Trinity College Dublin
French
Business studies and French
Bess (French option)
Soc.Soc.Pol.(French option)
Business and Law (French option)
Junior Freshmen
FR1040
BSF, BESS, Soc.Soc.Pol., Business and law French Language and Civilisation 1
FR1050
BSFonly French Writing Skills 1
French Department
School of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies
Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
2013/14
Junior Freshmen FR1040 Dates for your diary 10 ECTS Module= MT + HTMT MCQ vocabulary and grammar – Wednesday 11th December 2013@ 2pm room 2039
HT MCQ vocabulary and grammar – Wednesday 26th March 2014 @ 2pm room 2039
Oral exams: Trinity Week
Aural (mini-lecture in French followed by questions in English on the lecture; answer questions in English) – Wednesday 2nd April 2014 @ 2pm room 2039
End of year written exam during exam period.
Students who have to take French again (supplemental) or students taking special examinations will do so in the supplemental examinations period. The timetable for written examinations is prepared in July or August by the examinations office. Aural and oral components for these exams will normally take place on the same day as the written supplemental exam. If the written examination is scheduled for the morning, aural and oral examinations will normally start at 14.00 that day. If the written examination is scheduled in the afternoon, the aural and orals will normally take place in the morning. Please see the noticeboard near 4089 for oral and aural timetable details.
Details are correct at the time of publication. Some changes might be necessary later on.Table of contents
1. A Note on this Handbook
2. Introduction
3. Staff Contacts
4. General Information
5. The European Credit Transfer System (ECTS)
6. Description of Module FR1040
7. Description of Module FR1050
8. Peer Learning
9. General Programme Regulations
10.Useful Guidelines
11.Student Supports
1. A Note on this Handbook
This handbook applies to all first year students of Business Studies and French; Bess, Soc.Soc.Pol and ‘Business and Law’students who chose French as an option. The two modules, FR1040 and FR1050 are taught by the French department, School of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies (SLLCS). The handbook provides a guide to what is expected of you on this programme, and the academic and personal support available to you. Please retain for future reference.
The information provided in this handbook is accurate at time of preparation. Any necessary revisions will be notified to students via e-mail and notices on the notice board. Please note that, in the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the General Regulations published in the University Calendar and information contained in course handbooks, the provisions of the Calendar’s General Regulations will prevail.
2. Introduction
Welcome to the French Department, School of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies, in Trinity College.
Business Studies and French will be taking 2 French modules during their first year (Junior Freshmen). Other students will be doing one French module (FR1040) only.
FR1040,BESS French Language and Civilisation is also open to students studying BESS,Business and Law, Sociology and Social Policy or Social Studies. Law and French students will take FR1040 only during the first semester (Michaelmas Term or MT).
This module is part of what we often describe as the BESS French programme and has been specifically designed for students taking the above courses and Business Studies and French.
FR1050, BSF French Writing Skills,is specific to Business Studies and French students.
We hope that you will enjoy these modules. They aim to provide you with a better understanding of many aspects of contemporary France, to help you improve your oral and written French and develop your language learning skills so that you can become independent learners.
The approach used is based on the principle that the best way to learn a language is to use it. This means that we expect you to participate fully in the range of activities on offer. The modules are delivered through French, so as to maximise your contacts with the language. For some of you, this may be a new approach; others will already have a similar experience. Don’t worry, we know that it will take time for some of you to adjust, but we can guarantee that if you engage fully with us and with all the facets of the course (including the self-guided and self-access components), you will benefit from it and find that by the end of the first semester, attending a lecture in French, listening to a television broadcast, writing essays and discussing aspects of French society with other students will have become much easier.
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact the module coordinators.
We wish you all the best for your first year in Trinity.
3.Staff Contacts
Staff contacts / Room (Arts Building, French department)Office hours will be posted on the door of the relevant office
Dr Paule Salerno-O’Shea / Module Coordinator
Lecturer (HT) / 4113 / / 01 896 1472
Dr Claire Laudet / Lecturer (MT) / 4108 / / 01 896 2313
Ms Florence Signorini / Lecturer / 4108 / / 01 896 2313
Mathilde / Language assistant /
Nolwenn / Language assistant /
Ms Tracy Corbett / Executive Officer
Bess French Office (not BESS Office) / 4089
Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays only. The office is open to students from 9.30 a.m. till 11.30 a.m. and from 2.30 p.m. till 3.30 p.m. / / 01 896 1333
4. General Information
The BESS/BSF French notice board is located next to room 4094 on level 4 of the Arts Building.
Below the notice board, you will find pigeon holes where spare copies of handouts may be found.
