Top Email Tips s1

Top Tips for Speaking Cultural Comparison

1. Stay formal. ‘On’ is your best friend. Do not use il or elle when speaking about others. Use the pronoun ‘on’ to talk about the francophone culture. It is okay to say je or nous when talking about your own culture. 2. Address your audience and announce the topic. Identify the audience in the instructions. If you are talking to a class or your peers, say, “Mes amis” or “Mes camarades.” For a more formal audience say, “Mesdames et messieurs.” Here are a few phrases that you could use to start your speech: -Je voudrais vous parler de l’attitude des gens dans ma région envers… -Aujourd’hui, je vais discuter de l’importance de… -Je vais commencer par l’analyse de…Ensuite, je vais contraster mes observations avec…

3. Manage your time and know the directions. You have one minute to read the instructions. You have four minutes to read the instructions and the prompt and brainstorm for your speech. Consider the one of minute of instruction reading as an extra minute of brainstorming. Know the directions before you start the test. (They are in AP French.)

4. Provide a summary statement. Every good speech as a closing. Stick to simple phrases like: Donc Pour finir On voit que… En somme

5. Stay structured. Two minutes goes by quickly. Have a plan to use your time wisely. Write out a quick outline during your time to prepare. Use phrases and words, but not full sentences. If you are including verbs, conjugate them. You should have: Opening, state viewpoints of both cultures, state the viewpoint of your culture with 2-3 examples and then transition. Give viewpoint of the other French culture with 2-3 examples and have a closing. 6. Highlight your knowledge. Do not invent dates and details. Be smart when choosing the details in your response. Choose examples that highlight what you know, not what you wish you knew. Remember, you can discuss France but also other countries where French is spoken. Be sure to use the correct preposition with the countries. Use en for feminine countries and au for masculine countries.