It will take you a few minutes to study this document, but it is essential for your success in the course to familiarize yourself thoroughly each of the points explained in this guide. Your instructor will assume that you have carefully read and taken note of every instruction, so at no point in the course will you feel uncertain about what is expected for each class and each assignment. Assignments not prepared according to these instructions will not be credited.
In each Thursday's grammar lesson and in each Tuesday's textual study lesson it will be assumed that you have prepared according to the instructions in this guide.
In this course, to enable you to understand clearly what you hear and read in
French, and to be able to say and write what you mean in an authentic manner.
For example, the study of different tenses enables you to situate the things
you
are talking about in the right time-frame.
In French as in other languages the action described in any sentence is
expressed by a verb. The speaker or writer of the sentence indicates the
time of the action (tense), and her or his attitude towards the action,
whether it is a fact, an hypothesis, a wish, an order, etc. (mood). The
grammar component of French 3100 (i.e., one half of the course) concerns
principally the French verbal system. You will master all the
forms of French verbs, the use of all the tenses and all the
moods (infinitive, indicative, imperative, conditional, subjunctive).
2. Since I have studied
grammar in 1000-level and 2000-level university French
courses, are there new points I will need to learn in this course?
For most students, yes. Take three examples from everyday spoken French:
(a) How do you say the equivalent in French of "Helen is afraid
she [herself] will be sick on the plane?" Many students
entering French 3100 will incorrectly begin this sentence in
French with the words "Hélène a peur qu'elle...". Similarly, many
students trying to say "I'm sorry I'm late" will
incorrectly start with the words "Je suis désolé [or Je regrette]
que je..."
(b) How do you say the equivalent of "...in case you need
help"? Many students entering French 3100 cannot say this,
since they incorrectly use the present indicative tense to
express the words you need in this sentence.
(c) How do you say the equivalent of "You should grow your
beard" or "You should let your hair grow" or "I'm
going to get my hair cut this afteroon"? Many students
entering French 3100 do not know how to express these ideas
correctly because they have not yet mastered the constructions
"se faire + infinitif" and "se laisser + infinitif".
When you have finished French 3100 you will be able to say
correctly in French each of these sentences, and many others. So
that you will be able to express yourself authentically in speech
and writing, and not use embarrassing "broken" French, grammar
topics you have studied in previous courses will studied in
much greater detail, and new topics will be
covered.
3. How do I prepare the grammar classes?
Note: This preparation for the grammar class,
although essential, does not mean that you have to "teach
yourself" without explanations of all important material by your
instructor. As is explained in Question 4 below, "In each class
your instructor will explain the major
grammatical points of the Grammar Unit. Emphasis will be on new
material that you have not studied in previous French language
classes."
On occasion, class discussion of a weekly Grammar Unit may continue into the
first part of the following Tuesday's class, although
normally Tuesday's classes are reserved
for textual rather than formal grammatical study.
Note that for the Grammar Unit and other French 3100
assignments each "week" begins on a Wednesday and ends
the following Tuesday, since the semester began on a
Wednesday.
You will need to spend about four hours preparing for each
Thursday's grammar Unit ("module de grammaire") and preparing the weekly
grammar assignment from the Workbook for submission a week later in the
following Thursday's class (see question 33 below on time management for
the course).
You will find it helpful to begin your preparation for
each grammar class by
reviewing the grammar topic being studied in your first-year and
second-year textbooks and notes.
Note on the textbook Contrastes. This textbook,
with its
accompanying Workbook, is an
intermediate-level grammar designed specifically for
students whose mother tongue is English. Take ten minutes at the very beginning
of the course to familiarize yourself with its contents. It will be for you a
useful reference and review grammar for topics additional to those studied
formally in the syllabus of French 3100, and you will find it helpful for all
your French courses. You are advised to keep and use the book after
completing French 3100.
RECOMMENDED METHOD FOR STUDYING EACH WEEKLY GRAMMAR UNIT:
This method uses Grammar Unit 2 (Future and Conditional) as an example.
(a) Read through the whole chapter (pages 142-154) a first time without
memorizing, but noting with an asterisk new grammatical points
(b) Study the assigned future, futur antérieur, conditional and past
conditional forms in the verb tables on pages 354-367, writing down any
forms
you do not already know or have forgotten.
