Intermediate French: La Francophonie (People, Places, and Events)
Improve your language skills as you journey through France and the Worlds of French, with The Open University
Duration
Approx 12 weeks4 hrs per week
Sharpen your French as you discover France and the French-speaking world
Created by leading academics from The Open University (OU), this 12-week ExpertTrack will take you on a virtual tour of the Touraine region of France, and on through Belgium and Morocco.
You will deepen your understanding of the people, places, and cultures of France and other French-speaking countries as you gain the knowledge you need to take your French language skills to the next level.
Learn with a range of French speakers
As you journey through the three courses, you’ll meet a variety of people who will share information about their day-to-day lives with you. By listening to their insights, you’ll build your understanding of the French language and cultures in context.
Through engaging videos, audio documentaries, and written texts, you will explore urban and rural life, geography, festivals, and traditions and gain the skills to talk about your own life and experiences. You’ll expand your intercultural awareness and be able to share and reflect on your ideas about French culture with others.
Discover the ‘Worlds of French’
The ‘Worlds of French’ is a phrase used by the OU’s experienced language academics to discuss the many landscapes, cultures, and languages of countries in which French is spoken.
Through your learning, you’ll get to know about the people and places in the Worlds of French and be able to critically engage in topical discussions with and about them.
Gain the skills to make the French language part of your life
By the end of the three courses in this ExpertTrack, you’ll have the confidence to use French independently in a wide range of scenarios from chatting in social situations, to presenting and reading information in a professional capacity.
This 12-week ExpertTrack could be the key to your new life in the French-speaking world.
Key skills you will learn
- French language skills
- Understanding spoken French
- Writing and understanding written French
- Intercultural understanding and communication
- Understanding and producing descriptive second language texts
- Note taking and summarising information
- Preparing and producing second language oral presentations
- Online research in a second language
- Second language dictionary skills
- Recognising the international phonetic alphabet
Learning outcomes
By the end of the ExpertTrack, you’ll be able to...
- Demonstrate an understanding of a range of spoken and written communication in French relating to a variety of everyday contexts
- Demonstrate an understanding of cultural information relating to societies where French is spoken and an ability to reflect on cultural differences
- Develop and demonstrate lexical, grammatical and phonological competence in spoken and written French a variety of everyday contexts
- Communicate successfully in spoken and written French within a range of everyday contexts
Experience required
You should have a good basic knowledge of French and/or have achieved Level A2 of the Common European Framework of Reference (‘Elementary’).
To be successful, you should be able to:
- communicate with French speakers in simple everyday situations and understand how to express personal and family information
- exchange basic information and ideas about simple and routine situations in French, for example, shopping, local geography, and employment
- understand simple grammatical structures (present tense) and have a basic vocabulary covering everyday experiences
Getting started
This ExpertTrack is ideal for those who would like to improve their competence in spoken and written French and to deepen their understanding of the cultures of different French-speaking societies.
The courses are suitable for those:
- seeking to extend their knowledge of the French language and to develop their ability to communicate in spoken and written French
- looking to improve their professional prospects through increased competence in French
- interested in developing an understanding of people, places and cultures in the French-speaking world
ExpertTrack course overview
Course 1
Intermediate French: Discovering Worlds of French
4.4 (11 reviews)Expand your knowledge of contemporary France and Belgium while developing your French vocabulary and pronunciation.
4 tests
4 weeks
4 hours per week
Course 2
Intermediate French: People and Places
4.5 (6 reviews)Gain an introduction to the physical and human geography of France and explore the language used to speak about them.
4 tests
4 weeks
4 hours per week
Course 3
Intermediate French: Traditions and Celebrations
4.1 (7 reviews)Discover traditions and festivals in the French-speaking world and apply French language structures effectively.
4 tests
4 weeks
4 hours per week
Prove you're job ready
Highlight the new, job-relevant skills you’ve gained and supplement existing qualifications with a hard-earned, industry-specific digital certificate – plus one for every course within your ExpertTrack.
- Learn the latest in your chosen industry or subject.
- Complete each course and pass assessments.
- Receive certificates validated by the educating organisation.
- Impress employers with learning outcomes you can add to your CV.
- Make your career dreams a reality.
Download a PDF
How ExpertTracks work
Join an ExpertTrack to master new skills in your chosen specialist area. Work through a series of topic-focused courses at your own pace, and pass the final assessment to earn a digital certificate award which proves your expertise.
Decide if the ExpertTrack is right for you with free access to the full suite of courses and assessments for a week.
Pay a monthly subscription fee of $39 for as long as it takes you to complete the ExpertTrack. You can learn at your own pace and cancel at any time.
Receive a certificate for every completed course and pass the final assessment to earn a digital certificate.
Use your specialist training to progress further in your career or build expertise in areas you’re passionate about.
World-class learning with The Open University
As the UK’s largest university, The Open University (OU) supports thousands of students to achieve their goals and ambitions via supported distance learning, helping to fit learning around professional and personal life commitments.
Established
1969Location
Milton Keynes, UKWorld ranking
Top 510Source: Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020
Meet your instructor
Dr. Bill Alder is an Associate Lecturer in French at The Open University and has contributed to numerous French language modules. He has a special interest in French-language crime fiction.
Learning on FutureLearn
Your learning, your rules
- Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
- Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
- Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores
Join a global classroom
- Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
- Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
- Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others
Map your progress
- As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
- Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
- Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate
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FAQ
ExpertTracks are a series of online courses designed to help you master new skills in specialist areas. You pay a monthly subscription fee which includes access to all courses within the ExpertTrack, as well as assessments and the final digital certificate.
Each ExpertTrack comes with a 7-day free trial period. You may cancel your subscription at any time and your subscription will automatically cancel when you finish the courses and assessments in your chosen ExpertTrack.
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If you’re looking for certified or accredited courses, many of our microcredentials offer university credit or professional certification.
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