PREFACE This textbook has been specially conceived for School Students of Tamilnadu and Pondicherry. The effort taken by the Government of Tamilnadu to revamp the entire curriculum is highly laudable. At a time when the status of French remains uncertain by the looming implementation of the three language formula, the Government of Tamilnadu has not only taken cognizance of the importance of Foreign Languages but has also brought them under the ambit of minority languages. This French textbook is based on the contextualization of ‘A Common European Framework of Reference for the Languages’ which focuses on ‘communicative tasks’.
A large number of speech acts and grammar components as well as activities and images are intended to be placed at the disposal of learners as an effective tool for learning one of the most popular foreign languages in India, i.e. French. The book contains themes that are related to the day-to-day life and makes for a rapid acquisition of competency in the language. This textbook is conceptualized to accommodate the imperatives of the Indian education system and it addresses the real language needs of the students.
This textbook lays emphasis on intercultural elements which will ensure real communication. In fact, it is believed that the learning of a foreign language will be successful only when the learners are capable of expressing themselves and the reality of the country where they live, in the foreign language as they would do so naturally in their mother tongue or regional language. The five components of this book are : • Dialogues • Communicative acts • Grammar • Vocabulary • Exercises / Activities It is our endeavour to train students to acquire a reasonable proficiency in written and spoken skills. We sincerely thank the Government of Tamilnadu for this foresighted inclusion of French in the curriculum.