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French Stage 3

Duration: 2 terms
Value: 30 units of credit
Course tutors: Dr Karine Deslandes (karine.deslandes@buckingham.ac.uk)
Level: Common European Framework level lower B1

Aims of the course

• To develop skills for communicating with some ease in predictable situations: exchanging information and expressing personal views on topics that are familiar or of personal interest.
• To enable students to exploit a good range of simple language and strategies flexibly in order to deal with routine matters relating to everyday life.

Objectives of the course

On completion of the course students will be able to demonstrate:

Knowledge and understanding

1. the ability to recognise and reproduce a good range of simple grammatical structures and vocabulary.
2. the ability to access and use a good range of simple cultural information included in authentic materials.
3. the ability to appreciate and articulate a range of similarities and dissimilarities between French culture and their own.

Key skills

1. Reading: the ability to understand general and specific factual information included in authentic texts; the ability to identify messages and specific details in personal correspondence.
2. Writing: the ability to compose formal letters including personal information (job applications); the ability to compose informal letters and messages including information on plans or actions (responses to invitations).
3. Speaking: the ability to give an account of an experience or event and to describe their feelings, reactions; the ability to interact on known topics (expressing opinions, offering advice); the ability to adhere to conventions of politeness.
4. Listening: the ability to understand the main points in speech or recorded materials on routine matters when slowly and clearly articulated in standard French.

Syllabus / Study content

Grammar

Imperfect, conditional tenses; sequence of tenses with si. Comparative, superlative adjectives, adverbs. Relative pronouns (ce qui, ce que, où, dont); multiple object pronouns in affirmative and negative statements and commands.

Written production

Grammar and lexical exercises. Reading and listening comprehension exercises with guided questions. Creative writing (formal, informal letters).

Oral production

Interacting in routine, sometimes sensitive situations. Presentations (describing / contrasting people; describing / commenting on experiences, events, aspirations). Role play, pairwork, improvisation.

Reading materials

Newspaper articles, documents, job adverts, formal / informal letters, narratives.

Listening materials

Dialogues, narratives on routine matters.

Course books

• Foundations French 2 (2nd ed., Basingstoke: Palgrave, 2008): course book, CDs and transcriptions. ISBN: 978-0-230-57407-6.
• Concise Oxford Hachette French Dictionary (3rd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004). ISBN: 978-2-01-280565-1.
• Collins Easy Learning French Grammar (Glasgow: Harper Collins, 2004). ISBN: 0-00-719644-X.

Assessment

• 20% assessed course work
• 80% end of course examinations (20% listening, 20% oral, 40% written)