How to Study for French Class and Get Better Grades

People have asked me how to study for French class for years including when I was just a beginner. What I've learned- and what you will too- is that when you want to study for French class, it's a much different experience than studying for any other of your classes. Following are 4 tips that can help you prepare better for your homework and tests.

Think In French:

One skill that I've always had that helped me study for French class was my ability to think in the language. Try taking simple thoughts that you have and see if you can translate them using the language that you've learned. If you can't, open your textbook and try to find the areas where you are weak in. Once you start to use the language you learn in class, your study time will be drastically reduced. This is because you'll have a deeper understanding of the language that will help your mind incorporate more difficult grammar aspects and vocabulary.

You can make this more enjoyable if the language you think in is slightly silly. When I was first figuring out how to study French, one of my best friends and I would come up with sentences like "Hey baby, wanna wrestle?" and "There are small children in your pants!" While you may not need to say sentences like this often, you will understand how the language works. When you understand how the French language works, you don't need to memorize as much.

Find A French Study Partner:

When you study for French class, it will be less of a mind numbing challenge if you have a study partner. To choose the best study partner, look for people among your friends who you can tell have the desire to learn the language. Of all the people that I've met who knew how to study for French class, the majority of them had a strong desire to be good at the language. Unfortunately, there is a lot of memorization when you study for French. But if you create games and quiz each other, you and your study partner can enjoy the time spent learning the language.

Always Carry Flashcards With You

One difficulty that many people face when they are wondering how to study French is how to remember all the vocabulary that is required. Even with all the technology that is available, your own handwritten flashcards using index cards are the most useful for retaining your vocabulary. Instead of just writing the vocabulary word, it will help you to write sentences with them too. Or if you are a visual learner, draw pictures on the flashcards that will help you remember the words easier. Funny pictures that you remember work best especially if you're stuck on a question on a French test. You're bound to remember the words for duck (un canard), on (sur), and bicycle (un vélo) if you actually draw a duck on a bike.

Find French Children's Books To Read

This tip is best for those who want to know how to study for higher level French classes. After studying French for many years, I found myself stuck trying to fit grammar in my head that I just wasn't ready for. Most of this is schools not giving students an opportunity to practice their French skills. To overcome this, you should start reading lower level French books. Usually the language in French children's books is more straightforward than poetic. When you start reading French children's books, you are understanding the language works organically. You'll be able to point out the easy things you know and the problems that challenge you. When you find those challenges, those are the parts that will help you learn how to study for French more effectively.

You can't succeed in learning the language in a school environment unless you learn how to study for French class. But with these tips, you should be able to devise a study plan that makes sense to you and helps you enjoy the process.