Post: #1

This thread's purpose is to keep me going towards my goal - improving my French (mostly oral comprehension)- and also to track my progress with French oral comprehension.

I'll keep working everyday until 1st of October, when college starts.

I've found several sites to use as resources for audio files on a daily basis - this way I'll never have an excuse not to do some listening exercises everyday.

Here are some of the sites I'll be using:
http://www.tolearnfrench.com/exercises.php
http://www2.csdm.qc.ca/Yves_Theriault/We.../Index.htm
http://french.about.com/od/beglisten/Beg...rcises.htm
http://www.dailyfrenchpod.com/
http://www.franceinter.fr/
http://www.audiocite.net/

Since the period of time is pretty long (from now to October), I'll update the thread once a week, mentioning if my oral comprehension has improved, what other sites I've found or what documentaries/movies I've come across. I am dedicating about 2 hours everyday for exercising French, therefore I'm looking forward to a big improvement by the time we reach October.

Now let's do this! French all the way, mes amis!

"You were born an original, don't die a copy." ~ John Mason | You can check my blog here

Post: #2

Update 1

I've been working as planned, for 2 hours daily, mostly oral comprehension, but along with improving oral comprehension skills came a lot of new vocabulary which is a great thing.

I've watched several documentaries out of which I've understood about 70-75%. Here's the list:
Nostradamus - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_C0ssHVWnAY
Pyramids - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyVVMXWslxM
The Curse of Tutankhamon - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UMzb0n9VLo
Maya Civilization - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jtby8aazEUE
Atlantis - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aq5Gfel7IiQ

I started exercising French on 9th of July, 9 days before making this thread, so after approximately two weeks of French I've noticed an improvement in my vocabulary, the way I talk in French (sentences aren't as fragmented as before, I can think of certain words and idioms faster than compared to before) and also in oral comprehension - since I've learnt some new words, now I understand a bit more of whatever I'm listening to.

That's it for the first week

"You were born an original, don't die a copy." ~ John Mason | You can check my blog here

Post: #3

This is awesome - considering the not-so-long period of intensive studying! I guess I need to get serious about my English studies too, cuz there's always not enough time to sit down and start learning the new vocab! Thanks for tons of inspiration!

"Everything you can imagine is real." - Pablo Picasso
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Post: #4

(07-22-2012 11:34 PM)stacey_dream Wrote:  I guess I need to get serious about my English studies too, cuz there's always not enough time to sit down and start learning the new vocab! Thanks for tons of inspiration!

Getting started is always the hardest part, but if you create an "attack" plan it all goes smoothly. You go, Stacey, kill that new vocab! haha.

"You were born an original, don't die a copy." ~ John Mason | You can check my blog here

Post: #5

Hey there! I just wanted to share a site called duolingo.com. I'm not sure it's exactly what you want (since you seem to be going more for oral comprehension), but you can get a lot of reading experience from here. Essentially what happens is you can read something in your target language and then translate it into English, but all the stuff is from actual websites. They make it happen much nicer than I can describe, but thought I'd throw it out there in case you find it worth checking out. =)

Post: #6

(07-23-2012 11:43 AM)Calae Wrote:  Hey there! I just wanted to share a site called duolingo.com. I'm not sure it's exactly what you want (since you seem to be going more for oral comprehension), but you can get a lot of reading experience from here.

Hey, Calae! Thank you for the suggestion, I'll totally check it out. There's always room for more study material, haha.

"You were born an original, don't die a copy." ~ John Mason | You can check my blog here

Post: #7

Update 2

This week I've been using a lot this blog: http://francebienvenue1.wordpress.com/
It is a great resource of French listening material, made by French people, comprising conversations as they actually are between native French persons.

Also, I've been watching some more documentaries:
Atlantis - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMSkwF2o7...plpp_video
Cleopatra - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7Vnh9or7...plpp_video
Celts - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKaIpBjCH...plpp_video

The percentage of my oral comprehension skill is still the same I would say, 70-75%, but my vocabulary has definitely enriched over the past week ("blame" it on that French blog, haha). I'm planning on watching a movie in French to see how much I understand out of it.

"You were born an original, don't die a copy." ~ John Mason | You can check my blog here

Post: #8

Update 3

Documentaries of the week:
King Arthur - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlaPeFGsSVQ
Jack the Ripper - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GczKwbYUFqA
The Romanovs - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWz5tTMYWRQ
The Man in the Iron Mask - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMCBGsVllfQ

I've also found a new site to use and I absolutely love the podcasts available there. The person who makes them has an impeccable French! I understand every single word that he says. He is a French man so you would probably think "Well, duh, of course he speaks very good French". Actually, no: I've listened to tons of French podcasts, radio shows, TV shows etc. and some French people (if not most of them) make so many abbreviations, they speak extremely fast or they "eat up" whole syllables, therefore making it really difficult to understand what they're saying. Here's the site: http://www.francaisauthentique.com/

"You were born an original, don't die a copy." ~ John Mason | You can check my blog here

Post: #9

Update 4

Documentaries:
Death's at the Court - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Irm7ncEEAng
Rasputin - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tU0RYxU0t9k
Black Beard - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m59ZF2VUvZA
Abraham Lincoln - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8glQRT3Bvc

As for other listening resources, I've kept using the podcasts from Francais Authentique. I've definitely learnt some new idioms and other words, but the oral comprehension level is still around 70%, depending on the material which I'm listening. Sometimes I understand almost everything while other times I'm like "Whaaat...." throughout the entire listening practice

"You were born an original, don't die a copy." ~ John Mason | You can check my blog here

Post: #10

Update 5

This week I've only watched one documentary about some cannibal serial killers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8jcIN8MkVg Sounds very macabre, but I've found it interesting.

