Intermediate French Information

2) To expose you to important aspects of French and Francophone culture;

3) To prepare you for advanced coursework in French, and for study, work, or travel in    French-speaking countries and environments.

In order to accomplish these goals, we must use French as the principal language of the classroom. Don't be discouraged if you don't understand everything instantly; language learning is a process. Most of you will be taking this course as a requirement, yet I encourage you to consider how proficiency in a foreign language will enhance your career opportunities, whether in the sciences, social sciences, arts, or humanities. Recruiters in business, banking, government, education, the media, etc. are increasingly looking for people with foreign-language abilities. Please let me know if you would like more information about: the professional advantages of studying foreign languages, and French in particular; the NC State summer study and academic year abroad programs in Lille, France; the French Minor and French Major at NC State.

French accents on your computer
Enable diacriticals (accent marks) on your computer by following these instructions, then learn how to use them. This must be done before the end of the first week of class.  Then you will be able to send and receive email in French and write papers with correct accents. Do not install French as your language. It will alter your keyboard and create French spellchecks which will drive you crazy in English.  Use my system.

Here's how to do it:

You will now have a tiny keyboard icon on the taskbar (usually on the lower right side of your screen). To switch between keyboard layouts (in other words, to turn off or on the accents) double-click the keyboard layout icon and then single-click the choice you want, US or International.  Best: just leave it on US-International all the time.

Using the International Keyboard
Now, to type the accents: 

• acute-accented é,  type first apostrophe, then e.

• grave-accented è, or à,  type first the grave accent  `  (upper left-hand corner of the keyboard), then ea.

• circumflex-accented ê, or â, type first the circumflex accent  ^ (shift key plus 6), then e or a.

• c-sedilla, ç, type first apostrophe, then c. If you need capital C-sedilla, type first apostrophe, then capital C.

• tréma, also called dieresis, the two dots over a letter, type first " (quotation mark, i.e., shift key plus apostrophe), then the letter.

Troubleshooting: if you are not getting correct accents, your computer has shifted back to EN-United States and you must reselect EN-International, or else you don't have the accents installed correctly. If your computer keeps 'voluntarily' shifting back to English-US Keyboard, it's because it hasn't accepted International as the default keyboard.  Here's how to set it:

Textbook
Valette and Valette, À Votre Tour  (D.C. Heath & Co., 1995).

Workbook/Laboratory Manual  (Cahier)
The workbook/ laboratory manual is divided into three parts: The Writing exercises (represented by "W" on the syllabus) are printed on pp. 1-104. The Listening and Speaking exercises (represented by "L&S" on the syllabus) are printed on pp. 107-172.  The Answer Key for all of the Writing exercises are printed on pp. 173-198. There is no Answer Key for the Listening and Speaking exercises. The  Workbook is to be filled in, corrected by you and examined periodically by me. You are responsible for practicing with the tape or online audio on your own time.  Exams may contain exercises from the Writing and/or Listening and Speaking sections.

Listening and Speaking exercises  
You may listen to the audio online, using WebCT Vista. Go to http://vista.ncsu.edu.  If it is your first time, do the “browser check” before you log in to be sure that your computer is configured properly to continue.  If any of the 5 listings have an “X” instead of a check mark, you need to correct the problem before you begin.  Then, log in with your Unity ID and Password. Once logged in, click on “FLF 201-007”.  If this is your first time, I suggest that you click on “Student Orientation to WebCT Vista” for a short tutorial.  Then, click on “À Votre Tour – Online Audio”. Click on the Unité you want to listen to.  If you experience problems at any time, contact Vista Support at 515-HELP or help@ncsu.edu.  If you do not have access to a computer with speakers, you can complete these exercises in the Foreign Language Technology Center (in the Laundry Building at the corner of Stinson and Current Drives).  Each time you log in, your session will be reported for my records.

Your performance in class will show that you have been working with these materials.

Videos and Films
You will see the film Cyrano de Bergerac and the film Au revoir les enfants, as well as four cultural videos, and write short commentaries on each in French.

Everyone will be required to see two films, Cyrano de Bergerac and Au revoir, les enfants, French-language films with subtitles.  See the syllabus for the weeks during which they will be shown.  They will be shown Monday through Thursday at 4 PM and 7 PM and on Friday at 3:30 PM only in the Media Center of the D.H. Hill Library.  They may also be rented from a video store.  You will turn in a Film Sheet based on each of these films: Cyrano de Bergerac:  Film sheet due Tuesday, October 24. Au revoir, les Enfants:  Film sheet due Tuesday, November 21.

Attendance
Attendance is required except in the case of medical illness or emergency. This policy is based on the University attendance policy. No late work is accepted for credit. There are no make-up exams unless the absence is due to serious illness, injury, death or illness in the family, university duties, court attendance, or religious observance.  Upon return to class after an absence, you are responsible for any homework, quizzes, compositions, etc. assigned for that day. Students will exchange phone numbers early in the session so that you can call each other in the event that you are unsure of an assignment.  

