Practical French 5

Practical information

CEF

A1	At the end of the course, you can understand and use familiar, everyday expressions and basic phrases in areas of immediate need. You can also read and write short, simple texts. You can interact in a simple way provided the other person speaks slowly and clearly and is willing to help. You can for example introduce yourself and you can ask and answer questions on very familiar topics.
A2	At the end of the course you can understand phrases related to areas of most immediate personal relevance (e.g. personal and family information, shopping, employment, ...). You can read and write short, simple notes and messages and find information in everyday material such as advertisements and timetables. You can communicate in simple and routine situations on familiar, everyday topics. You can describe in simple phrases some aspects of your background, your close surroundings and your immediate needs.
B1	At the end of the course you can understand the main points of standard communication on familiar matters regularly encountered. You can enter unprepared into conversation on topics that are familiar and you can connect phrases in a simple way. You can write simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest and you can briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.
B2	At the end of the course you can understand most TV news and current affairs programmes. You can even follow complex lines of argument provided the topic is reasonably familiar. You can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible. You can understand the main points of complex texts on concrete and abstract topics and you can understand technical discussions related to your field. You can write clear, detailed texts on a wide range of subjects and you can explain a viewpoint on a topical issue expressing the advantages and disadvantages of various options.
C1	At the end of this course you can better understand native speakers, even when they talk very fast. You learn how to express yourself fluently and spontaneously without any preparation and without much obvious searching for expressions. You can understand more difficult and longer texts, like those you will encounter during your studies. You can also recognize implicit meaning. You can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. You can write clear, well-structured, detailed texts about complex subjects, logically structured, coherent and well connected.
C2	At the end of the course you have no difficulty in understanding any kind of spoken or written language. You can summarize spoken or written language and reconstruct arguments and presentations coherently. You can express yourself fluently and spontaneously and convey finer shades of meaning precisely, even in more complex situations.

Course hours

Prices		Evening
Commercial student This is the standard price for this language course. If you are not entitled to a discount, this is the price you will need to pay.		€315
Student UGent You are registered as a UGent student and you take a course this academic year (or the summer before). Not registered yet? Check out the FAQ discount for future UGent students. PhD students benefit from the staff rate.		€210
Scholarship student UGent You are registered as a UGent student and you have a scholarship from the Flemish Community this academic year. Send us a proof of your scholarship via this form, together with your registration.		€170
Incoming exchange student UGent You are registered as an incoming exchange student of UGent. You will receive an extra discount for a Dutch course. For more info, see the FAQ discount for incoming exchange students.		€210
Outgoing exchange student UGent As an outgoing exchange student of UGent you receive an extra discount. You pay the student fee first and after your departure (after you upload the confirmation of arrival) your discount will be settled automatically.		€65
Outgoing exchange scholarship student UGent As an outgoing exchange student of UGent you receive an extra discount. You pay the student fee first and after your departure (after you upload the confirmation of arrival) your discount will be settled automatically.		€50
Staff member UGent As a staff member of UGent, you receive a discount, independent of the paying method used for the course. PhD students fall under this category as well.		€280

Hours per week

1x2,5

Books by

UCT

Objectives and content

After this course, you will clearly have gained self-confidence. Your spoken and written messages will be understandable without any problem for French speakers. You can adjust your language to a formal or informal context and you have sufficient knowledge of the French culture and habits to align your communication with this. Sometimes you will still use the wrong words or make grammatical mistakes but generally speaking, your sentences are well formulated and you can say and write complex sentences. You can listen and read fluently and you can give your opinion on what you hear or read in an elaborate way. You can interact fluently and structure your arguments and formulate sentences very precisely. Your intonation and pronunciation sound near-native.

Listening skills: You will familiarise yourself with authentic materials to get used to the rythm of French speakers.
Speaking skills: Various speaking exercises will be done (face à face, travail en groupes, discussion de classe). The main aim is always to practise new structures in specific situations. There is also an individual assignment, during which each participant presents a theme of their choice (work or training-related, current affairs, etc.).
Reading skills: Only authentic texts will be used. This way, you can familiarise yourself with the type of texts that you are likely to encounter in your work or training setting.
Writing skills: The new structures will be practised through exercises, mainly as part of homework. For example: writing an article, summarizing and paraphrasing a text, (in)formal correspondence, giving advice and defending a viewpoint, using le subjonctif.
Specific grammar items: l'emploi des temps et des modes, l'accord du participe passé des verbes pronominaux, le passif, le discours indirect, l'emploi du subjonctif, les connecteurs, le pronom relatif.
A broad range of vocabulary will be dealth with in large topics (politics, economics, law, housing, etc.)

Required prior knowledge

You already feel quite at ease in French: When French speakers are talking, you understand them well, even when they speak fast. When you speak, you feel rather at ease, although you would like to express yourself more precisely. Reading general texts in French is not a problem. Writing French texts goes well but you know that you sometimes still make small mistakes (e.g. related to le subjonctif, passive constructions, the correct article, the correct preposition, etc.).

Tests

There is a placement test and a final test.
Before registering, you take the online orientation test. This test refers you to the course that matches your level best. To have a full and accurate idea of your level, you will take an oral orientation test during the first session as well. Based on the outcome of this orientation test, you may be referred to another course because it is more suitable for you.

Course materials

UCT course book. You will receive this book from your language teacher in class. Recommended books: Bescherelle (2019): La conjugaison pour tous, Paris: Hatier Van Dale Pocketwoordenboek Frans-Nederlands – Utrecht: Van Dale Van Dale Pocketwoordenboek Nederlands-Frans – Utrecht: Van Dale

If you buy one of these books at Standaard Boekhandel Shopping Zuid, Woodrow Wilsonplein 4, 9000 Gent (in the campus shop next to the shop), you will receive a discount of 10% on the official price. Make sure to mention that you take a language course at the UCT.

Are you already registered for this course? Check out our FAQ ‘What to do after my registration?’.

Schedule and subscribe

12/02/2024 - 13/05/2024

Time	19:00 - 21:30
Days	Mon
Location	Tech1.15 Technicum T2 - Leslokaal 1.15 Technicum - Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 41, 9000 Gent - 1st floor in photographs (pdf-file)

University Language Centre