F320 French Grammar and Composition counts toward fulfilling the French minor and major distribution requirement. It is intended to provide students who wish to take advanced courses in French with a working knowledge of French grammar and sustained practice creating various French compositions. This course is a college course; it is not intended as validation of grammatical knowledge acquired previously. Through coursework, experience abroad, and other cultural encounters, the Modern Languages Program cultivates communicative skills and cultural awareness that prepare students at Western Kentucky University to be more knowledgeable and sensitive citizens of the global community. Writing and speaking French are an integral part of upper division courses in the French program. (See my statement on teaching French.)

The primary objective is a working knowledge of the overall structure of the French language and its rules of grammar as applied to written expression in French. It is assumed that regular practice with much trial and error is an integral and necessary means to accomplishing the primary course objectives. Time is therefore precious. Our modus operandi is careful preparation for each class session. I will expect preparation from you, and you may expect it of me.

Participation and attendance: class attendance is mandatory, and participation is essential; speaking French at every opportunity will help a student with speaking and listening skills. Participation will solidify understanding of structure of the language and process of composing and editing written French. Students are to check Blackboard (http://blackboard.wku.edu) or my Web page (http://people.wku.edu/~nathan.love/320/f320spring2014.htm) and stay abreast of announcements, assignments and changes in the syllabus frequently. In the event that it is necessary to miss class, it is the responsibility of the student to find out what was covered and to learn the appropriate material. Upon returning to class students are expected to be fully prepared: ready to participate, to turn in assignments, and to take quizzes or exams as scheduled. When/if you miss a class meeting, you can be relatively certain that you missed at least one quiz (see below). If absent, one should contact me before the next class meeting – not to explain or excuse the absence, but in order to find out what was accomplished and, especially, what is to be prepared outside of class, unless you believe that you know with certainty what was missed and have no questions about it.

Auditing An auditor enrolls and participates in a course without expecting to receive academic credit. The same registration procedure is followed and the same fees are charged as for courses taken for credit. An audited course is not applicable to any degree or certificate program. Regular class attendance is expected of an auditor. Other course requirements, which may be obtained in writing from the instructor, will vary depending on the nature of the course. Students interested in auditing a course should secure permission from the instructor and discuss course requirements prior to enrolling. Failure to meet course requirements may result in the auditor being withdrawn from the course at the request of the instructor. A successful audit will be recorded on the transcript with the designation AU. Any change from audit to credit must be done by the last day to add a class. Changes from credit to audit must be done by the last day to drop a class with a grade of “W.” Refunds for withdrawals from audited courses will be prorated on the same basis as refunds for withdrawals from courses taken for credit (from: Academic Information, Undergraduate Course Catalog).

Assignments (or homework) will be posted on the timeline part of the syllabus below by means of a link on the date by which the assignment is due. Thus to know what is to be prepared for the January 28 class meeting, click on the link on "28 jan 14" below. (You will know when the assignment has been uploaded, as the date will appear in bold, and turn blue as a link upon passing the mouse over it.) There will be questions or assignments regularly posted on Blackboard or the Web page to be completed before the next class. Unless instructed otherwise, assignments are not printed out and handed in. The majority of the quizzes will cover these assignments.

Interactivités provide practice to reinforce what is presented or briefly reviewed during class. Interactivités will provide essential practice. They should also prepare students for quizzes, compositions, and the final exam. They may be part of what is assigned as homework.

Quizzes will be done in class, although most can be prepared for before class. There will usually be a quiz every class meeting. Quizzes will cover what has been assigned or recently presented. If you arrive after the time class officially starts, you forfeit the right to take quizzes that have already begun! Quizzes over what is assigned will provide an indication whether the assignment has been completed and understood. Quizzes covering what has been recently presented during class will likewise provide an indication of your emerging skills, especially concerning grammar and composition. Some will be done as small group activities during class meetings. Among other things, they prepare a student for exams. As with Interactivités, quizzes are not busywork (none of us has time for that!); each one has a teaching or learning point behind it. Quizzes will be numerous; and may not be made up if missed. Since they will be numerous, you may well miss some or do poorly on others. Rather than drop a certain number of quizzes, your quiz average will be curved approximately ten percent to allow for the normal vicissitudes of life.

