tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1988897878875491148.post4367157343831110954..comments2023-11-03T14:30:45.289+01:00Comments on Red, White and Bleu: Lesson OneParisgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06541058433269818013noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1988897878875491148.post-83584937415386625382008-09-11T12:56:00.000+02:002008-09-11T12:56:00.000+02:00I took TOEFL more than 10 years ago (my English wa...I took TOEFL more than 10 years ago (my English was still OK, then), and I needed 2 attempts : the first one, without a training ended a disaster. 2 months later, after some training I got very good results withouth my English having improved much. I hust mean this kind of test can be prepared, and the French school system does not prepare you at all to it.<BR/><BR/>If you want another example of biased test, there exists in Catalonia a Catalogne government run language test (you need it to appy to civil servant jobs). From my experience, I can tell that it is far easier for french than Spanish to take it, because it emphasizes on what Catalan and Spanish have most distant, which, at the same time is what French and Catalan have in common (more precisely the "en" and "y" stuff, that you maight also find difficult in French).<BR/><BR/>I took a bac C (the ancestor of bac S) and English test was oral (so was latin, by the way). But it was long ago...Cimonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08162943665797137802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1988897878875491148.post-36021568861762584202008-09-11T09:55:00.000+02:002008-09-11T09:55:00.000+02:00http://www.minuscule.tv/Lovely funny short films f...http://www.minuscule.tv/<BR/><BR/>Lovely funny short films featuring insects. Make a change from Barbalala et cie.Wafflehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02907816708805451116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1988897878875491148.post-11279575283351348122008-09-10T23:37:00.000+02:002008-09-10T23:37:00.000+02:00Cimon, I've heard before that the French not good ...Cimon, I've heard before that the French not good at multiple choice exams and find this curious because in the UK multiple choice exams are considered an easy or easier option ! <BR/>My stepdaughter did a Bac S with English as her first option "langue vivante". Some of her friend did the Bac ES and others the Bac L, again with English but none of them did an oral exam. I know official French exams are based on a written tradition but would argue that oral exams are vital in language learning. <BR/>Thanks for the link to the maternelle programme. Very interesting.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1988897878875491148.post-20856826624213879682008-09-10T22:56:00.000+02:002008-09-10T22:56:00.000+02:00I don't think any conclusion may be drawn from TOE...I don't think any conclusion may be drawn from TOEFL results : the French school system just does not know what a multiple choice test is, and I guess results would be different if a dissertation had to be done. Anyway, a friend of mine was studying at Columbia University, and told me he had problems with the structure of his dissertations : as he was taught, it was three parts (thesis / antithesis / synthesis) or 4 parts (2 parts with 2 subparts). His teachers expected him to give his opinion (and explain why) while he was trying to show he had understood how difficult the subject was.<BR/><BR/>As far as the bac is concerned, it depends on the option you chose. But remember that real important subjects are written test, less important subjects are oral.<BR/><BR/>I am not sure there is a maximum number as school is mandatory starting age 6. But <A HREF="http://www.education.gouv.fr/bo/2008/hs3/programme_maternelle.htm" REL="nofollow">here</A> is the maternelle program (yes, there is one !), but I didn't find any mention of the 30 kids in a classroom with a teacher and an ATSEM...Cimonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08162943665797137802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1988897878875491148.post-16745082161803457322008-09-10T18:59:00.000+02:002008-09-10T18:59:00.000+02:00Dumdad, I was talking about subtitles being prefer...Dumdad, I was talking about subtitles being preferred to dubbing for VO (ie non English language) films in the UK. I don't think I've ever seen a foreign film dubbed into English, but maybe I haven't lived!<BR/>xParisgirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06541058433269818013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1988897878875491148.post-8941993150962283322008-09-10T18:53:00.000+02:002008-09-10T18:53:00.000+02:00"In the UK subtitles are used and preferred, in Fr..."In the UK subtitles are used and preferred, in France it's the opposite. I suppose it's what you're used to."