College in High School Course Syllabus
French 0004
Intermediate College French 2
(3 Credits)
This course is Intermediate College French 2. High school students will take this instead of the normal French 5.
The school will determine who is eligible to take this advanced course.
Grade is determined by the student's performance on homework, attendance and participation, oral interviews, chapter compositions and chapter tests.
The required text for this course is Controverses, Larbi Oukada, Didier Bertrand and Janet Solberg (Heinle Thomson Publishing, 2006, ISBN 141305451X).
Course Objectives
Speak French well enough to ask and answer questions on a variety of topics important in francophone cultures beyond those needed to "survive" in the foreign culture. Indeed, you will gain the ability to talk about more than yourself and your friends; you will be able to talk about social issues, the future, and the media. Gradually, you will find it easier to add detail to your narratives and to link ideas together into more complex sentences. You should see an increased ability to discuss past or future events with less hesitation and greater accuracy.
Understand French well enough to grasp main ideas and some supporting details in short conversations (spontaneous or recorded) pertinent to topics mentioned above.
Read and understand main ideas and many details of literary and non-literary texts.
Write longer and more cohesive paragraphs than you wrote as a beginner.
Gain a greater awareness of francophone cultures and a better understanding of the cultural implications of written, visual and virtual texts.
Master the basic grammatical structures and have a better understanding of how French works as a language.
Approach to Teaching and Learning
The approach used in our courses can be characterized as communicative and integrated. "Communicative" means that the focus of the course is on language use in realistic settings, not performing exercises, which have no immediate justification other than the practice of a particular procedure. "Integrated" means that the various aspects that make up the language-learning experience are not separated or isolated but will be treated as complementary to one another. In one single activity, you may learn some facts, practice certain grammatical structures, and communicative strategies. Our approach is also "integrated" in the sense that language and culture are not treated as separate but inter-related: You are learning about French culture not only when you listen to a song or analyze a cultural document but also when you and your instructor use the language itself which is a social and cultural tool.
Student's Role
Much of the responsibility for learning a language falls on you, the student. A large part of your grade is based on attendance and participation. Because it is not realistic to expect to communicate in a new language if you are not physically present to practice it, it is essential that you attend class regularly. A few other suggestions that will ensure optimal benefits from your French class:
- Observe: Try to develop comprehension strategies to deal with the language- learning environment and to understand what is expected of you in class. Study the gestures people make when they talk; watch others who may know more than you do and use them as models. Ask for clarifications or explanations—in French!
- Listen: Realize that you need to understand the general meaning of messages, but you should resist the urge to identify each word separately or translate things into English. Try to associate meaning directly to what you see and hear so you may develop an understanding of French "from the inside."
- Speak: Even if you feel you will make mistakes, speak as much as you can. We consider making mistakes a necessary part of the learning process! Do pay attention to correct usage, and you will learn from your errors. Always remember that the superior language learner is a risk-taker.
Course Policies
Assignments: You are responsible for doing the exercises in the workbook on your own and for self-correcting them by using the answer key at the end of the book (activities marked with an asterisk (*) are self-correcting). Homework assignments must be completed and handed in on time.
Attendance: Because being in class to communicate in French is an essential component of this course, you need to come to class regularly.
Evaluation: Examinations 40 percent (Orals 20 percent, Midterm 10 percent, Final 10 percent). Writing Assignments 30 percent (Portfolio 15 percent, Journal 15 percent). In-class participation 20 percent. Quizzes & workbook checks 10 percent.
Final Exam: The final exam is a cumulative exam.
Participation: Since participation is a large component of your final grade in this course (20 percent), your daily efforts to arrive punctually, come to class prepared, and participate in all class activities are essential.
Plagiarism: "To present, as one's own work, the ideas, representation, or words of another" is to plagiarize no matter the source: books, magazines, the Internet, or seeking help from someone else. Plagiarism is a form of cheating, and such cheating may be punished by failure in a course as well as suspension or dismissal from the university. You should not ask native speakers or other students studying French to translate your work into French for you. The use of artificial or human translators is strictly prohibited. The penalty for plagiarism for all assignments is an automatic “F” grade as well as a conference with your instructor and the Language Coordinator.
Writing Assignments: There are two types of writing assignments in this course. Throughout the term, you will be given journal assignments as a more informal way of working on your written French. These assignments will also serve as a vehicle for in-class participation, so you are expected to complete journal assignments in a timely way and bring your journal to each class session. The portfolio serves as a different writing format that involves more formal written work. For each portfolio assignment, you will spend time in class organizing and developing your ideas with your teacher's help. As part of the evaluation process for portfolios, you are encouraged to be reflective with respect to your written language development. The portfolio includes four written components, and each component will be accompanied by a self-evaluation completed by you on your language development.