Overview

This module is aimed at all first year students who have completed French for Beginners 1.

The module aims to develop the basic spoken, listening and written skills acquired in semester 1 in order to bring students up to and beyond a level of proficiency equivalent to 'A' level.

Students apply the grammatical principles learned in semester 1 to extended pieces of writing and also focus on more complex grammatical structures.

Listening skills are developed through audio and video comprehension exercises and students are required to make individual presentations on more sophisticated topics.

This module is aimed at all first year students who have completed French for Beginners 1.

The module aims to develop the basic spoken, listening and written skills acquired in semester 1 in order to bring students up to and beyond a level of proficiency equivalent to 'A' level.

Students apply the grammatical principles learned in semester 1 to extended pieces of writing and also focus on more complex grammatical structures.

Listening skills are developed through audio and video comprehension exercises and students are required to make individual presentations on more sophisticated topics.

Key texts:

Action Grammaire! 3rd edition by Phil Turk & Geneviève García Vandaele (Hodder Education, 2006).

The French Experience 1 Marie Therese Bougard, Daniele Bourdais (BBC Publications, 2003)

Students are given the following advice about purchasing a dictionary:

“You may be able to manage with a concise one (not a pocket dictionary), but you should consider a ‘proper’ translating dictionary such as Collins-Robert or Oxford-Hachette, and learn to use it effectively and regularly.”

Assessment Strategy

-threshold -40-49%: To gain credit students require a basic but expanding knowledge of vocabulary and grammar, some ability to translate and manipulate textual material, and basic oral and aural competence.

-good -50-69%: Better performance will be indicated by a broadening knowledge of vocabulary and grammar, a good ability to translate and paraphrase texts in French, and good oral and aural competence.

-excellent -70+%: The best students will have attained a working knowledge of the written and spoken language at a level comparable to GCE A2, and will be able to proceed confidently to studying together with post-A2 students from the start of the second year.

Learning Outcomes

• To be able to produce more extended pieces of writing in a concise and coherent manner.

• To build on skills acquired in semester 1 (module LZF-1003).

• To combine competently vocabulary and grammatical constructions in order to express an opinion on new and possibly unfamiliar themes.

• To communicate competently in French on a selection of more sophisticated topics.

• To develop listening comprehension skills through listening to the radio and music, watching television and films etc.

• To read and understand a variety of texts in French, e.g. newspapers, magazines, novels etc.