We work on sounds. With her help, I make another amazing discovery. Near the first page of my French-English dictionary is a list of all the French sounds, with phonetic renderings. Yes, I know, all dictionaries have them, but it has never registered what a help such a scheme could be to my tortured attempts at understanding French patterns of pronunciation. I no longer have to ask how a word is pronounced - I simply look up the phonetic listing.
Most students hate grammar.
I love it. On weekends, I pull down the best French grammar I have been able to find and read it like a novel. However, after it fades into ongoing life, I enjoy something more valuable. I am learning French. I have just begun.