A. P. LANGUE FRANÇAISE 2006-7 Mme Simona Ghirlanda
ADVANCED PLACEMENT FRENCH LANGUAGE PROSPECTUS
OBJECTIVES
- To perfect your grasp of all grammar rules, sentence patterns, standard idioms, verb use, etc. In this course, you will be equipped with a full understanding of the structure and working of the language.
- To achieve near fluency, at least in daily, conversational French, to the point where you can converse with some ease on a wide variety of topics with a command of phonetic skills which will allow for correct accent and intonation. (And we will accomplish this thanks to our new fantastic Language Lab! J)
- To develop your ability to read press articles, novels, poetry, plays and other primary material not simplified for a student audience, but written by noted authors or from serious publications.
- To prepare you for the Advanced Placement French Language Exam, the
Achievement Test and the National French Context.
TEXTS AND MATERIALS
1. Qu'est-ce qui se passe? (Expression écrite)
2. AP French, Preparing for the Language Examination
3. Huis Clos, Jean-Paul Sartre
4. Jean de Florette, Marcel Pagnol
5. French/English Dictionary (recommended: Le Collins et Robert, available
in the bookstore)
6. Handouts distributed by the instructor (grammatical activities, press articles, literature excerpts)
7. Audio and Video materials; films.
DAILY EXPECTATIONS
It is your obligation to check your school e-mail daily. Also, if you wish to contact me, please DO NOT use your personal e-mail address.
- Much of your work in this class will be done independently, according to a schedule which I will distribute to you. Please keep track on a calendar of when your assignments are due.
- Be on time and fully prepared to work.
- Bring the book on which we will be working, depending on the period of the week.
- Use a three-ring binder for the class (no spiral notebook, PLEASE!).
- Participate fully and energetically in every class session. Class participation
will constitute an important part of your grade. The language of communication will be exclusively French.
- All assignments must be done on time and, when self correctable, corrected completely before class. If you are absent with a valid excuse, the assignment must be done
upon your return. Obviously, if you are sick and unable to do the work, we will make other arrangements for you to get the late work in.
- If you are going to miss a class because of an extra-curricular activity such as a sport meet, let me know in advance. If you can’t find me, a simple note on my desk will suffice. This is especially important if you will be missing an announced quiz or test, in which case you must arrange with me in advance to make up the test at the earliest possible date.
DEFINITON OF CHEATING FOR AP FRENCH LANGUAGE
Cheating on tests 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 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
The grade you will receive is based on the totality of work that you do in the course.
The following are the major criteria which will be considered in the grading process:
- Homework: You will receive daily as well as long-term written assignments.
It is important to keep up to date with your homework assignments.
- Tests: There will be frequent tests. You will be responsible on each test for all material covered from the beginning of the course, since the new topics we learn build inevitably on what we have learned before.
- Essays: There will be frequent essays. During first semester, you will have the chance to write five essays in two drafts, in which case the second draft only will be graded. Afterwards, you will write them in one copy.
- Oral grading: You will be judged on how correctly ad creatively you use the grammatical structures and vocabulary you have learned, both in response to questions and in conversation pairs and small groups. There will be graded assignments to be done at the Language Lab.
- Class and lab participation, daily preparation and attitude.
- End of semester exam. (January)
The percentage breakdown in your quarter is as follows: Tests: 35 %
Essays: 25 %
Oral expression (Recording activities): 15 %
Homework /AP French exercises: 15 %
Class work / participation: 10 %
January Final Exam: 15 % of semester grade
GRADE STANDARDS FOR AP FRENCH LANGUAGE
92-100 A
89-91 A-
87-88 B+
82-86 B
79-81 B-
77-78 C+
72-76 C
69-71 C-
67-68 D+
62-66 D
60-61 D-
0-59 F
N.B.: My schedule is posted in the Foreign Language Department Office. If you are having any difficulty, please do not put off an appointment, assuming that things will “work out.” Since you need to understand what went before in order to grasp what’s coming next, postponing help will only complicate matters further. There are periods during the day when I am available. An appointment can always be arranged.
I wish all of you the best results in this course.
Simona Ghirlanda