Form-focused instruction in the French L2 classroom

This paper considers the integration of grammar within the communicative method of second language instruction. It discusses the acquisition of the masculine/feminine alternation of regular French adjectives, arguing that this grammatical feature should be taught to students by underscoring the regularity of adjective agreement in French. It then reviews twelve French first-year university-level textbooks popular in the U.S., noting that with two exceptions, they emphasize a Focus on Forms (individual paradigms) and not on form (the system behind the grammar). It concludes with suggestions on how textbooks could most effectively address the masculine/feminine dichotomy of French adjectives.