t need to  reach for your dictionary as often; since you know what happens, you can guess the meanings  of some words, and silly translations such as “Poudlard” for “Hogwarts” make this exercise even  more enjoyable! Listen Up Most people find the biggest language-learning challenge to be understanding fast French  speakers. To acclimate your ears, give a French podcast a shot. If youre a newer speaker and  balk at the quick pace, simply try counting how many words you can identify in a period of  timeâ€"if you can increase the number day by day, you’ll know you’re improving. Plus, exposure  to the language will help you become accustomed to the sounds and cadences, even if you  can’t understand the words perfectly yet. Movie Night An easy way to transform movie night into practice time is to watch French films with English  subtitles. You can also apply the “old favorite” method here, to focus on the language more than  finding out what happens. An English movie with French dubs can also work, though some find  it challenging to understand the French when the actors’ lip movements are not corresponding. Make your movie night more exciting with a foreign film, and you’ll probably find a great new French movie while your ears get some practice. Use Technology to Your Advantage The easiest tip of all is to change the language settings on your computer and phone to French.  Doing so adds no extra time to your busy day, but regularly reminds you of the language all day  long. There’s even a setting for Google Chrome that translates just some parts of websites, so  you can ease your way into reading French translations! If you would prefer to spend a minute or two reading a regular daily reminder, you can sign up  for email subscriptions to learn a new phrase each day. Even better, visit practice websites like Duolingo.com, where you can spend a few minutes or a few hours practicing new vocabulary. It’s Okay to Be Low Tech If you know anyone abroad, or someone who can put you in touch, see if you can arrange a  phone call trade with a French speaker learning English: during the phone call, you both will  speak French for ten or fifteen minutes, then switch to English. That way, you both get practice,  plus you can learn a lot about life in France (or another Francophone country). I use FaceTime  Audio to keep in touch with a French phone-pal, and we never run out of things to talk  aboutâ€"differences in culture, colloquial phrases and jokes, politics, food, you name it! Find What Works for YOU! What’s most important is to find what works for you. In order to make practice a regular part of  your life, it’s crucial that you choose an activity that you have time for and will realistically enjoy.  Whether it’s some light reading, listening to a podcast or movie, a weekly phone date, practicing  online, or even just that French calendrier on your computer, you’ll be keeping the language-learning part of your brain active. What better way to improve and get the most out of your  lessons? Work with a French tutor online via Skype for more personal attention and help studying French. Find your French tutor now! Darcy C. teaches in-person French, English, clarinet and dance lessons in Chicago, IL. She earned her B.A. in communication (theatre) from Northwestern University, and she has been teaching private lessons for 8 years. Learn more about Darcy here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo by  Jens Schott Knudsen