Elementary French I and II

What's great about Brian's class is how much French you learn while exerting almost no effort. What's not so great is Brian's condescending and dismissive attitude. That's not to say that Brian can't be nice or that his class is never enjoyable – and in terms of his ability to effectively teach French, he's got a lot going for him. But because of his attitude and his ugly side – when it comes out, he can become derisive, which, if you appreciate kindness, is a bit jarring – his ability to garner respect in limited.

What an incredible prof. She has the enthusiasm and energy of a first time teacher with all the knowledge and experience of a seasoned pro. She has beautifully tailored answers to any question you could ask and has put a lot of thought into her teaching materials.

I found the course to be a fair bit of work - cramming two semesters of French into one is no small feat. And while her exams are hard, they're very fair and my grades directly reflected how hard I studied.

I adore how she wouldn't let us slide on pronunciation. A handful of us in the class had backgrounds in Spanish, and were prone to certain errors because of similarities between the languages. I was maybe the worst about this, and she was patient but insistent that I make strides to improve. My spoken French still leaves much to be desired, but I'm amazed at how solid my listening comprehension is after this one course. I catch bits of French conversation on the train and get a lot of dialogue in French language movies.

In short: overwhelming positive experience. H-L is charming and dedicated and exactly the person you want to introduce you to French.

I hate this man. He is condescending and an elitist. He'll frequently make fun of Ohio State University and the like. And he does not know how to give constructive criticism. He appears to be really nice, but his nasty side really comes out once in a while. True he is a easy going and his work load is reasonable, but I just can't get over this man's personality. I got As in his class, so don't think this is revenge. If you are not bothered by your professor's personality, take this class. But I rather get taught by someone who's compassionate than by a jerk.

The Accelerated Elementary French course with Prof. Hubert-Leibler was perhaps my favorite class during my first semester at Columbia. Prof. Hubert-Leibler truly loves her job and her students, and it shows each day of class. Extremely energetic and thorough, she creates an intense learning environment that doesn't ever actually seem intense. The progress of each student, myself included, was so impressive, and she let us know that too! From the amusing music videos to humorous YouTube clips that helped us with our studies, I give her most of the credit for my continued success with the French language. Knowledgable in multiple languages, she can also often help you if you are having interference with your learning. She doesn't walk around the class even, she runs! I still go and visit her, and every time we cross paths, she gives a huge smile and a "Bonjour!" A one-of-a-kind professor, Prof. Hubert-Leibler is most definitely THE person to start your French studies.

I had Professor Hubert-Leibler for Accelerated Elementary French and she is AWESOME! Very kind and sincere, she always comes into class with a cheerful "Bonjour!"
She is patient and does not use any English (unless there is something that she thinks will be too difficult for us to understand). She also uses great teaching techniques--props, skits, and games to make the 2 hour class stimulating. I totally enjoyed her classes and recommend her 100%!
P.S. This class might be a little intense if you do not have some background. You might want to stick to the regular class if that is the case.