French in Action
Parts I and II

Produced by the Educational Programming Department

Part of the Annenberg/CPB Collection
Closed-captioned for the hearing impaired
Funded by the Annenberg/CPB Project

French in Action, 52 half-hour television programs combines video, audio, and print to teach French in the dynamic context of French-speaking cultures. The television course is based on an innovative method developed by Pierre Capretz of Yale University, and includes 52 half-hour video programs that feature an original romantic comedy filmed on location in France. Each program is composed of an episode of the story followed by a variety of images that illustrate and explain its contents. Entirely in French, each program allows learners to see and hear dozens of native speakers interacting in familiar situations. As a result, students learn to associate what they hear with the familiar situations they see, while learning to understand and use authentic French from the French perspective. French in Action is a complete two-semester course. Some colleges might want to use it to fulfill the two-year language requirement. The video programs are complemented by a collection of print materials and audio series. A half-hour introductory video program, in English, orients the student and explains the teaching approach. Print and audio materials have been designed to provide faculty and students with ultimate flexibility.

AVAILABLE RESOURCES

• Text
• Workbook (2 volumes)
• Study Guide (2 volumes)
• Instructor's Guide (2 volumes)
• Faculty Manual (2 volumes)
• Test Bank

Individuals or institutions may license The Western Tradition from:

PBS Adult Learning Service
1320 Braddock Place
Alexandria, VA 22314-1698
(800) 257-2578

Videocassettes may be purchased from the Annenberg/CPB Collection at:
(800) LEARNER

PROGRAM TITLES:

First Semester
1. Orientation
2- 4. Planning and Anticipating
5. Names and Origins
6- 7. Physical Characteristics
8. Kinship
9-10. Describing Others
11-14. Encounters
15-18. Occupations
19-21. Education
22-23. Getting Around
24-26. Food and Drink

Second Semester
27-31. Transportation and Travel
36-40. Entertainment
41-45. Getting and Spending
46-50. Geography and Tourism
51-52. Getting Away

Accompanying print materials:

• Text
  French In Action: A Beginning Course in Language and Culture (The Capretz Method) by Capretz with Abetti, Germain and Wylie. Second Edition.

• Workbook
  French In Action: A Beginning Course in Language and Culture (The Capretz Method) Workbook, Parts I and II by Capretz with Abbate, Abetti, and Abetti. Second Edition. Note: The workbook is to be used with the audiocassettes.

• Study Guide
  FRENCH IN ACTION: A Beginning Course in Language and Culture (the Capretz Method) Study Guide, Part I and II by Lydgate with Mathe, Susskind, Westlie and Wylie. Second Edition.

• Instructor's Guide
  French In Action: A Beginning Course in Language and Culture (The Capretz Method) Instructor's Guide, Part I and II by Russo, with Abbate and Lydgate.by Capretz with Abetti, Germain and Wylie. Second Edition. Note: The Instructor's Guide accompanies the text and includes a test bank.

• Test Bank
  French In Action Test Bank consists of four tests for each lesson.

  Available to institutions only from:
  Yale University Press
  92A Yale Station, New Haven, CT 06520
  (203) 432-0966

• Audiocassettes
  Each part consists of 26 audio programs of 45 min. each on 13 cassettes, keyed to the workbook. They contain the soundtrack of the story and listening component of the workbook exercises.

Faculty guide also available from PBS Adult Learning Service.