Early Registration (5/1-6/3): $420

Reg. Registration (6/4-8/14): $440

Late Registration (8/15-9/30):$460

Fridays 9:00am-10:25am

Course Description: 

French 3 is an introduction to more advanced grammar and conversation.  Students will build on grammar concepts learned in French 2 and use a variety of cultural reading texts in the textbook as a basis for discussion in French.  The course is taught entirely in French with the exception of several new grammar concepts such as use of the subjunctive and conditional sentences.  Written and oral preparation outside of class is required.

Course Outline:  We will study Leçons 15-20 in the required textbook. Lessons will include these concepts of French grammar and culture:

Review of all object pronouns (me, te, nous, vous, le, la, les, y, en)

Parts of the body and expressions of health and illness

Review of reflexive and reciprocal verbs (present and passé composé)

Irregular adjective formation

Adverb formation and position

Verb + infinitive construction

Formation and idiomatic use of the future tense

Formation and use of the conditional tense

Introduction to conjugation and use of the subjunctive mood

Professions and the professional life

French influence throughout the world

Developing a world economy

By the end of this class members will be able . . .

to talk about lodging and living conditions

to discuss personal and family relationships using reflexive verbs

to react to judgements about world politics

to express opinions and feelings about certain situations using the subjunctive

to talk about hypothetical situations using the conditional (If ...  then...)

to discuss future plans using a variety of conjunctions (when, as soon as, after)

to converse about jobs and job responsibilities

to describe physical ailments (for a doctor’s visit, calling in sick to work, conversation)

Prerequisites: French 2 at La Causerie or equivalent

Required Books and Materials Used: Voila! An Introduction to French, 6th Edition, by L. Kathy Heilenman, ISBN: 1133950124.

Recommended Reference Books (not required): 

A French-English dictionary such as Harper Collins Robert French College Dictionary (Paperback), Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers, ISBN: 0-00-470711-7 (or any HarperCollins French-English dictionaries) 

Bescherelle: L’Art de conjuguer 12,000 verbes (Verb Conjugation), Publisher: Hatier, ISBN: 2218717166 

Early Registration (5/1-6/3): $420

Reg. Registration (6/4-8/14): $440

Late Registration (8/15-9/30):$460

Fridays 9:00-10:25

Class Description: This intermediate-level course builds upon the foundations established in previous levels and is conducted entirely in French. Selected reading and study materials serve as the primary catalyst for guided in-class dialogue. Prior to class, participants prepare by engaging with assigned materials and completing written exercises. During our sessions, we review these assignments and engage in active, relevant dialogue. The curriculum is also enriched with a variety of authentic cultural and oral resources presented in class.

Prerequisite: French 5 is designed for participants who have successfully completed French 1A–4 at La Causerie or possess an equivalent level of proficiency from other pathways. Individuals should have the linguistic confidence to engage fully in a French-speaking environment and the skills necessary to complete the coursework.

Book/Materials: The instructor provides copies of reading materials and exercises. Throughout the year, the class may also choose to purchase one or two paperbacks, selected collaboratively to reflect the interests of the group.

Recommended Reference Books:

A good recent monolingual French dictionary, for example:

On paper: Le Nouveau Petit Robert: dictionnaire alphabétique et analogique de la langue française and Le Petit Larousse illustré.

Online: https://dictionnaire.lerobert.com and https://www.larousse.fr

A good recent bilingual dictionary (French/English - English/French):

On paper: Collins Robert French College Dictionary.

Online: https://www.wordreference.com and https://www.deepl.com

A book on French conjugation:

On paper: Bescherelle: L’Art de conjuguer or La conjugaison pour tous.

Online: https://bescherelle.com/le-conjugueur-bescherelle

Early Registration (5/1-6/3): $420

Reg. Registration (6/4-8/14): $440

Late Registration (8/15-9/30):$460

Fridays 9:00am-10:25am

Class Description: 

This course is an advanced level class. All communication will be in French. The goal of this course is dynamic dialogue on a variety of topics chosen either by the professor or the class members. Topics of conversation will be given by the professor in advance thereby providing members with adequate time to do any necessary research or other homework in order to come to class fully prepared to be engaged in conversation. Members are welcome to suggest topics to be discussed at a future date. Any handouts are to be given out in advance of the day of discussion to avoid the reading of materials in class thus ensuring lively conversation. 

Prerequisite: French 7 students should have completed French 1A - 6 at La Causerie or possess equivalent levels of proficiency from other pathways. Students should be quite fluent in French and be prepared to participate in dynamic class discussions. 

Student Description: Students at this level should have a good level of fluency in French. 

Required Books and Materials: Two to three full French & Francophone novels are read and studied each year. Books as well as movies are chosen in consultation with class members. 

Recommended Reference Books: 

A good mono-lingual French dictionary, either on-line or hardcopy, is much preferred at this level over a bilingual French-English dictionary; Le Nouveau petit Robert dictionnaire de la langue française (French-French), Publisher: Le Robert, ISBN: 2850368261. 

A mono-lingual French dictionary of synonyms would also be useful; consider a Larousse Dictionnaire des Synonymes(Paperback), Publisher: Éditions Larousse, ISBN 978-2-03-592894-8. 

