- Department: Language and Linguistic Science
- Credit value: 20 credits
- Credit level: H
- Academic year of delivery: 2024-25
Learning a language can be a transformative and enriching experience. Both the process and the outcomes are beneficial at various levels, from increased neuroplasticity to improving your overall academic performance, fostering empathy and intercultural awareness, and enhancing your career opportunities. This 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.
Occurrence | Teaching period |
---|---|
A | Semester 1 2024-25 |
B | Semester 2 2024-25 |
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:
reception activities (oral, audio-video and reading comprehension);
production activities (oral and written production);
interaction activities (oral, written and online interaction).
The mediums of instruction are English and French.
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.
reflect upon language use and justify linguistic choices
self-monitor and self-regulate their own learning and resources
Topics may include:
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
Task | % of module mark |
---|---|
Closed/in-person Exam (Centrally scheduled) | 60 |
Oral presentation/seminar/exam | 40 |
Other
Written exam will include one or two questions aimed at assessing students’ ability to reflect on language use and justify their responses and choices when using the language (in English) and a task related to students’ ability to monitor their own learning.
Oral exam will include strategic competence in the target language among the assessment criteria in production and interaction activities.
Task | % of module mark |
---|---|
Closed/in-person Exam (Centrally scheduled) | 60 |
Oral presentation/seminar/exam | 40 |
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.
Course materials and guided readings will be provided by the module convenors via the VLE at the start of the semester.