French Online

Articles on Degrees | Topics: online, degree, degrees, diploma, diplomas

by Curt McPherson

Had I not had a classic language background to begin with, I never would have decided to try to learn French language online. You see, if you are studying modern languages, you generally take a different approach than with ancient tongues. With the classics, the most important thing is to be able to read the language fluently. You have to develop your grammar and, to a lesser extent, your vocabulary. With modern languages, however, the emphasis is different. You might want to learn French online in order to read some of the great works of French literature, of course, but you will probably also wants to be able to converse. More time is spent on conversational French, and traditional grammar often takes a back seat. The most important thing is to be able to understand other speakers and make yourself understood.

When I signed up for my French online course, I thought that I would be able to benefit from the classical approach to the language. Conversation requires a partner, but studying grammar and vocabulary can be done on your own. What I didn't realize about online French was that it strives to emulate the classroom environment. I thought I was just taking French online as a way to begin to learn this fascinating language without devoting too much time to it. Little did I realize that it was actually part of an online degree program. Getting an online degree in a foreign language is a joke! In order to make up for the lack of person-to-person communication, they would give us recorded sentences to practice, spoken vocabulary tests, and the like. Grammar was so completely neglected that I was never quite sure if I was saying things correctly. They seemed to be more concerned with my pronunciation than with my ability to correctly construct sentences.

Historical Quote

They raise their minds by brooding over and embellishing their sufferings, from one degree of fervid exaltation and dreary greatness to another, till at length they run amuck entirely, and whoever meets them would do well to run them thro’ the body.

—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881)

I am not saying that there is no point in learning French online, but you have to put it into perspective. There are certain things that you can learn through solo study and certain things that you can't. If you want to improve your spoken comprehension, listen to French radio online in addition to studying grammar. I still believe that a firm understanding of grammar is the most basic and essential ingredient to learning a new language. If your French online program does not have this, go out and find one that does!

We strive to provide only high quality articles on our website. If there is a specific topic about degrees that you do not see but would like us to cover, please contact us here.

Please note: All personal opinions expressed in the "French Online" article belong to the contributing author and are not necessarily shared by SloanSemester.org.

School Backpacks
By Ana Barrera
There are many things parents have to get their children for school, and backpacks are just one of those things. However, it is not always as simple to buy one as it might sound....

How Your Learning Style Can Affect your Success in Obtaining an Online Degree
By Kathy Jensen
How Your Learning Style Can Affect your Success in Obtaining an Online Degree In the world of online schooling, your learning style can definitely affect your success in obtaining a degree. Some students excel with an online study program, while others benefit more from a traditional college....

Historical Timeline of Online Degrees
By Zachary Francis
Historical Timeline of Online Degrees An historical timeline of long distance education will tell you that civilization has been inching towards ultimate convenience with every passing year. Despite online education being frowned upon by some sticklers, the basic concept of it is nothing new....

Family Bible Study
By Amparo Underwood
A lot of people think that Bible Sunday school is enough for their kids to learn all about the word of God. Although Bible Sunday school is important, it is not the whole story....

Piano Lessons Online- Helpful or Useless
By Winifred Ingram
The piano is an exceptional instrument. The keys have a breadth unlike any other classical instrument's, and it sounds magnificent when played alone or when played along with other instruments....

You've earned an A+ - Top PC Hardware Topics in Studying for A+ Certification
By Willa O'Neill
Congratulations! You have already taken a huge step in your future by enrolling in an A+ Certification course. Now you just have to make sure that you pass it....

Find more articles about degrees...