Elementary French I · French
Present and past tense of verbs, household and common nouns, prepositions and adjectives.
I learned how to speak, read, and write in French on a basic level.
I learned basic grammar (verb conjugations, past and present tenses, articles, etc.) and vocabulary. We learned through speaking and writing (saying phrases in class or oral exams as well as essays as separate assignments or on exams).
I learned to read, write, understand and speak elementary French. I also learned about French and Francophone culture, which was interesting. I feel much more confident about traveling to France and being able to function much better than before taking this course.
I learned and developed active command of French. I acquired the four language skills-- listening, speaking, reading, and writing (and some cultural context as well).
I have learned a lot in this course. I came into this class with limited French knowledge, but we have gone over 3 tenses already, many verbs (both regular and irregular), and my speaking and reading comprehension is not that bad for a beginner. I have probably learned more in this on semester than 2 years of high school Spanish.
Elementary 1: 4 quizzes, lowest dropped. Midterm, final. You have to hand in workbook chapters with every quiz. This was time consuming but you are only graded on completion and on correcting your work (so not difficult). Supposedly 3 compositions but we only did 2. Elementary 2: similar format with 4 quizzes, lowest dropped, midterm, final, handing in your workbook before every quiz. Supposedly 3 compositions but we only did 1 (!). We also did group skits. I am not even sure if she graded these but they were what we did for the last week and a half of the semester. Also we read a play (Huis Clos) which we were never tested on at all. Strange, but very chill. And a cool play.
I have a great foundational understanding of French coming in knowing nothing.
Incredible and intense course to learn the basics
Although I had taken French in the past, I often felt that the learning was rushed and that I lacked a strong foundational understanding of the language. Professor Bournery’s Elementary French I course completely changed that. Over the semester, I built a solid foundation in French grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation. I now feel confident in identifying and recalling vocabulary, conjugating verbs in the present, past, and futur proche tenses, and expressing myself in writing and conversation at a beginner level. The pace and structure of the course allowed me to learn deeply rather than just memorize, and I now feel much more prepared to continue studying French.