1. Communication Skills

1.1. Fluent Interaction

• Engaging in detailed and nuanced conversations on complex subjects such as global issues, academic topics, and professional matters.

• Expressing ideas with clarity, including abstract concepts and hypothetical situations, and understanding subtle distinctions in meaning.

• Adapting language style and register appropriately to various contexts, including formal and informal settings.

1.2 Professional and Academic Communication

• Delivering presentations, lectures, and detailed reports with well-structured arguments and sophisticated language.

• Participating in high-level discussions, debates, and negotiations, effectively presenting and defending viewpoints.

• Writing formal and academic texts, including research papers, detailed analyses, and comprehensive reports.

1.3. Critical Evaluation

• Analysing and critiquing a range of materials, including academic texts, media, and cultural productions.

• Evaluating complex arguments, identifying biases, and forming well-supported opinions.

1.4. Problem-Solving & Decision-Making

• Addressing and resolving complex issues, proposing solutions, and making decisions based on detailed analysis and reasoning.

• Negotiating and mediating in professional and personal contexts, managing conflicts effectively.

2. Vocabulary Development

2.1. Advanced Vocabulary

• Mastery of a wide range of vocabulary related to various fields, including specialized and technical terminology.

• Using precise and nuanced language for expressing complex ideas, emotions, and abstract concepts.

2.2. Idiomatic & Figurative Language

• Understanding and using advanced idiomatic expressions, proverbs, and figurative language.

• Interpreting and employing metaphors, idioms, and culturally specific expressions in context.

2.3. Lexical Precision

• Employing synonyms, antonyms, and nuanced terms to enhance communication and avoid repetition.

• Using advanced lexical resources to refine and specify language in both spoken and written forms.

3. Grammar & Structure

3.1. Mastery of Tenses & Moods

• Confident use of all French tenses, including present, past (passé composé, imparfait, plus-que-parfait), future, and conditional.

• Advanced use of the subjunctive mood to express complex emotions, doubts, and hypothetical situations.

• Application of the future anterior and past anterior tenses for nuanced temporal relations.

3.2. Complex Sentence Structures

• Constructing and understanding sophisticated sentence structures, including embedded clauses, indirect speech, and advanced relative clauses.

• Mastery of passive voice and causative constructions for diverse expressive needs.

3.3. Advanced Syntax & Cohesion

• Using sophisticated connectors, transitions, and cohesive devices to create coherent and cohesive arguments and narratives.

• Employing advanced negation forms and sentence structures to convey subtleties and precise meanings.

3.4. Pronouns & Modifiers

• Mastery of complex pronoun systems, including relative, demonstrative, and emphatic pronouns.

• Advanced use of adjectives and adverbs to modify and enhance meaning.

4. Listening & Speaking Practice

4.1. Listening Comprehension

• Understanding and interpreting complex spoken material, including academic lectures, technical discussions, and nuanced arguments.

• Recognizing and analysing subtle tones, implied meanings, and diverse accents in various contexts.

4.2. Speaking Practice

• Engaging in extended, coherent, and articulate discourse on a wide range of topics.

• Delivering sophisticated presentations and participating in high-level discussions with fluency and precision.

• Practising effective argumentation, negotiation, and mediation skills.

5. Reading & Writing Practice

5.1. Reading Comprehension

• Reading and critically analysing complex texts, including academic papers, literary works, and specialised articles.

• Identifying and evaluating main ideas, arguments, and stylistic elements in diverse written materials.

• Interpreting and understanding subtle meanings, inferences, and cultural references.

5.2. Writing Skills

• Producing detailed, well-structured, and coherent texts such as essays, reports, and research papers with advanced language use.

• Writing with precision, clarity, and stylistic sophistication for professional and academic purposes.

• Editing and revising texts to ensure clarity, coherence, and correctness.

6. Cultural Awareness

6.1. In-Depth Cultural Understanding

• Exploring and analysing French and Francophone cultural, historical, and social contexts in depth.

• Understanding and discussing complex cultural phenomena, including contemporary issues and historical developments.

6.2. Media & Literature

• Engaging with French literature, cinema, and media at an advanced level, including critical analysis of themes, styles, and cultural impacts.

• Discussing and interpreting major works and cultural figures, understanding their significance and influence.

Assessment Criteria

• Speaking: Ability to articulate complex ideas fluently and coherently, engage in nuanced discussions, and present arguments with precision and sophistication.

• Listening: Understanding and analysing complex spoken material, recognizing subtle meanings and intentions, and interpreting diverse accents and registers.

• Reading: Ability to critically read and analyse sophisticated texts, identifying detailed arguments, stylistic features, and thematic elements.

• Writing: Producing clear, well-organised, and articulate written texts with advanced grammatical and lexical precision, appropriate for academic and professional contexts.

This C1 curriculum is designed to provide learners with the skills needed for effective and nuanced communication in both professional and academic settings, enabling them to operate with high levels of fluency and accuracy in a variety of complex situations.