FRENCH
312 - INTERMEDIATE CONVERSATION Spring 2011
Objectives - To increase the student's vocabulary in French
To increase the student's
self-confidence in the use of the language
To facilitate better
self-expression in French
To preserve and use correct
forms of grammar and idiomatic expressions in French
To improve correct intonation
and accent in French
To improve listening
comprehension in French
To improve reading comprehension
In order to achieve the above
objectives, students will be asked to prepare certain materials before they
come to class. These will probably not
be the traditional grammar-type exercises to which most students are accustomed. They will be exercises which will need to be
rehearsed ORALLY, alone or with another students,
before coming to class. During class,
ACTIVE PARTICIPATION is vital in order that each student may have the
opportunity to use new vocabulary and review existing vocabulary and
structure. Students must converse with
one another in French whenever possible as well as with the professor. It is important that students understand the
role their personal motivation and level and degree of work will influence the
progress, success and personal rewards obtained from this course.
Texts - LA FRANCE CONTEMPORAINE, Edmiston &
Duménil
Optional - HOW TO BE A MORE SUCCESSFUL
LANGUAGE LEARNER, Rubin and Thompson
Additional materials - 3 x 5 index cards, cassette
tape, tape recorder (OR writable CD, CD burner), colored pencils or pens, etc.
Grading -
20% prepared oral work (readings, exposés, scénarios)
10% prepared written work (dictées, phonetic exercises,
vocabulary cards)
15% listening exercises (in class, on the internet; listening
journal)
20% class participation (quality and quantity), attendance (2
unexcused absences before the instructor questions the student's desire to
succeed), 2 out of class activities
15% projects
20% mid-term (le jeudi 10 mars en classe)
and final exam (le jeudi 12 mai, 10h45 à 1h15)
* * * * * *
A = 90 - 100 B = 80 - 89 C = 70 - 79 D = 60 – 69
* * * * * *
There will be 4 oral readings
distributed and practiced in class before they are recorded for a grade. See schedule for specific dates. The purpose of this exercise is to practice
correct pronunciation and intonation in a controlled reading. Students will record these readings on a cassette
or a CD.
There will be 3 oral exposés
and 2 role plays prepared at home and presented in class. These will be of varying length and presented
without the aid of notes. They will be
graded on content and style. See
schedule for general topic dates; specific dates for individuals will be given
in class. Students may present their
exposés in class or in the professor’s office; all scenarios will be presented
in class. The purpose of this exercise
is to provide students with the opportunity to rehearse and/or speak
spontaneously in a formally evaluated context.
There will be 4 written
dictations to be transcribed from the professor’s website. Dictionaries and other reference are
permitted as long as that information is indicated on the paper in a different
color. See schedule for specific
dates. The purpose of this exercise is
to improve and enhance listening comprehension.
The texts to be transcribed will be new to students and they will have
to listen and synthesize the information into a viable and comprehensible text.
Since the emphasis in this
course is on correct pronunciation, some work will be done with the phonetic
alphabet in an attempt to aid students with their pronunciation even after the
class has finished. This will involve
homework and quizzes, always using the printed phonetic alphabet as a
reference.
Since vocabulary acquisition is
another goal of this course, students will be required to keep a record of
vocabulary words on 3 x 5 cards. On
these cards, students will write 5 new words each week that they personally
wish to add to their own vocabulary. On
the back of the cards, a definition should be written in French or a visual
drawn. These cards will be collected
twice during the semester (see schedule for specific dates)and
used in the 2 testing situations.
(Students are also encouraged to keep a set of vocabulary cards, perhaps
using a different color of 3 x 5 cards, for the required words from the
readings.)
As one of the main objectives
of this course is to improve listening comprehension, students will be asked to
complete a variety of exercises in class on a weekly basis. Beginning the week of February 8, students
will also be required to listen for at least one hour each week to audio and
video materials in French of their own choosing and to analyze their
listening. A wide variety of materials
are available. A format will be
distributed in class. See
syllabus for due dates. NOTE –
Students write in their journals every week but the journals are collected
every third week.
