Intensive French: Listening/ Grammar/ Conversation

POINT3’s unique Intensive Program is geared towards improving students’ language level by acknowledging their strengths and focusing on their weaker areas. POINT3's Intensive classes are arranged into three distinct lessons that focus on grammar, comprehension skills, and fluency in conversation.

The Intensive French classes are held from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. daily, for a total of 25 hours of French per week. For the summer schedule beginner levels are from 1:30 p.m.

Components of the Grammar, Listening and Conversation Classes

On the first day, students are tested in all three of the following areas. Based on the test results, they are placed in the appropriate levels for each of the skills. A student may be placed in a different level for each class, depending upon his/ her abilities in each area. It usually takes students four to six weeks to complete one level of study; however, students can move up a level when they are ready by passing a level change test in each of the classes independently.

Grammar: 8:30 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.

This section includes Grammar & Structure, Reading, Writing and Vocabulary Building. The primary focus of this section is Accuracy: to give the students the building blocks in terms of grammar and structure rules, and to allow them to practice these rules through speaking activities and writing assignments. All classes are interactive which allows students to practice the structure in-class through activities and exercises.

Listening: 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

This section includes Pronunciation, Idioms and Expressions, and Listening Comprehension skills. The focus is on helping the students develop their comprehension skills via listening for gist and details, and at the higher levels, listening for tone and underlying meaning - such as irony, sarcasm, etc. The listening activities include dictation - formal from FSL texts or informal from student-sharing of information - listening to songs and dialogues for missing words or phrases, information-gap activities where the students need to combine their knowledge to complete an activity, listening to radio and/ or television excerpts, "authentic" dialogues taken from real life, etc.

Conversation: 11:45 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Through the use of short themes, this class is intended to help students develop their ability to express their ideas fluently. A final project, which can be done in or outside the classroom, must directly relate to the theme and target the vocabulary, expressions, grammar and other aspects addressed during the week.

Once-a-month the classes are conducted outside the classroom, around the city of Montreal. These outings are organized classes that follow the week’s topic. For example, if the topic of the week is News and the Media, the outing may be a visit to a local radio or TV station, or a local newspaper. This is the students’ chance to use the language they have learned in the class with the people of Montreal in real-life situations.

Integrated DELF and DALF Preparation

The DELF (Diplôme d’Études en Langue Française, elementary level, and DALF (Diplôme Avancé en Langue Française), advanced level, preparation elements are integrated into the intensive French program. These lessons are designed to give students the base preparation for the different levels of tests.  This is not a preparation course.

The DELF and the DALF are recognized around the world and are for those wishing for an official certification for professional reasons or as a proof of ability for French universities. These tests are recognized by the European Council and the Quebec Minister of Citizenship and Immigration.