The entity responsible for the course description defines the skills and the knowledge which the student must have acquired at the end of the activity of training (maximum 10 lines).
At the end of this course, the student is supposed to be able to do in:
Listening
- can understand and extract the essential information from short, recorded passages dealing with
predictable everyday matters which are delivered slowly and clearly;
- can understand phrases and expressions related to areas of most immediate priority (e.g. very basic
personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment;
- can identify the main point of TV news items reporting events, accidents etc. where the visual supports the commentary;
- can follow changes of topic of factual TV news items, and form an idea of the main content.
Reading
- can understand basic types of standard routine letters and faxes (enquiries, orders, letters of
confirmation etc.) on familiar topics ;
- can find specific, predictable information in simple everyday material such as advertisements,
prospectuses, menus, reference lists and timetables;
- can understand everyday signs and notices: in public places, such as streets, restaurants, railway stations; in workplaces, such as directions, instructions, hazard warnings;
can identify specific information in simpler written material he/she encounters such as letters, brochures and short newspaper articles describing events.
Speaking
- can establish social contact: greetings and farewells; introductions; giving thanks;
- can make and respond to invitations, suggestions and apologies;
- can say what he/she likes and dislikes;
- can discuss everyday practical issues in a simple way when addressed clearly, slowly and directly;
- can discuss what to do, where to go and make arrangements to meet.
Writing
- can write short, simple notes and messages relating to matters in areas of immediate need;
- can write short, simple formulaic notes relating to matters in areas of immediate need;
- can write very simple personal letters expressing thanks and apology;
- can write a short biography.
Main themes
Family, close relationships, public places, leisure, public transport, everyday life, housing, food, countries, cities, weather, events on television, festivals, cultural habits in Belgium.
Grammar
Simple present and present progressive, positive and negative statements, imperative, near future with aller , future simple conditional, recent past , the past, interrogative, exclamative and negative sentence, pronouns, time-clauses, quantity.
Content and teaching methods
At the beginning of the course, students practice intensively their listening and speaking skills with the help of pictures and with CD that presents familiar situations ; students are confronted to every day (asking for information, finding one's way in the streets of LLN, organizing a party, giving advice for studies, hobbies¿). The writing and reading skills are developed once students are familiar with French pronounciation.
Besides the lessons in class, students continue to improve their French outside the classroom. With the help of a file called "Action", students have to meet French speakers to make various tasks of observation and interaction. Besides the syllabus, students have access to on-line exercises on the Intranet (platform Moodle).
In this course, students discover the life in Louvain-la-Neuve and in Belgium through sightseeing, films and songs.
Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)
Prerequisites ( Ideally in terms of skills)
To know the French alphabet.
Assessment:
During the semester:
The written productions completed during the semester count for the final evaluation (10%)
The grammar tests count for 10% of the final evaluation.
An oral presentation counts for the final evaluation (10%).
Involvement in the course and into a specific project (radio program, guided tour¿) counts for 10% of the final evaluation.
The examination programme: listening: 3 documents , reading: 4documents, writing: 2 productions, speaking: talking about personal topics and simulate a daily life situation with another student in a roleplay.
Course material:
syllabus, the Action file, Intranet (Moodle platform)
References:
J. Bady et allii. Conjugaison. 350 exercices. 1000 verbes à conjuguer, Hachette français langue étrangère
D. Abry et M.-L. Chalaron. La grammaire des premiers temps. Volume 1. Presses universitaires de Grenoble
M. Grégoire. Grammaire progressive du français. Niveau débutant, CLE International
http://www.tv5.org/apprendre.tv
Training staff:
A group of 20 students approximately
The teacher is available during his reception hour and can be contacted by email.
Guidance in the self-learning center (C.A.A.) and in the multi-media room
Other:
This course corresponds to A2 level of the common European Framework of reference.
Opened to the students enrolled at UCL (Erasmus or not Erasmus) as well as to the students not enrolled yet at UCL who wish to join for a 3rd cycle. The students are complete beginners but have to know the French alphabet.
Equivalent course given in the other UCL curricula: course for lower intermediate students (FRAN 1201 in 60 hours, in second semester)