Any work missed must be made up
within one week. Points will be deducted
for lateness. After one week, a zero
will be recorded for that particular exercise.
Students must do 2
projects, choosing from the lists below or discussing other options with the
professor. Topics for projects must be
chosen by FEBRUARY 10; final descriptions of projects are due MARCH 3.
|
PROJECT CHOICES |
|
1. Prepare and interview a
French-speaking person (15-20 minutes) and record the interview – DUE 4/21 |
|
2. Read a book of your choice
in French and discuss it in French with your professor (15-20 minutes)
discussing plot, characters and your opinion of the book – DUE 3/31 |
|
3. Participate in Immersion
Day – DUE 4/9 |
|
4. Research a topic about
contemporary France and present it to the class (10-15 minutes) – DUE 4/14 |
|
5. Memorize a poem of your
choice in French and recite it in class; also present a brief summary of the
content of the poem and critical information about the poet – DUE 3/17 |
STUDENTS MAY NOT CHANGE THE CHOICE
OF PROJECTS AFTER MARCH 3!!!
Dates listed above are the last
dates a particular project will be accepted.
Projects may be completed earlier than the date listed. For projects to be presented in class,
discuss the date of the presentation with the professor at least one week in
advance of the presentation.
PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS
1. Interview: The professor will select a French-speaking
person for you to interview. Those students choosing this project will meet as
a group outside of class to discuss appropriate questions. It will be your responsibility to a) contact
the person regarding a time and place for the interview; b) be on time for the
interview; c) bring a tape and tape recorder to the interview to record your
conversation (if you use a recorder with a mini-cassette, please give the
professor the recorder and tape); d) end the interview graciously and
gracefully after 15-20 minutes. The
purpose of this project is to permit you to develop your listening and speaking
skills in a spontaneous conversation.
You will be graded on: accent and
intonation; grammatical accuracy of your questions and comments; how you react
to the flow of the conversation (see rubric).
Due on or before 4/21.
2. Book review: The
choice of your book (novel/play/short story/etc.) must be approved by the
professor. Please give her a copy of the
book by March 3. Books are available in
the library, and the professor’s office.
When you have read the book, make an appointment with the
professor. You will be expected to give
a brief résumé of the story, describe the main characters and give your opinion
of the book (most of the time should be spent with this section). You are expected to speak for 15-20 minutes. The purpose of this project is to develop your
reading and speaking skills. You will be
graded on: accent and intonation; grammatical accuracy; how you convey your
ideas (see rubric). Due on or before 3/31.
3. Immersion Day:
Students may participate in an all day immersion-type experience
Saturday, April 9 from 10 a.m. until
10-11 get
acquainted activities/games
11-12 commercial
games (MONOPOLY, MILLE BORNES, TRIVIAL PURSUIT, etc.)
12- 1 French lunch
provided by the French Club
1-
2 French guests
2-
3 PICTIONARY
3- 4 simulation
4-
5 role playing / skits
5- 6 dinner at an
area restaurant (student to pay)
4. Research: The
choice of your topic must be approved by the professor. If you select this project, please include a
partial bibliography of books/articles in French which you will be using
as references. You must have a variety
of sources. Depending on your topic, you may find information in the library,
on the Internet, or in the professor’s office. Notify the professor at least
one week in advance when you would like to present your topic to the class. You are expected to speak 15-20 minutes. You may use notes but you will be penalized
if you read. You may use slides,
pictures, realia, Power Point, Photo Story, Prezi etc. with your presentation
if you wish. If you feel that there are
a few important vocabulary words which are crucial to your presentation and
which the class might not know, plan to discuss them in French before your
presentation. The purpose of this
project is to develop your reading and speaking skills. You will be graded on: accent and intonation, grammatical accuracy;
how you convey your ideas (see rubric).
Due on or before 4/14.
