Contacts Book

Both students and instructors find this popular introductory text easy to use. The grammar lessons are presented in a logical sequence with constant vocabulary reinforcement and practice of the four skills—listening, reading, writing, and speaking. In addition, Contacts meets the five "Cs" of the national standards for foreign languages—culture, connections, comparison, communities, and communication—which are denoted by icons when they appear in the text. Grammar is presented in 33 manageable lessons, combined with Aperçus culturels (cultural readings) in English for the first 6 Leçons and in French after Units 5, 7, and 9. Communication sections at the end of each lesson give students instructions in English for task-oriented, paired activities. Web icons next to the Notes culturelles features direct students to related sites. A new activity then asks them to compare some aspect of the culture to their own experiences. Web icons with the Vivre en France feature direct students to the text-specific web site for a research activity related to the unit. This section has also been added to the Workbook.