Pr
1.The place
As far as possible you should avoid operating in class rooms: schools which don't have an "interior games room" are very rare. You should place pupils at tables resembling bridge tables as far as possible and you should avoid sitting them in a circle or in serried ranks (that's no fun!)

2.The time
The ideal of course, is to have a lesson during the pupils' time-table. Failing this, though it is possible, it would be better not to have a lesson between 12 and 2 o'clock which will penalise pupils who go home for lunch; the best being 4 to 5 o'clock or 5 to 6 o'clock (if the late departure of these young pupils does not present a problem for the administration or the parents).

3.The number of participants
It is quite difficult to give a precise number because there are many practical considerations (the size of the room, the number of tables etc.) and subjective considerations (the personality of the teacher, his ease of controlling the situation…): if the number of four seems an incontrovertible minimum it would seem that the group should not exceed sixteen so that the teacher can reasonably look after everybody, including during the "free" deals. The ideal would seem to be the same as for a group of adult beginners; two to three tables (being clear, as if it were necessary, that you can only accept groups in multiples of four).

4.The frequency and duration
There should not be more than one lesson a week, the duration being one to one and a quarter hours; the plan is for one hour with the extra to allow the players to finish the deal which they are playing.

If your pupils have the opportunity, encourage them nonetheless to play again during the week among themselves. This will develop their curiosity for the game and the spirit of initiative whilst allowing them to master more quickly the mechanics of the card game.

Moreover, even if the proposed progression is extended over 25 weeks this figure must be seen as a minimum which can be increased if there are difficulties in assimilating information or mental blocks at any stage: considering that there is enough material for a first year don't be afraid of repeating things patiently and gently.

Don't worry either about "finishing the course". If you notice a mismatch between the planned rate and the speed at which your pupils acquire knowledge you can leave out lessons 19, 20 and 21. Do complete lessons 22 and 24 which are very important for what follows.

There is no need to "exceed the prescribed dose": these files are amply sufficient for one school year and even if, perchance, there remain several weeks before the summer holidays (which would be remarkable given all the imponderables) you could go back over certain lessons, clarify notions which may have been only partially acquired first time round, repeat certain explanations, offer other examples for certain cases, make them replay certain deals, in a word "hammer it home" so as to fix the mechanics and to memorise crucial points (the decision table, mark, "magic" numbers…): there is no doubt that going on to bidding will thereby be greatly facilitated.