Sons et lettres: A Pronunciation Method for Intermediate-level French

28 SOUND OUT NEWWORDS When reading newmaterial in French, take the time to decipher new or unfamiliar words. Identify the graphemes and slowly sound out words syllable by syllable and repeat them until they feel familiar. If you are uncertain about how to pronounce a word, consult an online dictionary (such as larousse.fr , which lets you hear the pronunciation), or ask your instructor. LEARNTHE SPELLING RULES READ AND REPEAT Aftercompletinga lessononthewebandinclass, review the rules, make sure you understand them completely, and begin to commit them to memory. This way, whenever you see the graphemes for a sound that you have learned, you will be able to apply them. Over time, the rule will become internalized and the pronunciation will become automatic. Read aloud the word lists in the Cherchez les lettres! exercises after you do them in class, and use the web application’s A vous de parler exercises to practice and refine your pronunciation. Short periods of repetition will reinforce the associations between graphemes and pronunciation and help make the rules become habits. What to Practice, and How Here are some suggestions to help you take advantage of what you learn in Sons et lettres :