French001syllabus - French 1 Course Objectives and Syllabus...

French 1
Course Objectives and Syllabus
Spring 2008
Section Number: 004
Instructor: Michèle Cahen
Instructor’s e-mail: [email protected]
Meeting times and place: M T W R 4:40pm – 5:30pm 010 Life Sciences
Office Hours: M 2pm-4pm Office: 320 – C Burrowes
Office Phone: [phone]
Required Textbooks :
Rond Point , 1st edition. (Meyer). Textbook.
Rond Point , 2nd. (Meyer). Workbook/Lab Manual.
English grammar for students of French , 5th edition. (Morton).
Rond-Point web site :
This website contains all the audio files for the listening comprehension exercises
in the workbook as well as other vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation exercises.
You are advised to check this site often:
http://wps.prenhall.com/wl_meyer_rondpoint_1/
Recommended Text:
Bescherelle : La conjugaison pour tous. Paris: Hatier, 2003.
Description and Goals
French 1 is designed for students who have studied no French or who have had
less than one year of high school French or its equivalent. The course meets for four
class hours per week. The focus of the course is on real-life language use, the
integration of language and culture, and the development of the four skills: listening,
speaking, reading, and writing. The methodology used is communicative and task-
based, meaning that in every chapter of the book you will be learning language for a
specific task, and by the end of the course you will be able to perform a variety of tasks
that are useful to someone visiting a French speaking country. You can expect to
engage in pair and group work on a regular basis and to participate actively in class.
Regular attendance is extremely important to your success in this course. This point
cannot be stressed enough!
Grades and Grading Policies

Class Participation 15%
Homework 10%
Quizzes 15%
Compositions 15%
Activités de conversation 15%
Chapter Tests 20%
Final Exam 10%
Class Participation 15%
French 1 is based on the idea that you will learn to use French to interact with
other French speakers. While learning French, the principal site of this interaction is the
classroom during scheduled class meetings. In order to participate fully in class and to
fulfill your obligation to others in group and pair work, you must be present. Therefore,
attendance is mandatory and will be checked every day. Please be forewarned that
your grade will suffer significantly if you don't come to class (see below for Attendance
Policy).
The class participation grade will be based on the following criteria: the number
of non-university approved absences you have accumulated, tardiness, in-class
behavior (including participating in all activities, being prepared to answer when called
upon by the instructor, and volunteering answers to instructor questions), and
preparedness.
At three points throughout the semester, your instructor will ask you to evaluate
your own level of participation and assign yourself a grade. Your instructor will then
read your self-evaluation and either accept the grade you have given yourself or
modify it to reflect their own assessment of your participation. You will receive
feedback on how to improve this portion of your grade.