Although the current global financial situation is still extremely uncertain, many British people are still leaving to live abroad. France is the favourite holiday haunt of many of us and so it's perhaps natural to try living in France.

Only 21 miles across the channel from us at its narrowest point, France has always held the promise of something foreign with its language and the old Parisian reputation for artists and lovers. Yet our long entangled histories means that there's a long aspect of familiarity to this country.

What about the French language? It's true that many of us learned it at school ("la plume de ma tante" etc), and that modern teaching offers an emphasis on real communication. That doesn't stop many British people from being shy and unconfident to the extent that they refuse to try using the language when in France.

Others believe that they will be visited by an ability to speak French once they live amongst the French. In fact some French people also believe it and this can give rise to many difficulties for English speaking ex-patriots in France. I find it very frustrating that some French people quite clearly believe that I'm rather stupid in every aspect of life because I don't speak perfect French! Of course, these are usually people who have never had to learn any foreign language.

It's vital to make plans to learn to communicate in French. This isn't about learning verb conjugations or lists of prepositions; it's about understanding and using everyday vocabulary and phrases. The more you learn of these and some of the "etiquette" of France (such as greetings as you enter a shop, etc), the more confident you'll become about learning and using others. Confidence is important and enables you to take some risks and to improve constantly. It will certainly get a good reception from the French who applaud attempts to learn their language. And it's this attitude that is important in making a success of living in France.

Try not to be self-conscious when using French. Not necessarily simple to do, but it will make you more confident in your communication and so you'll learn faster.

If you're not quite so outgoing, it can be helpful to decide to make yourself work hard towards one special scenario. An example might be a visit to the dentist with a worrying problem. Preparing for the visit can be done using books, friends and the Internet to find vocabulary and expressions. Write it all down and learn it if necessary. Start by telling the dentist that your French is rather basic but you're working at improving it. While the dentist is likely to help with your French, this won't help you speak whilst there are instruments in your mouth! Since the French are only human, there will be times when the response is less than friendly. Just remind yourself that it's their problem, not yours. You're the one making great effort which is to your credit, so carry on to the next situation where you'll hopefully get your just reward.

Apart from your attitude and effort, how else can you make progress in French language? There are a growing variety of methods; there are numerous tapes and CDs available with written support; there are some good free on-line courses, e.g. the BBC, Radio France Internationale; there are distance learning courses that you pay for; there are telephone teachers who may also use e-mail; there are traditional books.

It's quite usual to employ a personal teacher to come to your home to help with a subject like French - a good option if you prefer not to start in group classes which are also available in many places. Do think about the methods with which you feel most comfortable and satisfying. You'll then have a better chance of quick progress.

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Article Submitted By: Hazel Wig
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