Starting to study any foreign language, you need to set yourself up for constant replenishment of the vocabulary and training of speech, hearing and graphic skills. Ideally, it is better to start learning in early childhood, when the absorption of lexical and grammatical foundations occurs as if by itself. Among psychologists, childhood is considered a sensitive period, that is, favorable for the perception of various information, including foreign languages. But what about the situation when, for example, French was needed in adulthood, but there is no opportunity to immerse yourself in the language environment? Textbooks and books in French for beginners come to the rescue.
Difficulties in French Suggestions
Having dealt with the features of endings and conjugations, many are faced with the illogical arrangement of words inside phrases and whole sentences. So, some adjectives are faced with a noun, while the bulk of them are located after the defined word. Remember on the fly the formula of interrogative sentences, with its permutations, repetitions and intonations - sometimes an overwhelming task. Without using these constructions in speech, the student risks staying at the initial language level for a long time.
To clarify all the controversial issues, to practice using times, interrogative and negative sentences, a French tutorial for beginners will help. A book and a disk, usually included in the kit, will help to remove grammatical errors from speech, teach you to hear the most used phrases, and lay the necessary foundation for further study.
The Importance of Reading in Learning Languages
All linguists and polyglot read a lot. Why? Firstly, reading helps to keep in memory and constantly repeat the material already studied. Secondly, there is enrichment with new vocabulary and grammar. Thirdly, when reading even adapted books in French for beginners, a person feels the rhythm of the language, captures its pace and style. Accordingly, he begins to speak correctly, and not in the way the translator suggested.
Vocabulary replenishment is an important stage in learning
So, if the goal of language teaching is to have a good level of knowledge, you will need fiction. At first it will be books in French for beginners. Many teachers of schools and universities advise starting with simple, even children's manuals with short sentences, an understandable storyline and funny pictures. Such are, for example, the series about baby Nicolas (Le petit Nicolas) Rene Gosinny and Jean-Jacques Sempe. This fun and mischievous boy is loved all over the world, and books about his adventures have been translated into 37 languages. Another option would be short stories by classics and contemporary authors, in which there are not many unfamiliar words and commentaries by translators are given.
What words and phrases can be learned from a book in French for beginners? First, the most used expressions of greeting, farewell, and gratitude. Secondly, the names of many items, such as food, household utensils, clothes, weather and much more. Depending on the plot of the book for the initial reading in French, the notation of emotions, professions, description of the area or appearance will come across. All this is very useful for the development of vocabulary and can be useful in any situation.
Adapted Literature
In addition to children's stories, you can start with the so-called adapted books - those whose language is intentionally simplified or changed to the level of readers. The plot and style of the author remains the same. As a result of adaptations, obsolete words and phrases usually disappear, grammatical constructions are simplified, the syllable becomes easier and more modern. Accordingly, even at the initial stage of mastering the French one can get acquainted with the works of Jules Verne, Alexandre Dumas, Francoise Sagan, Antoine de Saint-Exupery and others.
Author's technique of reading Ilya Frank
Ilya Mikhailovich Frank, a Russian philologist who speaks several languages, created a method to help read foreign books with full understanding. For this, a translation and explanations are inserted into the adapted part of the source text after each phrase or finished thought. The following paragraph repeats the source text, but without explanation. Reading books in French for beginners in this way, the student learns to divide sentences into semantic groups, pause where necessary and highlight keywords. To train your skills, you should work with both paragraphs in turn.
Effective Learning Tips
Students just beginning to learn the language are often forced to look into the dictionary. In order not to lose or forget a useful word, you can use programs with interval repetition, for example Anki. If you add a few cards with phrases or separate words in her memory, the program will regularly offer to repeat them - until they are learned.
When buying or downloading, you should pay attention to the mark "French for beginners." The list of books in this section includes children's books, adapted literature, simple poems and fairy tales. Do not immediately take on serious works. As a rule, in children's literature there are many useful everyday vocabulary, which can be used in any situation.
In addition to the print edition, you can find its audio version. Training both reading and hearing will lead to faster mastery of the language.