French I
Taught at: Colby College
Last taught: Fall 2021
As the first course in the language sequence, French 125 operates on the premise that you have little or no previous experience in the study of French. The goal of French 125 is therefore to introduce you to foundational grammatical structures and commonly used vocabulary so that you can both understand (listening, reading) and express yourself (writing, speaking) on everyday topics.
This course is anchored in a communicative methodology, meaning that we will focus on real-life language use so that you can understand, speak, and write in French on subjects that matter to you. In addition, we will study authentic texts—such as short literary passages and lyrics—produced in French-speaking locales, so that you can begin to experience the vibrant culture of the Francophone world. The methodology used in the course is also inclusive and decolonial, meaning that we will study the French-speaking world in its diversity, with a view to identifying and challenging vestiges of colonialism and other oppressive power structures. Moreover, this course will aim to equip you with the vocabulary and grammatical structures that you need to speak to your lived experience.