You will find below some of the most popular methods of French as a foreign language for adults. Some of them are pretty new, while others are best-sellers. This is NOT an exhaustive list, just recommendations.

To give you an idea about the prices, I have tried to link most of them with their Amazon page (not meaning to do marketing for Amazon, but it is used world-widely).

My favorites are in red color.

Tips: All of those methods are following the « communicative approach » which means the grammar is pretty light in it, sometimes too light. I usually recommend to my students to buy an extra book for grammar (including lessons and exercises) to complete those methods and have stronger skills in the worldwide famous tough French grammar! 

For extra books (grammar, writing, speaking) to complete those general methods, click here.

 

Agenda

• 192 pages
• Editeur: Hachette Français Langue Etrangère (1 février 2011)

Alter Ego

• 192 pages
• Editeur: Hachette (1 février 2006)
• My opinion: This method is well-known since most of the Alliances Françaises in the world are using it. The pictures are beautiful and the themes are up to date, but it is lacking in structure in my opinion. The lessons are a bit messy, it often confuses the students (it confuses me as well !). There is an updated version called Alter Ego + which is much better.

A Propos

• 112 pages
• Editeur: PUG (15 janvier 2009)

A Vrai Dire

• 128 pages
• Editeur: Blackcat-cideb (11 décembre 2012)

Echo 

• 191 pages
• Editeur: Cle International (31 janvier 2008)

Edito

• B1/B2!!!
• 223 pages
• Editeur: Didier (12 février 2010)

Latitudes

• 192 pages
• Editeur: Cornelsen Verlag Gmbh (août 2008)

Le Nouveau Taxi !

• Editeur: Hachette (5 décembre 2008)
• My opinion: The Taxi ! collection is a very clear and structured method, well adapted to private lessons. Most of the students are very comfortable with it, especially the beginners. So far, it is my favorite method.

Le Nouveau Rond-Point

• 206 pages
• Editeur: La Maison des langues (24 février 2011)

Mobile

• 140 pages
• Editeur: Didier (8 février 2012)

Vite et Bien 

• Editeur: Cle International (15 janvier 2009)
• My opinion: The textbook’s structure is pretty clear, but this not the funniest one ! Most of the pictures are not attractive, and the textbook’s shape is a bit boring. However, this is probably the best textbook if you want to learn French by yourself or with a private tutor, since most of the activities can be done by pairs or students alone.

Version Originale

• 204 pages
• Editeur: Editions Maison des Langues (14 septembre 2009)

 

For your information, the Alliance Française de Paris started using Version Originale in 2013 after years and years of using Alter Ego and/or Taxi !. Most of the Alliances Françaises in the world, as well as other language institutes, watch closely what Paris does since Paris is the « leader » of the French as a foreign language.

So far, the other Alliances Françaises are still using mainly Alter Ego, Taxi ! and Latitudes.

Here the websites of the main publishers for French as a foreign language’s materials:

Hachette fle

Didier fle

CLE International

La maison des langues

Blackcat-cideb

Presses Universitaires de Grenoble (PUG)

Finally, you can find an exhaustive list of ALL the methods from the CIEP website here: Full-list