Need Advice!!! (1 Viewer)

[username1928]

Hi everyone,
I'm kind of new here but I was wondering if any past hsc students could give me some advice to improve my reading and writing skills.

I recently got back my assessment on reading and writing with a mark of 15.5/25 (rank 7/8) and 9.5/15 (rank 5/8) respectively. So that's left me with a total mark of 25/40 which is not good at all.

I was wondering what advice people could give to help me improve, I've tried going over past papers and I seem to do ok in them but are there any other ways?

Thanks

 

[Kittikhun]

The main thing you could do, together with doing as many past papers as possible, to improve both your reading and writing is to read a lot of French. It's as simple as that. READ! However, you should read French that doesn't have wanky language and not many of those simple past tense verbs (you won't be tested on your knowledge of this, unless if you do Extension, but it won't hurt to learn it if you have the time as you will eventually get your head around it when you're fluent in due time. It's a lot of stuff to remember though, and you have to know them all by rote as there is no pattern like the regular verbs for the simple past tenses). The French articles on the French newspaper site 'Le monde' and the French worldwide radio service 'RFI' are perfect sites to read simple, yet elegant French. Read aloud if possible, as it will help you remember the French better.

http://www.lemonde.fr/
http://www.rfi.fr/

Also, get your head around French grammar and French verbs. Read the following books, BUT DO NOT DO THE EXERCISES IN THEM UNLESS IF YOU TRULY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE GRAMMAR (you will be wasting your time if you do so)-

http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-French-Review-Practice-Communication/dp/0658000748
http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Pocket-B...=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1323136396&sr=1-1

If you're short on money or just frugal, you could obtain a summary of French grammar instead by going to your teacher and asking for one or by photocopying one from a French textbook at your school or local library. I know Tapis Volant for the HSC has one. I can't recall the exact name of the book, but you should find it.

You could get a French novella to help you. The French novella Le Petit Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry helped me a lot to improve my French and I treasure that book. The Harry Potter books in French are also good, but they take a while to read and chances are you won't have the time to finish even the 'Prisoner of Azkaban'. Also, at Abbeys Bookstore in the city, there are books of parallel text in French and English. I remember there was Animal Farm by George Orwell as a book like this. You could get your hand on that and read it. It would help as you could extrapolate the meaning of the French phrase or word that you don't understand from the English translation on the opposite page, which will relieve you from dropping that book and referring to your dictionary every ten seconds.

This advice has probably become galling to everyone, both members and guests, on the French board, but anyway, go to the following site-

http://www.tv5.org/TV5Site/enseigner-apprendre-francais/accueil_apprendre.php

Instructions to use this are in multiple threads on this board. You should find it.

You could get a French pen pal if you have the time or go to a French forum dedicated to a subject that you like and correspond with fellow-minded Francophones there who will not hesitate to help you with your French. Doing this is probably a good idea as it will relieve pressure off your teacher and you will learn some French slang that your teacher probably doesn't know. Also, it will prepare you for writing tests that have an internet forum format. Plus, the French love seeing an Australian post on their boards! Tell me what your interests are and I will try to find a French forum that will be to your liking. The website to find a French pen pal is the following-

http://www.studentsoftheworld.info/menu_friendgroups.php

Immerse yourself in French when you have free time. Watch the French news on SBS, French movies or movies dubbed in French, with the French subtitles on if available, and documentaries on youtube with your dictionary close at hand.

That's about it, I could say.

Good luck with your studies. Study smart, not hard!

 

[username1928]

THANK YOU SO MUCH

Your advice has been extremely helpful and it's given me a better understanding of how to improve my studies.

Thanks again, you are wonderful

 

[yours]

THANK YOU SO MUCH

Your advice has been extremely helpful and it's given me a better understanding of how to improve my studies.

Thanks again, you are wonderful

hi (This will be advice regarding the HSC language test style more so than French itself)

The above is all very good advice (from kitti) in terms of language learning.

But in terms of the test, how did you feel as you did it? I think we often know whether we find things hard or easy, but there are several aspects of the HSC cont. test that you have to master. I think of the French exams as testing two skills: Your general knowledge of french, and your mastery of the test format.

Even a native fresh out of France would do poorly if they didn't understand what the test really wants. In my experience for:

listening: Never leave anything out! More is always more marks. People who understand the dialogues often lose marks because of details they understood, but didn't bother to note down (e.g. the time or place of the dialogue - add it even if the question doesn't ask you to). Also be prepared for a 'language techniques' question i.e. How does the speaker persuade/convince the audience to blah blah blah - rattle off techniques the same as english. Always 'quote' in english - The markers are stubborn about this and refuse to acknowledge anything you write in French in the Comprehension sections (listening + R+R in english)

responding in english: Questions are usually translation tasks in disguise. Work out which paragraph it's asking you to translate then make sure you translate every line. As with listening, you can never write enough. Main culprit of lost marks: lack of details! At the same time, keep track of your time. If you're looking up too many words and spending too much time on the one section, either speed up or finish the writing sections beforehand. Hint: Use the reading sections for vocab and ideas to use in the writing in french section.


With these two sections you have to understand the examiners are reading your response and comparing it to everyone else's. If you misunderstand the text, fine, you won't get the marks (and that's fair), but if you understand it that doesn't guarantee you anything either. You have to write absolutely everything or else they won't give you the marks. There just has to be one person in your cohort (and eventually the state) who adds a detail that you write off as 'unnecessary' and then bam you lose a mark on that question, because their answer is deemed what you 'need' for 'full marks'.

The spaces they give you are almost NEVER enough to get full marks for anything in the comprehension sections. Don't be afraid to go over. Ask for extra paper if you want; it's allowed!


As for the R+R in french, make sure you address every single aspect of the text you have to respond to, and pay special attention to FORM and PURPOSE. If it's a letter, make sure you put the right introduction and conclusion - there are a limited number of text types like email, postcard, penpal letter - so figure out what you need to write to do these text types! Also they tend to have 3-4 elements, so make sure you tie them all in. Don't read the question and then re-read, answering it as though only the first or second half is important (lots of people do this). Try to think 'what trap might people fall into? What aspect of the question would most people neglect to address?' and don't fall into that trap.

Writing is the most honest test of your 'language' skills in the frame of the HSC continuers test, so if it's your weakest you know what you have to do (which kiti outlined well).

Good luck and remember this is French and still fun, even though the test might drive you a little crazy!