What you will study
This module further extends your language competence as well as enhancing your cultural knowledge and developing key skills necessary for studying at a higher level. The themes of the module cover different aspects of life in French-speaking countries today.
You’ll work with online materials, and study a variety of texts, and audio and video materials that will develop your reading, speaking, listening and writing skills. The activities provided will also develop your academic, digital, professional and intercultural skills in French-speaking contexts.
The module has six themes:
- Work and education
- History
- Media and popular culture
- Environment
- Individuals and institutions
- Social issues
Through each theme, you’ll gradually develop your knowledge and skills by:
- consolidating and expanding your knowledge of French vocabulary and grammar
- learning about and reflecting on language, culture and intercultural communication skills
- studying with audio recordings and videos that explore topical issues in French-speaking cultures and societies
- engaging in a wide variety of speaking and interactive activities
- practising translation to support your language learning
- consolidating and expanding your academic skills
- using digital tools and resources to support your language learning
- finding and using information from external sources
- working independently and in collaboration with others
- reviewing your personal goals and monitoring your progress using checklists and reflective questions.
The study materials provide confidence-building strategies to improve your learning skills. We’ve carefully structured these to equip you gradually with the key skills necessary for studying at a higher level.
Online school
This module includes a compulsory online school with a focus on developing spoken fluency and intercultural understanding. The online school will be delivered by Open University module team and tutors in collaboration with partners in the French-speaking world and will include a wide range of activities and intercultural encounters. The programme offers opportunities to enhance and develop skills covered in the module, to practise your French in a variety of situations and learn more about French-speaking regions and countries.
There will be a choice of joining a more intensive version of the online school over one week in late February/early March or a more extended version running across several weeks in March/April.
To pass the module, you must take part in the online school programme.