As teachers in Agape School of Education, students are our greatest inspiration. Many years of teaching and interaction with them have led us to understand their anxiety, frustration and motivation to learn a language. Gradually we realize that students learn best once they grow passionate towards the language and could experience its practical benefits. The best reward is to see our students perform well and see them go on to achieve greater things with the knowledge they have attained. With these insight in mind we have been determine to establish a school that offers experiential learning methodology that will exhume the student’s unlimited capabilities.
With Lin Derong alias Jean-Pierre, our enthusiasm was further strengthen by the encouragement we received through his performance. As his teachers, we must admit our task was easier because he already had an unconditional love for the language. His Agape (αγάπη) for French was the catalyst which allowed him to attain his French International Diploma B2 in only 200 hours of course. The fact that he was at- tending French private class and was doing his National Service cannot explain his excellent performance.
The strong foundation Jean-Pierre received from Agape School of Education allowed him to master French as a language of communication and life skills. That helped him to become successful in the global performing arenas. In addition to developing a new passion in fashion design, he also developed his writing skills. During his NS period, he went on mission to India and New Zealand and we received a comprehensive writing about his saga which we also plan to publish. We think that this e-book is a kind of chatting about his experience in learning the French language.
In Agape School of Education we believe that our students should be able to understand, experience and communicate effectively in the language they have learnt to master and apply the life skills they acquired in their daily interaction with people thus ultimately boosting their self-confidence to achieve anything their heart desire.
Jean-Pierre is not the only student who has done extremely well in Agape School of Education. But we must confess does far he is the only one who “dares” to communicate in writing. So we wish him the very best for his future. We are confident you will enjoy reading his e-book and receiving the baton that is passing on to you.
DELF & DALF
My end goal of learning in French is essentially being able to read, write and speak. Thus I have chosen to take the DELF exam Preparation as a yardstick to my learning.
DELF, The Diplôme d’études en langue française, (Diploma in French Studies): is a certification of French-language abilities for non-native speakers of French administered by the International Centre for French Studies for France’s Ministry of Education.
It is composed of four independent diplomas: A1, A2, B1 and B2 where A represents the “basic division” and B represents the “independent division”
DALF exam preparation, Diplôme approfondi de langue française (Diploma of Advanced French Language Studies): Advancing up from the DELF, it is composed of two independent diplomas corresponding to the top two levels, C1 &C2 of the Common European Framework of Reference.
THE FIRST THING
WHY LEARNING IN FRENCH
There are thousands of languages out there that you could learn! So why choose learn French in Singapore? This is may be an easy language to pick up but it can be hard to master. The following are some reasons (and perks) to learning French. Let us now explore French and perhaps, you will find your interest and passions within this.
1. A World Language
French is a global language that has more than 200 million users spanning across five continents. The Francophone, the International Organization of French-speaking countries, comprises of 68 states and governments. French is the second most widely learned foreign language after English, and the ninth most widely spoken language in the world. France operates the biggest international network of cultural institutes, which run French-language courses for more than 750,000 learners.
2. international Relations
French is both a working language and an official language of the United Nations, the European Union,UNESCO, NATO, the International Olympic Committee, the International Red Cross and international courts. French is the language of the three cities where the headquarters of EU institutions are located: Strasbourg, Brussels and Luxembourg. Therefore, it provides a common platform for speakers to share and express ideas and emotions.
3. A Whole New World Perspective
After English and German, French is the third most used language on the Internet, ahead of Spanish. An ability to understand French offers an alternative view of the world through communication with French speakers from all the continents and news from the French-language international media (TV5, France 24 and Radio France Internationale).
4. Higher Academia
Speaking French opens up academic opportunities at renowned French universities and business schools (including one of the World’s leading Business School: HEC Paris), ranked among the top higher education institutions in Europe and the world. Students with a high level of proficiency in French are eligible for French government scholarships to enroll in courses in France in any discipline of their choice and qualify for internationally recognized French degrees. This encourages people with a passion for French not only to pursue their academic ambitions but also do research with added incentives and advantages.
5. Job Market
As the world’s fifth biggest economy and number-three destination for foreign investment, France is a key economic partner. Thus, an ability to speak French alongside English is an advantage not only in France but also in the international job market. Knowledge of French opens the doors of French companies in France and other French-speaking parts of the world (Canada, Switzerland, Belgium, and North and sub-Saharan Africa).
6. Culture
French, as many claim, is the international language of culinary arts, fashion, theatre, the visual arts, dance and architecture. Knowledge of French offers access to great works of literature, as well as the media, in the original forms. French is the language of a long list of huge artists and intellects including Victor Hugo, Molière, Léopold Sendar Senghor, Edith Piaf, Jean-Paul Sartre, Alain Delon and Zinedine Zi-dane. Learning French will not only bring you closer to the beauty of the French culture but will also allow you to appreciate great works and gain an unprecedented level of sophistication.
7. Travel
France is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. A little French makes it much more enjoyable to visit Paris. Knowing French will allow you to explore all the regions of France (from the mild climes of the Cote d’Azur to the snow-capped peaks of the Alps via the rugged coastline of Brittany) and gain insights into French culture, mentality and way of life. French also comes in handy when travelling to Africa, Switzerland, Canada, Monaco, the Seychelles and other places where there are large groups of French-speaking people.
