French 101 - 002  Elementary French I   Fall 2018
MWF 12:40-1:35, FAC 254 (updated daily)
Instructor: Nathan Love, Ph.D. (I.U.) Office  FAC 282 | 745-5909
Office hours:MWF 11:15 am-12:15 pm
& by appointment
Web page: http://people.wku.edu/nathan.love  
Required books: Français-Monde. Ariew & Dupuy.
Pearson Prentice Hall, 2011. Français-Monde Companion Website
MyFrenchLab Course ID:
CRSCDA5-291245
IPA | pour écrire | alphabet | numéros | PPT verbes | conjugaison | dictionnaire | musique | actualités 1, 2, 3 | projet
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F101 is a course designed to help students develop such rudimentary knowledge and basic skills as are listed below among the course goals. F101/102 Elementary French I and II fill the university wide language requirement. F101 (as well as F102, F201/202) can count as an elective under Categorical Requirement A-IV.

Through coursework, experience abroad, and other cultural encounters, the Department of Modern Languages cultivates communicative skills and cultural awareness that prepares students at Western Kentucky University to be more knowledgeable and sensitive to citizens of the local, regional and global communities. The Department's purpose is to deliver high-quality language instruction based on nationally-recognized standards, and to contribute actively to cross-disciplinary international initiatives on campus. Our programs are designed to graduate majors and minors whose language skills provide them with enhanced opportunities for careers at the regional, national, and international levels and/or preparation for advanced study in language, literature, and culture. Writing and speaking French are an integral part of upper division courses in the French program. (See my statement on teaching French.)


  F101/102 also counts toward completion of General Education Category A II, as stated below:
     Category A II. A student completing the general education program at WKU will have:
    Goal 3 . Competence in a language other than the native language;
        bullet demonstrates basic facility of the vocabulary and grammar of a second language;
        bullet demonstrates basic communication skills in a second language.
    Goal 7 . An appreciation of the complexity and variety in the world’s cultures
        bullet recognizes the contributions of the various world cultures to humanity and
            identifies the ways in which these cultures are interrelated and interdependent;
        bullet identifies differences and similarities among the world’s cultural traditions and social organizations.
  Learning outcomes, which follow in order of priority, clearly speak to the General Education Categories A II A and B.
    1. Speaking, comprehension and pronunciation: Students will learn to speak and understand simple spoken French and will become acquainted with French sounds and pronunciation.
2. Grammar and vocabulary: Students will gain limited knowledge of the structure of the French language, general grammatical terms and concepts as well as vocabulary and expressions of every day French.
3. Culture: Through readings, video and/or slide viewings, students will get acquainted with the cultures of French-speaking countries.
4. Reading: Texts to be read will incorporate vocabulary and structures studied, as well as limited vocabulary requiring contextual reading.
5. Writing: Students will learn to write French with correct grammar and spelling.
6. Preparation: Students will become prepared linguistically to take more advanced French.
  101 Targeted Proficiency Level upon completion: Novice Mid. The learning outcomes will allow successful students to affirm the following claims:
I can ...
    bullet understand some everyday words, phrases and questions about me, my personal experiences, and my surroundings;
bullet understand familiar words, phrases, and simple sentences;
bullet interact with help, using words, phrases and memorized expressions;
bullet answer simple questions on very familiar topics;
bullet provide basic information about myself and my intermediate surroundings, using words, phrases, and memorized expressions;
bullet provide some basic information on familiar topics in lists, phrases, often using memorized expressions. (See full ACTFL statements.)
  Assignments, quizzes, exams/assessments and the course project (See Student Engagement Activity below) will take the form of specific tasks reflecting the affirmations above.

Course Grade -- sources & weights for all enrolled whether first-year or graduating students:

Class Participation: 10%
Quizzes & Assignments: 20%
First Assessment: 10%
Second Assessment: 20%
Final Assessment: 30%
Project: 10%

The primary objective is cultivation of elementary communication skills in French, especially oral, exchange of information about oneself, such as likes and dislikes, family, studies, accounts of events, weather, telephone numbers, prices, and the like. This entails an emphasis on speaking and listening comprehension. Class will be conducted in French as much as possible! Initially, students may not understand everything said in class, which is no call for alarm. It is an assumption that communication in French, even at the elementary level, requires much practice, repetition, trial and error in and out of class. Time is therefore precious. The course will certainly be fast-paced.


