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Learning a language:
A new language - it is like going to another country with your apprehensions, preconceived ideas, and the information people have given you before your departure. Take pleasure in the visit, be open and dare to take risks, and like on any holiday, you will enjoy the trip ! Your teachers and your books are necessary, but your progress is in your hands. With our help and your effort, you will progress very quickly.
Nobody learns the same way. It is necessary for you to find and use the best method for yourself
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes ! Making errors are a part of learning a language. And you learn from them . Don’t be embarrassed by the mistakes that you make. Your classmates will also learn from you, as we all learn from one another. Don’t try to be a perfectionist, otherwise you’ll never speak a word !
In Rambouillet :
You’ll be able to have a direct contact with the French and the French language. Go for a walk in the town, enter the shops and use your French. You will then be able to see your progress. Your goal is to communicate in French.
Make friends with your classmates - one is more comfortable with friends Talk to them in the classroom and after the lessons. Your classmates are your first interlocutors. Speak to them in French, even if you have the impression that you are making mistakes.
You don’t have classes at weekends. Visit Rambouillet, soak up the atmosphere of the market on Saturday mornings. Do your shopping and try to use what you have learnt during the week.
Being organised is necessary :
Your presence in class is compulsory. Have a good attendance. A language class isn’t just listening to what the teacher has to say. Take the opportunity to speak, listen, read and write. Try to learn something new every day, either in class or after class. The more you participate, the faster you progress.
The students of the Institute are of different cultures and temperaments. Respect each other’s difference. Every one has a place in the group. The solidarity and the co-operation in class are essential
Guess! Don’t rush to use your dictionary in class. You end up losing time and interrupting the pace of the lesson for yourself. Even if you are not exactly sure of the meaning of a word or sentence, be contented with a rough idea.
Don’t panic if you can’t understand everything. It will get clearer later on. The meaning of a word or an expression is often determined by the context in which it is found. One must therefore use this context to guess the meaning. However, if you are really stumped, ask your teacher for an explanation.
Take time to do your own work after the class. Go through what you had learnt in class that day. Revise your vocabulary. This personal effort allows you to retain what you had learnt in the class which you may not have registered.
Songs, games, TV, radio, newspapers - all these are also learning tools. Don’t hesitate to participate in the activities which are offered to you after the class. They are also part of the learning process.
   
Self-evaluation is an important step :
Bit by bit, as you advance in your learning of French, check your progress. Your personal criticism may not be the same as that of your teachers. You will find here a questionnaire which will help you in your learning of French. Don’t be too strict nor lax. The evaluation will help you to note your weaknesses and re-orientate your efforts in the right direction.
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