NUS · Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences · Centre for Language Studies
LAF1201 French 1 · Special Term 2
Welcome to LAF1201 — French 1. By the end of this six-week intensive, you'll handle everyday situations in French at the A1 level: introducing yourself, ordering food, asking for directions, and navigating the basics of French grammar with confidence. Allons-y.
Countdown · Singapore time
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⓪ TO-DO before Day 1
Get these done before our first class on Mon 22 June.
② Syllabus & Schedule
Mondays & Wednesdays · 1pm–4pm · AS8-04-01. Tap any date for that session's syllabus and assessments.
① Textbook & workbook
You need two items: the L'atelier+ A1 textbook (livre de l'élève) and the matching workbook (cahier d'activités). Both must be the 2022 edition with the "+" sign — not the older 2019 "L'atelier" without the +.
★ Route A · Kinokuniya — physical books, SGD 53.80, 5 working days
| Item | Edition | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Textbook — Livre de l'élève + companion app | L'atelier+ A1 (2022) | SGD 31 |
| Workbook — Cahier d'activités + companion app | L'atelier+ A1 (2022) | SGD 18 |
| Delivery within Singapore | — | SGD 4.80 |
| Total | SGD 53.80 | |
- Open the order form: forms.gle/MkbckDEbZwiwA3737
- Sign in with your NUS email.
- Tick both items — textbook (Livre) and workbook (Cahier). Both required.
- Fill in delivery details and follow payment instructions.
- Allow up to 5 working days for delivery — order well before Mon 22 June.
- Bookmark the free web app didierfle.app (no install needed). Scan any page of your book to access audio, video, and interactive activities.
Route B · Didier FLE digital — instant e-book, ≈ SGD 60 (€39 / USD 44)
| Item | ISBN | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Textbook (Livre numérique) | 9782278104697 | €24.70 |
| Workbook (Cahier numérique) | 9782278093892 | €14.30 |
| Total | €39 ≈ SGD 60 | |
- Add the textbook to cart: L'atelier+ A1 — Livre numérique
- Add the workbook to cart: L'atelier+ A1 — Cahier numérique
- Checkout in EUR or USD. Singapore-issued cards work; expect ~1–3% in cross-border / FX fees.
- Activate on educadhoc.fr with the same email; both books appear in Ma bibliothèque.
- Read on browser, the EDUCADHOC desktop app, or the mobile app. Licence valid for 2 years from activation.
③ Assessment Overview
This course is assessed by 100% continuous assessment — there is no final exam. Your final grade combines five components, spread across the six weeks rather than concentrated at the end.
Reading & writing tests carry the most weight. The oral component (listening + speaking + vodcast) is collectively almost as much. Don't underestimate the 5% attendance — it can be the difference between grade boundaries.
What each assessment is
- Quizzes (×2) — short in-class checks on recent units. Vocabulary, grammar, basic comprehension.
- Tests (×2) — reading comprehension and writing tasks at A1 level.
- Listening (×2) — short audio passages with comprehension questions.
- Speaking (oral test) — a role-play (jeux de rôle) on the final day: three scenarios to prepare, one drawn at random. See oraltest.withdrchan.com.
- Vodcast project — a 2-minute video recording introducing yourself in French. Submitted by 8 July, 23:59 (Session 6), prepared as guided self-study homework.
- « Voyage francophone » (cultural project) — discover a Francophone culture in Singapore: do one activity, write a reflection under 250 words (proof of activity required). Solo or group (group bonus). Due Fri 24 July, 23:59 (Friday of Week 5).
- E-learning homework — guided self-study tasks completed as homework through the term.
LAF1201 · French 1 · Special Term 2 · Continuous assessment · 5%
⑤ « Voyage francophone »
Discover Francophone cultures in Singapore — your theme is drawn at random, do one fun thing, write a short reflection. Solo or with friends.
Your theme — a culture, cuisine, music or film — is drawn at random (or assigned). Then choose one activity.
Cook, watch, visit or create. Keep photos, reels or post links — submit some as proof (no proof, no activity mark).
Write under 250 words in English, built on your evidence, through the five R's.
Tip — relate it to your own world before you reason about it. That's what makes the reflection yours.
Using AI or a translator? Add one line saying what you used it for. · You may be asked one quick question about your voyage in class.
Scan for details
⑥ Oral Test (Pair or Trio, Wk 6)
Three scenarios to prepare at home. One will be drawn or assigned at random on the day of the test.
