French Workshop Programme

French workshops will be held in CNW seminar room 5 each Wednesday at 1pm and 2pm.

Week 11: 15th October 2025

1pm – Survival French: Everyday Encounters

Greetings, introducing yourself, ordering in a café (coffee, water, wine, beer, soft drinks, snacks), and polite expressions. Role-plays with props and a “speed-meeting” round.

Level: A1–C2. Suitable for all, from beginners to proficient speakers revising basics or pronunciation.

2pm – Self-Expression (including physical gestures)

Perfect your Gallic shrug and learn the words to accompany it. You  will also talk about yourself, your hobbies, and preferences. Advanced learners extend by discussing style, identity, and “first impressions.”

Level: A1–C2.

Week 12: 22nd October 2025

1pm – Articles & Agreement

Focus on definite/indefinite articles (le, la, les; un, une, des) and gender/number agreement. Beginners practise recognition and simple sentences; advanced students perfect idiomatic usage.

Level: A1–C2.

2pm - Food & Drink: At the Restaurant

Menus, ordering, preferences. Beginners practise set phrases; advanced learners debate food habits, regional specialities, and la malbouffe.

Level: A1–C2.

Week 13: 29th October 2025

1pm - Asking for Directions

Practise giving/understanding directions with maps and role-plays. Beginners learn simple formulas (où se trouve la gare [routière]?); advanced add complex instructions, cultural tips, and real-world nuance.

Level: A1–B1.

2pm – Travel French

Airports, trains, hotels. Beginners practise buying tickets and checking in; advanced learners manage complaints, delays, and discuss French transport networks.

Level: A1–C2.

Week 14: Reading Week – no classes


Week 15: 12th November 2025


1pm – French Sentence Structure

Forming clear sentences: subject-verb-object basics for beginners; advanced practise relative pronouns (qui, que, dont) and flexible word order.

Level: A1–C2.

2pm – Café Conversation

Pair and group exchanges set in a French café. Beginners use role cards and starters; advanced improvise authentic small talk about politics, football, music, cinema, tv series, or the weather.

Level: A2–C2.

Week 16: 19th November 2025

1pm – Chez nous: French Homes & Families

Talking about family members and describing homes. Beginners learn vocabulary (maman, papa, sœur, frère, animal de compagnie; salon, cuisine, salle de bain, chambre); advanced learners explore idioms and cultural concepts associated with French family life.

Level: A1–C2.

2pm – La narration: The Past

Beginners work with the passé composé and time adverbs (hier, la semaine dernière); advanced learners work on contrasts with the imparfait and on use of the passé simple in cultural contexts (literature/history).

Level: A1–C2.

Week 17: 26th November 2025

1pm – French Cinema & TV

Clips from classics (À bout de souffle; 37o2 le matin [Betty Blue]) and contemporary tv series (Dix pour cent !; Lupin). Beginners focus on comprehension and repeating lines; advanced learners debate stereotypes, film genres, and dubbing culture.

Level: A1–C2.

2pm – French Poetry and Song

Read and listen to short poems or song lyrics (e.g. Charles Baudelaire, Jacques Brel, Georges Brassens, Françoise Hardy, Serge Gainsbourg). Beginners focus on rhythm and vocabulary; advanced learners analyse meaning and experiment with writing their own verses.

Level: A1–C2.

Week 18: 3rd December 2025

1pm – Joyeux Noël: Festive Quiz

A fun quiz on French end-of-year traditions, food, songs, and regional customs.

Level: A1–C2.

2pm – Revue médiatique de l’année

We will read and discuss short media articles or audiovisual excerpts on current events. Beginners focus on key vocabulary and main ideas; advanced learners debate and analyse the issues in more detail.

Level: A1–C2.

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