French 203 expands the language skills obtained in French 101 and 102, through the introduction and extensive practice in grammar, vocabulary, listening, speaking, reading and writing in relation to contemporary cultural topics, focussing primarily on France and the Francophone world. The course is taught essentially in French in an immersive environment, however grammar and vocabulary explanations are also available in English. We also recognize that translation (and comparing certain aspects of the structure of French and English) can have a useful role to play in language learning. Class activities include interaction in pairs, small-groups, or with the whole class.
As a Blended Learning course, students are expected to work independently with specifically designed online lessons and the Deux Mondes textbook and on-line assignments. Language features introduced, explained, practiced and revised during independent study will provide the focus for further practice and communicatively focussed language tasks undertaken in class. Active participation is expected in class, and must be followed up by a clear commitment to independent learning between classes.
This course is designed for students with 12-16 credits in Level 3 NCEA French, or who have passed FRENCH 102. It is not available to students who qualify for entry into FRENCH 204 or above. It may not be taken if a more advanced language acquisition course in this subject has previously been passed.
Course outcome
By the end of the course, students obtaining a pass grade will demonstrate intermediate proficiency in French in a variety of situations, through a competent working knowledge of language topics up to and including chapter 14 in Deux Mondes and the Online lessons, corresponding to A2+/B1 level of proficiency.
Students will be confident in applying this knowledge to the four skills areas of reading, listening, speaking and writing.
Course content
Content covered will be as follows:
- Weeks 1-4: Past experiences, new technologies, hobbies; past tenses, conditional, relative pronouns
- Weeks 5-7: Health and well-being, the body, illnesses and accidents, diets and lifestyles; subjunctive, immediate past
- Weeks 8-10: Family ties, social norms and evolution, love and friendship, values; reciprocal verbs, adverbs, pluperfect, possessive pronouns
- Weeks 11-12: Social causes and challenges, ideologies, discrimination, communities, social change; past conditional, subjunctive with conjunctions