FRN2070 - French studies 7

Leader(s): Patrick Durel

Offered

Clayton First semester 2009 (Day)

Synopsis

Class activities enable students to acquire advanced communication skills in spoken and written French. Oral work focuses on expository techniques needed to present the contents of articles taken from the press. Written tasks involve expository essay writing, and English to French translation. Revision and extension of competence in syntax is undertaken in conjunction with the communication skills practiced.
In the Specialized Culture component (French Culture & Everyday Life), students will develop an understanding of how, in the French context, everyday life reflects and embodies cultural and social change.

Objectives

At the end of the course, students should have reinforced their ability to communicate and interact efficiently in French both in oral and written form by using appropriate techniques of exposition. They will be expected to develop and demonstrate the following skills in the target language:

1. Reading comprehension/oral production: students should be able to communicate the main points contained in a newspaper article, reformulating, structuring and explaining its content.
2. Writing skills: students should be able to plan in detail, use appropriate vocabulary and syntax in order to write an expository text. They should also demonstrate an awareness of issues of textual grammar (coherence and cohesion).
3. Morpho-syntax and stylistics: students should further their knowledge of French grammar and develop their awareness of differences between French and English syntax.
4. Students should also have become familiar with the use of electronic tools such as a grammar assistant, a bilingual electronic dictionary, and a grammar revision software.
5. Students should have developed learning strategies appropriate to their learning style, reinforcing preferred learning modes and developing other modes.

6. Developed a critical awareness of the nature of "cultural studies" and of the artificiality of the boundaries between disciplines.
7. Acquired a greater critical knowledge and understanding of modern French society, its values and their evolution.
8. Developed research skills.

Assessment

Written work: 12%
Composition test: 16%
Oral exam: 18%
Comprehension test: 13%
Culture component written exam: 25%
Translation exam: 16%

Contact hours

5 hours in total: One 1-hour computer lab workshop; one 1-hour translation workshop; one 2-hour language tutorial; and one 1-hour Specialized Culture lecture per week.

Prerequisites

FRN1060

Prohibitions

FRN3070