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Beginners French 2: bien sûr!

Whether you want to visit, work or live in a French speaking environment, you’ll get more out of the experience if you can communicate effectively with people. This short course is the second in our new Beginners French series, helping you learn to speak and write the language to communicate in everyday situations.

Building on Beginners French 1: eh oui! (LXF001), you’ll continue to learn the basic structures of French, along with key vocabulary needed to talk about and order food and drink, and describe where you live. This course will also increase your awareness of the cultural diversity of France and other French-speaking countries.

Standalone study only

This module is available for standalone study only. Any credits from this module cannot be counted towards an OU qualification.

Module

Module code
LXF002
Credits
0
Study level
Across the UK, there are two parallel frameworks for higher education qualifications, the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Northern Ireland and Wales (FHEQ) and the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF). These define a hierarchy of levels and describe the achievement expected at each level. The information provided shows how OU module levels correspond to these frameworks.
OU SCQF FHEQ
0
Study method
Distance Learning
Module cost
See Module registration
Entry requirements
See Entry requirements

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What you will study

Whether you want to visit, work or live in a French speaking environment, you will get more out of the experience if you can communicate effectively with people. In this 16 week course you will develop your reading and listening skills in French and learn to speak and write the language to communicate in everyday situations.

In the first part of Beginners French 2: bien sûr!, you will learn to:

  • talk about food and drink
  • explain what you like and don't like
  • understand menus
  • ask questions about food
  • order and pay for meals
  • talk about eating habits
  • buy food in shops and at markets.

In the second part of the course, you will learn how to:

  • describe your home and its layout
  • say what furniture and household goods you have and where they are positioned
  • understand property 'small ads'
  • set about looking for accommodation in a French-speaking country.

Learning a language is also learning about culture, so you will discover information about food and drink in France, places to eat and changing eating habits in the French-speaking world. You’ll also find out about different kinds of accommodation and attitudes to housing in France.

Each week comprises 3–4 hours of interactive activities, exercises, explanations and tips about language-learning. Throughout the course, you will improve your ability to understand spoken and written French and to communicate your own information and ideas. You will acquire a knowledge of the basic structures of French along with key vocabulary. It’s a good idea to keep notes either in a notebook or on your preferred digital device. There are regular revision weeks, and, at the end of each week, there is a quiz for you to practise what you’ve been learning.

We look forward to seeing you soon. A bientôt!

You will learn

The course is designed to help you achieve a level of language proficiency equivalent to level A1 of the Council of Europe Common European Framework of Reference for languages (CEFR).

Learner support

You will have access to discussion forums that you are strongly encouraged to participate in as these forums combine support from fellow students with input from a language-specialist learning adviser. Other support is available via the StudentHome website and Computing Helpdesk.

Course length

You'll study 3–4 hours per week, for 16 weeks. In total this course will require around 64 hours to complete.

Future availability

Future availability of this course after October 2021 will be confirmed later this year.

Regulations

As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the academic regulations, which are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.

    Course work includes:

    No residential school


    Entry requirements

    There are no entry requirements for this course. It’s suitable if you are completely new to French and to language-learning, and it does not assume any prior knowledge.

    If you have any doubt about the suitability of the course, please contact us.

    Course length

    You'll study 3–4 hours per week, for 16 weeks. In total this course will require around 64 hours to complete.

    Register

    Start End England fee Register
    27 Feb 2021 Jun 2021 £199.00

    Registration closes 18/02/21 (places subject to availability)

    Register
    26 Jun 2021 Oct 2021 £199.00

    Registration closes 17/06/21 (places subject to availability)

    Register
    30 Oct 2021 Feb 2022 Not yet available

    Registration opens on 18/03/21
    This module is expected to start for the last time in October 2021.

    Ways to pay

    Credit/Debit Card – We accept American Express, Mastercard, Visa and Visa Electron.

    Sponsorship – If this course is geared towards your job or developing your career, you could ask your employer to sponsor you by paying some or all of the fees. Your sponsor just needs to complete a simple form to confirm how much they will be paying and we will invoice them.

    The fee information provided here is valid for short courses starting in the 2020/21 academic year. Fees for short courses starting in the 2021/22 academic year or later may increase in line with the University’s strategic approach to fees.

    What's included

    All learning materials are delivered entirely online. You’ll have access to a course website, which includes:

    • a week-by-week study planner
    • course-specific materials and activities
    • audio and video content
    • discussion forums
    • support from language-specialist learning advisers.

    Computing requirements

    A computing device with a browser and broadband internet access is required for this module. Any modern browser will be suitable for most computer activities. Functionality may be limited on mobile devices.

    Any additional software will be provided, or is generally freely available. However, some activities may have more specific requirements. For this reason, you will need to be able to install and run additional software on a device that meets the requirements below.

    A desktop or laptop computer with either an up-to-date version of Windows or macOS.

    The screen of the device must have a resolution of at least 1024 pixels horizontally and 768 pixels vertically.

    To join in the spoken conversation in our online rooms we recommend a headset (headphones or earphones with an integrated microphone).

    Our Skills for OU study website has further information including computing skills for study, computer security, acquiring a computer and Microsoft software offers for students.

    If you have a disability

    The course is delivered online and makes use of a variety of online resources. If you use specialist hardware or software to assist you in using a computer or the internet you are advised to contact us about support which can be given to meet your needs.

    To find out more about what kind of support and adjustments might be available, contact us or visit our Disability support website.