<rant>I’m doing a beginner’s French course at the Open University. It’s great. It’s also hard work and takes lots of time.
However, the forums seem to attract many posts about how it is “suitable for beginner’s” or that “it’s not a beginner’s course”. Apart from being annoying, they are simply incorrect.
Fact: the course, L192, assumes no previous knowledge of French before starting on the course:
Entry
No prior knowledge of French is required to study this course.
This is a Level 1 course. Level 1 courses provide core subject knowledge and study skills needed for both higher education and distance learning. If you have any doubt about the suitability of the course, please contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
The course is for beginner’s; it just isn’t easy.</rant>
The problem, of course, is that when something is hard or takes a little bit of work or time, some people instantly assume that the problem lies outside of themselves, and therefore, surely the problem is with the course/person/situation. Work harder and/or smarter; stop complaining.
I see the same thing in any infomercial for any physical exercise equipment. Mind or body, exercise requires effort. There aren’t any short cuts. There couldn’t be.
Yes, very true. We tend to get out what we put in to things. The thing that really gets me is the thought that it ought to be easy; why on earth would someone think learning a foreign language to a reasonable standard in 12 months would be ‘easy’. Of course it’s going to take up a lot of time.
… Will this be on the exam?