French Steps - User guide

French Steps will introduce you to simple, spoken French language. The language you'll learn will help you to find your way, order meals, introduce yourself, etc and to understand predictable things that people will say to you.

The course is made up of 24 short steps or units: Taking a taxi, Asking for directions, etc. These are organized into 6 sections: Short break in Paris, Food and drink, etc. We'd recommend that you follow them in sequence, although you can just dip into the individual ones.

French Steps has been devised to be used in short sessions that you can fit around your own schedule, whenever and for however long it suits you. Frequent, short visits will also help you fix the language in your memory.

You can see the whole syllabus here. It matches the Common European Framework Level One, which is recognized across Europe as a benchmark for simple conversational language.

• A computer connected to the Internet.
• Capability to play sound, eg you should be able to listen to music or other audio on your computer.
• A piece of software, Flash, to be able to hear the sound. If it's not already on your computer, it can be installed easily and free of charge by using the BBC WebWise guide. We've provided links to this at appropriate points in the course. Without Flash you'll still see text and pictures, but you won't be able to enjoy the audio.

Delays on the internet
At certain times of day, the Internet is prone to delays (like traffic jams). You might then have to wait for some of the features to arrive, particularly the slideshows. If this is taking too long you can always use the alternative versions, which are indicated on the relevant pages.

The features
When you click on one of the Steps, you'll see the following screen:

1. Along the top of each page, you'll see a link back to the main menu page and the title of the Step. You'll also see a link to the key words and a pronunciation guide for that Step. These are presented in a pop-up window, which means you can call them up at any point in the Step without leaving the main content. Any extra words that aren't found here will be in the vocabulary list.

2. Then, you'll see the introduction to the slideshow. Just follow the instructions by clicking on 'start'.

3. At the bottom of each page you'll always see the same links: Guess the words, Build sentences, Speak and write. These features are explained below.

We recommend you follow the course in the sequence indicated. But you might find that a different order may suit you better. The course has been devised with this flexibility in mind.

Slideshows
These introduce spoken French. They feature French teacher Hakim M'Barek on a trip to Paris and to his home town Lyon.
We'd recommend starting with the sound and pictures only. Then click on the boxes which give you the chance to see the text in English and/or French, and replay the slide.
At the end of the slideshow there's a re-cap of the whole story.
If you have trouble viewing the slideshow you can also view the transcript, though you won't hear the sound.

Guess the words
This will help you learn the 10 words and phrases that are essential to each step. Do try saying each word out loud and check what you've said against the pronunciation of the native speakers. The ten words are included in the key words file for each step and also in an alphabetical vocabulary list containing the words for the whole course.

Build sentences
This is a 'hands-on' guide to French grammar, showing how to make the most of the words you've learnt.
You then have the option to practice building sentences yourself, with plenty of opportunities to re-try until you get it right.
There's a 'more about' note in each Step which goes into the structures and patterns of French in more detail.

Speak and Write
This is where you put into practice what you've learnt. In the speaking section, you'll hear one side of a conversation. Then it's over to you. We recommend you say your words out loud. Take as much time as you need, use the keywords, review the other sections. Try it as often as you like.

The writing section will help you reinforce what you've learnt and fix it in your memory. Depending on your own preference, you can do the speaking section before the writing one or the other way round.

Vocabulary list
Here you'll find all the Key Words used in French Steps listed in alphabetical order. You can search for words in English to find the French equivalent, or look up French words to understand what they mean. You can access the vocabulary list at all times from the link on the left hand side of the screen.

Learning log
These pages allow you to keep a record of the French Steps units as you work through them. Print them out, then once you've completed a unit jot down your comments and any words you find useful or difficult.

Fact file
These are facts and tips about contemporary France. Read our quick travel tips, browse through our suggested links and suggest your own tips to make a journey to France more enjoyable.

The challenges
These are the landings after each set of Steps. They're revision activities and should give you an indication of how much progress you've made. There are 20 or so questions which also act as a fast track through the course.

Your progress
You can now track your progress and save your quiz scores. It's very simple - just create your membership. Please click on the button "Create your membership" on top of this page and you'll get guided through the process.
Once you've done that you will see a link saying "Add to your progress" in all activities. Once you've clicked on that link, the activity will appear ticked on your progress page. You can use your progress page to make sure you've completed all activities. It will also remember what you've done during your last visit to French Steps so you can start again where you've left off.

We hope you'll enjoy French Steps. Please let us know your thoughts and comments.

Start French Steps

Finished the course, or thinking about joining a class?
Check our suggestions about the next steps you can take.