(c) Study the future and conditional forms of the assigned verbs, writing down any forms you do not already know or
have forgotten.
Important note: Make sure you have learned all the forms (morphology) of
verbs and nouns appearing in each Grammar Unit that you have not previously
studied or do not remember (for example, the verb résoudre). This is memory work that only you can do.
Your instructor can explain constructions to you, but he cannot memorize for
you! In this course it is essential that you memorize all the verb and noun
forms as you encounter them. This will include the forms of tenses used in
the written language such as the passé simple and the imperfect subjunctive.
(d) Read the assigned Grammar Unit 2 Internet pages from the University of
Texas
French grammar, and do the on-line interactive exercises. Print for yourself
any
of these pages you find particularly helpful for review.
(e) Returning to page 142 of Contrastes, read the French sentences in
section 1a aloud. Then cover up the French sentences in section
1a
with a small card, and reproduce them orally (and in writing when you
feel this would be helpful) from the English equivalent. Take whatever written
notes you consider appropriate as you work through each section. Continue with
each section in the chapter.
(f) When you arrive at a "Vérification" exercise, do the exercise orally and/or in writing and check your answers at the
back
of the book
(g) When (and only when!) you have thoroughly mastered a group of sections in
Contrastes sufficiently to prepare the first assigned written exercises
in the Workbook, do the written exercise. (See
question
6 below.) Immediately correct each set of questions by checking the answer key
at the back of the Workbook and replacing any mistakes with the correct words
in
red ink. (See question 7 below.) Read aloud all the corrected
sentences in each Workbook exercise. See questions 5,6,7, and 8 below for
more information on preparation of the weekly written assignment.
(h) Proceed through the rest of the chapter, following steps (e), (f), and (g)
for each section.
(i) Review the whole of the chapter and your written notes, and write down any
questions you wish to ask your instructor in Thursday's grammar
class.
Note that this method combines several different kinds of learning
activities: reading, writing, note-taking, using the Internet, speaking
aloud, and immediate correction of errors.
Note on Web-based grammar explanations: For each grammar
unit you will find explanations and interactive exercises in off-campus
Web sites, principally from the University of Texas, accessible from
the weekly
assignment Web page. If you received less than 80% in French 1501/02
, you will find it helpful to read these Web pages
before preparing your lessons in Contrastes. If you received an
"A" in French 1501/02,
you will find these grammar Web pages a useful review of the major
points of the grammar unit, and you should read them after having studied
the assigned pages in your textbooks.
4. What will happen in each Thursday's grammar
class?
You will have thoroughly prepared the week's assigned Grammar
Unit before coming to
the Thursday grammar class.
In each class your instructor will explain the major grammatical
points of the Grammar Unit. Emphasis will be on new
material that you have not studied in previous French language
classes. He will answer your questions, will explain difficult
points, and will give you various oral and written exercises on
the Grammar Unit being studied. These exercises will include
such activities as writing the proper forms of verbs (for
example, transforming verbs from the present indicative into
other tenses and moods -- an in-class exercise concentrating on verb forms will normally
be done in every Thursday grammar class, so be sure you have
memorized all the irregular verb forms before coming to class
-- doing in class exercises in Contrastes, writing
dictations, doing oral dialogues with fellow students and other
small group activities, etc.
NOTE ON SUBMISSION OF IN-CLASS VERB EXERCISES:
The in-class verb exercise done in each Thursday grammar class must be corrected in class
with a red pen and submitted with the grammar assignment the following Thursday, after
having been stapled to the back of the grammar assignment. Any grammar assignment not
accompanied by this
in-class exercise will be reduced from a mark of .5% to a mark of .3%. Loose, non-stapled
sheets of paper will not be accepted.
From time to time student
volunteers will be invited to write their answers on the
blackboard.
Important note on extra help in grammar. If there is any point covered
in
the Grammar Unit which you have not fully understood by the end of each
grammar
class, or which you do not think you will be able to apply easily in your own
spoken and written French, you should immediately contact your
instructor
for extra help. This help can be one of two types: further explanation and
practice with your instructor during his office hour, or small group work with
your instructor's assistant, who is trained and experienced in providing such
help.
