1
FRENCH 1220: SPRING 2010
COURSE INFORMATION & POLICIES
COORDINATOR CONTACT INFORMATION
Name: Joanna Luks
E-mail: JGL7@cornell.edu
Office: 320 Morrill Hall
Tel:
254-6726
See the Welcome page in the course website for office hours.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
FREN 1210–1220 is a two-semester sequence of courses designed to provide a thorough grounding in
French language and an introduction to intercultural competence as preparation for real-world
application or eventual work in literary and/or cultural studies. Classes provide context- and genrespecific practice in speaking, listening, reading, writing, as well as analytical skills for grammar, with
the goal of helping students to develop the necessary tools to become independent language learners.
MATERIALS
Required texts on sale at the Campus Store (also on 2-hour reserve in Uris Library)
1. Mais Oui!, (fourth edition), Thompson & Phillips:
- Textbook
- Audio CDs for the textbook listening activities (In-text Audio)
- Student Activities Manual (SAM): Workbook & Laboratory Manual
2. Le Petit Prince, Antoine de Saint Exupéry (educational edition)
Note: While there are many editions of the book, please buy this one. It allows all of us to
literally be on the same page!
Websites
You need to work with 3 sites in order to access all of the course materials. These are all linked in
the course website for French 1220: http://lrc.cornell.edu/french/fren122/Welcome/
Beyond the Welcome page, the other pages are password protected. Enter the following code two
times (for “name” and “password”): fr122
On the Mais Oui Resources page, you will find links to the other two sites…
-Mais Oui! Student site:
http://college.cengage.com/languages/french/thompson/maisoui/4e/student_home.html
-Cornell Language Resource Center site: http://lrc.cornell.edu/medialib/fr/fmo
You will need this for the SAM Audio Lab & Video Files for Mais oui! Enter the following code
two times (for “name” and “password”): fr112 (This is the number for both French 121 and
122).
OBJECTIVES & PACING
Five learning objectives serve as the underpinnings for the design of this course:
 to sufficiently master the content of the course materials as presented in the textbook and
workbook (development of reading, writing, listening and speaking skills);
 to apply a “reason-driven” approach to grammar patterns and concepts (development of
“grammaring” skills);
 to apply an analytical approach to cultural contexts. Learning a language involves exposure
to and awareness of differing cultural constructs, and globalization requires development of
analytical tools to facilitate interaction, whether you go abroad or remain in the United States
(development of intercultural competence).
 to read short literary texts in French in order to further understanding of the French experience.
2
 to develop strategies for becoming independent language learners so that you can go beyond
course content to function in related real-world contexts.
Relative mastery of these objectives will necessitate a daily commitment, and the curriculum is
designed to provide you with a clear sense of pacing. The course meets 5 days a week: Mondays for
lecture sessions and T, W, R, F for small section classes taught by individual instructors. Lecture
sessions alternate between interactive lectures tied to the grammar and cultural constructs of a
chapter, and course-wide testing for the chapter. Lecture sessions are mandatory; attendance is taken.
Homework will be assigned as preparation for each section class and can generally be expected to
take up to two hours to complete.
Course Grade Distribution
 Class performance (attendance + homework preparation + active participation)
 Chapter compositions (écrits) (total = 5: chpts 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
 Oral chapter tests (total = 5, but lowest score dropped = 4: chpts 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
 Written chapter tests (total = 5, but lowest score dropped = 4: chpts 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
 Composition for Le petit prince (écrit LPP)
 Final oral project
 Final exam = French Language Placement Test (LPF)
20%
20%
20%
15%
5%
10%
10%
All grades follow the standard grading scale, and nothing is graded on a curve.
Conversion Chart for Grades:
A
93-96
A90-92
B+
87-89
B
83-86
B80-82
C+
77-79
C
73-76
C70-72
D+
67-69
D
63-66
D60-62
F
< 60
Policy for Academic Integrity
The Cornell Code of Academic Integrity applies to FRENCH 1220. You should cooperate with
classmates on in-class activities and speaking exercises as preparation for oral testing, group
projects, and study purposes. If you have access to speakers of French, you are encouraged to
practice your speaking skills and increase your knowledge of Francophone cultures outside of class.
