Longwood University
French 320 
Advanced French
Fall 2006

Site web: http://www.longwood.edu/staff/edwardswa/courses.htm

Required Texts
Baker, et al.  Collage: Lectures littéraires.  5e édition.  Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2001. 

La grammaire de l'absurde: http://www.laits.utexas.edu/tex/gr/

All students at this level should also own a substantial, hardback French-English dictionary. 

Course Description
Development of increased proficiency in all linguistic skills and a more extensive acquaintance with French and Francophone culture.  This course will prepare students for more advanced culture and literature courses, but will also prepare students to use French to communicate effectively and to function in a foreign community.  This is a course conducted entirely in French.  For a list of useful classroom expressions, click here.

Course Objectives
By the end of the course, students will demonstrate an ability to:

1. Understand the French sound system and put their conversational skills to use in everyday situations.
2. Master the linguistic and grammatical structures necessary to study French literature and culture in depth.
3. Read and understand texts, watch and understand videos, listen to and understand recorded speech; appreciate certain aspects of life in France or other Francophone countries.
4. Write short, well constructed essays at an advanced level.  

Course Requirements
1. Attendance, preparation, and participation. Attendance and participation are mandatory and will account for 10% of the student’s final grade.  As stated in the student handbook, “Students are expected to attend all classes.  Failure to attend class regularly impairs academic performance.  [Moreover,] absences are disruptive to the educational process for others.  This is especially true when absences cause interruption for clarification of material previously covered, failure to assume assigned responsibilities for class presentations, or failure to adjust to changes in assigned material or due dates.”  If the student misses 10% of the scheduled class meetings for unexcused absences, the instructor reserves the right to lower that student’s course grade by no more than one letter grade.  The instructor also reserves the right to assign a course grade of “F” when a student has missed a total (excused and unexcused) of 25% of the scheduled class meetings.  Absences will be excused only for the following reasons: illness, participation in a university-sponsored activity, religious holiday, or recognizable emergency.  Absences will not be excused for court dates, transportation scheduling, or doctor’s appointments.  For purposes of notation, “participation” is defined as physical attendance, obvious preparation, active contribution to in-class activities, and willingness to speak French.  Students who speak English will be penalized.

2.  Grammaire.   Because language learning requires constant revision and attention, students will have homework every night.  The syllabus reflects the nightly readings and Web exercises students should complete before coming to class.  It is expected that students will use these exercises to prepare for class and to highlight areas of personal deficiency. One Web exercise, selected by the student from the assigned list, will be collected every day and graded for completeness.  In order to receive full credit for the assignment, students must complete the exercise fully, and turn the work in on time.  Work that is handed in late will not be recorded for credit.  Even in the event of an excused absence, it is the student’s responsibility to turn in all work on time.  Students are responsible for all assigned exercises, even those that are not submitted for credit.

3.  Lectures.  Throughout the semester, students will learn strategies for reading and evaluating short stories, excerpts, films, and poems. Students should read the passages before coming to class and prepare a half-page, typed response to the question assigned.  Reading questions will be collected as indicated on the syllabus and graded for completeness.  Students should make an effort to use recent vocabulary and grammar structures in their written responses.

4.  Interrogations.  Exams will be based on aural and written work done in class and for homework.  Exams must be taken at the scheduled time, except in the case of an excused absence from class. 

5.  Rédactions.  Students will write four one-page essays.   Compositions will be written in stages on selected topics.  Drafts of the essay (ébauches) will be collected and revised before the final version is due.  Work that is handed in late will be penalized.  Click here for an explanation of composition expectations and grades.

6.  Examen final.  The final exam will address material covered during the entire semester, but material from the end of the semester will figure prominently.

7.  Honor code.  Students are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the Longwood University Honor Code.  All work submitted for the class must be written in French and pledged.

8.  Grading.  The student’s course grade will be determined by the following percentages:

Programme du cours