5. How often will I submit written grammar exercises?
Each week. Weekly written grammar assignments are based on material
discussed in Thursday's grammar class. They consist of a set of
exercises in the Workbook for Contrastes. They
will be passed in to your instructor every week in class
one week later in the Thursday class of the following
week. Each assignment should be dated and clearly labelled
with the appropriate Grammar Unit ("Module de grammaire")
number. Please double-check that you have put your name on the
assignment, as this is something that is sometimes forgotten and your
instructor cannot give credit to anonymous assignments!
Since your instructor or his assistant checks off receipt of assignments
immediately after the Thursday class, the assignments must be
submitted in class to be credited. Unexplained absence from the
Thursday class, having left your assignment at home, etc., will not
constitute a valid reason for not submitting the weekly assignment on
time.
You may either detach the assigned pages from the Workbook, or photocopy them,
if you wish to keep the Workbook intact. In either case the pages must be
stapled in the upper lefthand corner. Assignments submitted as
loose
pages will not be accepted, since it is impossible for your instructor to
keep track of such loose pages.
The weekly exercises are for practice, and are intended to help you
master the grammar being studied that week. For this reason they will not
be evaluated for accuracy. However, to acknowledge your work in preparing
the practice sentences, a full 5% of the final mark will be
assigned automatically when you submit all weekly grammar assignments
on time and duly corrected -- see Question 7).
Most of the Workbook exercises are sentence completion answers of one or two
words, and can therefore be done quickly if you have already thoroughly
mastered the grammatical material studies. Some of the assigned exercises are
designed for native speakers of English and comprise assisted translation of
sentences.
Only a selection of the written exercises in each chapter are assigned for
your weekly assignment. These constitute the minimum required to master
the material. However, time permitting, you are encouraged to complete and
correct additional or even all of the exercises in each chapter.
6. What is the best way to prepare the weekly written
exercises?
Experience has shown that you will spend much more time preparing your written
exercises, and will learn much less, if you have not thoroughly mastered
the grammar material before attempting the written exercises. With the
textbook Contrastes, you should read aloud several times every French
sentence in a chapter, and then reconstitute each of these sentences
(orally and/or in writing) by covering it up and referring to the English
equivalent. Only when you have mastered all the sentences of the section in
this manner should you attempt the corresponding written exercises. If you
attempt to do the exercises by searching for the grammar points as you write
them, you will find that you spend more time working on your assignments and
that you learn much less. (See the last paragraph of the answer to question 26
and question 33 on the matter of time management.)
Important note. Assignments in which the answers have obviously
been simply copied from the correction key will not be credited.
Your experienced instructor will generally recognize answers that have
been copied from the answer key!
7. How will I know if I have made mistakes? You
have access to an answer key for these exercises at the end of the Workbook.
Before
submitting your assignment on Thursday you should rewrite in
RED
ink any words you have incorrectly written. This will enable you to
review at a glance the correct form and will lessen the possibility of
your making the same mistake again.
While making such corrections you should understand, if
possible (e.g., by consulting your textbook) the nature of your
mistakes, and make appropriate notes so you will avoid repetition of the
same mistake in the future. In short, correction of your exercises
should be as much a part of your study for the course as is your
initial learning of the grammatical material. Duly corrected
assignments (only) will be credited 5% of the course mark automatically
when all such assignments have been submitted on time in each Thursday's
class.
8. What if I cannot tell whether my answer is right, or do
not understand why it is wrong?
Supposing, for example, in an exercise on the use of the subjunctive and the
indicative, you use the subjunctive instead of the indicative and do not know
why the answer key gives the indicative. You should at first attempt to find
the answer in the sections you have studied in Contrastes and in the
Internet grammar pages. If you cannot find the explanation and still do not
understand why your answer is a mistake, or if you are not certain that an
answer different from the one provided by the correction key is equally
acceptable, then you should indicate on a cover page of the
assignment the numbers of the exercises concerned and, where applicable, any
questions you may have. Your instructor or his assistant will answer these
questions in writing when feasible; in some cases where a lengthier explanation
is necessary your instructor will invite you to meet him and discuss the
difficulty.
