Choosing a Website to Learn French Online
Choosing a Website to Learn French Online
When you travel anywhere in the world, it is helpful to speak the language. Sure, you may be able to find people who speak English (and in some cases, speak English better than you!), but it is easier and much appreciated to speak the language of the country you are in. If you are going to spend time in France, you can take a French class, or you can take advantage of several websites where you can learn French online. But how do you choose which one to use?
Cost of Online Courses
There are so many places to learn French online, it might be hard to choose one. There are several features you will want to consider before choosing one. First, how much are you willing to spend? There are a wide variety of websites where you can learn French online for free. These are usually basic, but are good for a quick review (especially if you took French in high school or college) or for some basics for a short trip. There are also sites that offer classes for a small fee. These sites are usually more in depth, and give you the opportunity to have lessons tailored to your needs. Many of the sites that charge a fee also allow you to download lessons to your iPod, a huge benefit for those who want to listen to the lessons during their workouts or commutes.
How Are Lessons Presented?
Each website to learn French online has a different way of presenting the lessons. Just as there are different learning styles for classroom learning, you will want to consider your own individual learning style for an online course. Some websites present key words and phrases along with the correct pronunciation guide. There are activities you can then do to practice using what you have learned in writing. This is an ideal choice for visual learners, and those who are good with learning through writing. Some websites have an audio component along with the visual lesson, where you can listen to the correct pronunciation and repeat it back. There are sites to learn French online where the lesson is entirely audio. Many of these are in the form of podcasts, and can be listened to at a convenient time and place. And finally, there are sites where the course is taught in the style of a traditional course, where an online teacher provides lessons, assignments, and feedback.
Style of French Taught
The final thing to consider is what style of French you want to learn online. If you need basics for traveling, you are probably better off with a course designed specifically for travelers. But if you are planning on spending more extensive time in France, it may be a good choice to choose a course that has more in depth vocabulary and sentence formation components.