8. The Foundation Language
French is a good base for learning other languages, especially Romance languages (Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Romanian) as well as English, since fifty per cent of current English vocabulary is derived fromFrench. As Anglophones, one of the best reasons to learn French is to help you understand your own language. Although English is a Germanic language, French has had an enormous impact on it. In fact, French is the largest donor of foreign words in English and French will greatly increase the number of English words you know. It does not take long to reach a level where you can communicate in French.
9. Fun
There are many methods employed by both French teachers and language-learning technologies that make learning French enjoyable for children and adults alike.
10. Love and Reason
Learning French will give you the pleasure of learning a beautiful, rich, melodious language, often called the language of love. French is also an analytical language that structures thought and develops critical thinking, which is a valuable skill for discussions and negotiations.
THE SECOND THING
THE PRONUNCIATION
This is not easy to grasp as an Anglophone. In this e-book I will cover the apostrophe and liaison while leaving you to discover the rest on your own, because in my opinion, these two are the most pertinent in French.
THE FRENCH ALPHABET
LA GRAMMAIRE
After doing French for close to 300hours, I still strongly believe that grammar is at the heart of any language. It is very important to have a strong basic grammar foundation at an early stage in order to do well. It can be tedious, but you will definitely not regret the time spent on it when you finally master the language.
Gender of Nouns
This should be no stranger. In French, all nouns are either masculine or feminine. You will have no difficulty in deciding the gender of people, but the gender of things and abstract nouns are determined, with few exceptions, by the ending of the noun.
Nouns ending in mute –e have developed from Latin nouns with the feminine ending -a, and are therefore usually feminine. Most abstract nouns are also feminine.
End of story:
NO FORMULA TO RULE EVERY WORD! SO COMMIT THEM TO MEMORY!! (COMES WITH PRACTICE)
The 2 Most Important Verbs In Your Life
I cannot further emphasize how important these two verbs are in French. You MUST know them by heart. ALL verbs are conjugated with respect to the 6 personal subjects. Note on* is usually used informally as we: we have or one: one has.
THE THIRD THING
Influence on English
The course of learning French aided my English tremendously. It has expanded my vocabulary and I can finally understand the epistemology of certain English words. This can be truly enlightening, especially for people who are fascinated by languages.
GOOD NEWS
You already know half of the French vocabulary. Endings of similar words below are all French…but pronounced in a slightly different manner.
THE FOURTH THING
LISTEN & SPEAK
It is one thing to be able to read and write and yet another thing to hold conversations in French. For those who have French-speaking friends/ family, take the chance to talk! However, practicing your speech could be difficult if you are in an environment where no one else speaks French except those in your French class. Exposure is key! Do not worry! When you are alone, speak to yourself! Think in French! Listen to native speakers! Imitate French recordings until you are very familiar with them! Learn how to formulate your own sentences in spoken French and take every opportunity available to speak. Do not be afraid to make mistakes. After all, it is through these mistakes that you will learn more.
THE FIFTH THING
READ!
ANY FRENCH MATERIALS WILL DO! This would not only improve your understanding of the language, but also aid in your writing skills. No time for books? That is perfectly fine! Pick up some French comics, try to sing along to some saucy French songs and watch films. This will boost your ability of comprehension and will broaden your vocabulary
It is alright if you encounter several words that you do not know in the material because what matters more is appreciating the general idea and language. With the onset of technology, it might become very compelling to use Google Translate for help but it is not accurate. Always use a dictionary like “le petit larousse” for a better understanding. AVOID LITERAL TRANSLATIONS! Feel the language, appreciate the sentence structures, and understand the context of the vocabulary and see your French skills grow.
THE SIXTH THING
MY RECOMMENDATION
ONE: Practice the pronunciation. Get a coach or online exercises.
TWO: Understand the grammar. DRILL grammar exercises. Learn from your mistakes, and re-evaluate yourself till you make no more mistakes.
THREE: Simultaneously you can do listening comprehension exercises. Keep repeating the recordings until you can understand and MIMIC exactly what the speaker is saying.
FOUR: I have never been a fan of any forced memory work. Hence, I believe that vocabulary should be accumulated along the way. [There are inevitable ones, like NUMBERS and BASIC verbs which you cannot escape from] Once you move beyond the foundation stage, try to work without a dictionary. Look at the sentence and try to comprehend the word. After which, you may refer.
THE SEVENTH AND LASTING
IT MAY SEEM EASY AT FIRST
However, as we proceed, things may become daunting.
Most of us go through a period of this ->
Most learners will have a strong tendency to give up. I know this by heart because I have experienced this myself.
For some, this lack of motivation lasts for a short period, but for others, they may go through this for a longer period of time. Therefore, what is important here is to keep on persevering!
If you ever feel like you are stagnating, going off track due to reasons like time constraints or just not going anywhere, then I advice you to take a break. Return back when you have cleared your mind.
You can study French anywhere given the exposure. However in Singapore, the community can be rather small. Thus it may require a greater amount of discipline to do it. You may not notice it but you are progressing as you are accumulating knowledge in the language. Not sure? Ask + seek help!
So long as you are using a suitable learning method and have a positive attitude…
SOIS CALME ET APPREND LE FRANCAIS
You are about to begin a very exciting journey that is filled with rewarding experiences and of course… difficulties. Paris is not built in a day. It takes dedication and endless hard work to make it happen. Let Agape School of Education help you through this journey.
