I have learned so much from this semester. My personal strengths and weaknesses with the language have become clearer and are helping me to become a better student of the language. Vocabulary is an incredibly helpful learning tool for me. I feel much more confident in speaking with my increased vocabulary across the board. Learning about the culture of France and Francophone countries has depended my understanding of the language. The culture is fascinating, and as a history major, the roots behind the culture help me to have a broad appreciation for French education, holiday traditions, and way of thinking. Education in Francophone countries is much more specialized and intense than in the United States, where we are urged to take so many classes in so many different topics that it can be difficult to succeed as well as might be otherwise. The culture we have learned has helped me have a better understanding of current events in France and in the world. I have learned to be able to hold simple conversations, and I feel more confident in my speaking of the language each time. My comprehension of the language has increased leaps and bounds since the summer. I hear French dialog or see an advertisement and feel confident rudimentary ability to read or understand. I have begun to teach my daughters parts of the language, something that makes my experience all that much better. I also cook French food and a few French desserts. I love doing this and I think it gives me a deeper overall conception of the French psyche by learning these recipes and reading about the regional gustatory traditions. Below I am including a few journal entries that I made throughout the semester.

Week 2

Question 1

Réfléchissez sur vos pensées, votre apprentissage et votre travail cette semaine. De quoi étiez-vous le plus fier?

Reflect on your thinking, learning, and work this week. What were you most proud of?

I am most proud of my continued growth with the language. I am becoming more comfortable speaking French, more confident in my ability to respond accurately and appropriately for the most part. I am attempting to make time each day to listen to French music or French news and participate in extracurricular language submersion to help me overall.  I am happy with my preliminary understanding of the comparative and superlative.

Je suis content par mon préliminaire comprehension avec le imparfait et le superlatif.

Question 2

Qu’est ce qui a était le plus difficile dans le cours de français cette semaine, et qu’avez-vous fait pour y faire face?

Where did you encounter struggle in French class this week, and what did you do to deal with it?

My struggles this week centered around the Connect homework and understanding the exact form and arrangement required for certain questions. I also found time management an issue. I wanted to devote more time to studying French this week and struggled a little to balance my own courses with my familial obligations. I am working on better scheduling my time for each class in order to have the time to study and practice French that I truly need in a way that still allows me to have my afternoon and early evening hours flexible for my family.

J’ai était le plus difficilie dans le cours de francias cette semaine avec devoirs en connect et comprendre précis des questions.

Week 5

Question 1

Quelle est la chose la plus intéressante que vous avez apprise cette semaine?

What is the most interesting thing you’ve learned this week?

The grammar today, Friday, regarding qui, que, and ou was very interesting. It helped with the thought progression of creating complex sentences in French and in peaking the language in a more natural manner. I enjoyed learning about the culture of the holidays as well, particularly about the evolution of Veterans Day which is slightly similar to here in the U.S., the separate day celebrating the end of WWII, and the special holiday acknowledging slavery and French participation. I appreciate the recognition rather than the dampening of subjects.

Question 2

Quelle a été votre activité préférée en classe cette semaine ? Pourquoi?

What was your favorite activity in class this week? Why?

The jeopardy style game that we played was fun and mood lifting after the stress of test-taking and catching up. Our small class time allows for a more intimate learning environment that isn’t as distracting as larger language classes can be.

Week 6

Question 1

Comment enseigneriez-vous une chose que vous avez apprise cette semaine en cours de français à votre petit frère ou votre petite sœur (même si vous n’en avez pas)?

 How would you teach one thing you learned this week in French class to your little brother or sister (even if you don’t have one)?

Je veux apprendre des fetes importantes du monde francophone à ma soeur par regarder des films. Nous voudrons des films conjointement.

Question 2Comment est-ce que quelque chose que vous avez appris en cours de français cette semaine pourrait être lié à ce que vous saviez déjà ?

* How does something you learned in French class this week connect to what you already knew?

Je suis beaucoup des fetes religieux en anglaise. C’est facile de comprendre avec des fetes au francophone.

Week 8

Question 1

Réfléchissez sur vos pensées, votre apprentissage et votre travail cette semaine. Qu’est ce que vous avez fait pour étudier

Reflect on your thinking, learning, and work this week. What did you do to study?

J’ai étudié le conjugasion du verbes lire et dire et écrire. J’ai appris de vocabulaire d’école et de professions. J’ai pensé à la vie en francais.

Question 2

Qu’est ce qui a était le plus difficile dans le cours de français cette semaine, et qu’avez-vous fait pour y faire face?

Where did you encounter struggle in French class this week, and what did you do to deal with it?

Je ne me suis pas souvenu de conjugasion au passe compose et imparfait. Pourquoi? Je ne sais pas. Je suis essayer.