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 assure progress toward communication skills. Arriving late distracts and detracts from class, in addition to being disrespectful; no credit for participation for tardy arrivals. Students are to check frequently Blackboard or my Web page (http://people.wku.edu/nathan.love/101-102/f101fall2018mwf.htm) and stay abreast of announcements, assignments and changes in the syllabus. 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. The FN grade will be recorded for students who did not officially withdraw from a course, but who stopped attending PRIOR to or on the 60% point of the term.


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). Auditing a class means that you will be required to show up to class, participate, and complete all assignments, but you will not receive credit for the class. You can sign up to audit a class without special permission prior to the first day of the term. After that time, the instructor must grant permission for you to audit a class by signing the course audit form. You should obtain this form in the Office of the Registrar, complete the form, obtain the instructor's signature, and return the form to the Office of the Registrar prior to the deadline for changing from credit to audit, printed in the Academic Calendar in the Registration Guide (from: Advising FAQ's).


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. The assignments are designed to provide indispensable practice, without which, progress in learning will become seriously impeded. Neither student nor teacher need be burdened with 'busy-work'. Thus to know what is to be prepared for the August 29 class meeting, click on the link on "29 août 18" 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 course Web page to be completed before the next class. Unless instructed otherwise, assignments are not printed out and handed in. All assignments may be quizzed, however.


Interactivités provide practice to reinforce what is presented or briefly reviewed during class. Some will concentrate on vocabulary, some on grammar, some on listening comprehension. Interactivités will provide essential practice with all of the elements just mentioned. They should also prepare students for quizzes and tests. They may be part of what is assigned as homework. You may complete those worksheets not assigned for review of, and turn them in for feedback, if you wish.


Quizzes will be done in class, although most can be prepared for before class. Normally there will be at least one short quiz every class meeting. They will cover what has been assigned or recently presented. If you arrive after the time class officially starts, or you return to class after a quiz is in progress, 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 listening comprehension. Some will concentrate on vocabulary, some on grammar, some on listening comprehension, some will even deal with speaking. Many will be done as small group activities during class meetings. Among other things, they prepare a student for exams. As with worksheets, 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.


Exams/Assessments: The exams are meant to gauge your progress toward the course goals with an efficient use of exam time. They test the language skills you are acquiring, and are not limited to simply covering language content: material, pages, exercises or tables that can be memorized on short order. Consequently, you will speak French, listen to French, read some French and write French -- and not merely rehash specific phrases, vocabulary or exercises. 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/assessment are absolute. Please do not make plans, therefore, at variance with our scheduled final exam.


Student Engagement Activity : Chanson fle. All Student Engagement Activities, university wide, you can -- and really ought to -- record at the WKU SEAT page. This is a Performance Project Portfolio.


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 cell phones turned off and silent during class; to keep cell phones and other electronic devices capable of communication/data retrieval out of sight 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 Module 1 or for Quiz 2 you will need to retain throughout the semester and specifically for the final exam which is cumulative.


Resources available include the textbook, Français-Monde and interactive exercises online, consultations and extra practice during office hours. Please drop by my office during office hours for five minutes or so for a short, friendly chat before mid-semester. I can find more resources for anyone needing more than these, and would be pleased to do so. For additional resources for individuals, click here.


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." Cheating: "No student shall receive or give assistance not authorized by the instructor in taking an examination or in the preparation of an essay, laboratory report, problem assignment or other project which is submitted for purposes of grade determination." The use of online translation aids is strictly prohibited. Students enrolled may not assist one another on graded exercises.


Accessibility for students with disabilities: In compliance with University policy, students with disabilities who require academic and/or auxiliary accommodations for this course must contact the Student Accessibility Resource Center located in Downing Student Union, 1074. University Center, A200. SARC can be reached by phone number at 270-745-5004 [270-745-3030 TTY] or via email at sarc.connect@wku.edu. Please do not request accommodations directly from the professor or instructor without a Faculty Notification Letter (FNL) from The Student Accessibility Resource Center. Please do not request accommodations directly from the professor or instructor without a Faculty Notification Letter (FNL) from The Student Accessibility Resource Center. After obtaining appropriate documentation, students should make an appointment with instructor to discuss the accommodations confidentially.


