First Start French Reviews Wanted and other French curriculum suggestions

[training5]

We are probably going to learn French first as I can speak it (sort of). What have you liked about the program? How easy is it to use? What would you use instead? Are other levels planned? What do you do after? Any other non-high school level choices out there? Rosetta Stone isn't quite what I had in mind as I want them to learn more than just how to speak it. I am not aware RS covers grammar, culture, etc.. But I have only viewed the demo.

[8FillTheHeart]

LOL!!! Unfortunately I can give you reviews on lots of French curricula!

I currently own Breaking the Barrier (is high school), French Prep, First Start French, and we use RS online.

RS helps my kids "ear," but overall the approach has been ineffective in teaching the kids French. French Prep is wonderful, but as someone who knows zero French, I quickly got lost. First Start French moves the slowest of them all. We are now going with First Start until it gets ahead of where we stopped in FP. I will add FP back in to lag behind FSF (b/c I was having a terrible time figuring out the pronounciation in FP. I own both CDs that accompany the program. I guess I am French impaired.) :o

[Trivium Academy]

My answer depends on the ages of your kid(s) but since you're asking about First Start French, I'll assume we're talking 3rd grade and up. My children, dd7 & ds3, are only doing French vocabulary and games right now and then we'll move onto First Start French in 4th for dd7.

The best thing we've used so far is:
- LingaFun French Learning card game: $11.66 at Amazon.com
There is a CD that comes with the cards that pronounces each word that is on the cards. There are two decks of 54 cards and one is more advanced than the other. The cards themselves have numbers in french with pronunciation, a picture in the middle of the card that illustrates the french words which also have pronunciation and the english equivalent. The cards have multiple games to play: Solitaire, Crazy Colors (like Crazy Eights), Concentration, Gin Rummy, Go Fish! and War with detailed instructions. There are 3 Basic Rules that apply to each game:
1. Each sentence played must have three cards- 1 red, 1 white and 1 blue card.
2. The cards must be played in that order: red, white, blue
3. The player must attempt to pronounce the words on each card every time a card is played.We're having a lot of fun with this, we can use the CD to check our pronunciation

We're about to try Écoutez! Parlez! Oral French program so we can keep our lessons short and have a visual aid to go along with the CD that isn't distracting. French for Children by Bruzzone is great but it's distracting with all that it tries to cover in one lesson.

Other options outside of what Momof7 mentioned are the school programs:
Calvert French
http://www.calvertschool.org/engine/content.do?BT_CODE=CES2663

Bob Jones University Homeschool
site is down right this second but it's bjupress.com

Pimsleur has been recommended by other homeschoolers, even Danielle- the author of First Start French. I personally think First Start French is a great program, we already have it and I love that it is the equivalent of 1/2 year of high school french but simplified for younger students. It contains the structure and substance I feel other programs lack for non-speaking parents. I'm still learning myself.

Hope this helps

[cajun.classical]

I'm using this with ds11 and dd 8 (when we started). It is a great mix of grammar and conversation. We really like it. Check out the sample chapter at www.galorepark.co.uk

[Patricia in WA]

I second cajun's recommendation. French Prep (http://www.galorepark.co.uk/product/home_schoolers/47/so-you-really-want-to-learn-french-book-1.html) is a good mixture of grammar, vocabulary building, conversation and just a plain old good program.My 11 yr old is using it quite independently but she really enjoys langugages.

HTHs,

[Audrey]

I could send my husband over. He's our French program! :D I'm only half kidding. We also use the kit produced by Usborne for French. It has cards and a tape (so we can hear a "real French-French" accent, plus text and worktext. It helps fill in some vocab and playing games with the cards is fun reinforcement. We live in a bilingual community, so it's a bit easier.

[Lorna]

We have used several French programmes and lived in France for a while. Easily the most successful of all these was the Michel Thomas approach. It is entirely spoken, and I know you don't want a purely spoken approach, but I truly believe in the Charlotte mason idea of knowing a language fluently before one starts with the written. What I like about the Michel Thomas method is that, by the end of the 8 hour course and the 4 hour advanced course, one has all the grammar (including all the tenses, conditional, past, imperfect, future etc etc´; and even some of the subjunctive). It is an easier job then to go onto the written word and building up one's comprehension and vocabulary.
We also have Rosetta Stone 1 and 2. I would advise caution with this approach. I don't think they teach speaking at all. I also think it would be very difficult to learn grammar this way. The structure of a language is the key to unlocking a language. What Rosetta Stone is good for is an added extra to train the ear in listening.
After the Michel Thomas Method we have gone onto using French magazines (especially good is a reading magazine for children called 'J'aime Lire'; it has a cd with is as well as amusing, well-illustrated stories), cds and books; we play games such as 'Happy Families' speaking only in French.
We have just started French Prep 1 (from Galore Park) to begin to write in French. This way the children can happily pronounce, for example, 'Ils ont' and 'Ils sont' without confusion, and spell them correctly. They are, I hope, avoiding many of the classic mistakes. French Prep has impressed me so far in that there is plenty of opportunity to converse and the exercises are varied enough to keep the interest going. The cd is amusing and has native speakers.

[danielle]

I don't know how I missed this : ) being the author and all...Here's a review fyi (not written by me!) http://www.thehomeschoolmagazine.com/Homeschool_Reviews/2364.php

Danielle

[Kfamily]

Hello. We are using First Start French with my dd 5th grade but we are moving soooo slowly. We are just now finishing lesson 6. I actually like the program a lot because I don't speak French and have never been exposed to it and it keeps the lesson straightforward. I couldn't succeed at all if it did not do this. I think that so far French is not an easy language to learn so I would definitely get lost with too much information at once. My only complaint is that the one page of exercises is NOT enough practice and I find myself inventing ways to create more only I am severely limited in how to do this since I don't know the language myself. This is part of the reason we are moving so slowly. I would love it if Danielle (hint hint!!!) would create a workbook or extra practice pages for the lessons. I don't think we could finish this in a year but with more practice pages done for me we wouldn't stall out so often. For me finishing books in a year is not a problem and I am content to spend next year on this book too. I do hope to start level 2 somewhere in 6th grade. I am trying to stick this out but am not adding the books on tape and other extras I intended to add in. I hope I can straighten myself out! LOL!
I hope this is helpful. I really like the program and hope to use all the levels put out by Memoria Press. I suspect at some point I may need to look for a French tutor if I want this to continue to a higher level.

[danielle]

Thank you for the feedback. It's just great for any author to hear how people are using the program and what else they need. I tried to strike a balance between not overwhelming the child with work and not going too slow. I am planning on posting additional activities on the website (crosswords, word searches, etc.) as soon as I finish writing First Start French II, which is due "yesterday". So, more help will be coming soon.
Danielle

[Kfamily]

I am looking forward to the extra practive pages. If I could make a small request- I would really love a blank verb conjugation form. I am not very good at making these myself.
Thanks again.