McGill

Centre d'enseignement du franais

Facult des arts

Elementary French FRSL 207D-SEC 2-3 (& FRSL-206A) 2011-2012 Professors name: Christine Petc Office: 688 Sherbrooke West, Rm.278 Tel.: 398-4172 E-mail: christine.petcoff@mcgill.ca

Office hours : Tuesday and Thursday 1:00 to 1:30 A. COURSE DESCRIPTION FRSL 207D is the second of five levels in French as a Second Language offered at the FLC (CEF). Focus is upon all oral and written skills with a view to improving comprehension and expression. Review and further training in basic structures. Enrichment of vocabulary and awareness of French speaking culture through selected readings and audio-visual material. Course FRSL 206A (special permission required) is the first half of FRSL 207D. B. PREREQUISITES At the beginning of the course students can: Listening understand simple messages but have had very little contact with francophones or opportunity to listen to French in a natural context; Speaking respond to simple questions and instructions related to everyday topics, using very basic vocabulary and mostly in the present tense; Reading read short texts on everyday topics; Writing write simple sentences, demonstrating elementary knowledge of nouns, articles, adjectives, pronouns and verbs in the present, pass compos and futur proche. C. OBJECTIVES By the end of the course students should: Listening Speaking understand the main ideas and some details of everyday conversation; follow instructions. ask and answer everyday questions, give directions, instructions, suggestions, advice and simple opinions; describe people and places, relate events in the present and, to some extent, pass compos, imparfait and future tenses; talk about a variety of essential topics with much improved vocabulary, idiomatic expressions and good pronunciation. read a variety of texts (information, description, dialogue, narrative). write a coherent dialogue or narrative in present, past and future tenses. have an awareness of cultural differences and identities through being exposed to texts, dialogues and songs, dealing with a variety of topics relating to French speaking cultures and travel abroad.

Reading Writing Culture

D. REQUIRED TEXTS AND MATERIAL B. Sheppard, Bonne Continuation & Devoirs & Recueil de textes (course pack available at the McGill bookstore) Semp-Goscinny, Le Petit Nicolas, ditions Denol, 1960 (McGill bookstore or any library) Le Nouveau Bescherelle: Lart de conjuguer, Ed. Hurtubise H.M.H.. A good bilingual dictionary (e.g. Robert & Collins/Collins & Robert) A good French dictionary (e.g. Petit Robert ; Larousse, ou Dictionnaire du franais, rfrence et apprentissage (Langue trangre), J. Rey-Debove, CLE international et Dictionnaires Le Robert.) E. LANGUAGE LABORATORY Language laboratory is a compulsory part of the course. With their Student Login Script, students have access to the Arts Multimedia Language Laboratory (AMLF) which is located in the basement of the McLennan Library. Students may practice at the lab as often as they wish except when the lab is being used for teaching or testing. For opening hours, go http://www.mcgill.ca/amlf/hours/. Headsets are not provided at the AMLF. Students are invited to purchase their own headsets during the first week of classes. These can be obtained at the McGill Bookstore at a cost of $25 + tax. F. GRADING AND EXAMINATIONS 50 % - tests (2 written: 20 %, 2 oral in the AMLF including 2 oral compositions: 30 %) 15 % - written compositions (3 in the AMLF) 12 % - dictations and quizzes (best 4 out of 5) 5 % - cooperative work (quality of the preparation, active participation in specific activities) 10 % - presence, preparation for class, participation, progress, monitorat, oral practice at the AMLF 8 % - final oral presentation in class (team of 3 to 4 students) 100 % See p. 3 for important dates (in-class evaluation). No supplemental exam. No "additional or make up work". In order to pass the course, students must complete all requirements. Students may not drop their D2 section at the end of D1 semester to register for another section of D2. They must be and stay registered in the same section for Fall and Winter terms (same days, same time, same teacher). In the event of extraordinary circumstances beyond the Universitys control, the content and/or evaluation scheme in this course is subject to change. Students are responsible for informing themselves about the rules and regulations of the university with regards to Method of course evaluation and grading procedures. See: See: - http://www.mcgill.ca/oasis/general/grading/ - http://www.mcgill.ca/mycourses (your FRSL 207 section): Page daccueil / Politiques

