Southern Maine Community College
South Portland, Maine 04106
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Title: Introduction to French
Catalogue number: FREN 101-01
Credit Hours: 4
Total Contact Hours: 60
Instructor: Jean-Christophe Barré
email: Jbarre@smccme.edu
Office hours: by appointment
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FR 101-FALL 2022
Online class on ZOOM & Brightspace
COURSE SYLLABUS
Course description: Emphasizing the active use of the language, this course
develops the fundamental skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. It
includes an introduction to the cultural background of France and the
Francophone world. Cultural contexts and authentic materials will be used to
promote an understanding of French and Francophone Cultures.
During online class, you should be using HEADPHONES & HAVE YOUR
CAMERA ON AT ALL TIME for a better online learning environment. The sound
quality is extremely important for remote learning. Each class contains multiple
activities, including real-life language use, Q&A, watching YouTube videos, using
web links, listening audio files, presentations, and role playing among others. The
course will focus on oral comprehension and French phonetics. Interactive
materials component create a multifaceted and challenging learning environment.
This course is appropriate for students with two or fewer years of high
school French. No prerequisite
Course objectives: students will develop basic proficiency in French in a
communicative environment. The ACTIVE PARTICIPATION of the student is
encouraged for better results. As in-person classes, you will be expected to
participate and be engaged. Participation will be graded.
After successfully completing the course, student will be able to:
1) Understand the phonetics of French and its specific components
2) Understand spoken French in a variety of basic situations
3) Understand the basic of French grammar and apply the grammatical concepts in
contextualized situations
4) Produce simple and accurate phrases in oral and written environments
5) Be understood in a variety of basic situations
6) Demonstrate the capacity to read texts exclusively in the target language
7) Demonstrate the use and knowledge of basic French vocabulary
8) Be aware and discuss cultural differences and similarities
Textbook
No textbook is required, but the material (lesson & homework packets) will be
available on Brightspace every week. The review of these documents is
essential to understand and integrate the lessons and do the assignments
correctly.
The book English grammar for students of French is highly recommended:
ISBN #: 13: 978-0-934034-42-5
Why learning French?
French is one of the most popular and widely spoken European languages in the
world! "If you want a language for international business, politics, or travel, French
is best," says Pablo Solomon, a former teacher, counselor, and consultant to the U.S.
Department of Education. French is ranked 2nd most influential language in the
world. It's the official language in 29 countries! French is spoken by over 200 million
people on five continents! It's a key language in the business community and is a key
to innumerable business connections with U.S. firms. For instance, they are a great
deal of French companies in Boston area and all around New England that are
interested to hire individuals with French language skills.
"French is also the language of choice in the arts." According to the 2012
Tourism Highlights publication from United Nations World Tourism Organization,
France is ranked #1 on the international tourist list. So you will be able to practice
your French while traveling everywhere in the world: you can travel to Canada and
the Province of Québec, our neighbor to the north! France of course and Frenchspeaking Belgium are members of the European Union. You can also go visit
Switzerland, Luxembourg and African countries such as Tunisia, Morocco, Senegal,
Benin, Togo, Rwanda, Cameroon, Ivory Cost...
French is also a fantastic research language for anyone hoping to complete
graduate study. A good deal of research and learned writings have been published in
French, including a huge body of scholarly journals and books from a culture that
produced some of the finest minds in the sciences, philosophy, music, literature and
other humanities.
Becoming bilingual or multilingual is a great way to be part of the open world
and be prepared for global career opportunities down the line.
ATTENDANCE POLICY-ATTITUDE-HOMEWORK
Students are expected to attend class and actively participate in all aspects of the
learning process. This includes class discussions, written work, and in-class
activities. Participation is essential to language acquisition. In order for you to
participate in class actively in class, you should review the appropriate material
ahead of time. National and local studies have shown a direct correlation between
attendance and grade performance. Therefore, attendance is considered mandatory.
Assignments and homework will be given at each class and must be
completed before the next one. You can't expect to make progress or succeed if you
don't do the homework or review your materials.
In the event that you are absent, it is your responsibility to find out what
material you have missed and any homework assignments.
STUDENT EVALUATION-GRADING
Attendance-Participation: 20%- Students are expected to attend class and actively
participate in all aspects of the learning process. Participation in class is valued. Great
questions ask questions! Speaking during classes is essential to language acquisition and
to improve your pronunciation and oral expression skills.
