A core feature of Connexions is the use of authentic video and audio to support the development of listening comprehension skills while virtually immersing our learners in Francophone culture. Each authentic video features unscripted responses and uses natural speech which are expertly structured along with the accompanying activities to support our beginner to intermediate learners.

In every second lesson of a given Module, students are guided through a listening comprehension activity such as the one featured below. Students begin with a preparation activity that helps them activate relevant knowledge, before viewing an authentic field video interview featuring footage recorded in France by our very own team! The sample below appears in Module 4 at the end of Volume 1 and this lesson explores the theme of city landmarks, the weather and means of transportation. Lesson 2 interview feature multiple speakers, in this case three, that all respond to the same questions based on the lesson’s themes. As students watch the video, the Connect platform allows students to toggle French captions on and off as they work through the prepared comprehension, analysis and communication activities which can be done in class or as homework. The comprehension and analysis activities are carried out in English to support learners’ progress while the analysis and personal connections activities are in French.

As students progress through each Module, they encounter another authentic video interview in every 4^th lesson. This time, the interview features a single speaker answering a set of questions on the lesson’s themes. The sample below appears in Module 3 and the theme of this lesson is centered around physical traits. The sample video addresses the vocabulary for the lesson and recalls vocabulary that students have already encountered such as personality traits and pastimes. Together with pre- and post-viewing activities, students are able to tease out a more complete picture of a French student’s description of her family members and build their own family portraits in French. As always, captions and image inserts support student comprehension.

Before watching the interview video, learners complete a preparation activity designed to set the cultural context and encourage them to understand some new linguistic features they have not encountered previously. An example is found in activity A below.

Learners will proceed to build a deeper understanding of the spoken language they witness in the interview video by watching the video multiple times. After each viewing, they complete an activity scaffolded to build from general understanding to more profound comprehension of the examples, details, remarks, and expressions used by the French speakers. Thus, the second activity fosters students’ comprehension of general information in activity B above while the third activity, activity C below, supports students as they analyze and draw conclusions about the meanings conveyed.

The fourth activity in the sequence encourages learners to think critically about what the speakers have said and to draw comparisons with their own experiences, attitudes, opinions, and knowledge. Activity D, entitled Connexions personnelles, below, asks students to compare traits of their own family members with the traits discussed by Maëlyne.

Add concluding remarks about the sequence, trans-languaging, multi-literacies, and intertextuality components. and virtual immersion.