I've been listening to some more podcasts from Francais Authentique and, also, watching some of the videos, as well as reading articles on the blog. It's my favorite resource for French learning at the moment. Things are going well, but it just seems like I'm stuck in this 70%-comprehension spot. I think it's because of a poor vocabulary, so I'll try to enrich it even more.

"You were born an original, don't die a copy." ~ John Mason | You can check my blog here

Post: #11

Update 6

Documentaries:
Jeanne d'Arc - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4u1N_yKUeaQ
Rome (part one) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ba7MuTDLqMo
Leonardo da Vinci - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tiiv82sivzY

Plus several podcasts.

I think I've experienced a breakthrough regarding my comprehension level. I'd say that know I understand about 80% of what I'm listening to. Glad about the improvement.

"You were born an original, don't die a copy." ~ John Mason | You can check my blog here

Post: #12

Update 7

I've come across several playlists of a TV show called "Hantise" (something like "The Haunting") and I've been watching those videos, both because they were in French and because I like ghost stories.

Here are links for:
season 1- http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLF1767DCC31C8482A
season 2- http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLE68437D4E6A53DB7
season 3- http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA2D078A924442F98

Also I've been listening a lot to French radios and podcasts.

"You were born an original, don't die a copy." ~ John Mason | You can check my blog here

Post: #13

Update 8

Today I've finally pushed myself to go through some old notebooks I had kept at the beginning of the summer holiday (when I cleaned up all of my books, notebooks, workbooks etc.). Everyday I would look at them and say "Maybe tomorrow...Now I'll just listen some more radio/watch another documentary".

Those notebooks are filled with vocabulary, idioms&expressions, tips on how to write essays/letters/invitations, grammar notions. I only managed to go through one of the notebooks since there's a lot of info in it.

Also, I've started using again an online French chat which I've found a long time ago: http://www.french-chat.com
Using the language helps me remember words&expression I have learnt and also helps my overall comprehension of the language. So yay for the online chat! xD

Currently listening to France Info (online radio) while going to practice writing with my left hand.

That's all for now

"You were born an original, don't die a copy." ~ John Mason | You can check my blog here

Post: #14

Hey Lina!!! I'm late to this thread; would like to give you kudos for embarking on this challenge to improve your French! I know little to no French, so it's endearing to see someone learn a new language and progress so well in it.

Would you consider recording a line or two, of you speaking French, for us? It can be just a simple hello message to the people here at the forums or something. Just a thought; I think it would be really fun!

"If you want to get something you have never gotten before, you've to do something you've never done before."
Personal Excellence - For people passionate about achieving excellence in life

Post: #15

(09-13-2012 05:30 PM)Celes Wrote:  Would you consider recording a line or two, of you speaking French, for us? It can be just a simple hello message to the people here at the forums or something. Just a thought; I think it would be really fun!

Hey, Celes. Firstly, thank you for your nice words!

Secondly, your request is perfect since I have no one to practice with and this is one of the reasons why I'm afraid of actually speaking French - I don't speak it enough!

So I've recorded a small file for PE-ers You can download it here, I've put it on a free file hosting site: http://www.filedropper.com/salutpe

What I'm saying is: "Hi, everyone on PE! Since Celes asked me if I could record something in French, here it is, I've done so. I don't speak very well, I still have a lot to work and I hope that I'll improve my French furthermore. [Awkward pause, haha] That's all, thanks for listening, bye!"

Sorry for the background noise.

"You were born an original, don't die a copy." ~ John Mason | You can check my blog here

Post: #16

Update 9

I've been listening to more radio (pretty much the only form of exercise I've been doing lately) and also reading "Bel Ami", by Maupassant, in original French. Literary French sure is a pain in the bottom though, lol.

This being said, my French practice has ended, tomorrow begins college and I'll be immersing myself in the study of both French and English for the following months.

What I've got out of this practicing period is the feeling that I can do it(whatever it is that I wish to do) as long as I'm really focusing on it. Plus, some more expressions, idioms and words added to my vocabulary.

I'm pretty nervous about college, where courses will be taught in the language we're studying(English courses don't make me nervous, but French ones...oh, man! haha). But I'll do my best and everything will be fine

"You were born an original, don't die a copy." ~ John Mason | You can check my blog here

Post: #17

Hi Lina,

Some resources for you, some of which you may already know:

Radio
France Culture is the radio station which has discussion and higher level topics.
France info and France inter is continuous news updated every few minutes.
Rire et chansons - jokes and songs

TV
"Des Racines & des Ailes" - a programme about well known places & their history
Thalassa - programme de la mer http://www.thalassa.france3.fr/
Tf1 news - on the internet is divided into segments now so you can pick out what you want to watch
Arte - culture channel have some excellent themed evenings on different subjects

Internet films
There are quite a few good classics like Moliere to be found by famous French actors