By the same token, those who feel comfortable in expressing themselves in the target language are encouraged to do so. The student's passive vocabulary is always going to be greater than the active vocabulary. It is important to remember that students learn to speak by speaking and they need the opportunity to express themselves freely in real life situations, whenever possible. Pronunciation It is perhaps important to note that as teachers we should be more concerned that we provide a good model for our students rather than attempting to achieve native-like pronunciation from them. It is of greater importance for our students to be able to communicate and be understood by speakers of the L2 than to have to strive to sound exactly like them.
Pronunciation improves with experience.
Tapes provided with commercial programs should be used to ensure that students hear a good model. Reading and Writing Reading is an important skill in second language study. It can expand cultural awareness, broaden comprehension of the language, give a feel for correct French structures and eventually improve the student's written production in the language. It is also an important reinforcement for visual and concrete learners. Writing activities follow when reading skills are acquired.