Software
Reviews: Learn to Speak French
Learn to Speak French, Version 8.0
The Learning Company
Click
to learn about the other programs available in the "Learn to Speak"
series
(617) 761-3000
Grade Levels: Ages 10 and up
Subject Area: French
Reviewed by Lisa Urso, Graduate Student, Saint Joseph College
SOFTWARE DESCRIPTION
Learn to Speak French
is a dynamic, multimedia program designed for basic and intermediate students
of French. The vocabulary and grammar taught on this software is equivalent to
the first two years of a high school French course.
Learn to Speak French uses
what The Learning Company calls the "Personalized Learning System" to
help students adapt the lessons to their individual abilities and interests.
The Personalized Learning System includes features such as speech recognition,
voice recording and playback, a talking dictionary, QuickTime cultural movies,
and downloadable Internet lessons.
Students can personally design their own study plan, using
help from the Learn to Speak website. The study plan
helps students keep track of the vocabulary and grammar they have learned, as
well as the skills they need to improve. Once students have registered as
users, they may take a pretest to determine which level of the program they
need to begin. Students do not necessarily need to take the pretest in order to
begin use the program, but it is helpful if they have never had French lessons.
The program contains four courses of study for students to
choose from: basics, travel, shopping, and everyday life. The basics course is
the ideal one for students to start with because it serves as an excellent
orientation to the structure and the technology of the program. (Advanced
students may begin with any of the other three courses, which contain more
difficult grammar and vocabulary.) There are five lessons in the basics course,
each subdivided into five sections: an introductory section which outlines the
objectives for each lesson; a vocabulary section which features the lists of
vocabulary for each lesson; a communication section for students to practice
the expressions in the lesson in short dialogues; a grammar section that uses
QuickTime videos to explain each lesson’s grammar; and a section with exercises
for students to assess their mastery of the lesson.
The extended courses in the Learn to Speak French program
use the same lesson format established in the basics course, with a few
adaptations in order to accommodate the instruction of the more advanced
material. For example, in the vocabulary section, students may click on a word
to hear its pronunciation, which is featured in the basics section. However,
students will learn how to use the vocabulary in brief sentences, and then see
how the sentences fit into conversations between native speakers. The sentences
and conversations in the vocabulary lesson fit together to form a brief
dialogue, accompanied by audio and a QuickTime movie.
The extended courses feature material that students will
find useful in real-life situations. For example, the travel course includes
lessons on checking into a hotel, hailing a taxi, taking the Metro, and
changing money.
ACCURACY OF CONTENT
The Learning Company updates the content on its language
software approximately every two years; in 1999, it published the eighth
version of Learn to Speak French. The continuous updating ensures that
users learn the most accurate vocabulary and grammar possible, given the
constant evolution of language.
With the exception of the everyday life course and the
Internet lessons, most of the lessons offered in this program do not rely on
colloquial language or slang to teach the content. The everyday life course and
the Internet lessons contain vocabulary related to topics such as flirting,
having conversations with friends and family, and using the computer. These
lessons rely on colloquial expressions, slang, and technical expressions for
most of its vocabulary, due to continuous changes in these areas of the
language.
No piece of software, however, is 100 percent accurate. One
can travel to
TECHNICAL QUALITY
Learn to Speak French
uses some of the most advanced technology available, using a minimum amount of
equipment and additional software programs. In order for users to use the
speech recognition and voice recording and playback features, they will need to
purchase a microphone. They will also need QuickTime in order to view the
cultural movies and some of the grammar lessons. The program also requires Internet
access in order for students to download lessons and access the Learn to Speak website if they wish to create and view their
customized study plan.
Learn to Speak French
uses large, easy to read visual cues and clear, simple audio cues to help guide
users through the program. It has a toolbar at the top of the screen to help
users easily navigate through the program.
The software may be difficult for novice computer users to
install. Learn to Speak French is a 4-CD software package, even
though it requires only one CD to install it. The software includes a free
trial of America Online, so that users can access the Internet. However, the
biggest disadvantage is that QuickTime, a crucial component to running the
program, is not built into the software. If QuickTime is not installed on one’s
computer, one has to download the program from the QuickTime website, a process
that adds about 15 minutes to the installation time.