The staff pigeon holes are located under the main French Department notice board, near room 4111.
Course materials will be available :
Your lecturer will make course materials available to youeither on Blackboard or by e-mail sent to your TCD e-mail address only once lists for the module have been finalised by IS services.
Computers, language laboratories and satellite TV/video workstations: you are entitled to use the facilities of the Centre for Language and Communication Studies (CLCS) located on level 4 of the Arts Building. To use the facilities, you must have a CLCS ID card valid for the current year (available on registration in the CLCS office, Room 4091).
- Audio Language laboratory
For self-access use: Room 4074. - Video/satellite TV
Self-access use only: Room 4074. - Computers/DVD playback
Self-access use: Room 4074.
Self-access and occasional class use: Room 4073.
You may also use the computers in the Public Access Computer rooms.
CHECK YOUR TCD E-MAIL TWICE A WEEK.
Teaching term dates and timetable
FR1040 Michaelmas term
Lectures and tutorial: check your timetable on-line or the BESS/BSF board near 4089.
Lectures start during the first teaching week.
For Michaelmas Term, Tutorials for FR1040 will start during the second teaching week.
Please check your timetable after the Christmas holidays as there might be time and/or room changes. Please note that after Christmas, lectures and tutorials will both start in the first teaching week of Hilary term.
FR1050 (BSF only)Michaelmas term
2 hr class – Classes start during the first teaching week
Please check your individual timetable.
Please check your timetable after the Christmas holidays as there might be time and/or room changes.
Tutorial attendance is compulsory and will represent 5% of the end-of-year mark for FR1040.
Tutorial attendance for FR1050 is monitored. It may be used for the selection process in the allocation of places in the Erasmus programme.
Socrates – Erasmus
All BSF students spend their 3rd year abroad, on successful completion of their second year (Senior Freshmen)
5. The European Credit Transfer System (Ects)
The European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) is an academic credit system based on the estimated student workload required to achieve the objectives of a module or programme of study. It is designed to enable academic recognition for periods of study, to facilitate student mobility and credit accumulation and transfer. The ECTS is the recommended credit system for higher education in Ireland and across the European Higher Education Area.
The ECTS weighting for a module is a measure of the student input or workload required for that module, based on factors such as the number of contact hours, the number and length of written or verbally presented assessment exercises, class preparation and private study time, laboratory classes, examinations, clinical attendance, professional training placements, and so on as appropriate. There is no intrinsic relationship between the credit volume of a module and its level of difficulty.
The European norm for full-time study over one academic year is 60 credits. 1 ECTS credit represents 20-25 hours estimated student input, so a 10-credit module will be designed to require 200-250 hours of student input including class contact time, assessments and personal study.
ECTS credits are awarded to a student only upon successful completion of the course year. Progression from one year to the next is determined by the course regulations. Students who fail a year of their course will not obtain credit for that year even if they have passed certain component courses. Exceptions to this rule are one-year and part-year visiting students, who are awarded credit for individual modules successfully completed.
6.Description of ModuleFR1040
BESS FRENCH LANGUAGE & CIVILISATION 1 (FRENCH SOCIETY AND ECONOMY)
10 ECTS credits (250 student-input hours)
This is a year-long module, delivered during both Michaelmas and Hilary terms.
It is compulsory for JF BSF students.
Course overview
The course will introduce students to social and economic issues in contemporary France context and make them aware of the specificity of France in these areas. The program has been designed to help students identify and develop language-learning skills they will then be able to use on their own.
Michaelmas Term (first semester)
Contemporary French Society
Week 5: Introduction – Geography of France
Week 6: Demography: the population of France
Week 7:The Family in France
Week 8:Immigration
Week 9: Social groups and social classes in France
Week 10: Inequalities
Week 11:Study Week (no lectures, no tutorials)
Week 12:Reducing inequalities: French social policies
Week 13:Primary and secondary education in France
Week 14:Third level education in France
Week 15:Religion in France
Week 16:Revisions and MCQ test
Hilary Term (second semester)
The French Economy
Week 1: Agriculture
Week 2: Industry
Week 3:The service sector
Week 4:French international trade
Week 5: Employment and unemployment in France
Week 6:The budget
Week 7:Study Week (no lectures, no tutorials)
Week 8:State intervention in France
Week 9:The economy of France: recent developments 1
Week 10:The economy of France: recent developments 2
Week11:Revisions and MCQ test
Week 12:Revisions and MCQ test
Note: Due to bank holidays, it might be necessary to hold one of the MCQs during week 10.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:
- make connections between events and facts from French current affairs and the wider French societal and economic framework outlined during the course;
- follow lectures on these topics in French and take notes using an outline of the lecture;
- read, identify and understand the structure and main points of French textbooks and articles from specialized periodicals and newspapers on the above topics;
- read the same materials to locate and retrieve specific information;
- understand a French native speaker presenting factual information on these topics;
- discuss these topics with a French native speaker;
- make short and structured oral presentations on aspects of French society and the French economy;
- use authentic sources and course materials to develop their vocabulary and other language competencies;
- describe, compare and contrast the situation in France and Ireland in the context of a discussion with French native speakers;.
