FRN1040 - French Studies 4

Leader: Philip Anderson

Offered

Clayton Second semester 2007 (Day)
South Africa Second semester 2007 (Day)

Synopsis

In the language-culture component of this unit students will participate in a variety of theme-based activities developing speaking, writing and reading and aural comprehension skills. The themes of the activities will involve everyday life in contemporary France, giving students an insight into the socio-cultural specificity of France and how that is reflected in linguistic practices. They will develop explicit grammar competence through specific exercises. In the specialized culture component of this unit students will study how, in the nineteenth century and since, the bourgeoise established an maintained its power and values in French society, and the ways in which that power and those values have been reflected, challenged and subverted. The approach will be interdisciplinary, focusing on such topics as revolution and class conflict, urbanism and spectacle, consumerism and food.

Objectives

Upon completion of this unit students should have met the following objectives in the following areas: Communicative competence and linguistic knowledge:

1. Consolidated and improved their existing speaking, listening, reading and writing skills so as to be able to communicate effectively in an increased range of situations and on a range of themes including self, family, study, work and leisure, their own and French society, history, and cultural values.
2. Developed language skills in relation to exposition and argument in a number of contexts such as casual debate, formal pressing of a petition, letter-writing, formulating a written petition.
3. Developed information seeking skills in the form of more advanced reading skills, more advanced questioning and interview skills, writing letters and emails to request information.
4. Developed increased explicit grammatical knowledge empowering the student as an autonomous learner.
5. Developed learning strategies appropriate to their learning style, reinforcing preferred learning modes and developing other modes. Socio-cultural awareness:
6. Acquired a greater critical knowledge and understanding of modern French society, its values and their evolution.
7. Understood the cultural specificity of certain features of communicative practices in French and understand and use aspects of them such as forms of politeness, modes of address in spoken and written French.

Assessment

Continuing assessment (written tasks) (500 words) : 10%
Continuing assessment (oral tasks) : 25%
Class tests (written, aural comprehension, specialized culture) : 40%
Written examination (2 hours) : 25%

Contact hours

5 hours (4 hours of language-culture classes, 1 hour specialized culture lecture/or workshop)

Prerequisites

FRN1030

Prohibitions

FRN2040