5. Poem: You may
choose any poem in French to recite as long as it is approved by the professor
by 3/3. If you choose this project,
please include a copy of the poem for the professor. The poem must be memorized and you should
also plan to present a brief summary of the context of the poem to the class
before you recite it. You must also
include some biographical information about the poet. If you feel that there are a few important
vocabulary words which are crucial to your presentation and which the class
might not know, plan to discuss them in French prior to your presentation. Please notify the professor at least a week
in advance when you would like to recite the poem in class. The entire presentation should last 10-15
minutes. This project will provide an
opportunity to develop reading skills and to practice accent and intonation in
a controlled manner. You will be graded on:
accent and intonation; adherence to text; dramatic interpretation of the
material (see rubric). Due on or before
3/17.
Office hours
Mon., Wed., Fri. 11:00-11:45
Tues., Thurs. 9:30-10:45
Holloway Hall 105 e-mail:
afwhite@salisbury.edu
other office hours by appointment 410-543-6253
The
professor may contact the class via e-mail using SU e-mail addresses. Students who prefer to use their personal
e-mail addresses should forward information from their SU address in order to remain
current with class information. The
University’s official mode of communication with students is your campus e-mail
account on GroupWise. All campus offices
use this mode of communication. Failure
to read notices sent to your campus e-mail account is not an excuse for missing
deadlines.
During the course of the
semester, students are expected to attend 2 out of class activities. 1 of the activities should have a linguistic
purpose i.e. the possibility of improving students’ level of language and
comprehension. The second activity
should have a cultural purpose i.e. the possibility of improving students’
awareness of Francophone culture. A list
of possible activities, the format of the written report and a rubric will be
provided. One activity must be completed
and written about by mid-semester; the second activity ,
must be completed and written about by the last day of class.
This course fulfills the
General Education requirement I-B.
Cell phones should be off and
put away during class and exams.
Dictations and other written
work are assigned with Writing Across the Curriculum
in mind. The transfer of writing skills
from on language to another enhances the ability to write well in both English
and French. Evaluation of written
assignments will be based on both form and content.
Academic integrity – The best
learning environment is one based on mutual respect and trust. However, the desire to achieve a good grade
without doing the necessary work may tempt some students to cheat on exams or
to represent the work of others as their own.
At
Instances of
academic dishonesty include all, but are not limited to, the following:
*** Plagiarism – presenting as one’s own work,
whether literally
or in
paraphrase, the work of another author
*** Cheating on exams, tests, quizzes; the
wrongful giving or
accepting of
unauthorized exam material; and the use of
illegitimate
sources of information
*** unsanctioned
collaboration with other individuals in the
completion of
course assignments
*** Falsifying excuses for non-attendance or
completion of
assignments
There are no
mitigating circumstances to justify academic dishonesty. IF you are unclear
about what constitutes academic dishonesty or plagiarism, please ask. Ignorance is no excuse. Discovery of academic dishonesty will bring
stiff penalties, including a failing grade for the assignment in question and
possibly a grade of F for the course.
The maximum penalty at
Students are responsible for
all adjustments to their schedules. All
changes such as drops and adds must be made through
the office of the Registrar. Failure to officially
drop a course or officially withdraw from school will result in the
issuance of the grade of "F" for all courses involved. Remember, simply stopping your attendance of
a class is not an official drop or withdrawal.
In case of inclement or severe
weather, students should use their best judgement regarding their class
attendance.
In case of fire, exit the
classroom and then the building using the exterior door opposite the
classroom. Proceed to the parking lot
and await your professor and / or instructions from the Fire Department
NATIONAL STANDARDS
This course provides
opportunities for students to achieve the National Standards for Foreign
Language Learning in
COMMUNICATION: Communication in languages
other than English
1.1 Interpersonal communication
1.2 Interpretive communication
1.3 Presentational communication
CULTURES: Gain knowledge and
understanding of other cultures
2.1 Practices of culture
2.2 Products of culture
CONNECTIONS: Connect with other disciplines
and acquire information
3.1 Furthering connections
3.2 Acquiring information
COMPARISONS: Develop insights into the
nature of language and culture
4.1 Language comparisons
4.2 Cultural comparisons
COMMUNITIES: Participate in multilingual
communities at home and around the world
5.1 School and community
5.2 Life-long learning
TENTATIVE WEEKLY SCHEDULE
|
Date |
En classe |
Journal à
écouter |
Exposé oral |
Dictée |
Lecture
orale |
|
Le 25 jan |
Introduction |
|
|
|
|
|
Le 27 jan |
Phonétique /
comment lire |
|
|
|
|
|
Le 1er fév |
Chap. 2 pp.
