Literature. Littérature.

A singularly remarkable feature of all online ‘for-profit’ courses is the absence of literature. It is as if the purpose of learning a language is to somehow manage to converse in that language when you visit the country for a fortnight, if that. C’est dommage! That’s a pity!

Perhaps I am being too harsh. After all, most of the courses are aimed at beginners. Introducing literature at a very early stage may actually turn away potential learners. But on the other hand, what prevents these courses from introducing small, simple stories at an early stage? These stories can support the language elements taught in the courses. The stories need not start from chapter one. They can start from the 10th chapter if that makes sense. What is needed is imagination.

Just to clarify, I am not talking of courses that are woven around situations. Almost all courses do that in one way or another. If I were to design a French course it would teach language elements and finish it off with a easy-read story. Perhaps, some day I will.

And small, simple stories need not always be children’s stories! With a little imagination good short, simple stories can be written for adult learners too, don’t you think? Ne pensez-vous? If the French course designers do not wish to exert too much, all they need to do is take appropriate extracts from numerous short stories written by Balzac or Maupassant.