MAIN PAGE METHOD OBJECTIVES STUDENT INFORMATION

Method

The method used in the beginning French program is based on the Natural Approach (Krashen and Terrell 1983). Following the Natural Approach gives our classes a distinct personality, which could be summarized by the following points:

• Language acquisition is primarily a matter of comprehension. The classes are structured so that the instructor provides the desired input, and creates a positive and stimulating classroom atmosphere.
• Comprehension precedes production. Students must have the time and opportunity to hear and read new vocabulary and new sentence structures in meaningful context before they can produce them on their own. The instructors will not demand immediate production, but allow for speech to naturally emerge from classroom participation. Students will gradually move from understanding French to being able to express ideas on their own. The structure of the course respects that progression.
• Some errors in production are unescapable! We recognize that an important feature of the acquisition of a language concerns the students' willingness to take chances, and not be refrained by a possible mistake. During oral activities, instructors do not correct grammar for the sake of error correction. The emphasis is placed on the meaning of the message, and not on the form of what is said. Grammar is however corrected if it impedes comprehension. Instructors will strive to create a low anxiety environment, where students feel they can express themselves.
• Group work fosters communication and a feeling of community. An important portion of class time is devoted to small group (2 to 4 students) activities. This gives students a chance to practice among their peers and take linguistic risks without fearing the instructor's judgment. Students also learn to know each other better, and this contributes to a more positive classroom attitude.
• Grammar is not the primary focus of the course. Grammatical constructions are presented in a way similar to other linguistic expressions, that is to say in a meaningful context. Knowledge of the rules of a language is given less importance than the ability to speak, read and understand. Consequently, students will be evaluated on their ability to produce language, not their demonstration of the knowledge of the rules.
• Cultural awareness is a crucial component of second language acquisition. Language can best be acquired if presented in context, and context is cultural by nature. Throughout the course, particular importance is placed on presenting issues relevant to different countries of the French-speaking world.

In order to achieve the objectives of the program in the different skills, the following methods are used:

The basic skills of listening comprehension are taught in the very first days of class through "input" activities, "picture file" activities, and interaction with other students. Around week 3 or 4, specific exercises from recorded tapes or videos are done in class to improve listening skills, so that students can learn to understand native speakers. The emphasis is on the listening, and the answers are yes/no, or multiple choice.

The textbook is accompanied by a good audio program. Students are expected to listen to the tapes, follow along in the workbook, and turn in the relevant sections of the workbook after each chapter..

Speaking

According to the Natural Approach, the speaking skill emerges from what is acquired from the instructor's input (speech to the class). Students should be able to demonstrate at all time their understanding of the instructor and their fellow students. That demonstration can be done through gestures, single word answers at the beginning, and naturally evolves toward more complex utterances. Here again, the emphasis is not put on grammatical accuracy, but on communication.

The students are also given opportunities to engage in oral interaction in pairs or small groups. The class size at Rice represents a great advantage for the success of these small group activities. During the "activités orales", the students have a chance to engage in task-based activities that use the kind of vocabulary and structures presented during the "input" phase. During the activities, the instructor goes from group to group to assist the students and make sure things run smoothly.

The purpose of reading instruction is to develop the ability to understand the main ideas and important details in a lengthy passage without translation in the native language, and without spending too much time using a dictionary. It is important that the students understand the purpose of the assignments before doing them, or they might get overwhelmed at the quantity of reading assigned and resort to translation.

Writing

Although writing does not represent the priority of first year instruction, specific writing exercises are regularly scheduled in the classroom or as homework

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