In addition to traditional grammar and vocabulary studies, development of the four key language skills, listening, speaking, reading and writing, is stressed within the context of contemporary French culture. Travel skills improve as the students learn the vocabulary for places in town and the ability to ask for, receive and give directions. The students then learn how to make plans with others while discussing activities, time telling , transportation methods, weather and dates. Pronominal verbs are discussed in this context, as is the pass compose. Shopping is the next thematic unit in which the students learn the demonstrative adjectives, the partitive and quantity expressions.
Description is reprised and expanded while discussing education.
Regular -it verbs and the imparfait are introduced in a discussion of health and physical fitness. See course format. From day one of the class the emphasis is on the production and understanding of usable French. During valuable classroom time each student is given the maximum number of opportunities to function in French either in the teacher - student mode of mechanical and meaningful exercises or during the communicative exercises done in pairs and small groups. Pronunciation is a weekly focus at this beginning level as is a variety of listening comprehension exercises.