15-21 p. 31 ex I |
|
|
|
|
|
Le 3 fév |
Chap. 2 pp.
21-27 p. 31-32 ex
II, IV |
|
Une personne
importante |
|
|
|
Le 8 fév |
Chap. 2 pp.
27-30 p. 32-33 ex
III, V |
|
“ |
|
|
|
Le 10 fév |
Finir le
Chapitre 2 Choix de projets |
(1) |
“ |
|
#1 – Chap 2
p. 27 |
|
Le 15 fév |
PAS DE
CLASSE |
|
|
#1 |
|
|
LE 17 fév |
Chap. 4 pp.
56-59 p.72 ex I
(1-4) |
(2) |
“ |
|
|
|
Le 22 fév |
Chap. 4 pp.
59-64 p. 72 ex I
(5-13) |
|
|
|
|
|
Le 24 fév |
Chap. 4 pp.
64-71 p. 72 ex I
(14-20) |
Prendre
journaux 1, 2, 3 |
Scénario #1 |
|
|
|
Le 1er mars |
Finir le
chapitre 4 25 cartes de vocabulaire |
|
“ |
|
|
|
Le 3 mars |
Chap. 9
pp.144-147 p. 161 ex I
(1-5) Description finale des projets |
(4) |
“ |
|
#2 – Chap.
4, p.58 |
|
Le 8 mars |
Chap. 9
pp.147-154 p. 161 ex I
(6-12) |
|
“ |
|
|
|
Le 10 mars |
Examen de
mi-semestre |
(5) |
|
#2 |
|
|
Le 15 mars |
Chap. 9
pp.154-160 p. 161 ex I
(13-20) |
|
Événement
extraordinaire |
|
|
|
Le 17 mars |
Chap. 12
pp.206-207 [poème] |
Prendre
journaux 4, 5, 6 |
“ |
|
|
|
Le 29 mars |
Chap. 12 –
le christianisme, le catholicisme |
|
“ |
|
|
|
Le 31 mars |
Chap. 12 –
le judaïsme, l’islam [livre] |
(7) |
|
|
#3 – Chap.9,
p. 158 |
|
Le 5 avr |
Des invités |
|
|
|
|
|
Le 7 avr |
Chap. 12 pp.
221-223 p. 225 ex
III, IV [Journée d’immersion le 9 avr] |
(8) |
Scénario #2 |
|
|
|
Le 12 avr |
Chap. 12 pp.
226-232 |
|
“ |
#3 |
|
|
Le 14 avr |
Chap. 13 pp.
232-235 [recherché] |
Prendre
journaux 7, 8, 9 |
“ |
|
|
|
Le 19 avr |
Chap. 13 pp.
235-239 |
|
“ |
|
|
|
Le 21 avr |
Chap. 13 –
termes à identifier p. 241 ex IV [Interview] |
(10) |
|
|
#3 – Chap.12
p. 217 |
|
Le 26 avr |
Chap. 14 pp.
242-244 25 cartes de vocabulaire |
|
Si je
pouvais changer le monde, |
|
|
|
Le 28 avr |
Chap. 14 pp.
244-252 |
(11) |
“ |
|
|
|
Le 3 mai |
Chap. 14 pp.
252-256 |
|
“ |
|
|
|
Le 5 mai |
Chap. 14 pp.
256-259 p. 262 ex V,
VI |
Prendre les
journaux 10, 11, 12 |
“ |
#4 |
|
|
Le 10 mai |
Ratrapper…………. |
|
|
|
|
Examen
final –le jeudi 12 mai, 10h45 à 13h15