However, all written work that is handed in for grading (tests, compositions and assignments) must
be entirely your own. Do not copy work that is not your own, do not use a grammar checking or
translation software program to edit your writing, and do not ask fellow students, someone outside
of the course or course instructors to correct your written work before you hand it in for grading.
In cases of academic misconduct, a first instance will result in a grade of “zero” for the test or
assignment, a second instance will engage the formal process for a violation of the Code of
Academic Integrity.
3
COURSEWORK & GRADING CRITERIA
CLASS PERFORMANCE = Class Preparation + Attendance + Class Participation
Acquiring the basics of a foreign language in an English-speaking environment means that classtime
must be used to maximum effect for putting language skills into practice. The class performance
grade, which constitutes 20% of the total course grade, is composed of a combination of class
preparation (homework), class attendance, and active class participation.
Class Preparation
Completing homework as preparation for each section class allows you to come to class with
familiarity of new vocabulary, grammar forms, communication strategies and cultural information,
as well as awareness of pronunciation of sounds/words. These aspects can then be reinforced and
better integrated into your language system through in-class practice and further clarification. To
help you to remain on schedule and to allow your instructor to see where you may be having
difficulties, certain homework assignments will be submitted on a regular basis; others will be used
in class as a springboard for classwork.
Active Participation in class
Along with engaging in all class activities, active participation means attempting to use French for
all aspects of classwork. When you are with a partner/s, this includes negotiation of setting up a
given activity, initiating dialog during the activity, listening to your partner/s, responding, and
helping each other to go further when stuck. If you finish ahead of time, do not sit silent or begin
chatting in English. Find ways to keep going; take responsibility for fully exploiting classtime for
active practice of French and the development of coping strategies. Learning a foreign language
involves risk-taking: suspending your identity and comfort zone as an articulate and highly skilled
person in your native language, and embracing the adventure of being an explorer in a new language
and culture. Making mistakes is a natural and necessary part of the process; unwillingness to make
mistakes out of embarrassment hinders progress!
Grading Criteria for the Cumulative Class Performance Grade
In the grading book, each class day is accorded two slots for receiving either a check (satisfactory) or
a minus (insufficient): one slot is for attendance and the other for a combination of class preparation
and participation. The maximum number of minuses per section class is 2 (one for absence and one
for insufficient class preparation/participation). Following are examples of cases that would generate
a minus for class preparation/participation:
-≥ 5 minutes late
-non completion of homework
-insufficient participation in class
-non submission of an assignment on the date due
If you are absent on a particular day but submit the assignment that is due on that day, you will only
receive one minus for that section class (for absence). If you are absent and do not submit the
assignment due, you will receive 2 minuses. Each lecture absence is worth 2 minuses.
At the end of the semester, the number of minuses is added up and the following chart is used to
calculate the semester grade for class performance…
4
Total # of minuses
0-4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
≥ 15
Final letter & number grade
A = 95
A- = 91
B+ = 88
B = 85
B- = 81
C+ = 78
C = 75
C- = 71
D+ = 68
D = 65
D- = 61
F ≤ 60
The fact that 4 minuses still generates a class performance grade of "A" means that the system
allows for some absence during the semester for illness or emergency, i.e. 2 days with nonsubmission of assignments or 3 days when assignments are due and the assignments are submitted
on time, despite absence from class.
Excused absences
 Cornell's policy for officially excused absences includes religious observances and university
athletic/extracurricular events. However, these must be arranged with the instructor beforehand,
and where applicable, a letter of explanation and a schedule of dates should be submitted to your
instructor.
 In cases of serious illness supported by a doctor's letter (not just a visit slip from Gannett), it may
be possible to arrange excused absences, but this will depend, in part, on the amount of time
involved and the student's ability to keep up with the work. If you are ill, let your instructor
know as soon as is possible.
 If you cannot attend your regular section on a given day, it may be possible to attend a different
section if it is arranged in advance.
When you cannot attend a class, it is your responsibility to make up the required work for that day.
