The introductory level is designed for those who have had no previous exposure to the language. The focus is on phonetic practice and on creating basic sentences, and the class moves at a slower pace than Beginner 1. The communicative approach and authentic materials used in this program enable students to conduct simple, useful conversations and prepare for the Beginner 1 level. It is not necessary to take this level prior to taking Beginner 1.
At this level you have little or no previous knowledge of the language. As a Beginner 1 student, you will learn to share information about yourself in the target language and ask basic questions of those around you. You will learn structure and vocabulary that allow you to function in everyday settings. For example, you will be able to describe food and order in a restaurant, ask for directions when travelling, go shopping and pay for items, speak on the telephone and fill out forms for employment or travel. You will begin to understand complex language structures in an immersion classroom setting while learning to speak primarily in the present tense.
At this level you have already had experience with the language in high school or through a conversational beginner course. You will add to your basic vocabulary in everyday situations involving travel, food, shopping, transportation, family and business. In addition to improving your functional ability when speaking in the present tense, you will begin to express yourself in the past and future tenses.
At this level you may have taken a couple of courses in the language, but are not yet fluent. In addition to a more rigorous approach to vocabulary and grammatical structures in class you will expand on the everyday situations you have mastered at the Beginner 1 and Beginner 2 levels. You will concentrate on speaking correctly and distinguishing between the past, present and future tenses. In addition, you will begin to learn about nuances of the target language, including correct levels of language to use in various situations.
At the Intermediate Level you are a fairly competent speaker of the language. However, you still need systematic correction in pronunciation, grammatical structures and complex sentence formation. A complete understanding of what is being communicated in the target language is essential to participate at the intermediate level. Discussion of everyday topics includes political, social and cultural topics relevant to the countries where the target language is spoken.
At this level you are fluent in the language, but still need to develop the use of more complex sentence structures using all tenses appropriately. Although grammar is not the major emphasis at the advanced level, you will improve your grammar and vocabulary through interesting conversational exercises such as debates, presentations, cultural discussions and small group work using authentic materials.
