Francois Simon

Sandrine Victor

Assumed prior knowledge:

Language skills and knowledge of French at C1 level of the Common European Reference Framework for Languages are required.

Additional requisites:

This course requires a high level of oral fluency.

Admission into the course requires completing the online test, followed by a 1-2-1 appointment with a member of the teaching team. Please refers to the information on the LSE language centre webpage. 

Course Aim:

This is a proficiency course with a focus on current issues. To develop the ability to speak and interact confidently in French in a wide range of an social contexts and situations and present clear, detailed descriptions of a wide range of subjects in the field of Social Sciences, integrating sub-themes, developing particular points and rounding off with an appropriate conclusion.

• To develop the necessary intercultural skills which are needed in multicultural environments.
• To develop transferable skills to interact in debates and meetings.
• To read articles and reports concerned with contemporary problems in which the writers adopt particular stances or viewpoints and understand texts of a more generalist nature relating to relevant areas of the Social Sciences.
• To understand more complex factual texts relating to Politics, International History, Economics and other associated areas. To follow TV programs and recorded material in both general and subject specific areas.
• To bring students to level C1 of CEFR. Communicative Content: Advanced French language with reference to French speaking countries and contemporary issues and topics: International Relations, Media, Education, Gender, Race, Politics, Social Classes and Social Movements.
• To introduce a topic in the field of Social Sciences.
• To develop and describe particular points.
• To make an appropriate conclusion.
• To describe a situation.
• To describe the context of an event.
• To express and justify opinions. To agree, disagree and justify a choice.
• To introduce someone to the advantages and disadvantages of an option.
• To propose, accept or refuse.
• To negotiate and find a compromise.
• To conclude and adopt a resolution.
• To express feelings.
• To speak about an event (past/present/future) and explain circumstances, causes and consequences.
• To debate and interact confidently in a discussion. Structural Content: Reading and listening comprehension, oral presentation, occasional revision of major grammatical points and key tenses and introduction to different registers and literary styles.

8 hours of classes in the Autumn Term.
11 hours of classes in the Winter Term.

• 8 hours of classes in the Autumn Term.
• 11 hours of classes in the Winter Term.
• 1 hour of group tutorial, as arranged by the teacher during the AT, WT or ST

Please refer to the LSE timetable for course teaching arrangements.

Students will be advised on relevant materials at the beginning of the course.

Oral examination (30%).

Continuous assessment (70%).