Sometimes unexpected events may occur when one needs to learn a language as fast as possible. It could be an amazing work opportunity, meeting a foreign significant other, or taking a much needed vacation to a different country. Learning a new language, even if it’s French, could take a lot of time and energy, and it needs a lot of practice too. But not everyone’s schedule allows them to take it slow and put extra effort in it after a long day of work. Taking an intensive French course could be useful for those who want to learn the language really effectively and at a fast pace.
What is an intensive language course?
An intensive language course is based on a very effective method, where one learns the basics, and even more of a foreign language within weeks or months. In this kind of course you will be taking classes very frequently, usually every day for a few hours. You will also get homework which you will have to keep up with in order to be prepared for the next lesson.
It may sound scary at first, but taking an intensive language course is extremely beneficial. You will be a part of a small group, where you can connect to each other and practice the language together. You will also experience the fantastic group dynamics, which really encourages every single one of the members to push their limits and work hard in order to speak French well by the end of the course. You might also make life-long friends, since you will be spending a lot of time together!
However, if you don’t have time to travel, you may also consider taking an intensive French course online! The experience will be just the same, but you will be learning in your home comfortably, so you can really focus on your studies!
Intensive language courses are also often called time-compressed courses, accelerated courses or summer terms. The difference between a traditional language course and an intensive one is mostly the length of it. An intensive lesson could be from 4 weeks to 3 months, but it may vary depending on the language school providing the course.
Who is it recommended for to attend accelerated courses?
Committing to a traditional language course is very hard for the majority of people, since learning a whole new language could take years. One might get discouraged and disappointed, when they invest money and time in a course but their language skills are still not good enough to be conversational or even fluent.
If you missed one or two lessons, you would feel already behind, and it might be a reason for you to stop taking any more classes. If you are somebody who doesn’t like to waste their time and wants to achieve their goals as quickly and effectively as possible, you should hear us out!
When you take a traditional course which has one lesson per week, you will be more likely to miss a few of them, because sometimes life happens, and you might not make it to your class. However, when you enroll into a time-compressed course, you will be more likely to make time for it every day, because it is only for a short period of time.
An accelerated course provides you with a very fast paced, effective learning method, where you can completely focus on your studies, taught by professional, native speaking teachers. Some might feel that the short period is a burden, but if you commit to your goal to learn French, nothing can stand in your way if you choose an intensive course!
What are the benefits of taking an intensive French course?
Intensive French lessons are extremely useful for those who would like to immerse in the language. This is one of the most effective ways to learn it, since you have no choice but to surround yourself with the French language throughout the lessons. It almost feels like you were dropped to a different country where you don’t speak the language, and you need to listen very carefully to make coherences in your head. But instead, you are getting all the help you need with a professional teacher and great study materials.
By getting homework everyday, you will stay in focus and get different kinds of interesting tasks to do. You might not like studying vocabulary on paper, but your teacher may recommend a great French movie from which you can learn a lot of new phrases and words. Don’t forget, you can always put some extra effort in your studies, but also make them fun! Grab your favorite book, get a French copy of it, and start reading it. By the end of the course, getting through it and understanding most of it will feel like a real sense of achievement!
Your main focus will be practical learning, where you will have daily listening and conversing tasks, so you will pick up the language as fast as possible. It might be a great option if you are preparing for a language exam and need extra effort and focus to ace it. Taking an accelerated French course could be very useful for those who only have a few free weeks during their school year. You can take lessons during the Summer break, or squeeze in your Spring break even. These can also be personalized to your schedule, and take up to 6 lessons a day.
The main benefit from this kind of French crash course is that you will not forget what you learnt, since you are taking a few hours everyday to practice and repeat the things you already got to know. Since French is considered a hard language when it comes to acing the accent, an intensive course can help you sort it out. A native speaking teacher will show you how to pronounce the different sounds, so you not only will be grammatically correct, but also sound almost like a native French speaking person.
Before you enroll into a week course, you should decide on what your main goal is. If you are moving to a French speaking country, or taking a French speaking job opportunity, learning the basics can help you build up to the next level. Then you can decide if you would like to learn business French, or if you are happy with conversational, everyday life phrases. You can also impress a lot of hiring work places that you might be interested in, since French is a world language and is considered very popular in most of the businesses around the globe.
What levels of French language knowledge can be improved by time-compressed courses?
Just like with any other language, knowledge of French has its different levels based on how well you speak and understand it. The A1 is considered as a beginner level, where you are familiar with basic expressions and phrases that can help you satisfy your needs, for example asking for directions and introducing yourself.
The next level is A2, which means you are more familiar with expressing your personal information, and you can ask questions about basic surroundings and environment more easily. On this level speaking to a native French person might still be difficult because of the pace and complexity of the language.
At level B1 you are more confident in your language skills and can make more fluent conversations about work, hobbies, studies, or other topics such as events, experiences and ideas.
The next level you can achieve is B2, which requires more complex skills, like communicating spontaneously. At this level you are able to express yourself with details, and can engage in a wide range of topics, which means you are able to work in French language at your workplace.
When you achieve C1 level, it means that you are fluent in many areas, such as everyday and social life, professional and academic topics. You basically can speak about everything in a detailed, exquisite way, and also have a knowledge of French pop culture.
The highest level you can master is the C2, bilingual level, which means you completely mastered the French language, almost like your mother tongue. If your goal is to achieve this level, don’t hesitate, jump right into it!
Are you ready to learn French in a short time?
If you feel like it’s time to dive into something completely unfamiliar and new, or would like to brush up your old French skills, check out FFA’s effective, personalized French courses! Study individually online with native speaking, professional teachers, and get familiar with the language fast! Get your first online lesson for free, and set your goals with the help of your teacher!
In order to have a smooth learning process, you will need stable internet connection, a working camera and a microphone, and some nice beverages to warm up your brain and voice! Oh, and don’t forget a big bag of commitment and cheerfulness too!