Early Registration (5/1-5/26): $285.00

Reg. Registration (5/28-8/23): $300.00

Late Registration (8/24-9/30):$315.00

Fridays 10:30am-11:30am

Class Description: This is a multilevel class designed to enhance and reinforce learning from the leveled classes. It is not a prerequisite to advance to the next level.

This is a conversation focused class. The instructor may use reading, writing, and other means to provide opportunities to build conversation skills.  

**This class is only an enhancement to the leveled language classes. Registering for a leveled language class is highly recommended.

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

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

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

Thursdays 7:30pm-9:00pm

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:  ***NOTE***  We are using new books this year.

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

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

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

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

Fridays 9:00-10:25

Class Description:  

This is a continuation of French 1A. The goal of this class is to review basic grammatical concepts in French, to improve comprehension and to encourage communication through in-class work, dialogues, dictations and at-home preparation.

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

   § Expressions of possession (possessive adjectives, possession with de, être à)

   § Irregular descriptive adjectives

   § Interrogative adjectives (quel, quelle, quels, quelles) 

   § Demonstrative adjectives (ce, cet, cette, ces) 

   § Prepositions of place

   § Asking and responding to questions (inversion)

   § Comparatives and superlatives

   § Introduction to -ir and -re verbs 

   § Introduction to imperative verb form

   § Past tense (passé compose)

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

   § Ask for and give directions 

   § Engage in conversations about the weather, themselves, their families and their hobbies

   § Easily use numbers for dates and years

   § Read easy texts

   § Ask questions in several different ways

   § Describe events that happened in the past

   § Speak with good pronunciation

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

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 9:00-10:25

Class 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 Unités 9 through 11 in the required textbook.

Lessons will include these concepts of French grammar and culture:

   · Review of object pronouns plus the pronouns “y” and “en”

   · Parts of the body and expressions of health and illness

   · 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

   · Student attitudes toward the future

   · 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 debate the pros and cons of developing a world economy

   · 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)

Prerequisite: Completion of French 2 at La Causerie or equivalent

Book/Materials:  TBD

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

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

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

Fridays 9:00-10:25

Class Description: 

This intermediate level class builds upon previous classes. It is conducted entirely in French. Selected reading and study materials are the basis for guided conversations in class. Prior to class, students should prepare by reading assigned materials and complete written exercises. During class, assignments will be reviewed and students will encouraged to participate in relevant conversations. Additional audio-visual and oral materials will be presented in class.

Prerequisite: French 5 students should have completed French 1A - 4 at La Causerie or possess equivalent levels of proficiency from other pathways. Students must be proficient enough to participate in French and to complete the assignments.

Book/Materials: The instructor will provide copies of reading materials and exercises, and the students may also be asked to purchase one or two paperbacks during the year chosen in consultation with class members.

Recommended Reference Books:

A good recent monolingual French dictionary:

-i.e: on paper: Le nouveau petit Robert: dictionnaire alphabétique et analogique de la langue française; Le petit Larousse illustré.

-i.e: online: https://dictionnaire.lerobert.com

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

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

Reg. Registration (5/27-8/14): $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. 

Also, Bescherelle: L’Art deConjuguer 12,000 Verbes, 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 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:  ***NOTE***  We are using new books this year.

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

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

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

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

Fridays 9:00-10:25

Class Description: 

Italian 3 will help the student to develop more sophisticated expression in the language while building a more confident use of the basics learned in the previous two courses.  

Main Grammatical Points:

   § Future and conditional verb tenses. 

   § Commands (the imperative mood). 

   § Comparative and superlative adjectives

   § Indefinite adjectives

   § "Ne" and "ci"

   § Indefinite pronouns

   § The impersonal "si" 

Vocabulary themes:

   § Body parts

   § Vacation

   § Shopping

   § The House and Accommodation

Prerequisite: Italian 1 and 2 or equivalent

The typical Italian 3 student has completed Italian 1 and 2, has a working vocabulary of hundreds of words, can form simple sentences in the present, past and imperfect tenses, and can answer questions in a controlled setting, using memorized expressions.

Book/Materials:  The Ultimate Italian Review and Practice by David Stillman.