FRN2010 - French Studies 1

Leader: Sally Staddon

Offered

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

Synopsis

This unit provides teaching in the basic language skills (speaking/listening and reading/writing) and an introduction to modern French society. It is specifically designed for those who have little or no knowledge of the language. Students will be introduced to and encouraged to develop appropriate language learning strategies. Regular assessed homework, tests and non-assessed homework emphasize the continuous nature of language learning and the need for frequent and regular practice of skills. Clayton campus students will also be required to access the unit's website.

Objectives

The sequence FRN2010/2020 introduces students who have little or no knowledge of French to the structures and sounds of the language, to French culture and contemporary history, and helps them to develop some competence in the basic skill areas of reading, writing, listening and speaking in French. Students will be encouraged to use French both in and outside the classroom. Upon successful completion of this sequence students should have met the following objectives:

Communicative Competence -
Upon successful completion of this unit students should be able to:

1. Use the basic speaking, listening, reading and writing skills needed to communicate in a range of situations referring to past, present and future: talking about, writing about and listening to others talk about self, family, studies, needs and leisure activities.
2. Communicate effectively in French, with a minimum of misunderstandings, in a range of situations in France and Australia: staying with a host family in France, receiving an exchange student in Australia, carrying out everyday tasks such as shopping, eating out, travelling, attending university, and so on, in France or with an exchange student in Australia.
3. Skim read or read in detail straightforward, short texts in French: advertisements, cartoons, brochures, informal correspondence from family or friends, short newspaper articles or extracts from longer texts.

Strategic skills -
Upon successful completion of this unit students should have developed:

1. An awareness of different language learning strategies and have adopted learning strategies most appropriate to their preferred learning style.
2. The strategic skills needed to operate effectively in the communicative situations described above.

Socio-cultural Awareness -
Upon successful completion of this unit students should have begun to acquire a knowledge of and sensitivity to:

1. Aspects of contemporary french society, in particular areas such as education, the role of women, family life, leisure and holiday activities, France in the European Union.
2. Key socio-cultural differences between France and Australia that are evident in verbal and non-verbal communication, e.g. terms of address, use of appropriate register and of tu and vous, use of gestures, acceptable norms of politeness and general manner.

Linguistic Knowledge -
Upon successful completion of this unit, in order to have developed the communicative competence and strategic skills listed above, students should be able to demonstrate a knowledge of:

1. The key structures and the sounds of the French language.
2. A range of vocabulary appropriate to the situations described.

Assessment

Written exam (equivalent to 2000 words): 30%
Oral and aural tests (equivalent to 700 words): 30%
3 short written class tests (equivalent to 200 words): 10%
Written and aural homework (equivalent to 1600 words): 30%

Contact hours

4 hours per week (1 hour grammar workshop, 1 hour writing/grammar workshop and 2 hour oral/aural tutorial).

Prohibitions

Students enrolled in Arts courses or in FRN1010 are prohibited from taking this unit. In addition, students who have completed Year 11 French or its equivalent may not take this unit.