| Status: | Active, open to new members |
| Leader: | |
| Group email: | French Conversation group |
| When: | Fortnightly Split into 4 groups |
| Venue: | Member's Homes |
Following an increased interest in French conversation groups over the last few months, Catherine (a retired French teacher) is now responsible for four different groups which are meeting regularly:
Group 1 Meeting time: 2nd and 4th ( 5th) Mondays each month, 10.30 - midday
This group is now combining two groups which started during or just before lockdown. It caters for people with quite rusty schoolroom French who are keen to bring it to life again! There are opportunities to study some basic grammar and to learn new vocabulary but the main aims are to give members confidence in speaking French in everyday situations and to improve their communication skills. We use some simple texts to get practice in reading and pronunciation, but most of our time is spent in talking French.
Group 2 Meeting time: 2nd and 4th(5th) Thursdays each month, 10 - 11.30 am
This well-established group has members who have a good basic knowledge of written French and can read and understand short texts without much difficulty. We generally work our way through texts and also use them as a starter for our conversations. This is gives us opportunities to refresh some grammar and expand our vocabulary. We talk about our lives, share our news and have built up good relationships. We do not discuss French politics and classical literature!
Group 3 Meeting time: 1st, 2nd and 4th Thursdays each month at 2pm and 3.30 pm.
We meet, in two smallish groups, for an hour or so of informal conversation on a wide range of topics most Thursday afternoons (except when there is the Open Meeting). Sometimes I circulate an interesting text for members to read beforehand and this can serve as a theme for our conversation, but we don't make a study of the text. We cater for people who can converse quite fluently in French but have been missing the practice that regular trips abroad used to give them. Fortunately the situation is much easier now and members are enjoying sharing with each other their accounts of their journeys to La Belle France!
Group 4 Meeting time: 2nd and 4th(5th) Mondays each month 2,30 to 4pm
This new Back to Basics in French group started meeting at Easter 2024. The emphasis as always is on listening and speaking but we have a good look at some basic grammar and sentence patterns and work on our pronunciation too. Most members of the group are surprised at how much French they actually remember and are delighted when they are able to begin to express themselves in simple and correct French! The group is already quite big but please contact Catherine if you might be interested in joining.