Needham Community Education

Building upon the skills studied in Level 1, students will improve their conversational precision by considerably developing their vocabulary as well as by learning to use the present and immediate future. Grammatical topics include possessive and demonstrative adjectives, idiomatic verb expressions, comparatives, imperative expressions of time and season. We will start passé composé, lesson 14 in Contacts edition 8 or 9, easily found used or downloadable online. If you miss a class, you may view the recording or schedule a half-hour private lesson with the instructor ($39, purchase at nce.reg.eleyo.com or by phone with NCE). Limited to 8.

Building upon the basic foundation provided in Beginning Italian (-are verbs, few irregular verbs, articles, calendar) you will improve your listening skills and conversational ability through structured dialogues and other practical activities. Begin to communicate more precisely as you learn -ere and -ire verbs in the present and all conjugations in the past tenses. Topics will include: review of expressions of date and quantity, indefinite and definite articles, past tense, interrogatives, and direct object pronouns (Prego chapters 2-4). Students will need to purchase the Prego textbook (editions 6, 7 or 8). If you miss a class, you may view the recording or schedule a half-hour private lesson with the instructor ($39, purchase at nce.reg.eleyo.com or by phone with NCE).

In this section, you will review material studied in the intermediate level and focus on using passé composé versus the imperfect tense, while continuing to develop three basic skills of listening, speaking, reading. French culture will also be covered. You will need a free downloadable copy of the Grammaire Progressive du Francais Intermediaire (edition 3 by Maia Gregory). If you miss a class, you may view the recording or schedule a half-hour private lesson with the instructor ($39, purchase at nce.reg.eleyo.com or by phone with NCE).

We will read and discuss a short novel, L'Événement by Nobel Prize laureate Annie Ernaux. The novel recounts a young French woman's access to an illegal abortion. Limited to 8.

Bonjour! Join this welcoming and lively French conversation class led by an enthusiastic native speaker. This is your chance to learn, practice and improve your conversational French in a relaxed, fun yet structured setting. You will also have the chance to increase your knowledge of French history and culture and discuss topics that will surely raise passions. Isn’t this what French is all about? This program is for those who have taken French classes and/or have strong skills in speaking and listening. We will review advanced grammar topics including object pronouns, compound tenses, and subjunctive, with assignments to practice your skills throughout the week. Note: Students will need a free downloadable copy of the Grammaire Progressive du Francais Intermediaire. If you miss a class, you may view the recording or schedule a half-hour private lesson with the instructor ($39, purchase at nce.reg.eleyo.com or by phone with NCE).

For Barry Bridgelal's French and Italian students.

Students at this level will acquire vocabulary on a wide range of topics and will gain proficiency in expressing wants, needs and obligations (devoir, vouloir, pouvoir), build on the present and start the simple passé composé. Grammatical topics include the definite and partitive articles, prepositions, adverbs, direct object pronouns, present and passé composé. Note: this class will cover leçons 14-19 in the Contacts edition 8 or 9 textbook, available used or downloadable online. If you miss a class, you may view the recording or schedule a half-hour private lesson with the instructor ($39, purchase at nce.reg.eleyo.com or by phone with NCE).

This program is designed for students who are already proficient in the skills taught in the intermediate levels, until chapter 10 in the Prego Textbook. We learn the numerous usages of the pronoun ci in all simple and compound tenses. You will need a copy of the Prego textbook. If you miss a class, you may view the recording or schedule a half-hour private lesson with the instructor ($39, purchase at nce.reg.eleyo.com or by phone with NCE). Limited to 8.

Advance your Italian language skills in this Intermediate level program. Upon completion, you should be able to discuss topics such as moods, travel, holidays and business, using the present and past tenses. This class will emphasize improvement of oral comprehension and creative expression through the use of teaching resources, including reading selections. Indirect and direct object pronouns, expressions of time and duration, simple and articulated prepositions will be covered (Prego chapters 4-6). Students will need to purchase the Prego textbook. If you miss a class, you may view the recording or schedule a half-hour private lesson with the instructor ($39, purchase at nce.reg.eleyo.com or by phone with NCE).

NCE's talented foreign language instructors offer private/semi-private lessons online! Each registration allows for 1 person (or 2 people together) to schedule either 4-hours or 10-hours of lessons directly with our instructors. Open to students of all levels who wish to improve their French, Spanish or Italian language skills. Instructors will find work with you to establish a mutually agreeable lesson schedule. Packs are valid through June 30, 2025. There are no refunds or credits for unused time.

NCE's talented foreign language instructors offer private/semi-private lessons online! Each registration allows for 1 person (or 2 people together) to schedule either 4-hours or 10-hours of lessons directly with our instructors. Open to students of all levels who wish to improve their French, Spanish or Italian language skills. Instructors will find work with you to establish a mutually agreeable lesson schedule. Packs are valid through December 31, 2025. There are no refunds or credits for unused time.

Would you like to maintain and improve your Spanish language skills over the summer? If so, spend an hour each week conversing with fellow Spanish language learners. You will take part in different discussion activities with partners or the whole group: sharing personal interests, creating conversations in break-out rooms, describing visuals, and more. Students in the Beginning-Advanced Beginning level should be familiar with the preterite tense. Limited to 10.