Exams
We will have three written exams during the semester, covering selected material from the text (vocabulary, reading, discussions), grammar, and lab exercises. You will also have an individual oral exam at the end of the term. It will count as the equivalent of one written exam. The final exam will be cumulative.

Compositions
You will write two short compositions, submitting a first draft and final version for each. Use of on-line translators is forbidden, since they do not produce gibberish instead of correct French. Write them in Word, double-spaced, and attach to email to submit.  Composition #1 due Thursday, September 14; Composition #2 due Tuesday, September 26.
          
Grading
3 exams + Final exam (10+10+10+20)     50%
2 compositions (& rough drafts) + video commentaries     20% 
Class participation, progress, & effort + oral exam     30%

Tutoring 
Academic Support Services offers free tutoring, but you must apply early in the semester because available tutors disappear.

Foreign Language Tutorial Services
Undergraduate Tutorial Center (IT) 147 Leazar Hall
Coordinator: Kenneth Gattis    515-3163
Site: Http://www.ncsu.edu/tutorial_center/forlang.html

Please come see me first if you are experiencing problems or would like to improve your skills in any way. I will make every effort to be available for you.

Code of conduct
Students should be familiar with the rules about cheating and the honor code: 
http://www.ncsu.edu/policies/student_services/student_discipline/POL11.35.1.php
By signing his name to any assignment or test in this course, the student is making the following assertion: "I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this test or assignment."  This is a serious matter.

Students with disabilities
All students currently registered with Disability Services for Students (DSS) must provide each faculty member with an accommodation letter. This letter verifies that appropriate medical documentation is on file and that the student has a substantiated disability requiring effective reasonable accommodations. Any student requesting accommodations without this letter must see a DSS counselor in Suite 1900, Student Health Center. Students with disabilities who possess an accommodation letter from DSS should schedule an appointment with the instructor immediately.DSS services can be found at their web site at http://www.ncsu.edu/equal_op/dss/or call the office directly at 919-515-7653. Remember that any special arrangements for exams must be made by the student directly with the instructor.

The Placement Test 
The placement tests are offered M-F from 8-5 in the Foreign Language Technology Center. (Old Laundry Building, near Poe Hall, at the corner of Current and Stinson). The test takes approximately 25-30 minutes. A lab assistant will set you up and print your test score.  Keep your score printout until you have finished your FL courses

Adding and dropping
"By the second class/laboratory period or fifth business day of the semester (whichever comes first) students who have not attended class or contacted the instructor regarding his/her absence may be dropped from the class roll.  This drop will be initiated by the instructor, processed by the department, and recorded in the Dean's Office.  The student may petition for readmission to the class if s/he has been dropped in error, or in the event of students with extenuating circumstances, provided the request is received by the tenth business day of the semester.  Students who intend to drop a course continue to have the responsibility to officially drop and are encouraged to do this on a timely basis, following normal university procedures."

Your responsibilities
1) Prepare all assignments on the syllabus before coming to class.

2) Rather than preparing for each class, instead spend 30 minutes each day reading, writing, and    orally practising the structures of each lesson.
 
3) Participate actively in each class session.  This means:

• Bring your book.  
• Take notes.  
• Write down new words and structures. Try to use them later in different contexts. 
• Try to produce sentences using the structures we're working on. 
• Make yourself say things. 

Répétez, s'il vous plaît.                      Repeat, please.
Comment dit-on ". . ." en français?     How do you say "...." in French?
Que veut dire  ". . ." ?                        What does  "...."  mean?
Ecrivez ce mot, s'il vous plaît.            Please write that word.
Qu'est-ce que c'est?                           What's that?
Je ne sais pas.                                  I don't know.
Je ne comprends pas.                        I don't understand.
J'ai une question.                               I have a question.

Internet resources
Pronunciation of vowels:  
http://phonetique.free.fr/alpha.htm

Learning to distinguish and discriminate vowels:
http://phonetique.free.fr/indexphonvoy.htm 

Basic oral French (You must use Internet Explorer for this site)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/french/talk/greetings/
The menu on the left has videos and practice for these categories:
Greetings
Introductions
Where from?
Family
Where you live
Eat and drink
Directions
Shopping
Leisure

Vocabulary and pronunciation    
http://www.languageguide.org/francais/
Holding your cursor over any of the drawings will yield audio pronunciation.  Repeat often and many times.

An instant verb conjugator:   
http://www.pomme.ualberta.ca/devoir/
Type in the verb you want to study and practice the present tense. This is excellent for reviewing for exams.

Grammar explanations, practice, and review:
http://french.about.com/ 
Type in the topic you want.