French Language and Cultures: Beginner - LFA00250L

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Module summary

The course is aimed at those with no previous knowledge of French. The module aims to take students rapidly to about A1-level standard of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), in the understanding and use of written and spoken French.

Module will run

Occurrence	Teaching period
A	Semester 1 2024-25
B	Semester 2 2024-25

Module aims

This module will steadily build the knowledge, skills, and strategies necessary to communicate and interact in French over the course of a semester. It will focus on developing a communicative competence at beginner level, to about A1-level standard of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

Students will engage, individually and/or in groups, in communicative activities and tasks emphasising three modes of communication:

1. reception activities (oral, audio-video and reading comprehension);

2. production activities (oral and written production);

3. interaction activities (oral, written and online interaction).

The mediums of instruction are English and French.

Module learning outcomes

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

• understand everyday expressions and short, simple informational material and texts (e.g. on sports, music, travel or short, illustrated narratives about everyday activities)

• extract key information from short, simple texts and written documents (messages, notices, instructions, brochures, signs, etc.).

• understand and participate in basic conversations that might occur in everyday situations.

• produce short simple phrases to talk about people, places and themselves (e.g. name, address, family, nationality), as well as simple aspects of their everyday life

• interact in a simple way and to ask and answer simple questions about themselves and their daily routines

• use a variety of basic idioms and structures to express themselves in French with a reasonable level of accuracy

• recognise basic cultural differences (e.g. differing ways of numbering, measuring distance, telling the time, etc.) and to establish basic social contact by using the simplest, but appropriate, everyday polite forms of greetings, farewells and introductions

• demonstrate insight into very basic aspects of the culture and everyday life and respond appropriately when interacting in French in simple situations.

Module content

Topics may include:

• introducing yourself, your family, your hobbies and understanding when others tell you about themselves and their circumstances

• asking and answering basic questions about a city/neighbourhood and asking about opening times and how to find facilities

• describing what you wear, buying clothes, talking about the seasons/ the weather

• ordering food, understanding eating habits, talking about healthy eating

• understanding basic job, skills and competences

• talking/writing about what you have done and are going to do, e.g. work, education, jobs, daily routine, leisure

Indicative assessment

Task	% of module mark
Closed/in-person Exam (Centrally scheduled)	60
Oral presentation/seminar/exam	40

Special assessment rules

None

Indicative reassessment

Task	% of module mark
Closed/in-person Exam (Centrally scheduled)	60
Oral presentation/seminar/exam	40

Module feedback

Students’ performance will be monitored through formative work throughout the semester and assessed via end of semester exams.

Formative assessment and feedback

• Formative tasks done individually or in groups throughout the module

• Feedback will include written comments for written formative work

• Oral feedback during class discussions.

Summative assessment and feedback

Students will be given written feedback and marks for their work within the University mandated schedule.

Indicative reading

Course materials and guided readings will be provided by the module convenors via the VLE at the start of the semester.