French for Engineering by Lars Erickson (review)

This well-conceived volume focuses on effective communication exclusively in the target language through the presentation of real-world situations and carefully chosen documents, which provide carefully scaffolded exercises that engage students through a wide array of paired and small group activities. While aimed primarily at engineering students, the text will be quite useful to other instructors of French for Specific Purposes (French for Science and/or Technology or Business French). Beginning at the ACTFL Intermediate-High level, the authentic documents and building of vo-cabulary and tasks, as well as listening and reading comprehension activities, augment proficiency. Each of the nine chapters contains five étapes, which open with la mise en train and increase in degree of complexity as the chapter progresses. For most instructors, each étape likely corresponds to a day's class period. In addition, intentional (but not excessive) redundancy in latter chapters helps build knowledge and aids students to retain and increase their scientific abilities in the target language. The chapters are organized by compelling, relevant topics that appeal to students seeking opportunities to study, intern, or possibly work in France. The first chapter, La préparation académique, focuses on individual student backgrounds while comparing their experiences to that of French-trained students. Authentic class schedules in a wide array of technical fields reveal possible specializations as well as surprising cultural information. For instance, it is clear that in France many more French professors in engineering-related areas are women. Every chapter further deepens reflection, providing opportunities to articulate more complex thoughts. A very transparent pedagogue, Erickson provides Student Learning Objectives for each section. The progression of chapters shows how carefully composed this volume is, as well as how it can serve other areas of focus. The information on the different legal forms of business fit a business course. The final activities of chapters 3, 6, and 9 permit experientially designed assessments which are both useful and engaging. In addition, the pedagogical approach can serve as a model to any instructor of French for Specific Purposes. The student cahier de préparation is easily downloadable at no cost to student and instructor. Containing a plethora of wonderful vocabulary exercises, readings and discussion prompts, this workbook is priceless. The images are colorful, enticing, and larger than those in the text itself. They permit the flipped classroom at the heart of the volume's approach. Instructors will greatly appreciate the wonderfully varied exercises as well as the Teacher's Guide, the Teacher's Answer Key to all exercises, and the viewing and listening opportunities. These additional materials permit great flexibility in the design of the class. My only reserve is the lack of a lexique, which would address the complex vocabulary contained within.