Homework Procedures
The Student Activities Manual (SAM) is composed of 2 sections: the Workbook and the Laboratory
Manual. The answer keys for these activities have been uploaded to the course website. As of
the second chapter in the textbook, each chapter is covered over a period of two weeks.
- The first week will focus on the vocabulary and grammar of that chapter. For the Workbook
homework, I recommend first completing the designated sections in the textbook, which
introduce you to the targeted structures and provide explanations. Then, keeping your
textbook open as reference, do the corresponding Workbook exercises as thoughtful
application of the textbook information.
The second week will focus on further development of listening and speaking skills. For the
audio lab homework that you complete, see how well you can do without referring to the
textbook! I also recommend the following procedure for the final exercise of each lab
section, the dictée:
• Listen once while reading the passage in the manual in order to get a sense of the gist.
• Listen a second time, pausing to fill in the blanks as you go.
5
• Check the answer key and correct your work, filling in correct answers where you were
unable to write anything.
• Listen to the entire passage again while reading the completed text in order to hear the
answers in their original context.
- When you have completed all of the homework exercises, consult the answer key and selfcorrect your work, making corrections directly on the pages. Do not erase or cover over
your errors. Seeing where you have problems and understanding the corrections is an
important part of the process. You may wish to use a different colored pen/pencil for making
corrections. In the margins of the pages, you may also wish to note questions you have or
clarifying information that you find helpful.
- To submit Workbook and Lab Manual homework, tear the appropriate pages out of the
manual (they are perforated), staple them together, and write your name on the top of
the first page.
For spoken fluency practice as preparation for oral tests, you will also be asked to upload a 2-3
minute video to a a shared, private YouTube site.
Homework assignements will receive a check (satisfactory) or a check minus (insufficient) as
grading. A grade of insufficient relates to things like not self-correcting, copying answers from the
key, or incomplete work; it is not related to how many errors you might make. Assignments that
receive a check minus or that are not submitted on time will generate a minus for your class
performance grade for that day.
CHAPTER COMPOSITIONS (ÉCRITS)
Through the use of writing strategies and techniques that are similar in nature to English, you will be
asked to compose texts of up to two pages in French and in different genres. Your writing will be
graded on your relative mastery of sentence-level structures learned (spelling, grammar, vocabulary),
your use of coping strategies for communicating effectively with limited language, and your
incorporation of relevant genre conventions related to organization and style.
Writing process
1. You will be given a pre-writing activity for each assignment that you can do by hand or type.
2. Using the pre-writing activity as a basis, write a rough draft of your text.
3. After the lecture session focusing on the grammar of the chapter, edit your draft accordingly.
Format for submitted version
At the top of the first page, write the following information (this example is based on chapter 8):
(Name) ____________________
French 1220, section ___
Instructor:
Date:
Writing strategy 8: Writing about the way things were
Type and double space your text. Submit a hard copy with the pre-writing activity stapled to it.
Grading process
All of the students and instructors in the course will work with a grid that outlines the criteria for
grading these assignments. Keeping those criteria in mind, your instructor will use the following
codes for mapping errors or problem areas in your writing…
6
-Underlining = an aspect of language that has been studied in the course and that the student
should be able to self-correct or find the correct response for in the course materials. A
composition with a lot of underlining is an example of a student’s lack of focus on the language
structures being studied and poor editing.
-Wavy underline = an aspect of language that has not been studied in the course and that the
student is not expected to be able to correct. For such problems, the instructor may include a
suggestion for appropriate usage, or, if it involves language that is beyond the level, the
instructor may leave it as is. A composition with a lot of wavy lines is an example of a student’s
poor awareness and control of his/her language level.
-An arrow (or caret) = something is missing.
-Comments and questions written in the margins, at the end of the text or indicated on the
grading grid = the instructor's reactions or comments related to content, organization or style.
-Voir bilan = See the feedback sheet. A document providing collective feedback for problems in
students’ writing will be uploaded to the course website or emailed to the students in each section.
