Saint Michael's College -- Department of Modern Languages -- French 110

Course Guide – Fall Semester 2003

FR110 Home Page

Professors Constance Anderson, Ben Clarke, Anne Pease McConnell

 Texts and Materials

Valdman, Pons, et al.  Chez Nous: Branché sur le monde francophone, 2nd edition.  Prentice Hall, 2002 (with accompanying student interactive CD-ROM).

Scullen & Cassidy, Workbook/Lab Manual for Chez Nous, 2nd edition.  Prentice Hall, 2002.

On-line resource: The Chez Nous Web site is www.prenhall.com/cheznous.  You will be prompted to choose 1st or 2nd edition.  Be sure to choose 2nd edition.  This is a useful resource for grammar and vocabulary practice, and it is self-correcting, so you are provided with immediate feedback.

Course Description

This course is an intensive introduction to French language and culture.  Through classroom activities, reading and writing, lab sessions, Internet activities, videos and broadcasts, and interactions with other French speakers, you will develop oral and written basic communication skills.  This is the first in a series of two courses that will provide you with the tools to reach proficiency at the intermediate level.

FRENCH ONLY IS SPOKEN IN CLASS.  You may ask questions in English before or after the class, however in class you need to communicate exclusively in French.

In the Classroom

  • Daily class attendance is essential to developing your French skills.  You are expected to be in class unless you have a medical or school-related reason for being absent.  Inform me before the class you miss, or immediately following it, if you consider your absence to be excusable.  There will be no make-ups for graded activities or tests missed due to unexcused absences.  As described in the College Catalogue, students with excessive absences (5 or more) will be reported to the Dean and may be dropped from the course.
  • Learn to be a good listener.  Relax and don’t panic if you don’t know what a word or a question “means”.
  • Don’t worry about translating new terms into English.  Translation is one of the most difficult skills to learn.  You will not be tested on your ability to translate.
  • Accept confusion.  The pace is fast and a little confusion is normal.  Everything you learn will come around several times before you are expected to know it.
  • Play the game!  In order to learn French, you must hear it, read it and use it in speaking and writing.  Since French is the classroom language, we must often rely on visual strategies to communicate.  Use body language, gestures, and drawings to get your point across.
  • Be creative and have fun.  Don’t hesitate to make jokes when you can.  Be creative.  You don’t always have to answer a question truthfully – just make sure it is in French!  Help your classmates when they need it.


The Texts

No assignments are given in the text until the material has been presented in class.  Most of what we do in class is repeated and reinforced in the text, so keep in-class note-taking to a minimum.  Listen and participate instead.  Use the text as a reference when you are doing exercises.

Exercises in the workbook (le cahier) will be assigned as we go over each point.

Your lab manual is in the back of the workbook.  It is self-correcting.  Please take the time to correct your work and ask questions about problems you are having.

Labs

Audio labs. All audio labs for Chez Nous, 2nd edition are accessible through digital audio files on your Mikenet computer.  In order to access these files, you need to complete a set-up procedure.  Follow the directions on the included “How to Access the Digital Audio” sheet to create a connection for yourself to the Chez Nous audio files.  Once you have completed the set-up procedure, you will have an icon on your desktop for digital audio, and you can complete your lab assignments from any Mikenet computer.  You will need either speakers or headphones to listen to lab assignments.  Headphones are available at the Language Laboratory in St. Edmunds 215.  If you have questions about setting up your connection to digital audio or experience problems with the audio files during the semester, call the language lab for assistance.

Web Exercises.  You will be periodically assigned tasks to complete using French language sites on the World Wide Web.  The results of your visits to the Web will be communicated orally or in writing.  Tasks will be explained on our course web site through links on the syllabus.

Homework (Devoirs)

You should expect to have some homework every day.  Learning a language is an activity that needs to be reinforced daily and supplemental work beyond the 50 minutes in class is part of the process.  Homework that is collected will be marked with a “+” (creative, interesting, accurate), a check mark (good, acceptable), or a “-“(study again).  Only homework turned in on time will be considered for a check or a “+”.  Late homework assignments will automatically receive a “-“, however keep in mind that a “-“ is better that a zero.

Grading

You will be graded on your French proficiency in five categories.  The work you do throughout the semester will comprise 70% of your course grade.  Your final proficiency testing in these categories will represent 30% of your course grade.

Oral proficiency...25%             Oral proficiency check-ins, in-class oral participation including dialogues, skits and presentations, oral examinations.

Writing Proficiency…25%        Written homework, short essays, some sections of chapter exams and a writing sample at the end of the semester.

Listening Proficiency…17%      In-class responses, audio lab exercises, living labs and chapter exams.

Reading Proficiency…17%        Homework exercises, reading activities in the textbook, living labs and comprehension sections on chapter exams.

Grammar Proficiency…16%      Homework exercises, grammar section on chapter exams and the general accuracy with which you express yourself orally and in writing.