Assignments-Homework: 20% Homework will be given after each class to reinforce your
skills and introduce the next lesson. All assignments & homework will be graded.
Quizzes-Mid-term-: 30%- Quizzes will be given at anytime.
Written Final Exam: 20%- This is a cumulative exam based on several lessons.
Final Oral assessment: 10%- This is an Oral Proficiency Interview (one on one)
conducted at the end of the semester.
Your grade will be impacted after two unexcused absences. After more than 6
absences, you will be given an F.
The grade scale is as follows:
100-93=A+
92-90=A-
79-78=C+ 77-72=C
89-87=B+ 86-82=B
81-80=B-
71-70=C- 69-67= D+ 66-60 = D
Below 60=F
PLEASE REMEMBER FOR A BETTER ONLINE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
* USE HEADPHONES
* YOU CAMERA HAS TO BE ON
*It's imperative for the student to prepare the material BEFORE he/she
arrives in class.
*Please no gum in class: It does NOT help with the pronunciation.
END-OF-COURSE-EVALUATION
Students complete evaluations for each course attended at SMCC. Evaluations are submitted
online and can be accessed through the student portal. Students can access the course
evaluations beginning one week before the end of classes. The deadline for submission of
evaluations occurs Monday at 5 p.m. following the last day of the class. You will receive an email to your student e-mail account when course evaluations are available.
ADA SYLABUS STATEMENT
Southern Maine Community College is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution
and employer. For more information, please call (207) 741-5798. If you have a disabling
condition and wish to request accommodations in order to have reasonable access to the
programs and services offered by SMCC, you must register with the Disability Services
Coordinator, Sandra Lynham, who can be reached at 741-5923. Further information about
services for students with disabilities and the accommodation process is available upon
request at this number. Course policies about online testing are modified to suit each
individual’s accommodations.
SMCC PAY-FOR-PRINT POLICY
Each semester students receive a $20 printing credit. The balance resets at the end of the
semester and any remaining credits are removed. The College’s pay-for-print system
monitors printing on all printers (including those in general access labs, library printers,
Tutoring Services, Campus Center Lounge and technology labs). Be sure to log OUT of the
system when you’ve finished your printing, to prevent unauthorized access to your account.
Students can check the number of pages they have printed by using the Printing Balance
tool available on SMCC computers (located in the lower right corner of the screen, near the
clock). Departments with work study students who need to print documents for the
department should contact the Help Desk at 741-5696 to have a special account set up. To
find ways to reduce your printing charges, please go to the IT Help tab on My SMCC. If you
have questions about the pay-for-printing policy or your printing charges, please contact
the Help Desk at 741-5696 or send an e-mail to helpdesk@smccme.edu.
REFUNDS
Print jobs are eligible for a refund in the event of mechanical or electronic error on the part
of the printer, print server, or software used to submit the job. Jobs are not eligible for a
refund in cases where the job was not set up correctly, was submitted multiple times, or the
student is not satisfied with the result. To request a refund, please bring the offending print
to the IT Department in the basement of the Ross Technology Center. Refunds will be
granted in the form of a credit to the student’s account.
ADD-DROP POLICY
Students who drop a course during the one-week “add/drop” period in the fall and spring
semesters and the first three days of summer sessions receive a 100% refund of the tuition
and associated fees for that course. Please note any course that meets for less than the
traditional semester length, i.e., 15 weeks, has a pro-rated add/drop period. There is no
refund for non-attendance.
WITHDRAW POLICY
A student may withdraw from a course only during the semester in which s/he is registered
for that course. The withdrawal period is the second through twelfth week of the Fall and
Spring semesters and the second through ninth week of twelve-week Summer courses. This
period is pro-rated for shorter-length courses,
usually 75 percent of course meeting times; please check with the Registration Office. To
withdraw from a course, a student must complete and submit the appropriate course
withdrawal form, available at the Registration Office. This process must be completed either
in person or by using SMCC e-mail accounts.