Sometimes, especially in translation exercises, your answer
will be correct although different from that provided by the answer key
(for example, if you have translated a question in French using
"est-ce que" rather than inversion or vice versa). If you are not
sure of the correctness of an answer, you should put a red
question mark beside the answer and the number of the question on the
assignment cover page.
It is your responsibility to ensure that you
have submitted all assignments on time. Late assignments will
not be credited to the final course mark.
Tuesday's classes will
be devoted to the study of short texts (one
to five pages each) of French prose (fiction and non-fiction) or
poetry/songs with a view to developing students' mastery of
vocabulary, grammar, and idiom. Therefore the purpose of studying
these texts is not simply to understand the text. The
passage under consideration will be used as a point of departure
for developing vocabulary and grammar points related to those found in the
passage. For example, the sentence "Il n'osa parler" in a passage could
be used for a short lesson on what verbs omit "pas" for simple negation in
written French. The sentence "C'est plus difficile que je ne pensais"
could be lead to a discussion of the use of "ne" with no negative meaning.
Students will be responsible for all points discussed in this manner in
class.
10. How should I prepare the passage to be discussed each
Tuesday?
You should spend about one and a half hours preparing the text
before Tuesday's class (including identifying the
expressions posted on
the course "Active Vocabulary" Web page), and another half hour
reviewing the material and studying your class notes after the Tuesday
class and after the Thursday
class (see below question 33 on time management for this course).
Needless to say it is not a good idea to leave all the preparation of
Tuesday's class until the Monday evening before.
The passages selected should be CAREFULLY prepared BEFORE
the Tuesday class. Here "carefully" means finding all new words
and expressions in bilingual and unilingual dictionaries,
consulting a reference grammar to understand any new constructions
encountered (why, for example, a certain verb is in the
subjunctive mood, or why the normal order of a subject and its verb is
inverted, or why, to refer to the examples in the previous question, the
word "ne" appears without any complementary particle like "pas" or
"jamais").
In class you will be expected to be able to answer questions, both orally
and on the blackboard,
concerning ALL of the vocabulary in the assigned passages. Where students do not fully understand an expression or
construction they should prepare questions to ask your instructor in the
Tuesday class.
11. If I don't have time to prepare the passage for Tuesday's
class ahead of time, will I be able to learn everything I need to from
class discussion?
No. Although your instructor will explain all the difficulties and draw your attention to important grammar and vocabulary
points in the reading, careful preparation of the passage before the Tuesday class is is
intended to allow you to make the most efficient use possible of your
time. It is based on the observation that students profit from textual
study only when they have diligently worked through the text themselves
before class discussion. Experience has shown that students who
attempt to garner from class discussion bits of information concerning
an unfamiliar text derive little benefit from their efforts.
(See the last paragraph of the answer to question 26 and question 33 on
the matter of time management.)
A major objective of French 3100 is to increase significantly
your vocabulary and familiarity with the structures of French.
To help meet this objective you will prepare in a STENO notebook
(with a vertical line down the middle of each page), following
the instructions and model distributed in class by your
instructor, daily notes with contextualized new vocabulary and
grammar points you learn in all of your readings in French.
See pictures of a steno notebook
here,
here, and
here. The notebook can be easily carried in a
purse or backpack, and easily placed beside a computer when you
are working. Please purchase a 80-page or 120-page or
160-page steno
notebook: larger ones are too bulky to be easily transported, either by yourself or by your instructor.
Note : Different instructors require different
formats for notebook assignments, depending on the nature of the
course. For your assignment to be credited for French 3100,
it must be prepared in the format stipulated for this
section of French 3100. See below "Important Note" to
Question 24.
13. What do you mean by "contextualized" vocabulary?
Giving a short direct quotation of a few words (sentence fragment,
or very short sentence), taken from your readings and/or dictionaries,
that
illustrate how the word is used, and which help you remember the word (see
the model distributed in class). Do not make up the
illustration
yourself. Students receiving A-level marks on this assignment typically
include for each item both a short quotation from their reading and
short sentences or expressions from their dictionaries illustrating the
use (or different meanings) of the word.
