We’ve had the opportunity to review Spanish and Latin over the past year. I have been so happy to have these opportunities and had decided that we were best off concentrating on our Latin to get the basis down before continuing with our Spanish; however, DD12 had other ideas. “I want to learn French,” she said. I will admit that these 5 words struck fear in my heart!
I had taken Spanish and Latin in high school, so I felt that I could handle these, but French is an entirely different matter. When an opportunity to review a French program, The Easy French came up, I decided to bury my fear and sign up for Le Français Facile! Level IA. [So, here is where I admit that I wasn’t able to really bury my fear. It was just swept under the rug long enough to send the request for the correct program.]
I really shouldn’t have been afraid! The people at Great Commission Languages had my back. Not only did they send the program with CD, but they included the “extra cost items” like the test booklet with answers and the phonogram cards.
When we got the program in the mail, the first thing I did was to cut the phonogram cards apart and laminate them. Yes, I know that might be bordering on OCD, but it keeps sweaty hands from smearing the ink. Then, I took out the CD and popped it in my computer to listen to it. What I heard made me smile.
I had visions of someone reading something in French so fast that I couldn’t tell where we were in the text. This was farthest from the truth! What I heard was two people having a conversation, one speaking French and the other speaking English. It was more conversational, and the person speaking French spoke deliberately and clearly, leaving no doubt where we were in the text. This program is working well with DD12 as she works more independently. Of course, her brother is picking up some of the words, too.
Note: My hubby, Don, did take French in high school. When I showed him the books, phonogram cards, and played some of the CD for him, he was impressed. He feels that this program will work well for DD12. DD12’s goal is to be able to speak French with a relative or two.
Final thoughts: The writing space provided in the student book is tiny. The lines are so close together that DD12 could not keep in that small space. I got a notebook for her to write her answers in. I uploaded the CD to our computer so that I could name each track to make it easier for DD12 to be able to find the correct one to listen to. These are really minor issues, and I must say that this program is a perfect fit for DD12. She is having a great time listening to the provided spoken conversations and vocabulary.
This is a great program and definitely worthy of the Practical Homeschooling Reader Award 2011 that they have on their website.
Pertinent Information:
- Product name: Great Commission Language – The Easy French IA
- Price: The price depends on which level of instruction purchased. Prices can be found here.
- Age Range: “Grade 7 or so and up”
- Read other reviews on this product on the Crew Blog Page.
FTC Disclosure: I was given The Easy French IA for review purposes as a part of the TOS Crew. Although I was given this product free of charge, my opinions stated above are my own and not influenced by anyone.
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