Learning Objectives for French 113, 114, 213

OBJECTIVES FOR FRENCH 113--AND STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES

French 113 is the first half of a beginner's course in French and is intended for students who have either never studied French before or who have not studied it for a long time and need to start over again.

You should think of the textbook and workbook for Allons-y! as an anchor, a point of departure for the work we will be doing together (and the work you will be doing on your own in the lab with other materials as well).

French 113 will introduce you to the basic sounds of French and give you the rudiments of understanding conversations and participating in simple conversations yourself. Attention will also be focused on "How to be a Good Language Learner" and the learning strategies you should develop in learning French (or any other language, for that matter). Drills in the mechanics of grammar and pronunciation are your responsibility as lab work and work at home. Our time together in class is very limited, so it is important for you to come to class prepared (that is: your homework completed, your lists of questions of things you don't understand, and with explanations given in the textbook and workbook read and underlined!) Our work in class will focus on putting into practice what you have studied outside of class. This is an important part of what you are signing on for in this class (as well as in other French classes), and you should be prepared to meet these responsibilities. Your workbook contains many self-correcting exercises to help drill material that may be giving you difficulty. You should do those exercises! Your homeworks will be collected on a regular basis and if there are too many errors, you will be required to redo the exercises. There are no make-ups allowed for either missed quizzes or homeworks.

The Multi-Media Language Center, located in 2S-114, is an interactive center where you can get tutoring help and work either alone or with your classmates on outside activities and the rich array of supplementary materials in French which will be assigned to you. The ever-patient computers can help to drill pronunciation; there are videos for you to watch; and you will learn how to use the Internet and the World Wide Web to access information directly from France and around the world about "things French" Lab attendance is required. There is a log-in procedure at the lab, and you will receive instructions on how to use the lab during our orientation session. The lab hours are posted on the bulletin board outside the lab. At the lab, you will also be able to get CD's and diskettes to use in class and to keep copies of your work. The oral quizzes you will be taking will be archived there as well.

 

LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES/OBJECTIVES COVERED IN FRENCH 113

LESSONS 1 - 4 OF ALLONS-Y! (6th edition)

In French 113 you will learn to:

 

Étape Préliminaire:

-- pronounce French sounds

-- write with accent marks in French

-- order a drink in a café

Lesson 1:

-- meet and greet people

-- get something to eat and drink

-- ask for and give information about basic actitivies

-- hesitate in order to gain time to think

-- read a café and fast-food menu

-- understand a simple conversation upon meeting someone for the first time.

Lesson 2:

-- talk about possessions

-- have someone repeat what you have not heard or understood

-- express likes and dislikes

-- read a short descriptive text about people

-- describe your family

-- understand people talking about themselves and their families

Lesson 3:

-- read a tourist brochure

-- understand discussions of plans and activities

-- identify and locate places in a city

-- ask for and give directions

-- indicate possession

-- give orders and suggest activities

-- tell time

--make plans

Lesson 4:

-- make plans and do various activities in town

-- understand conversations about making plans

-- use the Paris subway

-- talk about future plans

-- talk about various means of urban transportation

-- read short informational texts about transportation

 

As you can see from the above list, there is not one mention of "mechanical" things such as grammar and pronunciation. Those will flow naturally from the language tasks you will be performing. Naturally, these kinds of activities can take place at all sorts of levels: from the simplest to the most complex. You will be exposed to a variety of forms and registers and will have the opportunity to go from very simple constructions to experimentation with more complex forms. Most of what you will be hearing, however, will be authentic French spoken at normal, conversational speed. You will not understand it at first, but gradually, as you develop your skills, you will come to understand more and more--and it will start making sense and sound less like "noise." This is one reason why the work you do outside, in the lab, is so important. It will enable you to listen and to practice over and over again. It's practice, time, and repetition that makes for successful learning. So, don't be afraid. Plunge ahead! Let's get ready and go! As our textbook title says, Allons-y!

LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES/OBJECTIVES FOR FRENCH 114

LESSONS 5 - 8 OF ALLONS-Y! (6th edition)

 

This course builds on the learning strategies acquired during the first semester and introduces new concepts, language, and cultural activities. Using the textbook as an anchor, you will continue to explore materials in a wide variety of media in the Language Laborary/Media Center. In addition to increasing your knowledge of French culture and daily life, you will begin to talk about your own experience and knowledge in these same areas (e.g. university life; leisure-time activities; education; health; shopping; etc.).

In this course, and with the aid of all the varied materials at your disposal you will learn to:

Lesson 5:
-- talk about the weather

-- talk about events in the past

-- read informational materials about leisure-time activities

--understand conversations about leisure-time activities

--organize leisure-time activities

Lesson 6:
 -- ask for information and make purchases in stores

-- understand information presented by salespeople

-- use a variety of expressions say what you want to buy

-- express quantities

-- read ads about a variety of products

-- choose the right store when making a purchase

Lesson 7:
 -- describe objects

-- read texts and documents about French education

-- describe people

-- compare objects and people

-- talk about your university and your studies

-- understand conversations about university life

Lesson 8:
 -- refer to habitual actions in the past

-- tell what you can and cannot do

-- understand conversations about health and physical fitness

-- read documents and texts dealing with health and physical fitness

-- talk about your own and other people's health and physical fitness

-- tell what you do and do not know how to do

 

LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES/OBJECTIVES FOR FRENCH 213

LESSONS 9 - 12 of ALLONS-Y! (6th edition)

French 213 is the first half of a two-semester course at the intermediate level (FRN 215 is the second half). It is assumed that students are familiar with (and relatively comfortable with) the materials and subject matter presented in the earlier chapters of the textbook. Students who place in this course via the placement examination or through transfer and who have not taken the earlier courses are required do any "brushing up" of their skills by working on the self-correcting exercises in the Laborary manual, using the multi-media materials available in the lab, and through tutoring.

This course continues to build on the skills acquired in the earlier courses and to develop more ease in written and spoken communication. In addition, students will begin to read more detailed materials about French and Francophone countries.

In this course students will learn to:

 

Lesson 9:
 -- read documents and texts dealing with study abroad and lodging

-- understand conversations about study abroad and lodging

-- get and pay for a hotel room

-- tell time using the 24-hour clock

-- describe the layout of a house

-- narrate in past time

Lesson 10:
 -- describe a house or apartment

-- read classified ads and brochures about lodging

-- get information about people and things

-- talk about finding and moving in a house or apartment

-- talk about organizing a party

-- get others do something

-- express actions in the recent past

Lesson 11:

-- talk about employment opportunities

-- express emotion, necessity, wishes

-- name and describe clothing

-- make purchases in clothing stores

-- participate in a job interview

-- understand conversations about work

-- read documents about the business world

Lesson 12:
 -- make arrangements to travel by train

-- talk about geographic locations

-- describe people and things

-- make arrangements to travel by car

-- talk about the future

-- understand conversations about travel

-- order a meal (a real, complete meal!) in a restaurant

-- make hypothetical statements

-- read travel documents and menus