French Beginners - Year 1 Short Courses
Taught mostly in French, this is a course for total beginners, running once a week in central London. It is an introduction to the French language and way of life for the purpose of practical communication. Whether you are studying for travelling, working abroad or with foreign companies the French Beginners course will enable you to communicate confidently, socialise and not feel out of place in the country you are visiting.
This is a three-term French course for total beginners taught in central London. If you missed an October enrolment you can either join a French Accelerated course in January and cover Module 1 (Term 1) and Module 2 (Term 2) within one term. You can then do Module 3 in Term 3. Alternatively, if you already have some knowledge of French, you can join the class in Term 2 or 3 but you will need to have your level assessed. You can either do this by contacting us on 020 7040 8268 or by checking your level using our online guidelines.
Course Information
| Start Date | Start Time | Duration | Cost | Course Code | Apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday 4 October 2011 | 18:20 - 20:20 | 10 classes over 1 term | £195.00 (Module 1) | CE1801 | Apply Now |
| Tuesday 17 January 2012 | 18:20 - 20:20 | 10 classes over 1 term | £195.00 (Module 2) | CE1801 | Apply Now |
| Tuesday 24 April 2012 | 18:20 - 20:20 | 10 classes over 1 term | £195.00 (Module 3) | CE1801 | Apply Now |
| Tuesday 4 October 2011 | 18:20 - 20:20 | 30 classes over 3 terms | £500.00 (All Modules) | CE1801 | Apply Now |
| Wednesday 5 October 2011 | 18:20 - 20:20 | 10 classes over 1 term | £195.00 (Module 1) | CE1801 | Apply Now |
| Wednesday 18 January 2012 | 18:20 - 20:20 | 10 classes over 1 term | £195.00 (Module 2) | CE1801 | Apply Now |
| Wednesday 25 April 2012 | 18:20 - 20:20 | 10 classes over 1 term | £195.00 (Module 3) | CE1801 | Course Cancelled |
| Wednesday 5 October 2011 | 18:20 - 20:20 | 30 classes over 3 terms | £500.00 (All Modules) | CE1801 | Apply Now |
Tutor Info
Tuesdays: Stéphanie Egloff has a BA in History (Strasbourg, 2000) and an International House Certificate in French Language Teaching to Adults (2008) and DTLLS level 5 (Metropolitan University, 2010). She has taught in various institutions such as South Thames College and International House, private schools and primary schools.
Wednesdays: Laeticia Calabrese has an MA in English (Provence Aix-Marseille I, 2002) and is currently completing a PhD in English Phonetics. She has taught English in France (University of Provence) and French in London (Queen Mary) and has been teaching French at City University London since April 2008.
Eligibility
No prior knowledge required for a September start. If you wish to join this French Beginners course in January, please check your level before enrolling
What will I learn?
The following topics will be covered in class: introductions, leisure time, travelling abroad and the target country's culture. The following grammar points will be revised: the present tense (regular and irregular verbs), word order and the past tense. Specific topics include: Greetings; introducing oneself; the alphabet; definite and indefinite articles; formal and informal tu v vous; countries; nationalities and jobs; gender and adjectives; plurals; present tense of regular verbs; irregular verbs être and avoir; negative sentences; numbers up to 1000; your age; talking about your family; possessive adjectives; prepositions au, aux, en, du etc; days of the week; time; around the house (locating with sur, à côté de etc) ; day-to-day activities; understanding and giving directions; Booking a hotel room; reflexive verbs; irregular verbs faire, aller, venir, vouloir, pouvoir, devoir, savoir; the imperative; foods and drinks; shops; some adverbs (often, never, always); likes and dislikes; interrogative pronouns (how, when, how much, where etc); hobbies; clothes; inviting someone and fixing an appointment; at the doctor's; introduction of the future and past (passé composé) tenses.
Teaching and Assessment
The course will include formative evaluation (to help you assess your strengths and weaknesses), an oral presentation and continuous support from your tutor. All evaluation will take place in a relaxed and informal setting.
Recommended Reading
Textbook: Alter Ego Level One Textbook with CD by Annie Berthet, ISBN: 9782011554208.
Students are advised to purchase their own copy of the books, either from the University bookshop (Northampton Square) or from most major bookshops.
Leads To...
Having successfully completed the French Beginners course (Year 1), you can progress to French Lower Intermediate Course (Year 2).
Career Outcome
At the end of the course students are expected to be able to understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type. They should be able to introduce themselves, people they know and things they have. They are able to interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.