Bescherelle: L’Art deConjuguer 12,000 Verbes, Publisher: Hatier, ISBN: 2218717166. 

Early Registration (5/1-6/3): $420

Reg. Registration (6/4-8/14): $440

Late Registration (8/15-9/30):$460

Fridays 9:00am-10:25am

Class Description: Italian I is an introductory course designed for students who have never before studied Italian or for those who may have previously studied some Italian but not used it for many years. We will start from the very beginning assuming no previous knowledge of the language.  Through active participation in class and at-home review and assignments this class provides students with the foundations of the Italian language.

Grammatical Concepts:

Alphabet and pronunciation

Use of genders and singular/plural

Definite and indefinite articles (the/a) 

Basic sentence and question formation 

Adjectives: agreement and placement

Present tense verbs:regular and irregular

The expressions c’è and ci sono (there is/there are) 

Possessive adjectives (my, your, his, her etc) 

Demonstrative adjectives (this, that, these, those) 

Direct object pronouns 

Vocabulary themes will include:

Greetings and salutations 

Numbers

Basic conversational phrases

Food and beverages

Day, date, seasons

Places

Asking for and giving directions

Descriptive adjectives/colors

Family

Weather

Time

Pastimes/hobbies

Prerequisites: None

Books/Materials: Prego! An Invitation to Italian (Student Edition) 6th Edition ISBN: 978-0072561319

Early Registration (5/1-6/3): $420

Reg. Registration (6/4-8/14): $440

Late Registration (8/15-9/30):$460

Fridays 9:00am-10:25pm

Class Description: 

Italian 4 will emphasize speaking practice as well as the most advanced elements of Italian grammar.

Past Conditional Tense

The Subjunctive Mood 

"Volerci" and "Metterci"

Main Vocabulary Themes 

The Environment and Travel in Italy

Contemporary Italy in the World

Italian Culture - then and now

These subjects are tentative and may change to be useful for students who may be repeating the class.  

Prerequisite: Completion of Italian 3 at La Causerie or equivalent. The typical Italian 4 student has completed Italian 3, is able to participate in simple dialogue, and can generate questions in Italian language recognizable by a native speaker.

Books/Materials: 

Prego, An Invitation to Italian, Edition 6. ISBN: 0072561319(available on Amazon)

The Ultimate Italian Review and Practice, by David Stillman ISBN: 1260453510

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Early Registration (5/1-6/3): $420

Reg. Registration (6/4-8/14): $440

Late Registration (8/15-9/30):$460

Fridays 9:00am-10:25am

Class Description: 

This grammar course is for students who have learned the basic elements of the Spanish language. It builds on what has been learned in Spanish 1 and 2.

Course Objective: Completion of the following chapters and topics.

Preface: 

Pronunciation

Alphabet

Greetings and Salutations

Orthography

Topics:

The Present Subjunctive

The Present Subjunctive

Commands

Nouns, Articles, Adjectives, and Pronouns

The Present Perfect Tense

The Past Perfect Tense

Prerequisite: The material covered in Spanish 1 and 2.

Instruction: The instructor will speak in Spanish during most classroom activities, but when necessary, she will move briefly into English in order to make grammatical explanations clearer. Homework assignments will be from the book and the accompanying workbook.

Book/Materials: Complete Spanish Step-By-Step, 2nd edition, by Barbara Bregstein, ISBN 9781260463132

Early Registration (5/1-6/3): $420

Reg. Registration (6/4-8/14): $440

Late Registration (8/15-9/30):$460

Fridays 9:00am-10:25am

Class Description: 

This upper-level grammar course builds on the foundations of what students have learned in Spanish 1, 2, and 3. Students at this level are likely to experience new doors opening to them in terms of their abilities to read short story length material and to speak a number of coherent sentences in a row. The instructor will assign homework from the book.

Course Objective: Completion of the following chapters and topics.

Preface: 

Pronunciation

Alphabet

Greetings and Salutations

Orthography

Topics:

The Future Tense

The Conditional Tense

The Present Perfect Subjunctive

The Imperfect Subjunctive

The Past Perfect Subjunctive

Idioms

Instruction: The instructor will conduct the class in Spanish and will resort to English only when necessary to make grammatical or usage points clear.

Prerequisite: Knowledge of the material in levels 1, 2, and 3

Book/Materials: Complete Spanish Step-By-Step, 2nd edition, by Barbara Bregstein, ISBN 9781260463132

Early Registration (5/1-6/3): $420

Reg. Registration (6/4-8/14): $440

Late Registration (8/15-9/30):$460

Fridays 9:00-10:25 am

Class Description: This is an advanced intermediate conversation course. Class is conducted in Spanish, though the instructor and students may occasionally use English for brief explanations or clarification. The course focuses on building oral and listening skills through discussion of topics drawn from everyday life. A carefully curated Netflix series in Spanish and an assigned novel serve as the foundation for class conversations.

Is this course right for you? If you can comfortably talk about your past weekend and your plans for the coming week but find abstract or unpredictable topics more challenging, Spanish 5 is a good fit.

Book/Materials: 

La Distancia Entre Nosotros, by Reyna Grande, ISBN 978-1476710402

Students will also need a subscription to Netflix