French: Intermediate Conversation



Overview

Experience this dynamic and interactive French conversation class to refine your conversational skills in a range of familiar situations at work, place of study, leisure places or whilst travelling abroad.

To benefit from the course, participants should have done one of the following:

1. Studied French for approximately three years.

2. Completed Parts 1 and 2 of our French Intermediate level.

3. Achieved or are near the B1 Level of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for Languages.

Programme details

Course starts: 21 Apr 2026

Join us to enhance your conversational skills across various domains, including personal, social and professional contexts. Through engaging activities, multimedia resources, and interactive discussions, you will build confidence in listening and speaking. The course will help expand your vocabulary, refine grammar accuracy, and improve fluency while discussing topics such as travel, relationships, work and hobbies. We will explore nuanced language use, including formal and informal registers, and some idiomatic expressions.

Our open-access courses cater for mixed-ability groups, fostering a collaborative environment where students work together to achieve their learning goals. The weekly course schedule below provides an overview of the main topics likely to be covered in each session. Please note that these may sometimes change at the tutor’s discretion to reflect the interests of course participants.

Week 1: Food & Cuisine

Themes: culinary traditions, favorite dishes, eating habits, recipes
Activities: quiz, role-play, group discussion

Week 2: Mass Media & Satirical Press

Themes: freedom of speech, satire, fake news, humour and social commentary

Activities: debate, image analysis, problem-solving task

Week 3: Pack Your Suitcase!

Themes: travel plans, packing essentials, destinations, cultural expectations

Activities: role-play, problem-solving, pair discussion

Week 4: Shared Living / Flatsharing

Themes: cohabitation, household rules, conflict and cooperation

Activities: debate, role-play, problem-solving task

Week 5: Ecology: Risks, Challenges & Solutions

Themes: climate change, pollution, sustainability, eco-friendly actions

Activities: debate, problem-solving task, group discussion

Week 6: History from All Angles

Themes: historical events, famous figures, memory and identity

Activities: quiz, role-play, storytelling

Week 7: City Life & Urban Planning

Themes: urban vs rural life, ideal city, public spaces, transport

Activities: problem-solving task, debate, group project

Week 8: Craftsmanship & DIY

Themes: traditional crafts, manual skills, creativity and resourcefulness

Activities: role-play, quiz, problem-solving task

Week 9: Health & Medicine

Themes: physical and mental health, healthcare systems, giving advice

Activities: role-play, quiz, pair discussion

Week 10: Culture & Cross-Cultural Communication

Themes: stereotypes, clichés, misunderstandings, traditions

Activities: debate, storytelling, problem-solving task

Key grammar points:

  • The Imperfect vs Compounding Past
  • Use of the Subjunctive Mood
  • The Conditional
  • Adjective order

Key functions:

  • Introducing oneself and social interaction
  • Expressing ideas, opinions and preferences and justifying them
  • Asking for and giving practical information and assistance
  • Telling personal stories and recounting events

Textbooks

No Course book required. All course materials will be provided by the course tutor.

Certification

Digital badge

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be issued with an official digital badge from the Department for Continuing Education, University of Oxford. In order to be issued with your badge, you will need to have attended at least 80% of the course.

After the course, you will receive an email with a link and instructions on how to download your digital badge. You will be able to add this badge to your email signature and share it on social media if you choose to do so. 

Fees

Description Costs
Course fee £300.00

Funding

If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, you are a full-time student in the UK or a student on a low income, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. See details of our concessionary fees for short courses. 

Tutor

Dr Coralie Schneider

Coralie is an experienced teacher and holds both a PGCE (French with Spanish) and a PhD in Linguistics. She has taught French to undergraduate students at the University of Oxford as well as to children and adults at the Alliance Française of Oxford. A native of Paris and a keen traveller, she enjoys sharing her knowledge of French language varieties and cultures to students of all ages and levels. 

Course aims

Enhance learners' conversational skills to interact confidently in familiar situations, at work and while travelling in a country where the language is spoken.

Course objectives:

  • Develop learners’ comprehension skills to understand the language of diverse speakers, including different accents and faster speech.
  • Enhance fluency through class activities that cover a variety of situations likely to be encountered at work, in social contexts and while travelling abroad.
  • Encourage the use of a variety of lexical repertoire and grammar structures to construct clear and coherent sentences.
  • Consolidate understanding of cultural nuances, some idiomatic expressions, and social etiquette.

Teaching methods

Our language courses promote collaborative learning, encouraging peer interaction and real-life activities. You will learn through participating in engaging activities and tasks in the target language. These are likely to include role-plays, pair- and small-group work, and discussions conducted in a friendly and informal learning environment. The course has been structured to help you primarily to develop your speaking and listening skills.

Join us to improve your proficiency and conversational skills in a supportive and stimulating environment!

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, students will be better prepared to:

  • Understand standard speech at natural speed in a variety of situations likely to be encountered at work, in social contexts and while travelling abroad.
  • Speak confidently in a variety of contexts, initiating and maintaining conversations on a range of topics.
  •  Use a range of lexical repertoire and grammar structures to express ideas and give reasons.
  •  Recognise cultural nuances and some idiomatic expressions.

Assessment methods

Formative assessment will be implemented through a series of class activities and tasks, such as discussions, debates, role-plays, and presentations. Comprehension tasks using audio and video materials may be used to assess learners' understanding of spoken language. Participants are encouraged to participate in class activities to benefit from tutor feedback.

Application

Please use the 'Book now' button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an Enrolment form for short courses | Oxford University Department for Continuing Education

Level and demands

Find your language level

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support