Learn French in Cannes: Teaching

• Language Courses
• Teaching
• Accommodation
• Map
• Social life
• Student Reviews

Let’s get you talking French, in Cannes!

Language Levels & Rate of Progress

* The average student completes one of the school defined levels in 4 weeks, so 4 weeks of study will take a student starting in a class graded as A1-0 level, to an A1-1 level. However, as you progress through to the higher levels, it may take students longer than 4 weeks to move forward to a new class level (i.e. 231, 232 etc). In reality each student progresses at their own pace, due to their language background, motivation and focus on their studies, so please view the above chart as a guide only.
The French school will concentrate on developing all four of the core language skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing, with plenty of grammar and vocabulary work included in order to develop all the essential French language skills. The relaxed atmosphere encourages your oral participation as does the language exchange programme and your French tutors. The work of each group is tailored to the class’s ability level in French.

Course Structure

Standard Course content:

Through out the year the French school in Cannes provides a whole range of French language courses, appropriate to students of a wide range of language abilities, from Beginner to Proficiency levels. The French programme is well structured and designed to guarantee continuity from one level to the next.

• Levels: 15 different French language levels offered
• Class size: Between 6 and 14 students per class
• Minimum age: 16 years / no age limit
• Lesson duration: 1 lesson = 55 minutes
• Beginners accepted: all year-round on specific start dates
• Certificates: Provided at the end of the course

Elementary language students learn skills that will allow them to function in French in everyday situations, covering comprehension and expression, simple vocabulary and basic grammar skills.
Intermediate and advanced students cover more complex structural and grammatical concepts, learning to express and communicate opinions in diverse ways, through the composition of essays, critical assessments etc.

All students develop their French skills through a varied programme of lessons, one lesson of grammatical exercises may well be followed by an informal discussion on a video programme. A dictation session or a vocabulary building lesson could follow role-playing or the exploration of a French song. The development of self-expression through debates and presentations balanced by structured drills to hone pronunciation. In reality a student chooses to attend a short course or a longer “Languages for Life” programme according to their linguistic goals, personal wishes and time constraints.

Intensive classes, afternoon course content:

6 additional lessons per week

Complementing the AM programme, students learn to analyse the language in terms of core skills (comprehension, expression and interaction). The control of these cores skills enables the student to communicate in everyday  situations, according to their current level of ability. The acquired linguistic elements are treated in the perspective of written and oral communication. The student comes to comprehend the daily realities of communicating in French and within a French-speaking culture; the language style and register, the code of social relations … and he/she can convey and exchange information related to his/her own environment in an inter-cultural approach.

From B1 level + Written modules:
Students  improve, according to their language level, how to collect, process, restore, transmit and give information. Practical work is based on written documents (articles, essays, questionnaires…). Students acquire linguistic skills in a pragmatic context. With a variety of texts the student learns to comprehend text globally as well as the details, the implicit aspects and abstractions, learning to establish the bonds of dependence between complex ideas with the use of words or expressions in order to articulate them effectively, seize the majority of the illustrated or idiomatic expressions and develop selective reading skills.
Improvement of writing skills: to write with effectiveness and precision a variety of texts, to effectively synthesize ideas and information drawn from a written source, to ensure the cohesion of a text. Consolidation of written French grammar and lexical exercises.

From B1 level + Oral modules:
Expression, comprehension and interaction. The student acquires and improves the skills to receive, to pass on and to exchange information, to request, to negotiate, to argue, to convince and to express feelings.  Exercises to combine linguistic, pragmatic and socio-cultural abilities in a pragmatic context. Use of varied and unmodified authentic supports. Reinforced oral activities and enrichment of linguistic  know-how. Acquisition in a pragmatic privileging the phonetics and semantics. Each act of speech is put in real life situations to enhance communication skills. Focusing according to the level, on a particular aspects of communication from both the lexical and cultural point of view.

Language levels offered

Niveau A1-0  Complete Beginner

Niveau A1-1, A1-2, A1-3  Elementary level
Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type. Can introduce him/herself and others and can ask and answer questions about personal details such as where he/she lives, people he/she knows and things he/she has. Can interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.

Niveau  A2-1, A2-2, A2-3  Upper Elementary level
Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment). Can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters. Can describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.

Niveau B1-1, B1-2, B1-3  Intermediate
Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. Can deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken. Can produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest. Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes & ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.

Niveau B2-1, B2-2, B2-3 Upper Intermediate
Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialisation. Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party. Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.

Niveau C1-1, C1-2 Advanced
Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognise implicit meaning. Can express him/herself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices.

First Day

The first morning of classes (generally Monday) is reserved for a placement test to ensure accurate evaluation of the student’s current knowledge of French, choosing a course level that best suits his/her personal needs. This unique exam, designed by the school’s team of teachers, is divided into two categories :

– Two tests (of increasing levels of difficulty) : written comprehension and expression
– An individual oral exam

There will be no language lessons on the first day of school – lessons will begin on the second day, generally Tuesday (unless there is a public holiday on Monday)

Timetable

Standard Course:
Monday to Friday / 09:00 to 12:00 hrs

Intensive Course:
Monday to Friday from 09:00 am to 12:00 noon
+ Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 13:00 to 15:00 hrs

DELF Course (supplementary to Standard or Intensive Course):
Wednesday and Friday 13:00 to 15:00 hrs

Combined Course:
As Standard Course + afternoon private lessons

Private Tuition:
Each private lesson = 55 minutes duration
Exact timetable depends on number of lessons and teacher availability.

End of Course Certificate

Each student will receive a Certificate at the end of their course. These are given out by teachers on the final Friday of class.

Cannes French Teachers

The teaching team of the French school in Cannes is made up of 20 French teachers, all whom hold university teaching degrees. They are trained in the latest teaching techniques and share many years experience teaching French as a foreign language. The teachers have a very lively and efficient teaching approach using original methods and documents.

Cannes Language Students

Students come from all over the world.  There are always a wide range of nationalities studying on campus (European, America, Latin American, Asian ….).  Students are of all ages as well.  During the Academic Year students are generally 18 yrs to 25 yrs of age, but during July and August some 50% of the student body are 16 to 19 yrs of age.  In addition older students are present throughout the year on specific courses, such as the Teacher Refresher programme.