#Add1Challenge 33

Add 1 Challenge 33 – First Week Review

So the first week of the Fluent In 3 Months Add 1 Challenge #A1C33 has passed (actually, it’s Thursday already, which means we are half way through week two!), and we were asked to review our progress for the week.

I discovered in my first face-to-face French conversation lesson that while I can get the gist of what is said in a language learning lesson, normal conversation is waaaaay over my head! 🙂 I am yet to be able to discern where words begin and end, and so the sentences sound like one extremely long word to me. My teacher has found that he-has-to-make-sure-there-is-a-gap-in-between-every-word-or-I-just-miss-it-all! 🙂

My teacher, Florian, is a university student here in Brisbane, on exchange from his university in France. He is a lovely young bloke, and I am enjoying our lessons, even if I’m torturing his ears with my stuttered attempts that massacre his beautiful language.

One of the things that we are struggling with, however, is finding a quiet enough coffee shop to meet in. Our first lesson was in a cafe that was right on a busy road. We tried a different one this week – but I will leave that for next week’s update 🙂

I do not have a problem keeping my interest – I have a number of activities that I do basically when I feel like them. The only activity that is constant day after day is Duolingo, but I think I need to add some more structured and focussed learning. I have yet to decide what. I may go back to my home study kit, and work through it, despite having many words in my vocabulary. I think having the structure of all four skills each lesson will be helpful.

Last week I supplemented Duolingo with Earworms, writing journal entries, and listening to French movies or songs. I have a few song lyrics printed out to learn too.

We tried to get a French study group online meeting happening, but with so many people from literally all around the globe, it is a tricky business. Maybe this weekend we will make it happen!

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Cate is a language enthusiast sharing her language learning journey here. Apart from her native English (albeit 'Strine'*!), as an adult she has also learned Auslan (Australian Sign Language) to approximately a C1 level, Dutch to around B1/2, French to around A2, and has a smattering of other languages.

B.A. (Anthropology/Marketing), Grad. Dip. Arts (Linguistics), Grad. Cert. Entrepreneurship & Venture Development, (CELTA).

Auslan Interpreter (NAATI), and general Language Nut.

*For more information on 'Strine', visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strine

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