Student Engagement Activity / Project: Wiki Exercices de Grammaire. All Student Engagement Activities, university wide, you can -- and really ought to -- record at the WKU SEAT page.

Exams: Both exams are meant to gauge your progress toward the course goals with an efficient use of exam time. There will be no make up exams. If you anticipate a problem with taking an exam when it is scheduled, or if you should miss an exam, contact me at your earliest opportunity! The day and time of the final exam are established by the Registrar. Whereas there may be changes on the syllabus below, the day and time of the final exam are absolute. Please do not make plans, therefore, at variance with our scheduled final exam.

Expectations, in summary, are as follows. Students are expected 1) to study, do assignments, and prepare for class, 2) to attend class, contribute and participate during class, 3) avail themselves of resources, and to seek help from instructor when appropriate, including during office hours or by appointment, 4) to demonstrate knowledge and language skills in progress against what is expected, 5) to work, for instance, on pronunciation, listening comprehension and recognition of spoken vocabulary, 6) to submit by deadlines work required, 7) to turn in for a grade the student’s own work and, of course, not to permit work to be used by another for his/her graded assignments. 8) to stay abreast of announcements, assignments and changes in the syllabus at least three times each week. 9) to keep computers, cell phones and other smart devices turned off, silent, and out of sight during class, as well as during all graded activities. The instructor is expected 1) to be prepared for teaching each class session, 2) to offer clear examples and explanations, 3) to encourage participation from students, 4) provide opportunities for you to hear, speak, write and read French and to offer, specifically, as much oral practice in class as possible, 5) to meet with students during office hours and by appointment outside of class, 6) to be fair-minded at all times, 7) to respect students, and their beliefs and opinions, 8) to challenge students to meet the course goals as fully as possible. (Click on statement on teaching to read my thoughts on the entire subject.)

Study some French every day without exception and you will discover why language courses used to meet daily. The best way to learn, to meet course objectives and to maximize benefits derived from study of French is without a doubt to study some French every day. You will not be particularly successful if you learn the material for the moment only. What you learn for a given day or for a given exam you will need to retain throughout the semester and specifically for the final exam which is cumulative.

Resources available include the textbook, the interactivités, consultations and assistance during office hours. I can find more resources for anyone needing more than these, and would be pleased to do so. 

Academic dishonesty: “Students who commit any act of academic dishonesty may receive from the instructor a failing grade in that portion of the course in which the act is detected or a failing grade in the course without possibility of withdrawal” (from the current online student handbook). Acts of academic dishonesty include the use of a translating device to complete writing assignments and failing to turn cell phones and PDAs off before taking an exam. Student work may be checked using plagiarism detection software. See Western's statement on academic offenses in the current online student handbook for more information. See the same source for university policy on plagiarism ‑ "To represent written work taken from another source as one's own is plagiarism. Plagiarism is a serious offense. The academic work of a student must be his/her own. One must give any author credit for source material borrowed from him/her. To lift content directly from a source without giving credit is a flagrant act. To present a borrowed passage without reference to the source after having changed a few words is also plagiarism." The use of online translation aids is strictly prohibited. Students enrolled may not assist one another on graded exercises.

Students with disabilities who require accommodations (academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids or services) for this course must contact the Office for Student Disability Services in DUC A-200 of the Student Success Center in Downing University Center. Please DO NOT request accommodations directly from the professor or instructor without a letter of accommodation from the Office for Student Disability Services.

Changes: Changes to all matters above may become necessary, especially regarding the syllabus and/or the due dates of graded work. The instructor reserves the right to make such changes as he/she deems necessary. It is the responsibility of the student to obtain the most recent iteration of the syllabus either as posted on the Blackboard site for this course or as made available in the classroom.