Scénario 1 — Votre premier jour à NUS
| Version pour 2 candidats | Version pour 3 candidats | |
|---|---|---|
| Rôles | Deux étudiant.es (A et B) | Trois étudiant.es (A, B et C) |
| Acte 1 | C'est votre premier jour à l'université. Vous rencontrez un.e autre étudiant.e à la cantine et vous faites connaissance. | C'est votre premier jour à l'université. Vous rencontrez deux autres étudiants à la cantine et vous faites connaissance. |
| Acte 2 | Après deux minutes de discussion, B demande à A la direction pour la bibliothèque. A a le plan du campus et guide B. | Après deux minutes de discussion, B et C demandent à A la direction pour la bibliothèque. A a le plan du campus et guide B et C. |
| Idées : Vous pouvez… | …vous présenter, parler de vos activités, de vos envies… | …vous présenter, parler de vos activités, de vos envies… |
Scénario 2 — Au restaurant
| Version pour 2 candidats | Version pour 3 candidats | |
|---|---|---|
| Rôles | Un.e client.e (B) et un.e serveur/serveuse (A) | Deux clients (B et C) et un.e serveur/serveuse (A) |
| Acte 1 | B est en voyage à Paris et va au restaurant. A accueille B, et présente le restaurant et la carte. | B et C sont en voyage à Paris et vont au restaurant. A accueille B et C, et présente le restaurant et la carte. |
| Acte 2 | Après le repas, B demande l'addition. B complimente le repas et le service. B demande des conseils pour visiter la ville. | Après le repas, B et C demandent l'addition, complimentent le repas et le service et demandent des conseils pour visiter la ville. |
| Idées : Vous pouvez… | …discuter des plats, faire la conversation (d'où venez-vous ?) | …discuter des plats, faire la conversation (d'où venez-vous ?) |
Scénario 3 — On va où cet été ?
| Version pour 2 candidats | Version pour 3 candidats | |
|---|---|---|
| Rôles | Deux ami.es (A et B) | Trois amis (A, B et C) |
| Acte 1 | Vous discutez des destinations possibles pour les vacances, de la météo, des activités. Vous choisissez une destination. | Vous discutez des destinations possibles pour les vacances, de la météo, des activités. Vous choisissez une destination. |
| Acte 2 | Parler du dîner : A propose, B suggère une alternative. Vous décidez de dîner chez vous. Vous répartissez les courses à faire. | Parler du dîner : A propose, B suggère une alternative. C tranche : un dîner chez vous. Vous répartissez les courses à faire. |
| Idées : Vous pouvez… | poser des questions, décider des plats, faire une liste de courses. | poser des questions, décider des plats, faire une liste de courses. |
④ 2-min Vodcast HW (Wk 3)
This term has no separate e-learning week. Instead, the e-learning tasks (5%) run as guided self-study homework across the six weeks, and you'll prepare your 2-minute vodcast project (5%), due Wednesday 8 July, 23:59 (Session 6).
Submit at canvas.nus.edu.sg/courses/92451/assignments/253511 — link also available in Canvas under Assignments.
- Minute 1 — Introduce yourself. Name, where you're from, what you study, why you're learning French. Use the vocabulary and structures from Units 0–2.
- Minute 2 — Qu'est-ce qu'il y a dans mon sac ? Show what's in your bag and name each item in French. (Dans mon sac, il y a un livre, un stylo, des clés…) Use vocabulary from Unit 2 — objects, indefinite articles (un, une, des), and what you like or don't like (j'adore mon agenda, je n'aime pas trop mes écouteurs cassés…).
⑦ Resources & useful links
Course platforms
canvas.nus.edu.sg/courses/92451
Assignments, gradebook, official announcements.
The invite link is sent to your NUS email; message @frenchatnus if it doesn't arrive. Day-to-day questions, peer help.
Apps you'll use
Companion web app for L'atelier+ — bookmark didierfle.app. Scan any page of your textbook for audio, video, interactive drills.
Installable mobile version of the same page-scanner — handy if you prefer an app to the web version. Google Play · App Store (iOS)
For Route B (digital book) students only. Reader app for the Livre + Cahier numérique.
Beyond the course — recommended
leconjugueur.lefigaro.fr — full conjugation for any French verb in any tense.
wordreference.com/fren — dictionary + conjugation + forum discussions.
youglish.com/french — hear any word pronounced in real video clips, in context.
forvo.com/languages/fr — pronunciation by native speakers, word by word.
savoirs.rfi.fr — slow news in French, designed for learners.
apprendre.tv5monde.com — graded video exercises.
