French native speaker roll call

[jld]

Who is a native French speaker here? Lune? Pixie? Cleo, for sure!

Who is fluent but not a native speaker? jen.bader? yvonne?

[CleoQc]

just confirming my native speaker status.

[jld]

Thanks, Cleo!

I hope more people will respond to this. I'd like to know whom to direct my questions to . . . dh just doesn't see things the way a French woman would . . . he'll recommend books to dd that he liked as a teenager, but not necessarily ones that a young woman would like . . .

Merci encore!

[enviromommy]

Fluent but non-native if you are a stickler for actual reality, as in, both my parents are American and I grew up in the U.S., LOL. In my mind? I self-identify as partly French.

[jld]

Thanks, jen.bader. I'm sure you know a lot and will be a great resource to all of us here!

Would you like to recommend some books that a 14 year old girl (soon to be 15) might like? She's reading Le Lion right now, but finds that while her dad may have liked it a lot as a teen, it's not really her cuppa (too much description). She's also doing some Anne-Marie Cadot Colin (recommended in her grammar book). She really has not enjoyed anything by Odile Weulersse. Probably her favorites so far were by Annie Pietri.

Any suggestions would be appreciated -- merci en avance!

[enviromommy]

Feel free to call me "Jen" ;)

Unfortunately, I don't know anything about literature intended specifically for teens; by the time I was really up and running as a French reader, I was in college. In high school, I read the literature that was assigned for my French AP Lit class, but that's not "fun" reading for teens. I think the AP syllabus at the time (1987) was Le Colonel Chabert (Balzac), Trois Contes (Flaubert), Moderato Cantabile (Marguerite Duras), Candide (Voltaire), Huis Clos (Sartre), and I can't remember what else, maybe some Camus. In general, I tend to go for the classics anyway. I'm particularly devoted to anything written in the 19th Century - my favorites being some of the "usual suspects," Zola, Stendhal, Flaubert, Hugo, and Maupassant. Do you think your DD is too young to start on anything like that? Are you going to completely laugh at me for being so out of touch?

Another thought - when my DH started reading in French, he read a lot of Daniel Pennac. He writes novels for both children and adults - I don't know if anything is specifically aimed at teens.

I'm sorry, I'm not being much help. I'm thinking actually, an old friend of mine works for a large French chain of bookstores - I could FB her and ask for some suggestions.

[jld]

Thanks, Jen! And no laughing here!:)

She's read some classics, but I want to include contemporary writers, too. She likes the classics she has read (Sans Famille, some novels by J. Verne, and some others dh recommended, I think), and will probably be buying some more on this trip. I haven't pushed most of the ones you've mentioned, as I think they're really high school level, and she's mostly just read junior high stuff. And I've bought quite a few contemporary novels for that level that I'd like her to finish before we go all out on more traditional works.

I've gone to the Salon du Livre Jeunesse a few times, so I'm not totally clueless about French authors, but it's always good to glean recommendations from other people, I think. I don't want to put you to any trouble about asking your friend, but in case it would ever come up, and you feel like asking, I'd be happy to hear what you find out!

[Joan in Geneva]

I'm not really fluent. My children keep saying I should work on my French (more than German - which I'm working on to help them)...but I live in the French speaking part of Switzerland, am helping my children develop their French skills enough to be able to pass French tests, develop their literature analysis skills in French, their vocabulary, etc...I'm still going back and forth about having ds3 take his Swiss matu (like the French bac) or not (leaning toward not due to oral exams in German, French, math, philosophy, and 'thesis' paper)...

As for good French literature, that has always been one of the problems and so to help develop their vocabulary, we do some supplements in other subjects in French (except for some years in geography where we just do it in French)...

The books on "Histoire - Geographie" for 6e - 3e have been quite useful, especially for Geography study....They are more what I would call "Human Geography" (vs Physical Geography) but not quite as "Human" as for the AP which ds3 is doing now. And since the history is broken into sections of Ancient, Middle Ages, Modern.. it is easy to use the books alongside the WTM curriculum. The books do lean toward French history in the modern times.