14. How many items should I include in my notebook?
About twenty to twenty-five a week (three or four a day), leading to a
total of about 250 (but a maximum of 300) items at the end
of the term. Each item should include in the left-hand column the
"dictionary" form of the word encountered in your reading (e.g., the
infinitive form of the verb, the masculine singular form of adjectives,
etc.), when applicable one or more useful French expressions using this
word found in your dictionaries, and a short complete or partial direct
quotation illustrating the use of the word. In the right hand-column
there should be English equivalents to the word and expressions in the
left-hand column, or, when appropriate (for example, when you are
unfamiliar with the meaning of the English equivalent) a definition in
French. Use the model pages distributed in class at the beginning of
term.
15. Is it not difficult to learn that many items during in one
term?
No, providing you learn three or four every day, testing yourself
immediately after entering them in your notebook and reviewing what you
have learned at the end of each week. But do not try to learn thirty or
thirty-five new items all at once! 16. What are the
advantages of learning vocabulary this way?
The principal advantage is that you yourself make the decisions and
take responsibility for determining what you need to and should learn,
rather than simply having your instructor tell you. In choosing outside
readings you will be able to build up vocabulary in areas that interest
you personally, and you will be rewarded for this in receiving marks
for your work.
Another advantage is that it will help you master the vocabulary of
texts studied on Tuesday and the vocabulary of your grammar books,
which in turn will lead to higher marks on your examinations.
17. Has this method worked in the past?
In previous sections of French 3100 this exercise has proven successful
for students' mastering both assigned material studied in class and
material from outside readings. The notebook also helped students
receive high marks on the textual study part of the exam. It has also
given students a sense of personal satisfaction at mastering a definite
body of vocabulary over the semester.
18. From what readings should I find material to put in my
Vocabulary and Grammar Notebook?
You should include vocabulary and grammar items from both readings
discussed in class and from your own choice of out-of-class readings
in French. A wide variety of readings in French is made available on the
course Web pages, and others are available in the university library. New
vocabulary encountered in grammatical study (for example, in
Contrastes) and in Internet vocabulary exercises should also be
included in the notebook.
19. May I include in my Vocabulary
and Grammar Notebook material from notebooks prepared in other
courses or from old periodicals?
No. The entries in the notebook must not include entries used in similar
notebooks for any other course taken by the student. For this reason
entries taken from periodical literature may be taken only from
periodicals published between Apirl 2013 and November
2013. This requirement does not apply to readings assigned
for Tuesday study in class.
Important note on copying from another assignment: Academic
Offences defined in University Regulations 4.11.4 of the Calendar
include "plagiarism", "copying from another student's work
or allowing another student to copy from one's own work", and
"submitting work for one course which has been or is being submitted
for another course." Penalties range from reprimand and reduction of
marks to suspension or expulsion from the university. Consult
the university Calendar.
20. How do I distinguish between words and grammar points I want to
be able to use myself, and those I want only to be able to
recognize?
Vocabulary items that you wish to assimilate into your personal active
(productive, as opposed to simple recognition) vocabulary (normally
no less than 25% of items in the notebook) should be marked
with an asterisk (*) beside the English (or French) equivalent of the term
in the right-hand column (or, if you prefer, both columns) of the steno
notebook. (In the right-hand column so you are able to test yourself on your
mastery of the new vocabulary items you have entered in the left-hand column.)
21. How will my instructor know exactly how many and what
readings I have used for this notebook?
At the back of the notebook, starting on the very last
page, there must be a numbered bibliography of all
readings you used in the preparation of the notebook, including
publication data for each item. The information should be clear enough
that your instructor could easily find the readings cited if he wished to
check them.
References to Web pages should include the title (including the name of the site) and date
of the page and it should include URL address of the site (but not the long URL address of the specific page).
For example:
"Des gens à Terre-Neuve prennent les grands moyens pour éloigner les ours" (Radio-Canada), le
30 août 2012, http://www.radio-canada.ca/
Each separate book or article should be entered only once in the
bibliography, and each item should be numbered starting at 1 for the
first one, and continuing to the end of the course (for example, 275 for
the final entry) so that at ny given time one can see exactly how many
entries (how many different articles or books) there are in the
bibliography
22. Will there be questions from my personal notebook on the final
exam?
Not directly in Fall 2013. However your notebook entries will
be
extremely useful for vocabulary and grammar questions on the half of the
final exam that will cover your term's work of textual study.
