French Language Programs: Simple Ways To Assess Their Worth

French language programs come in all shapes and sizes; some people believe that you get what you pay for, but just to make sure you are not getting scammed into spending hundreds on a totally worthless course, you should get some information prior to buying anything. Before spending hard-earned money on a French language program, you need to make sure it is worth it. Here are 3 simple ways to assess how good is a French language program:

• Read various reviews of French language programs online, in magazines or in newspapers. This can be slightly tricky as a lot of so-called reviews are actually advertisements, so you need to visit trustworthy websites and read reviews from writers (online or offline) that you can trust.

• Ask neighbours, co-workers, relatives or friends who have already used a French language program what they thought about it: was the course easy to use and understand, did they get enough support, how good was the sound/video quality, how long did the course take, how confident are they now in speaking French, was it worth the price...?

• Sign up for a free trial, if available. The best way to assess how good a French language program really is is to try it out for yourself, as you are the person making the final decision. Rocket French has a free 6 day course available for anyone who is interested in trying their French language program. There is no obligation to purchase at the end of the trial so it is totally risk-free.

When you shop around for a French language program that is adapted to your own needs and is within your budget, word of mouth may be an effective way to get your information about various avalable packages, but ultimately the final decision is up to yourself. Free trials containing samples of actual French lessons from the premium language course are the most effective in assessing whether that course will suit you.

Simple Ways to Learn French: Listen to French Radio

When researching simple ways to learn French, you will probably come across listening to French radio. This method has its pros and cons, some of which are listed here:


Advantages of French radio as a simple way to learn French:

• Time: since you can listen to the radio while doing other things, I recommend it to all those who do not have a lot of time on their hands. If you are already a radio listener, just switch to a French station as a very simple way to learn French while doing something you are already doing everyday.
• Pronunciation: since French radio broadcasters are usually native French speakers, you are guaranteed to hear the correct pronunciation, while you may not get this from an English or American French teacher.
• Enjoyable: listening to French radio is a pleasurable way to learn French, especially if you choose a radio station that plays your kind of music.

Disadvantages of French radio as a simple way to learn French:

• Speech can be too fast for your level: if you are a beginner, you may not be able to understand a lot of what is said and lose motivation. The best advice is to try and persevere: after you get used to the presenters' accent it will become easier to catch full sentences.
• Too much music, not enough speech: if you can, select French news stations over music oriented ones, as French radio stations tend to play a lot of English and American music and even if the D.J. plays French songs, some have lyrics that are difficult to understand or with music that is louder than words.
• Difficulty to practise speaking French: unlike with French CD or online courses, French radio broadcasters do not give you time to repeat new words and sentences: you may still be trying to understand what has just been said while a new sentence is being spoken and there is no one who can explain the new words that you come across while listening to French radio.

While French radio is one of many simple ways to learn French, it cannot be relied on solely as a French learning method. It may be very effective for advanced learners or as a way for someone who has already studied French to refresh his or her language skills, but if you are a beginner it is imperative that you use a reliable French language course in conjunction with listening to French radio.