FRENCH 1050 COURSE DESCRIPTION, REQUIREMENTS AND

POLICIES
Welcome to French 1050! Your study of French will enable you to
appreciate a new culture and to better understand your own. It will
open new doors—in travel, business and life in general.
PREREQUISITES: 2 years of High School French, consultation or
placement exam. NOTE: Students who have failed 1010 or 1020 should
NOT take this course!
CREDIT: 5 semester hours.
MATERIALS: Horizons 4th edition, text, workbook and additional
materials. You will also find materials in ALTEC, the Anderson Language
Technology Center in Helrems 151. Hellems 145 offers Mac computers
with foreign language software.
DESCRIPTION: French 1050 is a rapid review, equivalent to a full year
of college French. The intensity of French 1050 requires that students
carefully prepare all assigned material prior to class. Any difficulties
will be clarified by the instructor. We will cover chapters 1-10 in the
text, the workbook, and the laboratory. You will learn to greet people,
talk about your daily activities, order a meal, shop for food and
clothing, in short, to deal with practical situations. Again, you will need
to prepare all assigned material prior to coming to class, and to
participate in pair work and group activities.
OBJECTIVES: The objectives in FREN 1050 are to help students increase
their proficiency in understanding, speaking, reading and writing in
French. The video provides a form of “planned immersion” which
enables us to observe a variety of people using French in true-to-life
situations, thereby deepening our understanding of francophone
culture. Classes will be conducted in French.
GRADING: 70% of the final grade is written; 30% is oral. Written work
includes workbook, compositions, quizzes, dictées, chapter exams,
midterm and final. All tests are cumulative. Oral work includes class
participation, pair activities, videotaping, language lab, oral tests,
midterm and final. The final exam (oral and written) represents 30% of
the total grade.
Please note that NO MAKE UP EXAMS WILL BE GIVEN!
HOMEWORK: NO LATE WORK will be accepted without written
documentation to explain the delay! Daily work is essential and
includes assignments in the textbook, workbook CD-Rom,
ATTENDANCE: Class attendance is a requirement Frequent or extended
absences prevent development of the necessary language skills. Due
to the intensity of this course, only three absences are allowed. Please
read the attendance policy on the next page In case of illness or
serious personal problems, contact your instructor.
1- TO SUCCEED IN FRENCH WITHOUT REALLY TRYING: You can’t! Your
grade will be the direct result of the time and effort you put into the
course. The cardinal rule for success: DON’T FALL BEHIND. Through
daily preparation, use of audio and video CDs, and conversation
practice with other students, you will soon develop listening and
speaking proficiency. Do not hesitate to ask questions in class and to
contact your instructor during his or her office hours.
Academic honesty, as outlined in the Honor Code, is expected at all
times.
TUTORS: For extra practice, you may obtain a list of department
approved tutors from the French department secretary, Nancy Arnt.
Dorm residents may arrange for free tutors for small groups through
the RA.
ATTENTION: —Students who earn less than C- in French 1050 will NOT
be admitted to French 2110.
—IF grades are given only in extreme cases and must be documented.
Consultation with the course coordinator, Danica Trifunovic, Woodbury
407, is required.
—Be sure to note the place and time of the French FINAL EXAM.
ENRICHMENT: FRENCH CLUB, conversation groups, French films, French
magazines
(available in ALTEC), etc. Hours for ALTEC: Monday—Thursday: 8:3Oam
—8:OOpm;
Friday: 8:3 Oam—4 :OOpm; Sunday: 5 :OOpm—9:OOpm.
Attendance Policy for French 1010, 1020, 1050
Acquiring language skills involves exposure to the new language and
practice in listening and speaking on a daily basis. There is no
substitute for class attendance. Furthermore, frequent absences are
not only detrimental to your own progress in French, they also disrupt
the class as a whole and slow down everyone’s progress. Therefore,
the French department has instituted the following policy:
You are allowed three absences during the semester. These absences
are for those instances when your alarm did not go off, a friend needed
you, you needed the time for another class project, etc.
In addition to these “freebies”, you may need to be absent for reasons
beyond your control, such as illness or a death in the immediate family.
These absences are excused, but you must have documentation (i.e., a
note from your doctor).