23. When will I have to pass my notebook in, and how much is
it worth?
The notebook will be submitted three times: on Thursday,
September 19 (with 40-50 entries), for inspection and advice;
on Thursday, October 17 (with 125-150 entries), for a mark of
10%; Tuesday, November 26 (with 250-300 entries), for a further
10%.
DEDUCTION FOR LATE SUBMISSION:
In order to ensure fairness to all students, 0.3%
of the final mark will be deducted each day beyond the deadline
that the notebook assignment is not submitted.
Note: If a student so wishes, this assignment may be
replaced with an extra twenty questions (=20%) on the final
examination dealing with the student's general knowledge of
French vocabulary. In this case there will be 15 vocabulary items
to be translated from French to English, and five from English to
French. The level of difficulty will be representative of the
level of difficulty in students' notebooks, and normally will be
chosen from those notebooks. Since usually students earn higher
marks on the notebook assignment, which they can prepare at their
leisure on their own time, than on examination questions testing
vocabulary, this substitution is not recommended by your
instructor, who must be informed in writing by
October 16th if you wish to choose this option.
24. How will the notebook be marked?
Four criteria will be used in determining the mark of the
notebook, namely:
(a) the care with each entry has been prepared, especially
evidence of work with a dictionary showing different
meanings of the word in question and, importantly,
examples of contexts in which the word is used (quotations
of short sentences or phrases);
(b) inclusion of paradigms and explanations of grammatical
points encountered in reading;
(c) the number and variety of readings done by the
student;
(d) the number of entries in the notebook (about
250 at the end of the coursefor normal "B" level work, to a
maximum of 300, or 125 to a maximum of 150 for
the first submission).
IMPORTANT NOTE: Notebook assignments not prepared according to the
specific instructions for this section of French 3100 will not be accepted
and credited. For example, notebooks in which adjectives are not listed in
the masculine singular form, verbs not listed in the infinitive form or
not labelled as transitive, indirect transitive or pronominal, and
notebooks without a bibliography at the back or without labelling of
personal active vocabulary, will not be credited.
Check list for submission of notebook assignment:
1. Are all items numbered consecutively, without restarting the
numbering for new dates or new sources?
2. Is there a numbered bibliography at the very back (last page
of the notebook), indicating what source(s) you have used (even if for
the time being there is only one)?
3. Are all the entries facing the same way when you open your
steno pad flat, displaying two pages?
4. Do all or most entries include in the left-hand column a
quotation of a short sentence (or a few words from part of a
sentence), found in your readings or your dictionaries, which illustrate
the meaning or meanings of the word?
5. Is every verb entry in the infinitive or dictionary form
(ending in -er, -ir or re)?
6. Is every verb entry clearly labelled "vt" (transitive verb, taking a direct object), "vti" (indirect
transitive verb, taking an indirect object), "vi" (intransitive verb, never taking a direct object), or "vpr"
(pronominal verb), according to the labels used in your unilingual or bilingual dictionary?
(There is some variation between, for example, the labelling system of the Petit Robert and the most recent
edition of the Collins Robert dictionary; the latter no longer uses the indirect transitive category, but simply
gives the verbal expression with the preposition. You may use either in your notebook.)
7. Is every noun entry given in the singular, with irregular
plural forms noted when necessary?
8. Is the gender of every noun clearly indicated either by an
article (le or la, un or une) or by a label?
9. Is every adjective entry given in the masculine
singular form, with irregular feminine or plural forms noted
when necessary?
10. Have you marked with an asterisk in the righthand (or both)
column(s) of the steno pad about a quarter of your entries to indicate
that you will learn these items as part of your active,
productive (and not just recognition) vocabulary?
11. Have you included some grammatical explanations or paradigms of
new grammar points you have encountered in your reading
(not those covered in regular French 3100 grammar classes)?
12. Is there an appropriate number of entries (40-50 for September 19; 125-150 for October
17; 250-300 for November 26)?
25. For examination purposes, exactly what am I responsible
for?
For examination purposes, students will be responsible both for
everything assigned for study and for everything discussed in class
(including new vocabulary not appearing in the textbook and the
passages assigned for study). A
term examination will be held on Thursday, October 10, 2013 (15%, 50
minutes).