<BR/><BR/>Parisgirl,<BR/><BR/>In my experience, it's the other way round. Whatever.Dumdadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00070838905120958459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1988897878875491148.post-2811764164928882042008-09-10T16:25:00.000+02:002008-09-10T16:25:00.000+02:00Nicol, Sorry, didn't mean to cast a cloud over Mar...Nicol, Sorry, didn't mean to cast a cloud over Mary Poppins. Must have been my mood yesterday.<BR/>Hope the Spanish is going well. I'm convinced parental efforts are as important as what they do at schoolParisgirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06541058433269818013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1988897878875491148.post-90797914558692370102008-09-10T16:21:00.000+02:002008-09-10T16:21:00.000+02:00Cimon, La Fille loves Cars, Ratatoille, Madagascar...Cimon, La Fille loves Cars, Ratatoille, Madagascar the lot. We have quite a collection! Sorry, I didn't mean to give the impression I was surprised about the Langue de Shakespeare bit; I find it a lovely description. <BR/>Interesting questions:<BR/>1) It's difficult for me to say. As I speak French (however badly) French friends talk to me in French. I have the impression they don't like to speak English in case they make mistakes, which seems to be a French hang-up. Research from various sources including the OECD seems to show the French are falling behind. (In the recognised Test of English as a Foreign Language 2008 average scores were: French students: 85 out of possible 120; Germans 102; Estonians 97; Greeks 87. This is just a selection and there may be a reason of which I am unaware). That said, I was surprised when my stepdaughter took her Bac and told me there was no oral English exam.<BR/>2) Personally yes, but I believe this is a cultural thing. In the UK subtitles are used and preferred, in France it's the opposite. I suppose it's what you're used to. <BR/>3) The intensive summer courses I refer to are for lycéens, but as for language lessons for six year olds; if it is simply an introduction and fun, why not but if it formal and tested, no. I think emphasising English and excluding other languages is a pity. I am totally with you on class numbers. What is the maximum number allowed?<BR/><BR/>Jaywalker, I know. Dick Van Dyke opened his mouth and I thought: "This man is speaking English and I don't understand a word he's saying"! What is Miniscule?Parisgirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06541058433269818013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1988897878875491148.post-46113792889761527942008-09-10T16:04:00.000+02:002008-09-10T16:04:00.000+02:00I loved Mary Poppins and I never did think about M...I loved Mary Poppins and I never did think about Mr. Banks heading off to war a few short years after (in movie land). It made me take a step bank that the perfect world that is represented when Mary Poppins is there will disapear.<BR/><BR/>I also read your post on La Fille's school day. I'm glad she is doing so well. I say whether the schools decide to teach more English or not, that it's great that she is learning from you. I feel language is important. My dd is off with her grandparents today for "Spanish time".Nicolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15672249869812124038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1988897878875491148.post-40366214616671994942008-09-10T13:33:00.000+02:002008-09-10T13:33:00.000+02:00Uh oh. What if she starts talking like Dick Van Dy...Uh oh. What if she starts talking like Dick Van Dycke? "Meeery Poppinz"<BR/><BR/>Does La Fille watch Minuscule? God, I love Minuscule. Ok that is totally off topic since it has NO dialogue at all. Sorry.Wafflehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02907816708805451116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1988897878875491148.post-121499926163672112008-09-10T09:51:00.000+02:002008-09-10T09:51:00.000+02:00Films like Cars or Ratatouille work very well with...Films like Cars or Ratatouille work very well with my son. Why not try pixar films, which are obviously easily available in English.<BR/><BR/>I am surprised you are surprised by the "langue de Shakespeare" stuff, as we do it with our language (Molière), German (Goethe), Italian (Dante) and so on...<BR/><BR/>;-)<BR/><BR/>I have some questions for you, though :<BR/><BR/>- do you find the French are that bad at English ? I mean I am not sure we are really worse (nor better) than our neighbours, and no one seems to notice that the French language imposes the last syllabus of a word to be stressed, which means that it is difficult for us to correctly stress the words ;<BR/>- would yoyu appreciate non dubbed films on TV ?<BR/>- do you think it is a good idea to have English lessons for kids that young ? I mean there are 29 kids in my son's class, and I'd better have money spent in lowering this number rather than English lessons...Cimonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08162943665797137802noreply@blogger.com