Important Information & Course Policy

French 1210 Fall2014

Important information & course policy

French 1210 is the first semester of the 1210-1220 introduction to French language. The course is intended for students who have never studied or have had limited exposure to French. The course cannot be taken S/U. Graduate and Extramural students can join the course if there is space in section.

Course Objectives

By the end of the course students should…

have introductory-level skills in reading, listening, speaking, and writing.
be able to apply an inductive approach to grammar patterns and concepts.
be able to apply an analytical approach to culture for intercultural competence and literacy.
have strategies for becoming independent language learners so that they can go beyond the course content and function in real-world contexts.

Course coordinator: Colette Waldron, 320 Morrill Hall, 254-6726.

E-mail:

Instructors:Julia Karcsewski, Yen Vu, MarieJo L’Espérance, Thierry Toréa,

Alexandre Turner and Colette Waldron.

Your instructor:Name: ______E-mail: ______

Office: Morrill ______Tel: ______

Office Hours: ______and by appointment.

Required Materials:Mais Oui! 5th Edition, Thompson & Phillips: Textbook, Student Activity Manual (SAM), access card to Premium Website.

Textbook, SAM, and SAM Answer Key are on 2hr reserve in Uris library.

Course website :User Name & Password (same for both) ______. For study guides (guides de travail), instructor information, and course resources.

The key to success in this course is keeping up with your work on a daily basis. Daily attendance and participation are required. If you are sick or cannot attend for some valid reason, please notify your instructor in writing/by e-mail. Arrange to make up any missing work when you return to class. Unexcused absences will have a negative effect on your class participation grade.

How to prepare for class:

Study all material assigned for the next day in order to be prepared to actively participate in the various class activities. You will be expected to study certain sections of the textbook (Manuel) on your own so that more time can be spent in class on active practice. Read the reading passages (Culture et Réflexion, littérature) as directed.

Class participation:

A foreign language class is mostly a lab. Everyone is expected to come fully prepared and ready to participate in practice exercises and conversational activities. Do not be afraid to participate, and do not be afraid to make mistakes--they are an inevitable part of practicing and learning! However, when the instructor does correct you, make an effort to incorporate these corrections into your speech.

Your class participation grade will be based on evidence of preparation, attempts to participate, effort to include new forms, andclass attendance**.

**After 4 unexcused absences (one week of classes), your grade for class participation will drop by one degree (for each additional absence = - 3 points) from a B+ (87) to a B (84) for example.

Homework:

Homework (material to study before class, Cahier written, audio and videoactivities, essays, projects, etc.) will be assigned in the weekly Study Guide (Guide de travail, on course site). It should take on average one and a half to two hours per class.

Answers to most Workbook-Lab-Video Manual (Cahier) exercises and activities are given in the Cahier Answer Key (on course site). It is very important that you check your answers and make corrections as needed, in a different color pen. Your Cahier(Workbook-Lab-Video Manual)will be collected and evaluated periodically.

For any written work to be turned in, remember to use the format outlined on the template (course site, “documents”): date and label your work; to allow space for your instructor's comments and suggestions, leave a broad margin and skip a line; for typed papers, use a larger,14 pt font. Keep your written work in a folder for review before the Ecrit sur table writing tests.

Homework will not be accepted late, except for valid reasons and with a note of explanation. Assignments can be handed in early in case of anticipated absences.

Testing:

There will be Chapter quizfor each chapter, including an oral quiz (role plays).
The Ecrits sur table test your ability to write on an assigned topic in 45 minutes with limited resources. Use of the textbook will be allowed for the last 10 minutes.
The last week of the semester your ability to communicate orally will be assessed through a Projet de fin de semestre. Pairs of studentswill do a 10 minute interactive presentation on a topic of their choice.
TheFinal examis a comprehensive multiple choice exam on chapter Preliminaire to 7. Place and date TBA.

There are no make ups for missed tests unless arranged in advance and for valid reasons.

Policy for Adademic Integrity: All written work that is handed in for grading must be entirely your own.

Course grade: Your course grade will be based on the following criteria:

Class participation 15 %

Homework & mini-quizzes 5 %

Writing (for each chapter)15 %

Ecrits en classe15 %

Chapter quizzes, with oral quizzes20 % Lowest quiz grade is dropped

End of semester project10 %

Final Exam 20 %

Problems:

If you are having trouble in the course, do not hesitate to go for help to your instructor’s office hours (if you have a time conflict with your instructor's office hour, ask her to set up an appointment).

The sooner you seek help, the better--problems have a way of snowballing, especially in foreign languages.

Disability Accommodations :Please bring a Faculty Notification letter from the Student Disability Services office to your instructor so accommodations can be arranged as soon as possible.

Now, have fun, and bon semestre!