Short course
French: Intermediate – Part 1
Course status:
Applications being accepted
Dates and time:
30/09/2026 - 02/12/202616:30 - 18:30
Study format:
In-person weekly
Fees:
£315.00
To support the development of communicative skills, the course offers a balanced progression in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Each session features practical, meaningful activities – from interactive tasks, and guided listening to problem‑solving scenarios and discussions. Learners engage with authentic language, collaborate with classmates, and build confidence through varied, hands‑on activities that mirror real‑world communication.
The course is pitched at level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), and completion of the course meets some of the level requirements.
Is this the right level course for you?
To benefit from the course, learners will have done one of the following:
- Completed our 'French: Lower Intermediate – Part 2' course or equivalent; or
- Gained a GCSE (Grade A/A* or 7-9) in French; or
- Achieved A2 Level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages in French.
Book this course
Book your place online using the button below.
Course starts 30 September 2026
This is an in-person course which requires your attendance at the weekly meetings in Oxford on Wednesdays, 4.30-6.30pm.
The weekly schedule below is intended to give an indication of the main topic(s) likely to be covered in each session. Please note that these may sometimes change according to the tutor’s discretion to reflect the interests of course participants.
Week 1: Relationships
Week 2: Living together as a community
Week 3: Discovering the arts (festivals and spectacles)
Week 4: One or several French language(s)?
Week 5: Living in the city
Week 6: Bon voyage!
Week 7: Learning? A lifelong project!
Week 8: Happy at work
Week 9: Grammar focus
Week 10: Winter traditions and celebrations
Key grammar points
* The subjunctive mood (present): how to form it? when to use it?
* Compounding past and imperfect tenses: how to form them? when to use which?
* Complex sentences: how to create them?
* The comparative and superlative degrees
* Adjectives and word order: before or after the noun?
* The past of the past verb form: pluperfect
Key functions
* Giving a piece of advice
* Expressing your opinion
* Comparing two things
* Narrating events
* Making suggestions
Course aims
To practise and consolidate the language required to express yourself with a degree of fluency and spontaneity in some situations regularly encountered at work, educational settings, leisure centres and while travelling abroad.
Course objectives
- Develop learners’ language skills to be better prepared to deal with a range of situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken.
- Consolidate reading comprehension skills to enable learners to understand a range of texts written in everyday and job-related language.
- Equip learners with the vocabulary and grammatical structures required to write straightforward, connected texts on some topics which are familiar or of personal interest.
- Increase learners’ intercultural awareness and understanding of some of the differences and similarities in social and everyday practices between their own and the target culture.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be better prepared to:
- exploit language to deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the target language is spoken;
- understand the main points of clear standard speech on most familiar matters regularly encountered at work, educational settings and leisure centres;
- read and understand simple texts which include job-related language, descriptions of events, reasons or opinions;
- write straightforward connected texts on familiar topics or matters of personal interest.
Level and demands
Pitched at level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), completion of this course helps you meet some of the level requirements.
Find out more about our language levels.
Teaching methods
You will learn through practical, task‑based classroom activities that encourage the active use of the target language. Sessions typically integrate meaningful scenarios, pair and small‑group work, and collaborative problem‑solving in a supportive and friendly environment. These tasks bring together speaking, listening, reading, and writing, enabling you to apply the language purposefully in real‑world situations.
The course is designed to build your spoken and listening abilities while deepening your understanding of cultural nuances, etiquette, and everyday usage. We will work with new grammatical structures through meaningful, communicative tasks, and you will continue developing your reading and writing skills both in class and independently through self‑study.
Assessment methods
You will be set optional assignments to consolidate your learning and to allow you to progress at your own pace.
Xaviere Hassan
Xavière Hassan has taught French in higher education in France and the UK for over 30 years. She specialises in designing, delivering and assessing French language programmes for adult learners in both online and face-to-face settings. Passionate about widening participation and lifelong learning, she enjoys helping students develop confidence in using French. Outside the classroom, she is a keen enthusiast of French cinema and world music.
Digital badge
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be issued with an official digital badge from the Department for Continuing Education, University of Oxford. In order to be issued with your badge, you will need to have attended at least 80% of the course.
After the course, you will receive an email with a link and instructions on how to download your digital badge. You will be able to add this badge to your email signature and share it on social media if you choose to do so.
Fees
| Description | Costs |
|---|---|
| Course fee | £315.00 |
Funding
If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, or are a care-leaver in the UK, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:
Concessionary fees for short courses
Textbooks
To participate in the course fully, you will need access to the following textbook:
- Edito B1, Heu, Elodie; Gatin, Marie; Perrard, Marion, Petitmengin, Violette; Spérandio, Caroline; Nicolas, Emmanuel, 3e édition, 2023 (or the latest)
Recommended reading
Recommended reading is optional and you are not required to purchase these books to study this course.
Library facilities
All weekly class students may become borrowing members of the Rewley House Library, part of the Bodleian Libraries, for the duration of their course. Prospective students whose courses have not yet started are also welcome to use the Library for reference.
- More information about the Library can be found on the Bodleian Libraries website.
- This guide for Weekly Class students also provides further information.
Preparatory reading
- Edito B1 / Heu, Elodie; Gatin, Marie; Perrard, Marion, Petitmengin, Violette; Spérandio, Caroline; Nicolas, Emmanuel
Module code: O26P562XFW
Please use the ‘Book now’ button on this page.