to ask for your tips on yr7 learning French?

[Plastickypotplant]

Very un-Christmassy thread (although happy for suggestions that could become Christmas presents) but I am desperately seeking tips on how to help my yr 7 learn French. Or at least learn to not hate French.

It is a daily battle in our household and the holidays are a welcome temporary reprieve.

Please wise mumsnetters, any ideas on how to engage him? His teacher at school is not really a french teacher which I think is probably not helping....

Additional info: I did erasmus in France and speak/write/read it well, so could help if given ideas on how to get beyond the barrier of him really hating it.

I have a year 7 so who hated French. We started him in Duolingo. 15 mins a day in the holidays. Going well.

French music and radio, French holidays, French penpal if that’s still a thing?

Have you looked at Duolingo (App or website)? I don’t know what the lowest age is but you can make an account private and, even if it’s not private there’s no way of sending messages to other users so I’d consider it to be fairly safe? It might make it enough of a game to help with picking up some vocabulary and basic grammar. There is also a years-old BBC cartoon called Muzzy. It is still sold (updated version) but you can probably find it for free on YouTube by searching for ‘muzzy French’

Any French apps? As you speak French why not ask simple questions in French regularly . Ultimately I think people absorb new languages easily or don’t. I teach year 3-6 from a scheme and I am not fluent. Some just have the ear and excel, other chn just can’t pick it up . It’s similar to music. Some just have the aptitude and some don’t.

Ultimately he doesn’t have to like it so take the pressure off.

I wonder if part of the reason he hates french is because you love it and are good at it? Perhaps he doesn't like the fact you are better than him. I would just ease off personally and let him have his likes and dislikes. My kids make a point of hating anything they know I want them to like ....

Did he do French at Primary or another language? Just wondering if he's finding it hard not to get muddled up if he learnt Spanish before, for example?

We have a DK called 5 words or something and it is based on learning 5 words a day.

Duolingo app on his phone. DD engages with it really well even though she doesn't really like French (she prefers Welsh and will sit learning THAT for hours 🙄,). How come the teachers isn't a French teacher because yes I do think this makes a difference?
At half term we did a French weekend at home eg I dressed the table as a stereotypical bistro/cafe, we ate "French" food and pretended we were in Paris so could only speak French. It was pretty hilarious and she actually really enjoyed it.

Let him watch netflix with the language settings on French. Ideal for French shows (they have some quite nice French anime on Netflix) but you can also do it with his favourites in English too. Mine still resist but they love the passive element of it!

This is a really good point. Slightly devils advocate but why does ds have to like French and what do you mean by like?

If he has to spend time learning a subject he isn't keen on it seems like the two options are either to find a way to enjoy it (studying through a hobby/interest in French) or to work out the most effective way to fulfil the syllabus criteria (which is probably 10-15 mins focused practice everyday).

More in the spirit of the thread, I've used all the above suggestions for learning Finnish. You just need to keep an eye on the relevance of vocab you are learning from streamed programs. Children's programs are often best for gaining initial language.