Rocket French is a beginner's course in three main components:

1) audio lessons, which you listen to;

2) textual lessons, which you read; and
3) learning games, which you play.
But all three components have one thing in common: each one of them involves you
r own active participation.
With the audio lessons in the Rocket French Interactive Audio Course, you will a
dd your own voice to the conversations that are the focus of each lesson, both b
y repeating words to practice your pronunciation, and by saying the correct word
or phrase when prompted by your host. These audio lessons come with supplementa
ry written transcripts.
With the textual lessons, which focus on the grammar of the French language and
view it in its contemporary cultural context, you will walk through the various
steps of how to change articles, adjectives, and verbs, how to build more and mo
re complex sentences, and how to write in French. These text-based lessons are i
llustrated and contain embedded audio clips for new words and phrases.
With the software-based learning games, you can test your memorization of French
words, sounds, and verb changes through dynamic game-play and receive active fe
edback in real time.
By including all of these components, the course caters to many different learni
ng styles, and you are free to explore the course material in whatever way you'd
like.
But there are some GUIDELINES that you may want to follow when taking your first
steps on the path to understanding and speaking conversational French:
STEP ONE:
Listen to the first three lessons of the Interactive Audio Course. This is the b
est way to acquaint yourself with the sound and rhythm of the language, as well
as the native speakers Paul and Claire. ( or Eric, Anne and Lauren for More Rock
et French)
For the first time you listen to these first few lessons, we suggest doing so wi
thout the written transcripts, so that the focus remains on listening comprehens
ion.
STEP TWO:
Go back and listen to the lessons again. This may sound like unwelcome advice, b
ut you will find that you will often have to go back to go forward when learning
any new language. The process is incremental, which means you will only be able
to take in so much at any given time. But you will notice not only how much mor
e of the material you recognize, but also how much quicker you pick things up th
e second time around.
The second time you listen to the Interactive Audio lessons, you should be comfo
rtable enough to refer to the written transcripts of the conversations.
You'll find that your comprehension will skyrocket when you are able to see what
the language looks like. Keep in mind, however, that even if you keep the trans
cript in front of you when you listen, you should always try to THINK of the mea
ning of what you hear BEFORE you read it (even if that means continually pausing
the audio track to give yourself more time for the meaning to appear in your he
ad).
STEP THREE:
When you have found that you can comfortably listen to the audio lessons, AND pa
rticipate in them on cue without getting lost or overwhelmed, then it's time to
explore the lessons that make up the Rocket French Grammar & Culture Series.
These lessons dive deeper into the mechanics of the language, and also reward yo
u with relevant explanations about where, how, why, and when to use the language
skills that you have gained.
In total, there are 45 lessons in the Grammar & Culture Series (the Rocket Frenc
h grammar lessons), and these correspond closely (but not exactly) to the 31 les
sons in the Interactive Audio Course. When you reach the stage where you are con
fident with the audio lessons, it may be a good time to set yourself a more regi
mented schedule of progress. For example, you may do one audio lesson plus one g
rammar lesson each day for a month, or every other day (getting through them in
two months).
However strict a path you want to follow, always remember the magic word: increm
ental. That is, if you decide to set one day aside to stuff your head with five
lessons, it is very unlikely that you will retain most of what went into it! Als
o, even when you are well into the course, you can only make things easier when
you go back and listen to the lessons over again. You'll hear your own French ac
cent getting sharper each time.
STEP FOUR:
Get your game on with Rocket French's range of software-based learning games. Ev
en though we've listed this as a possible step four on your fast-track to learni
ng conversational French, you can use these learning games at any time, and espe
cially when you feel like you want a break from sustained listening or reading w
ith regard to the other course material. Because they are so entertaining and ea
sy to use, the MegaFrench games make "motivation" an after-thought.
No matter how "competitive" you think you are, you will find these games a welco
me challenge, and gain great satisfaction when you see your score improve each t
ime!
We do suggest you follow one guideline in structuring your learning:
Before playing the MegaVerbs game, it would be best to wait until you have compl
eted the first third or so of the Grammar & Culture lessons. Here's why: there a
re three types of MegaFrench games:
o MegaVocab
o MegaAudio
o MegaVerbs
The first two will allow you to build your vocabulary (MegaVocab) and improve yo
ur recognition of spoken French (MegaAudio), and these two games do not require
much if any background learning.
The MegaVerbs game differs in that it involves the fundamentals of French verb c
hanges. This will be covered in the Grammar & Culture lessons.
STEP FIVE:
A fifth step in the process of learning conversational French with your Rocket F
rench learning package doesn't necessarily DIRECTLY involve any of the materials
included IN the package! But it is still a most essential step: PRACTICE and SH
ARE what you've learned.
We implore you to take what you've learned and practice it in the real world. Wh
ether that means saying the date and time in French whenever you check it yourse
lf, or teaching your dog commands in French, do whatever it takes!
There is also a fantastic resource to share thoughts and get answers to any ques
tions that may be stumping you: the Rocket French Leaner's FORUM. This is a virt
ual helpdesk where you not only get answers and advice from the Rocket French te
am but also from fellow learners who are often working with the same material yo
u are.
Even better, YOU can give answers and advice to them, and that's a great way to
reinforce your own knowledge. This is in fact the place you are right now.
All the best for your French learning and bonne chance!