French 202 is designed for students of French who have successfully completed French 3 or beyond at Penn State or the equivalent in high school or at another institution. It is required for French majors and minors. Although the lessons and assignments will emphasize writing skills, particularly grammar, syntax, organization, style, and tone, your learning will be enhanced through the other language skills, namely reading, listening, and speaking. All these skills are crucial to your continuation into upper-level French courses at Penn State. You will practice summarizing, description, restatement, argument, and analysis through engaging in varied writing tasks -- essay writing, film reviews, character portraits, and a French c.v. Cultural knowledge of France and the Francophone world will also be highlighted, both because of its close relation to language learning and as preparation for the study abroad some of you may be considering. Finally, this course is designed to help equip you with the writing, critical thinking, and oral communication skills essential for further study of French (and much else!) at Penn State.

Required texts (Penn State Bookstore):

Bragger, Jeannette and Donald Rice. Quant à moi: Témoignages des Français et des Francophones. Boston: Heinle and Heinle, 1996. This inlcudes the manuel de classe (MC), the manuel de préparation (MP), and student audio tapes (AT).

Recommended texts:

*A good French-English/English-French dictionary, such as Robert Collins, Harrap's, or Larousse and, ideally, a French-French dictionary, are highly recommended.

*A "manuel de conjugaison" (verb conjugation book) such as Bescherelle, L'art de conjuguer (Paris: Hatier).

Penn State is committed to providing all disabled students equal access and learning opportunities. Please notify me as soon as possible regarding any special accomodations that you may need.

Written work: 50%

Portfolio: 15%

Quizzes: 20%

Participation/Attendance: 15%

Written work: This course requires weekly or bi-weekly written assignments, ranging from shorter and/or relatively 'unstructured' writing assignments to longer, 'essay-like' compositions. All the writing you will do for this course, with the exception of the portfolio, is subsumed in the 'written work' part of your grade. Specific guidelines for writing will be discussed and topics will also be discussed well in advance of due dates. Written work, including rough and final drafts, must be typed and double-spaced. Remember to save the rough drafts and all other prepatory documents (peer editing sheets, etc.) for your portfolio. No late work will be accepted.

Portfolio: The goal of a portfolio is to display your development in French in terms of language skills and as a writer. You will compile a portfolio of what you consider your best work during the course and submit it the last day of the semester. During finals week, you and I will conduct a short oral interview in French. You should be able to express why you chose the pieces in the portfolio, what they say about you as a writer, and what skills you think you have acquired or refined during this course. The portfolio must include:
 

*three of your writing assignments and all prepatory documents;

*your French c.v.;

*a written statement (1-2 pages), in French, about why you chose the enclosed pieces.

Further guidelines for the portfolio will be distributed during the semester.

Quizzes: Weekly or bi-weekly quizzes will be designed to test grammar, vocabulary, and concepts you have learned in class and at home. They represent a form of contrôle continu -- a way for both you and I to assure ourselves that you are 'keeping up,' as well as a means to help reinforce subjects covered in a given week. Make-up quizzes will be given only upon documented proof of medical difficulty, as a result of family emergency, upon proof of participating in a university-approved activity, in the event of a religious holiday, or for an equally compelling reason.

Participation/Attendance: This course relies on an unusually high level of 'team-work,' manifested through in-class peer editing, small group work, etc. It is thus imperative that you attend class regularly, in order for both yourself and the entire class to benefit from the type of work we will be doing. An attendance sheet will be passed around during each session; lateness exceeding 10 minutes will result in your being considered absent. After three unexcused absences your course grade will begin to be lowered. Also crucial to the smooth functioning of the class will be your daily preparation for class, as well as your informed and lively participation in class discussions.

Grading Scale
 

95-100 A
90-94.9 A-
87.7-89.9 B+
83.33-87.6 B
80-83.32 B-
75-79.9 C+
70-74.0 C
60-69.9 D
0-59.9 F
 

** Le programme du cours peut être modifié au cours du semestre.**

Semaine 1

mercredi 26 Introduction et présentation du cours

vendredi 28 Devoirs [**à faire chez vous pour le 28]:

Chapitre 6 ("Récits et portraits"). MP A faire 6-1 (p. 256) + ex. 1 (p. 256).