26. Am I likely to fail exam questions based on work
covered in a class I have missed?
Yes, to judge from past experience. In the past most students who
missed a class without cause (and thus without having supplementary help
to make up for the missed class) have failed the midterm examination,
and typically every student who attended every class has passed
the examinations.
A student who misses a single Thursday class misses
most of an
entire grammar
unit.
Frequently a thorough knowledge of one grammar unit is essential to
proceed to further units, and missing a single grammar class can have
seriously detrimental effects on a student's work for the rest of the
term. Even if a student believes that she has learned the material
assigned in a weekly grammar unit, by not attending class she will miss
essential exercises and practice on this grammar.
Similarly, students who miss a Tuesday class of textual
study
typically fail on examination questions devoted to that text.
Students often miss class because of some other pressing
commitment, such as an assignment for another course that must be
completed or an exam the same day. It is therefore very important for you
to plan the whole of each week in such a way that you allot sufficient
time to complete your different course requirements without missing any
classes. If you have trouble organizing your time, you are encouraged to
seek advice on this matter at the university Counselling Centre.
27. What should I do then if I have to miss a class for reasons of
illness?
On your return to the university you should see your instructor during his
office hour to determine what you missed and what remedial work can be
done, and to obtain any documents that might have been distributed in
class. Please do not contact your instructor to explain the reason
for your absence -- the important thing is to catch up on the work and
practice you have missed in the class so you will do well in the course.
If you have to be absent for more than one class you should
telephone or e-mail your instructor to inform him of the situation and seek
advice on remedial work.
28. What should I study for exams?
See the Web pages on the midterm and final exams accessible from
the main French 3100 Web page. These Web pages indicate what exercises
from your textbooks will be adapted for exam questions.
The midterm and final examinations will each have approximately the same number
of questions and points for grammar work and for textual study. The
grammar questions will be modelled on grammar exercises prepared
in the Workbook, and students are responsible for all the grammar they study in
Contrastes and in the Conjugaison verb tables (see section A
above
on grammar study) and for all the vocabulary in their
written assignments. A good way to prepare this part of the examinations is to
carefully review the assigned and completed exercises, paying especially
careful
attention to any corrections you have made and marked in red.
The examination questions on textual study will include questions
on all the vocabulary of the texts studied, as well as all vocabulary
and
grammar points discussed in class. See above section B on
textual study. All examination answers must be written in ink.
29. Is there anything apart from grammar, textual and vocabulary
study
that I will be responsible for in each class?
Yes. You will be responsible for all announcements made in class concerning
assignments, examinations, etc., as well as for any documents that
might be distributed in class.
30. How many in-class tests are there?
There is one grammar and vocabulary test worth 15% (Thursday, October 10, 2013) and one
in-class composition
worth 20% (Thursday, November 14, 2013 -- see question 31
below). For the grammar component of the course, experience shows that
French 3100 students do better on final examination questions than on
mid-term exams (since they have worked with the material longer and know
it better), and it is therefore to their advantage that the term test
not be more heavily weighted. In addition, most of the term mark is
made up from exercises (regular grammar assignments, notebook,
composition) for which students normally receive higher marks than for
tests, and which they can prepare in their own time.
31. What are the requirements for my composition
assignment?
On Thursday, November 14, 2013 you will write an in-class composition of
one single-spaced handwritten 8.5" x 14" page (or
equivalent). You will be
given a choice of three topics. Your in-class composition must be
written
in ink. You may consult your dictionaries, grammar, and
your vocabulary-grammar steno-pad notebook but no other notes.
As this composition is a short one-page exercise, the emphasis will be on
accuracy and quality. You should very carefully
double-check every word to verify its spelling, meaning, gender,
number, and agreement. Particular attention should be paid to the
agreement of adjectives with the noun or pronoun they qualify, and
agreement of verbs with their subjects, as well as other types of
agreement such as agreement of determiners (le, un, ce, mon, etc.),
possessives, and past participles. The composition will be corrected with a correction code.
