FRENCH IV COURSE PROSPECTUS 2006-7
Instructor: Simona Ghirlanda
OBJECTIVES
- To develop and refine your communicative skills in the four areas of listening, speaking, reading, and writing
- To improve your listening comprehension through video and audio material
- To acquire fluency in daily, conversational French, to the point that you can talk “naturally” about a variety of
topics
- To review systematically grammatical structures, and acquire new uses, idioms and syntax structures
- To develop your ability to read magazine articles and literary works not simplified for students, but presented
as they are written for French readers
- To develop your ability to write well structured and articulate compositions
- To broaden your world view through knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of French and Francophone
cultures, and, by means of this, develop curiosity for cultures different from yours
TEXTS AND MATERIALS: SUR LE VIF – Niveau intermédiaire
Handouts (grammatical activities, press articles, short stories, poetry etc...)
Films, songs, TV programs and documentaries.
EXPECTATIONS
It is your obligation to check your school e-mail daily. Also, please do not use your personal address to contact me.
BE ON TIME! Attendance is a very important aspect of your work. Make sure that you always bring
your texts and all the other material you need.
Eating, drinking, and gum chewing are not allowed in class.
Participate consistently and energetically in our class activities. The effort you put into class participation
is a major aspect of your grade.
The language of communication in class will be French. If you speak English when you really need to communicate an idea, your French will never become spontaneous and you will slow down your progress.
All assignments must be handed on time. Your receive 1 point each time homework is checked and you have completed it; 0 points when homework is checked and you have not done it, or you simply don’t have it with you. In other words, you will not receive any credit for that day, unless you have spoken with me before class,
and there is some very reasonable excuse. If you have an excused absence, the assignment is due upon your return, so please call a friend or me to find out what was covered that day. If you were ill and could not do the work, please let me know and we will make other arrangements for you to get the late work completed.
Quizzes and tests will be given on a regular basis, and you will be expected to take them with the class, unless you have an excused absence. If you miss one, you will be expected to take it upon your return, within school guidelines. It is your responsibility to make them up as soon as possible. If you miss a class because of an extra-curricular activity, please let me know in advance. This is particularly important if a test or other project is taking place that day, in which case you must arrange with me in advance to make it up at the earliest possible date.
DEFINITION OF CHEATING FOR FRENCH IV
Cheating on tests and quizzes is the giving or receiving of assistance or information verbally or in writing on the part of the student. A student who gives assistance is as guilty of cheating as a student who receives the information. Cheating also includes using “cheat sheets,” or class notes on a test or quiz that is not designated as an “open book test.”
Plagiarism is the direct copying of someone’s else thoughts and passing them off as one’s own without crediting the actual author. This includes using another student’s composition or part of it, or having another student write a composition for you.
Cheating on homework is directly copying the majority of homework answers from another student’s sheet when students are not working together. In my class, cheating on homework does not include working on homework assignments in a cooperative group situation, which I actually encourage.
Any instance of cheating or plagiarism may result in loss of credit for the assignment or test in question, and may also be referred to your Dean. If you have any questions regarding what is or is not acceptable, please contact me before an assignment is due.
GRADING GUIDELINES
Grades at the end of each marking period are based on the following:
Quizzes 15% 93-100 = A
90-92 = A-
Compositions 15% 87-89 = B+
83-86 = B
Tests 30% 80-82 = B-
77-79 = C+
Oral expression/ class participation 20% 73-76 = C
70-72 = C-
Homework 10% 67-69 = D+
63-66 = D
Semester Final Exam 10% 60-62 = D-
------ 0-59 = F
100%
As you can understand, much of your grade will depend on your effort and commitment. You will be rewarded if you hand in all homework assignments, participate actively in class, and take risks in order to experiment with your skills. You will not be expected to be perfect French speakers or writers, so mistakes will be welcome as long as you try to improve! Have a great school year!
Simona Ghirlanda