Teaching Information
The module is delivered through a number of structured components. We advise you to follow the order below as each component builds on the skills, knowledge and vocabulary learnt in the previous component.
Every week you are expected to do the following:
1. In the early part of the week, you should do some preparatory lexical work on the theme for the week. The activities also include grammar and language points. Most teaching materials will be available electronically, either by e-mail or by other electronic means(2 hours/week).
2. A listening comprehension activity, usually web-based. Worksheets will be sent to you by e-mail or made available in some other electronic form. You can use the CLCS computer facilities, any public access computer room if you have your own headphones or you can do this at home (but you may need to download additional software or up-dates to be able to view some documents). Please ensure you bring your worksheet to your tutorial every week.
(1 hour/week)
3. Attend the weekly lecture. Handouts will be available for downloading and printing or will be sent to you by e-mail. Please print (for example select option handout, 6 slides per page) and bring them to the lecture. Alternatively, you can bring your laptop to the lecture. The lectures are delivered in French on a topic related to the theme for the week.
(Lecture: 1 hour/week; reviewing and updating notes: 1 hour/week)
4. A reading comprehension task to be completed before your tutorial. A document will be available for downloading and printing or will be sent to you by e-mail. Print the document, do the various tasks and bring it to your tutorial class every week.
(1 hour/week)
5. Attend your weekly tutorial, starting in week 2 of Michaelmas term and week 1 of Hilary term. Check your individual timetable at my.tcd.ie and/or the BESS/BSF French notice board next to room 4094. Relevant handouts will be distributed during your tutorials. Tutorials aim to give you the opportunity to apply and practice with your fellow students what you have learnt during the week, under the guidance of a French native speaker.
(1 hour/week)
6. Personal work: review your notes, organise and learn new vocabulary, learn the grammar points, check the answers for the listening and reading comprehension activities, do some additional reading and listening, practice French conversation with a friend. Additional resources may be made available.
(1hour and a half per week at least)
Total: 8 hours and a half per week.
If this sounds a lot, remember that a 10 ECTS credits course is defined as requiring between 200 and 250 hours/year, including attendance, personal study and reading, assessments and exams, etc. You are studying for 60 credits this year; this is a total number of between 1200 and 1500 student-input hours. Assuming you studyfor 30 weeks (22 weeks of lectures, 2 reading weeks, 5 weeks of exams and revisions and 1 week over the Christmas period), and that the exams themselves will represent approximately 18 hours of student-input, you should be studying (in the broad sense) for 39 to 50 hours per week in total (so between 6.5 and 8.5 hours per week, per subject). This is what College thinks it takes to be successful! Keep this in mind when organising a part-time job or your social life!
Module timetable
Please check the noticeboard near 4094 and my.tcd.ie for timetable information.
Teaching methods
The course combines lectures, listening and reading comprehension activities, sessions, guided private study, tutorials and personal work. All lectures and tutorials are conducted in French. Each week’s teaching is centred on a specific topic.
Key texts
A one-volume bilingual dictionary, such as Robert-Collins or Oxford-Hachette or on-line equivalent. Pocket dictionaries are not sufficient.
Lecture handouts and other course materials are either sent by e-mail to your TCD e-mail account or made available in another electronic format. Materials for the tutorials are handed in during the tutorial class.
A €5 photocopying levyfor students taking FR1040 only must be paid to the BESS French office (room 4089) before the Wednesday of the third teaching week (Michaelmas term), to cover the cost of the handbooks and handouts. No further handouts and documents will be distributed to students who have not paid the levy by the due date. BSF students who also take FR1050 will be required to pay a €10 photocopying levy which will cover both FR1040 and FR1050
Assessment methods
Continuous assessment
MCQ tests will take place during the 12th teaching week of MT,and at the end of HT(weeks10 or 11 or 12), depending on bankholidays and room availability. (7.5% of overall FR1040 mark each).
Failure to sit MCQs will result in a mark of 0/100 unless a medical certificate is presented to the BESS French Office in room 4089. Students are expected to be available during term time for continuous assessment tests.