Unexcused absences beyond the three allowed will have the
following impact on your final grade:
Each unexcused absence will result in your final grade being lowered
by one percentage point. Thus, if all your work combined gave you a
final grade of 85%, 3 unexcused absences would lower that to 82%, 6
unexcused absences would give you 79%, etc.
GRADING POLICY
For a description of the University Uniform Grading System, see the
University Catalog. Below is the correspondence between percentage
grades and letter grades:
PERCENTILE GRADE LETTER GRADE CREDIT POINTS
93-100 A 4.0
90-92A-, 3.7
88-89B+ 3.3
83-87B 3.0
80-82B- 2.7
78-79C+ 2.3
73-77C 2.0
70-72C- 1.7
68-69D+ 1.3
66-67D 1 .0
65 D- 0.7
A C is considered to be the grade earned by the average student in a
course. On a normal grading curve one-third of the students in a
course will receive grades in the C range, one third above C, and one-
third below C.
To receive a grade higher than C, students should expect to do BETTER
THAN AVERAGE work. Students must earn a minimum grade of C- in all
courses used for credit towards the major. Below 65 is an F (0.0 credit
points).
1/05
Code of Conduct
Respect your classmates as well as your instructor.
Arrive on time.
Turn off pagers and cellular phones.
Do not eat, drink or chew gum during class.
Be prepared to speak French as soon as class begins
LISTEN to your classmates. Everyone has a contribution to make; do
not expect the instructor to repeat students’ remarks. (On the same
note, do not address your remarks to the instructor only!)
Please keep your feet off the seats. We prefer alert, attentive students!
Do not hesitate to ask questions, but please raise your hand when you
wish to speak.
Come to class prepared. Otherwise you waste your time, your
instructor’s time, and that of the other students.
Turn in your neatly written or typed assignments on time. There are no
make-up exams or quizzes.
Daily attendance and participation are vital to learn a language, and
learning French is our objective. Observance of this code will help make
your experience in this class productive.., and perhaps even enjoyable!
Nous souhaitons un très ban semestre a tout le monde.
HOW TO SUCCEED IN YOUR FRENCH CLASS
ORAL WORK
I. Read the dialogues, textbook exercises and lab manual exercises
OUT LOUD in a normal speaking voice. Do the oral exercises that are in
the second part of your activity book.
2. Work in the language lab as often as possible without your book.
When working with videos, attempt to get the gist of what’s
happening; don’t get hung up on individual words.
3. Study with a classmate or friend, asking and answering questions,
practicing conversation, doing French language activities together.
4. Attend class daily and participate actively. -
5. Make your own flash cards for vocabulary and grammar points;
include examples of their use. CARRY THEM WITH YOU and look at
them as many times as you can during the day (e.g., while standing in
line for concert tickets).
6. Go to French films--they are shown on campus and in town; speak
French with fellow students during a lunch or coffee break; listen to
songs in French; read French magazines (ALTEC and the Periodicals
Room in Norlin subscribe to several). Incorporate French into your
everyday life; this will make your classwork much more meaningful.
WRITTEN WORK
I. Write out part of each textbook exercise and all of the workbook
exercises. Obtain correct answers. Keep a list of errors you make
repeatedly so you can learn to avoid them.
2. Practice writing out verb conjugations and learn them by heart. Use
each verb in a sentence.
3. Write out and pronounce forms that give you trouble (e.g., elision:
j’habite).
4. Cover up the English side of your vocabulary lists; create sentences
using the new ‘
5. Put notes around your house (on the refrigerator, the mirrors, etc.)
for things you are just learning or have trouble remembering.
6. Keep a journal in French. Write at least a few sentences every day.
By the end of the semester, you should see great improvement!
7. Before each test, review preceding work. Learning another language
is cumulative
8. Study French EVERY DAY -- don’t fall behind.
MISCELLANEOUS
I. Use your instructor’s office hours for extra help and conversation in
French.
2. Free tutoring is available for small groups of students in dorms. See
your R.A.
3. Private tutoring is available. Consult Department secretary, HUM
340.
FRENCH 1050 outcomes: What can I do after taking this course?
