French Silent Way Alpha FLE (for groups containing beginners who cannot read and write in their own language)

Si vous préférez lire cette page en français, cliquez ici.

This set only differs from the Silent Way set in Word charts 1 to 8. Charts N, C, H and T are the same.

When some students learn a foreign language, and especially when they have never learned to read, it can be difficult for them to understand the concept of a 'word' since speech can give the impression of being an uninterrupted flow.

So on the SW Alpha FLE charts, most words are presented in their full form. The notion of constructing words from a radical plus a suffix or a verb ending is deferred. This notion is, however, presented in just a few cases since it demonstrates a principle of economy to which students must be introduced.

The use of these chart does not hinder the learning process of literate students.

The revised Silent Way Rectangle chart and Fidel (Spelling chart) are designed specifically for learners of French as a foreign language. As can be seen in the pictures below, the two types of chart are laid out with the same placement of sounds (red /i/ in the top left, for example). The layout reflects the tongue position and the positions of other articulators used in production.

(Click the pictures to enlarge them.)

There are 3 sizes of letters on the Silent Way Fidel. The largest indicate the most characteristic spellings for each sound. The medium size letters indicate other spellings in common use, especially for verbs. The smallest size is used for uncommon spellings.

The Fidel comes with a key giving examples of all the sound-spelling combinations of French.

The Word charts follow Gattegno's gradual unfolding of the language for beginners, adapted for those who are not literate in their own language. The choice of words and the order in which they appear have been decided upon by a team of experienced Silent Way teachers.

The first charts in this set introduce the functional vocabulary of French. Notice that combining forms are marked with a tilde (e.g. mienne is constructed on chart 4 as 'm~' + '~ienne').

The final Word charts cover numbers, the calendar, the time, and expression of time; as well as some common nouns.

For sizes, pricing and other information, return to the Silent Way for French page.