We get out lots of videos from the mediatheque on science, history (we were just watching a very interesting one on the communist movement - people giving their lives for the 'party'), geography, etc.

Recently they have gotten access to a Christian lending library. Some of these books are available from various bookstores. Here is the link for one bookstore for 12-14 yo (http://www.eblc.ch/boutique/index.php?chapitre_niveau_1=7&chapitre_niveau_2=35), but you can find books for all the ages in their catalogue.

I know for Les Miserables, my ds enjoyed the book Jean Valjean a couple of years ago (age 13) which is an abridged version.

If you (or Yvonne) ever pass through Geneva, there is a way of finding used French books cheaply at the Salvation Army and similar types of places. They're generally only 2 CHF a piece(little less than $2 at current exchange), so you could fill your suitcases. But as people have noted, a lot of it is translated literature. And if you come during the school year, I can get you into the International School used bookstore where they sell the French curriculum history, geography, French, math books for 2 CHF too.

Joan

[jld]

You are so sweet, Joan! Thanks for posting! Someday we will have to come to Geneva!:)

I will have dd look for the histoire/geographie books -- which publisher again?

She's finishing up 5eme spelling and grammar right now, and wants to do 4eme and 3eme in the next two months. She told me if she does a spread a day, she can have them finished by the time she gets back to India. After that, she just plans to read and do some French writing for her dad to correct.

I'm fine with whatever she wants to do in French. She doesn't want to do college in France, so I guess whatever she wants to do in the language is up to her. But it's always fun to read really good books, so I'll keep scouting out recommendations . . .

Thanks again, and hats off to your dc for managing all those challenging subjects!:)

[Joan in Geneva]

I will have dd look for the histoire/geographie books -- which publisher again?

Probably more important if she is working independently is to match the historical time period she is studying.

6e - Ancient History (though since it is only 6th grade, the level is easier)
5e - Middle Ages to Renaissance
4e - 17th & 18th century
3e - 19-20th

If you are working with her and want questions to ask with the answers given in the teacher's guide, then Hachette has a better guide (at least the edition that I am using - 2007 (http://www.amazon.fr/Histoire-G%C3%A9ographie-3e-Livre-professeur/dp/2011254973/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271008991&sr=1-4) at least for 3e).

If she wants to do worksheets with the books, then Hatier has 40 fiches d'activites (http://www.amazon.fr/Histoire-G%C3%A9ographie-Education-civique-dactivit%C3%A9s-initiation/dp/2218926954/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271007770&sr=8-2) which are pretty good (but answers are not included - though your husband could probably check them easily).

I wrote about the geography covered in each book in this thread (on this page (http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36097&highlight=histoire&page=3)) a while ago...

All the best,
Joan

[Joan in Geneva]

I'm fine with whatever she wants to do in French. She doesn't want to do college in France, so I guess whatever she wants to do in the language is up to her.

You might want to encourage her to do the SAT II French Language and the AP French Language tests...

when you look at the stats on Wikipedia, even native speakers do not always do well, so I think they are worth something...

[jld]

Yes, I think she will probably do the AP French test, for sure. She took a practice test (or at least a few questions from it) last Nov., and didn't do as well as we thought she would. That's why she spent 6 weeks over Christmas in France. Now she's there for 9 weeks, so that should help, too.

Thanks, as always, for your thoughts, Joan. I always read your posts with interest!:)

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

I have a Master's degree in French Literature, and spent two years living in France, so I'm fluent, with a darned good accent, if I do say so myself! I had a French friend here who introduced me to a group of his friends, and he told them all that my father was French. It's not true, and he knows it, so I asked him why he said that. He replied, "They're never going to believe that you are just an American who speaks French that well."

[jld]

Very good, scrappy! Any ideas for books teen girls may like, by French authors?