Communication outcomes:
1. Discuss: your past; your daily routine; vacations; relationships; food
preferences; professions
2. Express: your tastes; your feelings; your hopes and wishes;
obligations
3. Give orders and advice
4. Narrate: past, present, future and conditional events
5. Share and obtain information using the above tenses
6. Understand the main ideas of what you hear and read; listen and
look for specific details
7. Guess the meaning of unfamiliar words based on context
Cultural outcomes: Compare values and customs of French-speaking
countries and the US
1. French and American cinema
2. Extending invitations
3. Relationships between people
4. Ordering food and drink
5. Buying groceries
6. Making hotel reservations
7. French-speaking countries in Africa
Grammar outcomes:
1. Know how to form and use the present, passé compose, future
proche, futur simple, conditionnel, imperative and subjonct regular,
irregular, reflexive and reciprocal verbs (-er, -re, -ir verbs; irregular
verbs: être, aller, avoir, faire, prendre, vouloir, pouvoir, devoir, dormir,
partir, sortir, se sentir, boire, venir, dire, lire, écrire, voir, croire, savoir,
connaltre
2. Know when to use the passé compose and imparfait
3. Know how to use the dininite, indefinite and partitive articles
4. Use direct object pronouns and indirect object pronouns; y and en
5. Use the relative pronouns qui and que
Composition outcomes:
1. Further develop ability to write papers in French
2. Develop clear ideas relevant to the topic
3. Integrate the grammar and vocabulary of this course into your
writing
4. Edit all writing (check gender, verb and adjective endings, accents,
logic)
Note: Jfyou have the ability to do all of the above, you should take
French
2110!
FRENCH AWARENESS QUIZ
A. THE LANGUAGE
Name 4 countries in Europe where French is spoken.
Name 10 non-European francophone countries.
Why is French called a Romance (not romantic!) language? Name other
Romance languages.
B. POLITICS
What form of government do the French have?
Name the current French president.
Mention a newsworthy event that took place in France or a
francophone country recently.
What is the EU? How many members can you name?
C. GEOGRAPHY
What is the approximate size/shape of France?
What principal bodies of water border France?
What countries border France?
What French rivers can you name?
What other geographic features of France can you name?
D. DO YOU KNOW..
the value of the euro?
how to convert kilometers into miles? kilos into pounds?
what the Tour de France is?
what and where the Latin Quarter is and why it is so named? what the
Mona Lisa is and where it is?
why cheesefondue is so called?
E. CIVILIZATION
Name as many French or francophone men, women or items as you
can for each category below. (The people may be living or dead.)
1. artists 6. magazines, newspapers 11. museums
2. scientists7. cheeses, wines
3. athletes 8. cars
4. composers, music 9. cities
5. authors lO.films
F. FRANCE IN AMERICA
List common words or expressions of French origin that are used in
English.
List American place names (cities, rivers, etc.) that are of French origin
(e.g., Lyons).
List any French-speaking people who have contributed to American
history.
G. FAMOUS FRENCH PEOPLE TO IDENTIFY WITH THE APPROPRIATE
CAREER

1. Jacques Chirac______
2 Christian Lacroix,_______
3. Claude Debussy ____
4. Marie Antoinette _____
5. Toulouse-Lautrec ______
6. François Truffaut
7. Napoleon
8. Jeaimed’Arc_____
9. Charles de Gaulle_____
10. Auguste Rodin
11 Jacques-Yves Cousteau
12 Gerard Depardieu
13 Victor Hugo _____
14. Marie Curie _____
15. Isabelle Adjani ____
16. LeCorbusier _____
17. Yannick Noah _____
18. Patricia Kaas _____
19.C harlemagne _____
20. Jacques Prévert ____
21. Jean-Paul Sartre _____
22. Simone de Beauvoir
23. Paul Bocuse
24. Coco Chanel, _______
25. Yves St. Laurent_______

a. artist
b. composer
c. current president of France
d. soldier and martyr
e. oceanographer
f. 19th century poet and novelist
g. feminist writer
h. Nobel prize winner, science
i. singer
j. actor
k. famous chef
1. emperor, 19th century
m. war hero, 1St president: 5th Rep.
n. fashion designers.
o. 20th century poet
p. actress
q. existentialist writer
r. sculptor
s. architect
t. film director
u. emperor, 800 A.D.
v. wife of Louis XVI
w. coach of the national tennis team