COURSE SYLLABUS

                                                          Camden County College, NJ

 

 

Course Title:  Elementary French II

Course No.: FRE-102

Date:  May 2003

Department/Program Affiliation:  Language & Culture

Credit:  3

Contact Hours:  Lecture – 3

Pre-requisites:  Elementary French I

Co-requisites:  None

 

Course Description/ Goals:

This course introduces the student to the language and culture of the French-speaking world. It provides the student with basic working information of the language (listening, speaking, reading, writing) in order to interact and communicate with others while gaining a greater understanding of and respect for the cultural perspectives, practices, and products of different cultures.

 

 

Course Objectives/ Students Learning outcomes:

 

Upon completion of this course students will be able to:

1. Communicate orally and in writing in natural-sounding French and in culturally appropriate ways on the items in the course outline
2. Read with comprehension both informational and literary texts from authentic French sources
3. Understand French when spoken by a variety of people using authentic speech patterns and rates of speed
4. Demonstrate awareness and understanding of cultural institutions and culturally determined patterns of behavior
5. Develop critical thinking skills as they apply to language learning
6. Link language study to broader and complementary discipline areas

 

 

Course outline:

                                               

lessons 5-8

 

Vocabulary:

·                    Describe housing, rooms and furnishings

·                    Tell time

·                    Express and respond to apologies

·                    Talk about everyday activities and actions

·                    Ask about and identify specific people and things

·                    Describe types and colors of clothing

·                    Express abilities and say what you want

·                    Ask questions about people and things

·                    Names of food and stores

·                    Express quantity

·                    Meals and dining habits

 

 

Grammar:

·                    The verb to do, to make (faire) + expressions

·                    Interrogative and demonstrative adjectives

·                    More on gender of nouns and the form of the plural

·                    Verbs pouvoir and vouloir

·                    Irregular verbs

·                    Interrogative pronouns

·                    Partitives and expressions of quantity

·                    Indirect object pronoun

·                    Verbs: prendre, mettre, boire

·                    Regular –re verbs

·                    The imperative

·                    Verbs like sortir

 

 

Students will focus on the following cultural aspects:

 

·                    French family customs and their diversity from region to region

·                    French clothing and fashion

·                    How French people buy and prepare food

·                    Common foods in France and other French-speaking countries

·                    How French people conduct conversations

·                    Meal and dining habits

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Instructor:

 

Text and workbook :  Debuts, by H. Jay Siskin , McGraw Hill., New York, 2003,

     first edition. 

 

 

Office:

 

Office Hours:

 

Telephone:

 

 

 

Course Activities:

An eclectic method is used.  The emphasis however is on the communicative approach.  A wide range of learning activities is employed.  The objectives of the course are attained through extensive and varied pattern drills, written and oral assignments and conversations. Audio-visual materials are employed. Other activities include use of the world wide web (WWW), questions and answers, recordings, suitable games, pronunciation drills, songs, lecture, movies, etc.

 

Student evaluation:

1. A test is given after every chapter.  Additional quizzes are given and oral testing is performed.  These evaluate the student’s performance in the skill areas of listening, comprehension, speaking proficiency, reading and writing ability and cultural understanding.
2. Homework assignments
3. Daily oral class work
4. Role play situations
5. A final examination
6. Class attendance is imperative and is calculated in the final grade

 

 

Grade:  Your grade in this class will be based on the following criteria:

 

            Participation              _____%

           

            Oral assessment       _____%

 

            Homework                 _____%

 

            Chapter Exams         _____%

 

            Chapter Quizzes       _____%

 

            Final Exam                 _____%

                                   

                                                    100%

 

 

           

            90 - 100% &nnbsp;                A

            80  - 89%                   B

            70  - 79%                   C

            60  - 69%                   D

            59% and below         F

 

Skills:

 

This is a college-level transfer course.  In order to succeed you will need college-

level skills in reading, writing, listening, and note taking.

