Vis-a-vis engages students with its unique integration of contemporary culture and communicative building blocks, providing tools to build a solid foundation in introductory French. Building communicative competence with Vis-a-visOne of the major challenges of the introductory language course is to give each student ample exposure to the language and sufficient opportunity to practice speaking, both in and out of the classroom. On our Connect platform, students have full access to the eBook, online Workbook/Laboratory Manual activities, LearnSmart, and all accompanying audio and video resources. In Vis-a-vis, the following resources work together to promote communicative competence: Interactive vocabulary presentations (Paroles) include audio recordings, allowing students to listen, record, and practice new vocabulary outside of class.Interactive activities for vocabulary and grammar, many of which are auto-graded, give students the opportunity to complete their assignments and come to class better prepared to participate in paired and group activities.Prononcez bien! activities include a recording feature and provide students with opportunities for discrete-word and contextualized practice that help students develop confidence in their speaking abilities.Recordings of lively mini-dialogues featuring the blog characters give students a spirited introduction to the new grammatical structure in context.Seventeen Grammaire interactive tutorials, each with a brief practice quiz, focus on structures that students typically struggle with, such as passe compose vs. imparfait. LearnSmart modules for vocabulary and grammar: This powerful adaptive tool helps students pinpoint their weaknesses and gives them an individualized study program based on their results. Audio prompts for vocabulary and grammar help students strengthen both their listening and writing skills. Building cultural competence with Vis-a-visThe program's meaningful and extensive exploration of the rich culture of France and the Francophone world is fully supported throughout the program.Each four-chapter segment of Vis-a-vis focuses on a new French or Francophone character and region. The personal online journal entries in Le blog de... the related Reportage, and the Bienvenue readings that precede Chapter 1 and follow Chapters 4, 8, 12, and 16, expose students to contemporary language and the vast diversity of life and culture in France, Canada, Tunisia, and beyond. Le videoblog de...and the stunning Bienvenue video segments feature the bloggers and give students a window into the sights and sounds of eight different French-speaking regions/countries including France, Martinique, and Tahiti. Each video is accompanied by comprehension and cross-cultural comparison activities that encourage students to make connections between their culture and those of the French-speaking world.A brand-new feature has been added below the Reportage, entitled Le Micro-trottoir. Le micro-trottoir provides students a chance to see everyday language in action through recorded "man-on-the-street" interviews featuring a diverse group of people.

Vis-a-vis engages students with its unique integration of contemporary culture and communicative building blocks, providing tools to build a solid foundation in introductory French. The hallmarks of Vis-a-vis include a clear chapter structure with four lessons in which vocabulary, grammar, and culture work together as integrated units; an abundance of practice activities that range from form-focused to communicative; a balanced approach to the four skills; and rich and diverse coverage of the Francophone world. The easy-to-use Connect platform provides ample opportunity for practicing receptive listening and reading skills, acquiring vocabulary and grammar, and producing open-ended writing and speaking responses (alone or in groups). The rich video program helps to build cultural as well as linguistic competence. These features of Vis-a-vis support the core goals of the Introductory French course-communicative and cultural competence-and lay the groundwork for student success.