PLAGIARISM STATEMENT
If an instructor suspects that a student has knowingly committed a violation defined in the
Maine Community College System Policy on Student Grade Appeals and Academic
Misconduct, the instructor has the authority to review the alleged misconduct and
determine the grade that the student should receive for the assignment and the course. The
instructor may assign a failing grade for the assignment or course and may require the
student to complete additional work for the course. The instructor may consult with the
department chair and/or the College’s chief academic officer prior to making such
decisions. If a student seeks to challenge an instructor’s determination, the student should
submit a grade appeal. Grade appeal forms are available in the Advising Office on the South
Portland Campus or in the administrative offices in the Learning Commons on the Midcoast
Campus. An instructor may also refer the matter to the College’s disciplinary officer for
review under the procedures of the MCCS Student Code of Conduct
SYLLABUS- French FR 101-01
Fall 2022
Online class on Zoom & Brightspace
Week 1:
Lesson 1:
Course introduction, explanation of grading procedures and expectations.
Learning objectives:
Greetings in French and cultural note.
Vocabulary: greetings and introductions.
The French alphabet, the accent marks in French.
Phonetics: general tips about French pronunciation: silent letters and
liaison
Week 2:
Lesson 2: review of lesson 1.
Learning objectives:
Vocabulary: days of the week.
Grammar: subject pronouns, with special attention to tu and vous.
Cultural note: tu versus vous.
Introducing yourself, stating your nationality and profession.
Grammar: conjugating être in the present tense.
Expressions using the verb être.
Counting in French.
Week 3:
Lesson 3: review of lesson 2
Learning objectives:
Grammar: C'est versus Il/Elle est to state someone's profession or nationality
Introducing somebody else.
Describing personality traits using être + adjective.
Grammar: adjective agreement.
List of adjectives.
Phonetics: pronunciation of adjectives: grand versus grande
Week 4:
Lesson 4: review of lesson 3
Learning objectives:
Reviewing numbers in French.
Grammar: conjugating avoir in the present tense.
Expressions using the verb avoir.
Describing someone's age.
Grammar: the negative construction: NE + verb + PAS.
Week 5:
Lesson 5: review of lesson 4
Learning objectives:
Stating what you own using un, une, des.
Phonetics: special attention to the pronunciation of un versus une.
Grammar: possessive adjectives.
Describing your family. Vocabulary around la famille
Week 6:
Lesson 6: review of lesson 5
Learning objectives:
Strategies to read and understand a text.
Definition of a cognate.
Grammar: asking simple questions. (3 forms: casual-standard-formal)
Cultural note: Le petit Nicolas est malade.
Week 7:
Lesson 7: review of lesson 6
Learning objectives:
Gender of nouns.
Grammar: general tips to decide whether a noun is feminine or masculine
Forming plural nouns.
Grammar: the indefinite articles: forms and uses.
Indefinite articles in a negative construction.
Week 8:
Lesson 8: review of lesson 7
Learning objectives:
The definite articles: forms and uses.
Using the structure IL Y A + articles
Cultural note: visit of Paris and its monuments.
Week 9:
Lesson 9: review of lesson 8
Learning objectives:
Reviewing the use of articles: describing what you like, what you own.
Grammar: conjugating regular -ER verbs.
Practicing using -ER verbs, -ER verbs list.
Special attention to -ER stem changing verbs
The verb ALLER
Week 10
Lesson 10: review of lesson 9
Learning objectives:
The contracted and non-contracted articles.
List of verbs followed by the preposition À or DE.
Vocabulary: places around town.
The near future: aller +infinitive.
Week 11:
Lesson 11: review of lesson 10
Learning objectives:
Grammar: prepositions of space: describing where things are.
Prepositions + geographical locations.
Vocabulary: talking about activities. The verb FAIRE.
Understanding and giving directions.
Week 12
Lesson 12: review of lesson 11
Learning objectives:
Grammar: asking specific questions using question words.
List of question words.
Asking a specific question in 3 forms: casual-standard-formal.
The use of QUEL.
Week 13:
Lesson 13: review of lesson 12
Learning objectives:
Grammar: conjugation the verbs -IR, -OIR, -RE in the present tense.
List of common verbs.
Week 14: review of lesson 13
Learning objectives:
Reviewing -IR, -OIR, -RE verbs conjugation
Asking specific questions using all types of verbs.
Partitive articles. Expressions of quantities.
Ordering food/drinks.
Vocabulary around food and cultural note: la cuisine française .
Week 15:
Preparation and review for the final exam.
Week 16:
Final Exams.