Once one has installed the program, however, it is simple
to run, even forthe novice computer user. At first,
novice computer users may be overwhelmed by the software’s use of technology.
However, the program uses step-by-step visual and audio cues to help users
become comfortable with the technology, so any feelings of intimidation quickly
disappear.
USE OF TECHNOLOGY
Learn to Speak French makes
the most out of its use of technology so that users will get the most out of
their experience with the software. For example, the speech recognition and
voice recording and playback features allow users to record their speech, play
it back, and compare it to a recording of a native speaker. A pronunciation
gauge shows the users’ mastery of their pronunciation, based on a scale of
tourist (poor) to native (excellent).
Users who wish to expand their cultural knowledge can sit
back, relax, and watch one of ten QuickTime movies on
With Internet access, users can directly access the
company’s website so they can check their progress and update their study plan.
They can also download lessons that are not parts of any of the courses offered
in the program. For example, they can download lessons on writing business
letters, psychology and social work, and medical terminology.
ROLE OF STUDENTS
Students will feel empowered by the software because they
can take control of their learning. All students must register as
individual users in order to use the software; it is not designed for group
activities. This way, they are able to track their progress. On the
pull-down menu at the top of the screen, students may select the section marked
"Progress" and view a list of lessons and assessments that they have
completed.
Students complete assessment activities at the end of each
lesson. Assessments include a drag and drop activity, where students listen to
audio cues and determine, from a list of choices, the best match for each audio
cue. There are also multiple choice and speaking assessments.
One of the best parts about Learn to Speak French is
that students are able to become independent learners. They will still need
their teacher for guidance and support as they increase their vocabulary and
improve their grammar, but this software does an excellent job of helping
students become more aware of their strengths and their shortcomings in
language acquisition, and helps them determine the areas in which they need to
improve.
ROLE OF TEACHER
Teachers should not only prepare their students to use this
software, but they should especially prepare their students to use the technology
in the software. They should guide their students through several uses of
the program so that they will feel comfortable with the technology and not feel
overwhelmed by it.
Learn to Speak French
was not specifically designed for classroom use. It was designed for anyone
with an interest in French who wants to learn how to speak the language.
Neither the workbook nor the instruction manual make
any suggestions that teachers can use to implement the software into their
classrooms.
Teachers do not have a major role in the administration of
this software program. They are, however, able to determine which lessons and
courses their students need to take in order to supplement the curriculum. They
can tell students who need assistance with pronunciation to go through the
pronunciation lessons in this program. They can direct students to download
some of the Internet lessons and use the content in these lessons as part of an
extra credit project.
CLASSROOM USAGE
Since the software was not designed for classroom usage,
and since it was not designed to accompany a textbook series, it might be
difficult for many teachers to find uses for Learn to Speak French in
their classrooms. This does not mean, however, that this program does not have
any classroom applications. The travel course will fit beautifully with a unit
on travel and transportation. Teachers may use any of the downloadable Internet
lessons to supplement any unit that they are teaching. They may also have
students who are having trouble in class use Learn to Speak French to
strengthen any of their language skills. No piece of software is ever designed
to actually BE the curriculum, and teachers will find many ways for Learn to
Speak French to complement what they are teaching.
CRITICAL SUMMARY
I highly recommend this software to anyone who wants to
improve his or her French skills or start speaking the language. Learn
to Speak French makes extensive use of technology to present the content in
an engaging, aesthetically pleasing matter. Teachers will enjoy this
software for its simple, concise instruction of vocabulary and grammar.
Students and home users will enjoy the graphics and the technology that
accompany this program. From a technological standpoint, however, home users
and novice computer users may have trouble installing the software and using
the required equipment and technology.
OVERALL RATING: 9 out
of 10
EXPLANATION OF RATING
Learn to Speak French makes
such incredible use of technology that teachers and students alike will find
ways to get the most out of using this program. With the accompanying workbook,
students are able to improve listening, speaking, reading, AND writing
comprehension. However, I do not give it a perfect score because of the
potentially difficult installation. I find it hard to believe that a program
that requires QuickTime does not have it embedded into its software. I hope
that The Learning Company will take this major fault into consideration and
include QuickTime on Version 9.0 of Learn to Speak French.