 

Attendance

 

Attendance is mandatory.  If you do not need to attend this class to pass the chapter exams, you belong in a more advanced French class.  In conforming to the Department of Language and Culture:

·        3 late arrivals equal one absence. Early departure counts as lateness.  It is your responsibility to inform me after class that you came in late.  Failure to do so might result in you being marked absent.

·        More than 4 absences for T/TH classes and 6 absences for M/W/F classes will result in a lowered final grade by 3% for each additional absence up to 6 for T/TH, and 9 for M/W/F.  After that the grade F will be given.

·        More than 2 absences for classes that meet 1 time a week or 6-week mini sessions will result in a lowered final grade by 3% for each additional absence up to 4.  After that the grade F will be given.

·        There are no excused absences.  A religious holiday, a funeral, marriage, sickness counts as an absence given without a penalty, they are included in the 4 on T/TH or 6 on M/W/F, etc.  I do not collect doctor’s notes.  When you return to class you are expected to be prepared.

 

Participation

 

Class participation is a vital part of your language-learning experience and it counts as _____% of your grade in this course.  Participation grades are given in 5-point increments: 100 percent, 95 percent, 90 percent, 85 percent, etc.

You can improve your participation grade by: (1) coming to class prepared and ready to participate on a regular basis; (2) consistently interacting in French with your professor and classmates.

 

Chapter Tests

 

There will be tests after each chapter in this course, Each test will have spelling, listening comprehension, reading, culture, vocabulary and writing components. 

 

 

Final Exam

 

The Final Exam will test all chapters studied in the semester.  You must take the Final Exam during the regularly scheduled exam time.

 

 

Tests Return Policy

 

All tests will be returned for review within two weeks and then kept by the instructor.

 

 

Academic Honesty

 

Cheating is NOT tolerated on either Test/Quizzes or homework.  Anyone caught copying from others or allowing others to copy their work is subject to receiving and “F” in this class. This includes computer translators. These are not permitted for work that needs to be turned in as an assignment.

 

 

Classroom Courtesy

 

Turn off all cellular phones while in the classroom.

Group Work

 

Working with other students in study groups is an extremely effective means of studying.  Not everyone in the study group needs to be at the same proficiency level:  teaching others is a very powerful way to learn material for yourself.  Make sure, however, that you do not simply copy another’s homework and turn it in as your own.  When working in groups all participants must vary their work so that each assignment reflects individual work.

 

 

Class Procedure

 

The primary focus of this semester of French is to develop your ability to understand native spoken and written French, and to increase your skill at expressing yourself in basic situations.  Listening comprehension and reading are the bases for sound acquisition of a foreign language.  Remember that when you were learning your first language as a child, you had a lot of time to listen before you attempted to speak.  Don’t be impatient with yourself when you find that you can understand far more than you can produce, that is natural; your speaking and writing abilities will always lag slightly behind your ability to understand.

 

You cannot expect to acquire native-like competence in a foreign language in one of two years.  You can expect to be able to communicate with native speakers of French even though you make mistakes.  The goal in this course is communicative competence, not grammatical perfection.  This class will use reading and writing activities to enhance your grasp of vocabulary and to provide you with opportunities to express yourself in French.

 

Classroom time will be devoted almost solely to activities that allow you to practice your skills of understanding and interacting in French. 

 

 

All humans under normal conditions acquire one of more languages, but it is not possible to acquire French in one or two semesters of in-class instruction.  You must take responsibility for your out-of-class learning.  In addition to completing all assignments on time, I recommend that you read French-language magazines or stories (the WWW has plenty to read!), watch TV, or converse with native speakers one to three times per week.  Take every opportunity to use your new skills in French:  read bilingual product labels, start a journal in French, write notes and lists to yourself in French, spend time with other students of French (speaking only in French, of course!)  Above all, make your extra activities fun and incorporate them into your daily life.  Your instructor can open the door to the Francophone language and culture, but only you can enter.

 

Bonne chance!