Module Overview

Students taking this module require to have achieved an H4 pass in Leaving Certificate French or be able to demonstrate an equivalent knowledge of the language in all four skills of Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing at B1 level on the Common European Framework of Reference for language qualifications. This module builds on what learners have already achieved in their study of French to date and seeks to extend students' range of competencies beyond the domains that typically feature in school-based language qualifications.

A communicative approach is adopted in the teaching, making maximum appropriate use of French throughout, to develop all four language skills in an integrated manner, whilst ensuring that students are supported in developing a declarative knowledge of French grammar appropriate to Year 1 of third level study, and are able to apply that knowledge systematically to all four language skills.

An extensive range of additional materials, benchmarked at B1/B2 Level on the CEFR which are not used in class will be available online to support independent learning.

The minimum exit level for this module is B1 on the CEFR.  This is the same as the entry level, reflecting the research findings of the Association of Language Testers Europe (ALTE) that successful learners generally take more than 200 hours of learning to progress from B1 to B2 Level.

On successful completion of the module, students will be working towards B2 Level in all four skills and will normally be able to perform at that level in the passive skills (Reading and Listening) in contexts closely associated with those that have featured in the teaching programme, and may occasionally be able perform at that level in the active skills (Speaking and Writing) in familiar contexts when they have access to appropriate sources of reference and have sufficient time to prepare.