CoPC - Spring 2026 - Improvers French
- Andrew Starr
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
This blog post is for the French Improvers' Evening Class at the City of Portsmouth College, Highbury Campus.
Alternative link for blog index page: ajstarr.short.gy/cfi26
The classes are due to run on Tuesday evenings from 7:30 to 9 pm on:
Tuesday, January 13th, 20th & 27th, February 3rd, 10th and 24th, March 3rd, 10th, 17th and 24th. February 17th is during half-term.
Outside of class
To improve your listening and speaking skills in a social setting, why not come to the evening or afternoon events I organise in the city?
We have a twin city in Caen. I am the Chair of the Twinning Association for France and Germany. To find out more about our twin cities, visit this website
Friends in France - Some people mainly from Caen looking for 'correspondants'
If you're looking for a 'penpal' in Caen, here are some interested parties - mainly in their early 20s, studying at the University of Caen... One is a business and Economics teacher at the Lycée Malherbe in Caen. One lives in Belgium and is 77.
Please let me know if any are of interest, and I will provide you with their email addresses.
We have an exchange visit from Caen in June. There is also likely to some coming over for the Mayor Making Ceremony in May, you would be welcome to join us and meet them...
Tips for tuning your ear to French
Listen to French Music.
Watch French TV series and films (or at least videos/news in French)
There is a lot of stuff online for learning the French language (not all of it, correct!)
You can find some resources online to help you study French by yourself on a Padlet here
Find some Francophone music you like - there's an extraordinary amount out there, and all can be seen on YouTube whenever you like. I have written much more about French music here.
I will use some materials from the course book Entre Nous 1, aimed at the European Language Standards A1 (beginners). You may find it helpful to get a copy for home use and self-study.
It is also possible I will use the book Entre Nous 2, depending on how we get on.
This blog page will help you learn how to get all those accents on your various devices.
To check verb conjugation - particularly while you are learning all those irregular verbs - this tool could be of use to you.
During this course, we shall also be looking at grammar, particularly verb formation.
I have a blog here that will take you step by step through verb formation.
If you are serious about mastering French Grammar a good place to start is the verb formation and this book will certainly help. (see here for an older version)
mardi, 13 janvier
Tonight is the first lesson. We will look at what motivates you to improve your French, why you have signed up, and what you want to get from the class (so I can best prepare for the next nine weeks). It is also how we can get to know each other (for any people who were not in this class before).
Do let me know if there is a theme you really need to cover...
Voici quelques questions pour vous faire parler aujourd'hui:
Qui êtes vous?
Pourquoi voulez-vous améliorer votre français?
Parlez-nous d'une visite en France ou dans un pays francophone... (see below for information )
Que faites-vous dans la vie?
Quels sont vos passe-temps préférés?
Parlez nous de votre famille...
Parlez nous de votre ville...
... et vos passe-temps qu'est-ce que vous faites dans la vie?
So, tonight is for me to gauge whereabouts to pitch the level of the class. If there are specific themes you would like to cover, do not hesitate to mention them, and if they are in my skill set, I can certainly cover them.
La prononciation... What do you know about these words...
La Francophonie - What do you know about La Francophonie?
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