COURSE REQUIREMENTS, ATTENDANCE, EVALUATION, METHODOLOGY 1. Attendance: It is taken for granted that students should attend a language course on a regular basis. Repeated absences are evidence of lack of interest in making real progress in language. Students who miss more than 30% of classes will get a J (incomplete) on their record. It is the students responsibility to keep track of the number of their absences. 2. Spoken French plays a crucial role in the course. During class, the language of communication will be, as much as possible, French, and students will be called to participate in discussions in French. 3. Evaluation of progress: In class, you will be evaluated on your efforts to participate, come to class with work prepared as requested, improve your pronunciation, express yourself or ask questions in French and your attempts to use new vocabulary, idioms and structures. Individual oral practice in the AMLF (Can8), dictations and regular attendance in a conversation group (monitorat) are also part of the grading scheme (see F. Grading and Examinations). 4. Tests are to be taken on specific days only: see course calendar and below. Students must attend all in-class evaluations unless exceptional circumstances exist (medical reasons only, doctor's certificate necessary1). Longer weekends out of town for example and holidays out of the country will not be accepted. Students who miss an in-class evaluation will receive a 0. Students are required to be fully informed about McGill, FLC and FRSL 207 policies before the end of the drop and add period (see McGill web page for McGill policies and regulations, see MyCourses FRSL 207/your section for FLC and course policies).Tests will include grammar and vocabulary, listening and/or reading comprehension, dictation and oral or written composition questions. Tests in the AMLF will require students to record their answers to questions given orally. No writing is allowed during oral tests. Important dates for in-class evaluation: MW, Fall: Sept. 26 (quiz); Oct 17 (quiz/dicte); Oct. 26 (written Test); Nov. 16 (written Compo); Nov. 28 (quiz/dicte); MAKE UP TUESDAY Dec. 6 (oral Test) MW, Win: Feb. 6 (written Compo); Feb. 13 (quiz/dicte); Feb. 29 (written Test); Mar. 21 (written Compo); Mar. 28 (quiz/dicte); Ap. 16 (oral Test) TTh, Fall: Sept. 20 (quiz); Oct. 11 (quiz/dicte); Oct. 20 (written Test); Nov. 10 (written Compo); Nov. 17 (quiz/dicte); Nov. 29 (oral Test) TTh, Win: Feb. 7 (written Compo); Feb. 14 (quiz/dicte); Mar. 1 (written Test); Mar. 22 (written Compo); Mar. 29 (quiz/dicte); Ap. 12 (oral Test) 5. Devoirs (part of the course pack): Students are advised to keep up with the work week by week in order to make progress. Accumulating the work during the semester would be in contradiction to the aims and methods of the course and quite meaningless in terms of benefit to students. Students will be required to work on grammar review independently and practice some of the oral and written exercises from the book, at home or in the AMLF. Students will also be required to make the Devoirs and Dictations independently as the answer key for each one will be available in MyCourses. Check your course calendar to know which Devoir/Dicte/Labo has to be done and when. Regular in-class quizzes/dictations will assess the work done independently (see F. Grading and Examinations). 6. Vocabulary introduced in class work and selected readings (Recueil de textes), is an important aspect of your work and will be tested regularly. Help with the vocabulary of some of the selected readings is provided in MyCourses (WebCT). Students are advised to review and try to use new vocabulary items frequently. In case of nouns, remember to memorize the gender. 7. Pronunciation and auditory memory: students will be asked to memorize short poems and to recite them orally. Sounds, stress, rhythm and intonation will therefore be practiced and evaluated. 8. MyCourses (WebCT) is used in this course. Students have to check the site frequently for 1 In that case, the teacher must have been informed before the beginning of the test. 3

information about the course, calendar postings, grammar and phonetic resources and documents required for class activities. 9. Graduate students are expected to obtain a minimum final grade of B-. 10. Professors may be consulted during their office hours or by appointment. PLAGIARISM IN ACADEMIC WORK
MCGILL UNIVERSITY VALUES ACADEMIC INTEGRITY. THEREFORE ALL STUDENTS MUST UNDERSTAND THE MEANING AND CONSEQUENCES OF CHEATING, PLAGIARISM AND OTHER ACADEMIC OFFENCES UNDER THE CODE OF STUDENT CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES.

In oral or written assignments, dictations, translations, essays, oral or written presentations, summaries, projects, thesis, research reports, etc.: What is not accepted? Copying or submitting any academic work that has been produced by another student or another person (all or in part). Allowing another student or any another person to provide answers or correct your work. Allowing a resource person (native speaker, language teacher, monitor, tutor, advanced student) to produce or correct your work, translate written texts to or from the target language or interpret/explain oral comprehension exercises for you. Handing in written work or preparing oral work largely inspired by or copied from somebody else's work without clearly acknowledging sources (books, articles, essays, course notes, films, radio programs, audio documents, Web, etc.) and showing the extent of the borrowing. Presenting for grading any academic work (oral or written) for which you have already received academic credit or presenting the same work for grading more than once.

What is acceptable or recommended? Consulting resource persons for explanations but without receiving answers or corrections for the work to be submitted. Practising language skills with qualified resource persons. Studying intelligently with fellow students. Sharing information within team members working on a group project. Using your own words, making up your own sentences and using quotation marks when borrowing from someones work. Identifying sources and documenting information and ideas even when material is not directly quoted. (see http://www.mcgill.ca/students/srr/honest/ for more information)