Semaine 2

lundi 31 MP A faire 6-1 ex. 3 (p. 258). Apportez votre compte rendu du film en classe.

mercredi 2 MP A faire 6-2 (pp. 258-265).

vendredi 4 MP A faire 6-3 (pp. 265-269). Apportez ex. 10 (p. 265) en classe.

Semaine 3

lundi 7 Labor Day -- Pas de cours

mercredi 9 MP A faire 6-4 (pp. 270-271). Apportez ex. 16 (p. 270) en classe. Le compte rendu du film est à rendre.

vendredi 11 MP A faire 6-5 (pp. 271-73). Apportez ex. 19 (p. 273) en classe.

Semaine 4

lundi 14 MP A faire 6-6 (pp. 274-278). Apportez ex. 23 (p. 278) en classe. L'anecdote personelle (p. 265) est à rendre.

mercredi 16 MP A faire 6-7 (pp. 278-279). Apportez ex. 26 (p. 279) en classe. La lettre personelle (p. 270) est à rendre.

vendredi 18 MP A faire 6-8 (pp. 279-280). Apportez ex. 27 (p. 280) en classe.

Semaine 5

lundi 21 Séance cinéma. Le mini-portrait (p. 273) est à rendre.

mercredi 23 Terminez le film en dehors des heures de classe/Discussion du film en classe. Le portrait biographique (p. 278) est à rendre.

vendredi 25 Intermède B MP A faire B-1 (pp. 282-286). Votre autoportrait (p. 279) est à rendre/Votre portrait d'un/e camarade de classe (p. 280) est à rendre.

Semaine 6

lundi 28 Travail en classe sur les c.v. français. Le brouillon de la composition 1 sur le film est à rendre.

mercredi 30 Pas de cours

vendredi 2 Vidéo(s) sur la technologie française + courte composition. Votre c.v. français est à rendre.

Semaine 7

lundi 5 La composition 1 est à rendre. Chapitre 7 ("Le monde d'aujourd'hui et de demain"). MP A faire 7-1 (pp. 290-293).

mercredi 7 MP A faire 7-2 (pp. 293-300).

vendredi 9 MP A faire 7-3 (pp. 300-304). Apportez en classe le plan de votre composition 2 sur la technologie (p. 303).

Semaine 8

lundi 12 MP A faire 7-4 (p. 304). Apportez le plan et le brouillon de votre composition 2 en classe.

mercredi 14 MP A faire 7-5 (pp. 305-307).

vendredi 16 MP A faire 7-6 (pp. 307-308).

Semaine 9

lundi 19 MP A faire 7-7 (p. 309).

mercredi 21 MP A faire 7-8 (pp. 309-310).

vendredi 23 Séance cinéma. Terminez le film chez vous pendant le weekend. La version finale de la composition 2 est à rendre (MP A faire 310).

Semaine 10

lundi 26 Discussion du film en classe.

mercredi 28 Discussion du film (suite).

vendredi 30 Apportez en classe un brouillon de la composition 3 au sujet du film.

Semaine 11

lundi 2 Chapitre 5 ("Questions sociales"). Apportez le texte de votre entretien en classe.

mercredi 4 MP A faire 5-1 (pp. 208-211).

vendredi 6 MP A faire 5-1 (pp.212-216). Le texte de votre entretien est à rendre.

Semaine 12

lundi 9 MP A faire 5-2 (pp. 216-220). La composition 3 sur le film est à rendre.

mercredi 11 MP A faire 5-2 (pp. 221-223). Apportez en classe votre dossier préliminaire sur un sujet d'actualité.

vendredi 13 MP A faire 5-3 (pp. 223-228).

Semaine 13

lundi 16 Apportez en classe les résumés d'articles composant votre dossier.

mercredi 18 MP A faire 5-4 (pp. 228-235).

vendredi 20 MP A faire 5-4 (pp. 235-240).

Semaine 14

lundi 23 MP A faire 5-5 (pp. 240-242). Votre dossier d'articles sur un sujet d'actualité est à rendre.

mercredi 25 Votre choix

vendredi 27 Happy Thanksgiving!

Semaine 15

lundi 30 MP Appendice A (pp. 311-312) "Les temps littéraires"

mercredi 2 Votre choix -- Quelques suggestions: travail sur des images visuelles; les Etats- Unis vus par la France; une période historique etc.

vendredi 4 .

Semaine 16 .

lundi 7 .

mercredi 9 .

vendredi 11 Conclusion/Votre portfolio est à rendre.

BONNES VACANCES!!!!