Name:SmartFrench
Brief Description of the Site:
Parlez-vous francais? (Do you speak French?) Would you like to learn? This site offers audio in French with matching French text. Translations of each text section also are available, with directions in English for the site visitor to follow. You work step by step on real conversations, with color-coded text to aid comprehension so that the audio can be followed easily.
How to use the site:
Both high school students and middle school students can make good use of the language skills offered on the site. There are beginner, intermediate and advanced levels of speaking matched with text. Within each level are 6 or 7 steps that include audio interviews. An easy tool bar on the right and left side of every page offers step levels, text translations, audio and a series of instructions for each step. A particularly considerate aspect of the site is a separate link to video for 56K or DSL/Cable connections so as to view (and hear) video clips with little complication. The site layout is very simple so as to allow one to concentrate on learning the language using audio and text. The advantage of a site such as this is the individualized learning style afforded students who can pace themselves. Audio comprehension of a new language is usually the big challenge but this site offers students the opportunity to become accustomed to listening to French. While the site offers language materials for purchase, the amount of audio and text with translation online for free makes it a valuable resource for students and teachers of French. For those who already speak or just read French (and there are those who read it but do not know how to pronounce what they read) this site could be an excellent refresher. There are video clips as well accompanied by simple directions to help you master the language.
Submitted by:
Christian Aubert
Los Angeles, CA