Compositions will be evaluated
according to Calendar Regulations 4.6.4 and 4.8.3:
Good writing skills are required for effective communication. Students are,
therefore, expected to demonstrate
proficiency in logical organization, clarity of expression and grammatical
correctness. Students at all university levels should have reasonably sophisticated and
effective communication skills and are
expected to demonstrate proficiency in logical organization, clarity of
expression and grammatical correctness. Hence good
writing is expected of students in all courses, not only in those designated
"Writing and Research courses." Upon
graduation students should be capable of expressing complicated ideas clearly
and concisely and should be able to develop
arguments in a logical manner. Good student writing is characterized by the following qualities: Content - Critical insight and freshness of thought Organization - Effective introduction and conclusion Style - Appropriate, accurate, precise and idiomatic diction Mechanics - Consistently correct spelling
French 3100 can be considered an "intermediate-level" French course.
Intermediate-level students, while not having the same proficiency as they
do in their mother tongue, should be able to understand everyday spoken
French and modern written French in popular magazines, newspapers, plays,
novels, etc. They should be able to express themselves orally on topics
of everyday life with a minimum of grammatical errors and with a
reasonably authentic accent. They should be able to write friendly
letters or essays on topics of current interest with accurate grammar,
vocabulary and spelling.
33. How many hours per week of out-of-class work will this course
require?
The assignments in this course overlap considerably, so the workload is
lighter than it might at first appear. For example, much of the work for
the Vocabulary Notebook is in fact synonymous with preparation and review
of texts for Tuesday work studied in class.
Typically a student can expect to spend about
one hour a day (or seven
hours a week) on out-of-class work:
* 2.5 hours per week studying the grammar units (including 30 minutes
end-of-the-week review of what was learned in the preceding week);
Planning and budgeting your time are important ingredients
to success in this course. At the very beginning of term you are
strongly urged to draw up a weekly seven-hour out-of-class work
schedule for French 3100, especially if you have a busy week with
other courses, assignments, and perhaps employment.
34. What has led to success and what has led to problems in this
course in the past?.
Students who have done well in this course in the past (70%+) have usually
attended every class, have read aloud as much as possible sentences
during their out-of-class work with in the textbook and workbook, have covered
up the French sentences in the assigned chapters of the textbook in order to
recreate them from their English equivalents, have spent time at the end of
every week testing themselves on the vocabulary studied and on the grammar
exercises done, and have availed themselves of every opportunity to speak, read
and listen to French (on radio and television, for example).
The difficulties experienced by a very small number of students can
be attributed to different factors. The most common cause is not
keeping up with the work on a daily basis and missing class: this is
often a simple problem of time management (see answers to questions 26 and
33).
Another difficulty that can occur at this level is an erroneous assumption
by the student that she or he already has an excellent command of French
and therefore needs to make only a minimal commitment to the work in
French 3100. This difficulty often arises with students, such as
ex-French Immersion or ex-Frecker Programme students, who do indeed have
good comprehension and communication skills but whose command of such
matters as the use of tense and mood, agreement, accurate vocabulary,
and spelling and other aspects of written expression, are insufficient for
intermediate-level university French. Such students usually do very well
once they make a commitment to an hour a day of out-of-class work in
French 3100.
A. STUDY OF GRAMMAR.
1. What is the
purpose of studying grammar? B. TEXTUAL STUDY
9. What is the purpose of textual study?
C. PERSONAL VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT (NOTEBOOK)
12. Why is the preparation of a Vocabulary and Grammar Notebook
assigned?
D. ATTENDANCE AND EXAMINATIONS
E. IN-CLASS COMPOSITION
- Clear and penetrating ideas
- Perceptive, pure grasp of subject
- Intelligent use of primary and secondary sources
- A sense of completeness about the handling of the topic
- Main idea is clear and logical development follows
- Smooth transitions
- Good use of details
- Sentences varied in kind, length and effect
- Accurate use of punctuation
- Grammatically correct sentences
- Well organized paragraphingF. LEVEL AND WORKLOAD OF COURSE
32. What is the level of French proficiency in this course?
* 1.5 hours per week preparing the weekly written grammar
assignment;
* 2 hours preparing or reviewing the text[s] studied in
Tuesday's class;
* a total of 1 hour making about 40-50 entries (2-4 per day) in your
Vocabulary and Grammar Notebook.