Poor compositions: "Resubmit"
If your instructor sees that your composition does not satisfy one or more of the given criteria, then
s/he will ask you to "resubmit" it. This means that instead of receiving a C- or below, you will be
given the opportunity to reexamine your work, try to figure out your area(s) of difficulty, rewrite the
assignment, and resubmit it within 24 hours for a grade. If the rewritten version is given a grade
of C- or below, that will be the final grade for the assignment, and at that point, appropriate feedback
will be given.
Follow-up work for all compositions: Rewriting
"Writing practice alone is more important than correction in improving writing skills."
(Patricia Chaput, Harvard University, 1998)
The primary goal of the compositions is to help you to develop your writing skills in French. As
such, after the composition has been returned to you with a grade and feedback, you will first try to
figure out the underlined problems and then write out the text anew by hand. (Rewriting by hand
reinforces development of skills related to text coherence, organization and style; it is not just busy
work!) Afterwards, underline the changes you have made so that you and your instructor can more
readily see them. In accordance with the due date, you will submit the original and rewritten versions
to be spot-checked. Late submissions will generate a minus for the course performance grade.
Examples of well-written assignments may be selected for “publication” on the course website and
posted anonymously.
ORAL CHAPTER TESTS
At the end of each 2-week chapter study time, oral tests are performed in class. The format involves
role-plays carried out by pairs or groups of 3, for which there is 5 minutes of in-class preparation
(you do not receive the scenarios prior to that time). The goal of these tests is to evaluate students’
abilities to communicate spontaneously in French, a complex of skills involving the use of
communication and coping strategies.
There are no make-ups for oral chapter tests. If you miss a test (whether because of an excused
absence or another reason), set up an appointment with your instructor as soon afterwards as possible
in order to carry out informal conversations based on the chapter content. This will help you to
remain on track with your speaking skills.
7
WRITTEN CHAPTER TESTS
The written chapter tests are designed to test accuracy in the following areas related to each chapter:
listening comprehension, grammar, sentence structures, vocabulary, and reading comprehension.
Test grades will either be based on 100 points or, if less, then converted to a scale of 100 points.
There are no make-ups for chapter tests. The lowest grade is automatically dropped, so if you are
absent for one test, that score of zero will be the one dropped from the final grade. In that sense, it is
possible to miss one test and not be penalized. If you miss a test (whether because of an excused
absence or another reason), make an appointment with your instructor as soon afterwards as possible
in order to take the test informally and then self-correct it, using the answer key provided by your
instructor. If you have questions, you may go over them with your instructor. This will not generate
a grade for the test, but it will ensure that you keep up with the content, something that will be very
important for the cumulative final exam.
COMPOSITION FOR LE PETIT PRINCE
After finishing the Mais oui! textbook, we will spend two weeks working on the story, Le petit
prince. You will be provided with an assignment for writing about the book that will require you to
review many aspects of grammar and sentence structures from the second half of Mais oui!.
FINAL ORAL PROJECT
The final project is an interactive presentation (the audience must be integrated as active
participants) with visuals, given to the class by pairs or groups of 3, on a topic of their choice, related
in some way to work/information covered during the semester. The project is meant to review the
language and cultural dimensions learned over the course of the semester and to test students'
abilities to communicate that information in a new context. You will receive more information about
this during the second half of the semester and will have several weeks to prepare your presentation
with your partner/s.
FINAL EXAM
The final exam is the French Language Placement test (LPF). Students who wish to continue
studying French at Cornell must have this score to determine if they will take 123 or a 200-level
course. For those not continuing, it will provide you and the program with an indication of what you
have achieved relative to our level ranges. The scores will be converted into letter grades, and your
grade equivalent will be factored into your final course grade.
The course policies described in this document are meant to provide a clear and productive
framework for carrying out the coursework for French 1220. It will be up to each of you, however,
to find your place within the framework, depending on your learning style, motivation, and
assumptions about what it means to learn a language. If, at any point, you are having trouble in
the course, do not hesitate to seek help from your instructor, either by utilizing the instructor’s office
hours or, if you have a time conflict, by asking for an appointment. If you have questions about
course policies or the curriculum, contact me. The sooner you seek help, the easier it will be to
remain on track.
Most importantly, though, be adventuresome, have fun, push your boundaries.
Bon semestre!
Joanna Luks