ACCORD’s Teaching Method

ACCORD Paris Teaching Method is based on:

• A dynamic approach to teaching French.
• 30 years’ experience in welcoming students and catering for their needs.
• A high-quality teaching method recognised by many international partners.
• A team of experienced teachers involved in creating their own teaching material and constantly updating ACCORD’s teaching method.

At ACCORD Paris, we follow the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for teaching and assessing French as a foreign language, and we place our students in groups based on the levels defined by this framework.

Our teaching method includes taking into account the language needs and learning strategies of each student.

Our main aim is to recreate real-life situations where you will be able to put your French to practical use and develop your learning strategies, enabling you to use the communication skills you already have in your native language when speaking French.

Our ultimate goal is to help you reach a level of fluency where you will be able to communicate efficiently and effectively in French. To achieve this you will need both a strong command of the language and an in-depth understanding of French culture.

This is why “sorties pédagogiques” (“Walking in Paris” lessons) are regularly organised so that students are placed in an authentic environment, enabling them to practice what they have learnt in the classroom whilst exploring Paris and its culture, as well as getting a better understanding of living in Paris.

Oral communication is a priority in our morning course: learning to listen, understand, speak and express yourself naturally and appropriately, with fluency and correct pronunciation and intonation.

Included in the morning lessons from 9:00 to 13:00 is a 20 minute break (= 5 minutes per lesson hour) which allows students to rest, have a coffee, etc, whilst exchanging with their fellow students (in French!) and consult their teachers if they have any question. This information is also given in our student handbook (Livret de l’étudiant).

If you need to improve more intensively your oral French, select one or the two afternoon lessons dedicated to French Oral Communication, on Mondays and Fridays.

With our Teaching Method you will practise all four language skills in an authentic communicative environment.

• Listening: using authentic audio-visual material, such as extracts from movies, TV and radio programs and songs.
• Engaging in a conversation and speaking fluently: through role-play, debates, improvisation exercises, which will give you more confidence, and work on pronunciation, use of gesture and fluency.
• Reading: analysing authentic written texts, such as newspaper and magazine articles, professional documents, administrative forms, literature, brochures and leaflets.
• Writing: a range of writing activities aimed at achieving communicative goals and improving your knowledge of the language.

In our Teaching Method, grammar is taught through language games and exercises incorporated into the lessons.
If you need to work more on your written French and on the French grammar, select one, two or the three afternoon lessons dedicated to Grammar and Written French on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Since the creation of ACCORD School, the “sorties pédagogiques” (or “Walking in Paris” lessons) have been an important part of the school syllabus as they complement the French lessons students follow in the classroom. They are organised to support the programmes taught in class and are an important part of the school’s teaching method as it encourages students to practice outside a standard classroom environment.
Beyond studying French in a classroom, the “sorties pédagogiques” give students the opportunity to exchange and practice in a real-life context. These “Walking in Paris” lessons prepared by our teachers encourage oral communication and a direct contact within the social and cultural Parisian environment. They contribute and support the process of learning and improving our students’ French language skills by encouraging them to better understand the French and their daily life. These “Walking in Paris” lessons are also an opportunity for our students to explore and understand the Parisian environment, as well as question, compare and stimulate their curiosity as they are invited to enquire, speak and listen.

All our intensive courses are designed to prepare the DELF and the DALF exams as they contain all the pedagogical content requested to take both exams. If you want to prepare the DELF or the DALF exam in the best conditions, join our DELF afternoon lessons or our DALF afternoon lessons which are available each Tuesday and Wednesday.
Don’t hesitate to talk about it with our Head of Studies or the ACCORD staff at Reception.

Teaching Material

With the confirmation of your registration you will receive a self-assessment form and a written test that you must complete and return to us before the start of your course so that our teaching team can place you in a class of your level. So you will start your course at 9:00 am, the first Monday of your stay at ACCORD.

At ACCORD Paris there’s no hidden fees as all the pedagogical material given by the school is included in the tuition fees. You will have no book or other teaching material to buy to follow our courses!

Language Levels

As part of our teaching method, classes for each level of communication skills in French are available all year round to ensure the best possible student distribution.
ACCORD French language school follows the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), a framework developed by the Council of Europe for all modern languages as a practical tool to determine the learners’ general and communicative language competences.

The framework is used as a means of assessment, coordination and dialogue between the learners, the administrators or the professional institutions, the course designers and the teachers so as to determine the learner’s level of proficiency, plan language learning programmes, and describe the language proficiency acquired by an individual.

In the CEFR there are six main levels, from A1 (basic user) to C2 (proficient user).

At ACCORD Paris we also offer an A0 level for complete beginners.

Levels of proficiency at ACCORD Paris:

• A0  Complete beginner
• A1  Beginner
• A2  Elementary
• B1  Pre-Intermediate
• B2  Intermediate
• C1  Advanced
• C2  Proficiency

For all starting dates, levels and courses: click here

Placement Tests

Day one: due to sanitary measures in place at the school we are unable to carry our oral and written tests on Monday morning and this is why all students are sent with the registration confirmation document a self evaluation form and a written test which must be completed and returned before the first day of the course. This is important as it enables our Teaching Department to assess the student’s level and placement in the class of his/her level. This is why students are asked to come to school at 8:45 on the first day.

To ensure you study in the best possible conditions, you can download the ACCORD School’s Protocole Sanitaire (sanitary/health measures guidelines) HERE
This Health Protocol is also made available to you at the school reception service.

At any time during your stay, you will be able to talk to your teachers or to the Head of Studies and/or her assistant to discuss your progress and help you choose the right course for your needs.

In line with our teaching method, depending on your progress and based on your teachers’ assessment of your level, you may change to a higher level during your course.

Course Certificate

At the end of the course, you will be given a “Course Certificate” stating the number of hours of attendance, your initial level and the level you have reached.

On request, you can also receive an “End of Course Teaching Assessment”, which includes a detailed analysis of your competence in the French language. This assessment is available at a cost of 50 euros.

It includes the predicted level, the level achieved as well as the levels reached in the 4 skills, a detailed description of your abilities and progress in the different areas: oral, written and socio-cultural plus general comments.

This assessment can be used at university (to earn credits) or for professional purposes (training course validation, CV, etc.).

“Diplôme de Langue et Culture Françaises”