Early Registration (5/1-5/26): $418

Reg. Registration (5/27-8/14): $440

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

Fridays 11:30am-1:00pm

Class Description: 

This is an introductory course designed for students who have never studied French before or who studied it many years ago. The goal of this class is to provide members with a basic knowledge of French, to facilitate comprehension and to encourage communication through in-class work, dialogue, and at-home preparation. Cultural aspects of French society are an integrated part of this course.

Course Outline: Lessons will include these aspects of French grammar:

   § Alphabet

   § Accents and pronunciation

   § Numbers

   § Time

   § Date

   § Formality and levels of language (vous and tu) 

   § Noun gender

   § Use of present tense and immediate future 

   § Negative sentence structures 

   § -er verbs 

   § Etre, aller and avoir verbs 

   § Pronoun “on” 

   § Stress pronouns (moi, toi, lui, etc) 

   § Indefinite and definite articles (un, une, des, le, la, l’, les)

   § The expression « Il y a »

   § Placement and agreement of adjectives 

   § Asking and responding to questions (est-ce que)

   § Irregular descriptive adjectives

By the end of this class members will be able to:

   § Greet people appropriately and conduct basic introductory conversations

   § Tell time and ask about dates 

   § Describe everyday objects, basic activities and likes/dislikes

   § Describe oneself and others

   § Converse about work, home and leisure activities 

   § Engage in register-appropriate basic conversations 

Prerequisite: The typical French 1 student has never before studied French or has not used or studied the language for so long that it’s necessary to start over.

Book/Materials:  TBD

Early Registration (5/1-5/26): $418

Reg. Registration (5/27-8/14): $440

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

Fridays 11:30am-1:00pm

Class Description: 

This class builds upon the foundations established in Level 1. The goal of the class is to enable students to achieve a higher level of understanding and ability to communicate in French while covering some of the more intricate aspects of French grammar. Comprehension and communication are achieved through in-class work and dialogue as well as at-home preparation. Cultural and social aspects of French society are an integrated part of this course.

Course Outline :  We will study Unités 5 through 8 in the required textbook.  Lessons will include these concepts of French grammar and culture :

   ·Irregular verbs including venir, prendre, mettre, sortir, partir, dormir,vouloir, pouvoir, devoir, suivre, voir, connaître, savoir, ouvrir, lire, dire, écrire

   · “Depuis” and the present tense

   · Distinction among the definite (le, la, les, l’), indefinite (un, une, des) and partitive articles (du, de la, de l’, des)

   · Expressions of quantity

   · Idiomatic expressions with être, avoir, aller, faire

   · Use of “il faut”

   · Direct / Indirect object pronouns (le, la, les, lui, leur, me, te, nous, vous)

   · Affirmative and negative expressions ( souvent, encore, deja, ne…jamais, ne…plus, ne…rien, ne…pas encore)

   · Passé composé with être and avoir

   · The imperfect tense

   · Use of the passé composé and imperfect in past narrative

   · Reflexive verbs

   · Irregular adjectives

   · Tourism and entertainment in France

   · Eating habits and shopping for food

   · University studies

   · Attitudes and values of the French people

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

   ·to converse more easily using the concepts reinforced from French 1

   ·to narrate events in the past—a vacation, one’s childhood, last weekend, an accident

   ·  to communicate in a variety of situations such as buying food in the supermarket, ordering in a restaurant, talking about themselves and family, making introductions, making appropriate responses in social situations, describing where one lives, discussing various forms of entertainment.

Prerequisite: Completion of French 1 at La Causerie or equivalent

Book/Materials: TBD

Optional Reference Books (not required): A French-English dictionary such as Harper Collins Robert French College Dictionary (Paperback), Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers, ISBN: 0004707117 (or any HarperCollins French-English dictionaries) and 

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

Early Registration (5/1-5/26): $418

Reg. Registration (5/27-8/14): $440

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

Fridays 11:30am-1:00pm

Class Description: 

This class builds upon the foundations in Beginning French 1, 2 and 3. It introduces more intricate aspects of French grammar, practical vocabulary, cultural, historical and social aspects of the French speaking world. The ultimate goal is to enable students to achieve a higher level of understanding and ability to communicate in French. Oral communication will be increased from the previous level. At-home preparation is expected. This course is conducted entirely in French.

Prerequisite: French 4 students should have completed French 1A ,1 B, 2 and 3 at La Causerie or possess equivalent levels of proficiency from other pathways.

Student Description: Students in this course should have completed French 3 or its equivalent, having attained an overall foundation in French grammar as well as a comfort level to participate in everyday conversations. Students should be comfortable in a class conducted entirely in French and have vocabulary that is broad enough to engage in class discussions.

Book/Materials: TBD

Recommended Reference Books:

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

-i.e: on paper: Collins, Robert French College Dictionary.

-i.e: online: https://www.wordreference.com

A book on French conjugation:

-i.e: on paper: Bescherelle: L’Art de conjuguer; La conjugaison pour tous.

-i.e: online: https://bescherelle.com/le-conjugueur-bescherelle

Reg. Registration (5/28-8/23): $440

Late Registration (8/24-9/30):$460

Thursdays 6:00pm-7:25pm

Class Description: 

This is an full level 1 introductory course designed for students who have never studied French before or who studied it many years ago. The goal of this class is to provide members with a basic knowledge of French, to facilitate comprehension and to encourage communication through in-class work, dialogue, and at-home preparation. Cultural aspects of French society are an integrated part of this course.