French
As of my Freshman year, I only have French 101 completed, but as my years go on, I will update this page with my other French classes. I had previously taken French classes in high school, but because we did not have a French teacher, I did not absorb any of the information that we had been given. I did not want to start anew with another language though, so I restarted my French education at Longwood by taking 101.
French 101: In this class we learned the basics of the French language, including grammar, sentence structures, and basic vocabulary used in a standard student’s life. I found this class extremely beneficial, as it not only refreshed what little French I did know, but also gave me a sound base for my future learning in French. The artifact that I decided to include is the paragraph I wrote in class for an assignment. This was the first time that we had to write an actual assignment on our own with no notes, and I feel that I did a decent job at getting my very elementary French out the way I wanted. Obviously, there were mistakes as I was using a new language without help, but it was still a good first attempt, and I feel that I have come a long way from where I was then.
French 210: This class was more difficult than 101, and I had to work harder to keep up through my time in this class. French does not exactly come easily to me, but I felt better about the language through taking this class. The artifact I chose for this class was a (very) small paragraph that I wrote about life being different in Longwood was located in Alaska. It was the first time I wrote anything in this tense and though it is small, I feel that it shows a good amount of growth between my artifact from FREN 101 and FREN 210.
“Si j’habitais en Alaska, ma vie ne serait pas différente. Je serais toujours froid et serais à l’intérieur. Je porterais toujours des pulls et des manteaux. Je lisais et regardais des films pour amuser. Je ne voudrais pas sortir. Je ne serais pas différent de la normale.”
French 211: French 211 was by far the most difficult French class I have taken yet. There was a difficulty spike and for a bit, I was unsure if I was keeping up properly. The vocabulary we learned in this class was much more advanced and was harder to learn, so I really had to focus hard on this class. However, I feel as though this class has helped me with my listening skills in French, for my professor had us watch many things in French to help us increase our comprehension. My artifact I chose for this class is the first full paper I have written in my French classes. The topic of the paper was addressing a problem and proposing some solutions, and it was something that I worked very hard towards. The paper really highlights how far I have grown in my French skills, and I was overall very proud that I not only was able to write this paper but I was able to actually enjoy doing something in French, as it usually is so difficult that I just struggle. It was not the best paper I turned in grade wise, but it was one that was very memorable.
French 212: Finally the last class of my foreign language requirement at Longwood. At this point, French almost feels like an old friend and I have begun to understand it rather comfortably. I can read and comprehend French rather easily now, though my speaking still leaves much to be desired. This experience of learning a second language has taught me many things. Mostly, that if you truly want to learn a new language, or really learn anything, you have to be consistent and you have to practice, practice, practice!! Foreign languages, like many things, do not just make sense overnight. Rather, it is only through long periods of study, practice, and effort that one can truly begin to know the language or subject material they are working towards. I am not perfectly fluent in French, however, through the help of my wonderful professors and all the work I put in towards my studies, I am closer now than I ever was before. This class made me acknowledge that if I want anything done than I have to work for it, especially with something as important and as complex as a second language. Though I no longer have to take French courses, I will continue to work on my French studies on my own time and hope that one day I can say with confidence that I am fluent with the language. The artifact I have chosen for my final french class is an essay I wrote towards the end of the course. It may be the best French paper I had written in my time at Longwood, and I feel it truly shows the progress I made throughout my courses. It definitely highlights my further grasp of more difficult sentences compositions and vocabulary, and I felt good about turning it in, which is more than what I can say about my past French work. I look at this paper and feel satisfied with how far I have come and acknowledge that this is what hard work and consistency can lead to.