Odyssée: méthode de français B2 by O Quévreux et al (review)

Abstract

Reviewed by: Odyssée: méthode de français B2 by O Quévreux et al Juliette D. Duthoit Quévreux, O., F. Delcambre, F. Olivry, S. Anthony, A. Soucé, T. Heranic, et L. Redmond. Odyssée: méthode de français B2. CLE International, 2022. ISBN: 978-2-09-035583-3. This French textbook follows the European language framework (CERF) and targets advanced learners of French (B2 level) who already have a good mastery of the French language. The general aesthetic of the book is appealing with pictures on every page and a clear layout. The book is divided into nine thematic units, themselves divided into an introduction, four lessons with vocabulary and grammar objectives, a final task, and an informal assessment to confirm the completion of the unit objectives. Each unit would take approximately 15 to 20 hours of class. The textbook also comes with three DELF B2 practices and media material (audio recordings and videos with optional French subtitles) that can be accessed and downloaded for free online (odyssee.cle-international.com). The units are communication-oriented and rely on varied realia such as novel extracts, interviews, songs, magazine articles or television reports. The activities are neither varied nor original (reading/listening comprehensions or imitation productions) but lead to discussions, debates, or scenarios on current and engaging topics. Each unit has a different final task from creating a cartoon on a life ritual to organizing a day of awareness for a stirring cause. The book’s true originality lies in its structure: the communicative units are followed by 45 pages of extra activities focusing on explicit grammar, on vocabulary, and on methodology (how to write a film review, how to write an argumentative essay, etc.). Those activities allow a certain flexibility for the instructor who can then tailor the course to the learners’ specific needs without having to find or create supplemental activities themselves. To facilitate the instructor’s work, those extra activities are organized according to the unit in which they would be relevant. The book also shines in its efforts on diversity. The chosen themes address the cultural plurality of both the French speaking world and the learners. The concept of diversity is introduced right off the bat with the first video which shows weddings and funerals from all over the world and with the first text that presents various steps in life from—in order—Bali, France, and then Mali. It is refreshing to no longer start with the “Occidental norm” and then introduce other cultures’ variations as an afterthought, as we often see in textbooks. Furthermore, I applaud the dedication to representation: in addition to having media with accents from all continents and texts from different Francophone cultures, the book is full of pictures representing varied ethnicity and cultural habits. It also has a unit dedicated to societal changes that includes disability, French inclusive writing, and activism. I deplore the missed opportunity of giving visibility to other minorities such as LGBTQA+, however, the final tasks leave the door open to broach extra topics according to the learners’ interests. Altogether, this higher-level textbook is a well-thought guide to proficiency that [End Page 183] gathers engaging discussion topics on current societal trends and issues and that is explicitly designed to help the instructor tailor the course to learners’ needs and objectives with activities à la carte. [End Page 184] Juliette D. Duthoit Tennessee Tech University Copyright © 2023 American Association of Teachers of French