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

Sorry, didn't see the question. I don't know how interested teenagers would be in 17th alexandrin, or Belgian fantastique, which is what I studied! :lol:

I just sent a Facebook message to a French friend of mine who teaches English in a lycee in Clermont-Ferrand and ask her for some recommendations!

[jld]

Why, thank you! I hope it won't trouble her too much. So many kids in France read translations of novels written in other languages, but I am always on the lookout for which books by French authors appeal to teens and kids. Thanks again!:)

[Chez J]

You ladies may be able to help me out. My dd is in CM2 level CNED. It is too much for us. The schedule is so strict, that we struggle to finish every year. This is partly because we don't get the materials until late Sept. I'm also thinking this grade level might need to be repeated. She's getting her verb tenses and conjugations mixed up.

Anyway, I am looking for an alternative curriculum for her to use. My hope is to prepare her for AP French in early high school. Don't know if that is realistic, just guessing based on how many years of French she'd have had.

Her tutor lives in Paris, so we could get materials from there. I have asked the same of her tutor, but thought you ladies might have additional suggestions.

Thanks for your consideration.

Lesley

PS I may be looking to hire a second tutor. I am thinking of changing our schedule from two days a week for two hours each to four days a week for one hour each. I think this will help my daughter but might be a challenge for her tutor in Paris to keep.

[Pixie]

I am another native French speaker. We have been living in the U.S. for 13 years and sadly my kids barely speak French.

[Cleopatra]

You ladies may be able to help me out. My dd is in CM2 level CNED. It is too much for us. The schedule is so strict, that we struggle to finish every year. This is partly because we don't get the materials until late Sept. I'm also thinking this grade level might need to be repeated. She's getting her verb tenses and conjugations mixed up.

Anyway, I am looking for an alternative curriculum for her to use. My hope is to prepare her for AP French in early high school. Don't know if that is realistic, just guessing based on how many years of French she'd have had.

Her tutor lives in Paris, so we could get materials from there. I have asked the same of her tutor, but thought you ladies might have additional suggestions.

Thanks for your consideration.

Lesley

PS I may be looking to hire a second tutor. I am thinking of changing our schedule from two days a week for two hours each to four days a week for one hour each. I think this will help my daughter but might be a challenge for her tutor in Paris to keep.

Hi Lesley,

Would you consider starting a new thread with this question??? I'm also very interested in any answers you might get!

Merci beaucoup!:001_smile:

[jld]

Hi, Pixie! Thanks for self-identifying. I'm just trying to get an idea of all the native and near-native speakers out there. It is good to know our resources here!:)

Lesley, could you provide a little more background on your daughter's French? It might help for giving suggestions.

My dd15 will probably take the French AP exam in two years. She has worked through part of Amsco's French Two Years (6th grade, not sure she really internalized the grammar -- in her case, she was probably too young), and is now doing the Chouette orthographe and grammaire books. She started with the 6eme ones, recently finished 5eme, and now is in 4eme. She wants to do the 3eme level, and then we'll see. She reads novels regularly in French, and does some writing (diary, occasional note).

When she took part of a French AP practice test in Nov., we were surprised by some of the mistakes she made, mainly grammar, and decided she needed more time in France. Dh is French, and has always spoken French to our kids, but allowed the kids to respond in English (not helpful). We lived in France for over a year, but that was over two years ago, and they have forgotten things.

The practice dd is getting now, staying with her grandparents in Normandy, is invaluable. She is hearing and speaking French all the time, and dh now says the only difference between her and totally French kids is her unfamiliarity with some vocab (I'm not sure dh is totally objective, though!), and of course, cultural references. We hope to continue regular immersion experiences with the rest of our children, and to send dd regularly until she reaches college. We're thinking two months at Christmas, two months during the summer holidays. That's 1/3 of the year spent in France, which is the most we can do (we want to see our kids, too, lol!). Whatever level our kids end up in, we will just accept that as our best effort.

Please give us some more details so we can help you brainstorm!:)