⑧ Frequently asked questions
How intensive is this course?
Six weeks of A1 French is what most students cover in fourteen weeks of a regular semester. Expect to work on French every day — little and often is what makes it stick.
What is expected of me each week?
Attend all 12 classes (Mon & Wed, 1–4pm); complete the e-learning tasks and the vodcast project; and do the recommended homework and review activities.
How much time should I spend studying outside class?
Plan for around 1 hour per day during the intensive period. Short daily practice (15-min vocab review + 30-min workbook + 15-min listening) beats long weekend cramming — the brain consolidates languages overnight.
How important are attendance and participation?
Attendance counts for 5% of your grade, and participation matters: speaking up, asking questions, working with partners.
What if I miss a class?
Attendance is 5% of your grade and the course is fast-paced. If you miss a class for medical or compelling reasons, contact me and the class group as soon as possible.
Is there a declaration form I must complete?
Yes. Before the course begins, complete the mandatory declaration form on Canvas. Students with prior formal learning in French are not eligible for this course. (See the eligibility FAQ below for details.)
Can I take this course if I learned French in school?
No — this course is for complete beginners. If you have prior formal learning in French (any level, including secondary school), you're not eligible. Knowledge of Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, or Romanian is fine — those don't count as prior French knowledge.
Do I really need both the textbook and the workbook?
Yes — both. The livre contains the lessons; the cahier has the exercises we work through in and out of class. They're designed as a pair.
How do I use didierfle.app?
didierfle.app is a web app — no install needed. Open didierfle.app in your browser and bookmark it. Allow camera access, then scan any page of your coursebook to get the audio, video and interactive activities for that page automatically — no separate login.
What's the e-learning component?
The e-learning tasks (5%) are guided self-study homework spread across the term — there's no separate no-class week. You'll also record your 2-minute vodcast project (5%, due 8 July, 23:59). All instructions will be on Canvas and on this site nearer the date.
What level will I be at by the end of this course?
A1 (CEFR — Common European Framework). You'll be able to introduce yourself, ask basic questions about people and places, understand short clear messages, write simple sentences about familiar topics, and survive in basic interactions in a French-speaking country.
Can I continue with LAF2201 (French 2) after this?
Yes — LAF1201 is the prerequisite for LAF2201, and most students who pass LAF1201 continue. LAF2201 takes you to a strong A1 / early A2 level.
Pourquoi le français — why learn French?
French is the only language other than English taught in every country in the world — official in 29 states and a working language of the EU, UN, Olympics and African Union; by 2050 it may be spoken by ~700 million people. In Singapore it opens doors in luxury, hospitality, diplomacy, NGOs and the arts, and lays a foundation for the other Romance languages. The smaller reason: a year from now you'll read a menu in Lyon, follow a film without subtitles, and chat with a stranger in Montréal.
I'm worried I'll fall behind. What should I do?
The best moment to ask for help is the moment you feel confused. Post on the Telegram group, email me, or come to me after class — "I'll catch up later" is risky when small confusions compound quickly. Don't wait.
⑨ About Me
I'm Dr Daniel K.-G. Chan, Senior Lecturer in French at the NUS Centre for Language Studies and Assistant Dean (Undergraduate Matters) in the Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences. I've taught French at NUS for many years, and I'm particularly interested in how technology can support language learning without replacing the human interactions that make it meaningful.
I often tell students that French is not a puzzle to solve but a pattern to notice. Once you start recognising those patterns, the language becomes far less intimidating — and much more enjoyable.
My Teaching Philosophy
I see beginner French less as a collection of rules to memorise and more as a set of patterns to notice and use. That means we'll spend less time reciting conjugation tables and more time paying attention to how French actually works in context.
You'll be speaking from the very first lesson — in pairs, in groups, and occasionally in front of the class. Language is learned by using it, and active participation is both faster and more rewarding than learning silently.
Beyond the Classroom
I also write about language, education, multilingualism, and artificial intelligence. If you're interested, you can find my published essays and commentaries at oped.withdrchan.com.
C'est la vie — Getting Drenched in French
French is best experienced rather than studied from a distance. My hope is that this course gives you plenty of opportunities to immerse yourself in the language, make mistakes, and gradually discover that French is less mysterious than it first appears.