WKU’s Title IX Sexual Misconduct/Assault Policiy: Western Kentucky University (WKU) is committed to supporting faculty, staff and students by upholding WKU’s Title IX Sexual Misconduct/Assault Policy (#0.2070) at: https://wku.edu/eoo/documents/titleix/wkutitleixpolicyandgrievanceprocedure.pdf 
and Discrimination and Harassment Policy (#0.2040)  at:
https://wku.edu/policies/hr_policies/2040_discrimination_harassment_policy.pdf. Under these policies, discrimination, harassment and/or sexual misconduct based on sex/gender are prohibited. If you experience an incident of sex/gender-based discrimination, harassment and/or sexual misconduct, you are encouraged to report it to the Title IX Coordinator, Andrea Anderson, 270-745-5398 or Title IX Investigators Michael Crowe, 270-745-5429 or Joshua Hayes, 270-745-5121. Please note that while you may report an incident of sex/gender based discrimination, harassment and/or sexual misconduct to a faculty member, WKU faculty are “Responsible Employees” of the University and MUST report what you share to WKU’s Title IX Coordinator or Title IX Investigator. If you would like to speak with someone who may be able to afford you confidentiality, you may contact WKU’s Counseling and Testing Center at 270-745-3159.


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.


1 lundi 27 août 18 Introduction ; premier jour ppt ; everyday expressions 1 ; 1-10 ; course mechanics ;
2 mercredi 29 août 18 Chapitre 1 Rencontres francophones ; everyday expressions 2, & (3) ; calendrier ; 1-10 ; numéros ; 0 → 100 ; alphabet ; Comment s'écrit ton prénom? ;
3 vendredi 31 août 18 Chapitre 1 Rencontres francophones ; alphabet (encore) ; faire l'appel : présent ou absent? ; salutations

   lundi 03 sept 18 pas de cours
4 mercredi 05 sept 18 Chapitre 1 Rencontres francophones ; alphabet - dictée ; quizzes: calendrier, 0-69 ; pour la première fois ; PPT - Emilie et copains
5 vendredi 07 sept 18 Chapitre 1 Rencontres francophones ; Emilie, Alexis, Clémence, Sélim au café ; sorting out competencies ; 0-69 [14] ; 0 → 100 ; calendrier ; cours ppt ; projet première étape : choix de chanson

6 lundi 10 sept 18 Chapitre 1 Rencontres francophones ; calendrier ; être et sujets ; avoir [to have & âge]
7 mercredi 12 sept 18 Chapitre 1 Rencontres francophones ; anniversaire (jeu) ; être: dictée ppt
8 vendredi 14 sept 18 Chapitre 1 Rencontres francophones ; Quel âge ont-ils? [14] ; avoir [to have & âge] pour écrire âge ; Des chiffres (Quel âge ont-ils?) [14] ; numéros jeu ; origines [10] ;

9 lundi 17 sept 18 Chapitre 1 Rencontres francophones ; être présent, verbe essentiel! 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ; les quatre amis sortent du café ; quizzes: avoir, compréhension: numéros / âges et alphabet
10 mercredi 19 sept 18 Chapitre 1 Rencontres francophones ; avoir - dictée ppt ; questionnaire [25] ; dialogue pour demain ; quizzes avoir en toutes lettres et numéros (arithmétique)
11 vendredi 21 sept 18 Chapitre 1 Rencontres francophones ; calendrier [15] ; jours et mois ; rencontres ; salutations (choix multiple) ; flash cards ; salutations: révision 1 en binômes ; l'impératif [8] ; voilà ou il y a [9] ; révision

12 lundi 24 sept 18 first assessment speaking - order
13 mercredi 26 sept 18 first assessment written (& listening) - format, attention
14 vendredi 28 sept 18 Chapitre 2 Moi, ma famille et mes amis ; une famille célèbre, vocabulaire - famille, la famille de Loulou [45] et interactivité ; avoir écrit, interactivité ; expressions + avoir [65], interactivité ; Francophonie et francophones [20, 23] ; quiz: calendrier ;

15 lundi 01 oct 18 Chapitre 2 Moi, ma famille et mes amis ; Préférences [34] ; flashcards ; aimer ~ détester [39] - activité ; avoir 1, 2 ; verbes en -er [40-41] ; compétences ; 70-100 révision [14], jeu ;
16 mercredi 03 oct 18 Chapitre 2 Moi, ma famille et mes amis ; «Sur un petit vélo» 1 et 2 ; famille 1, 2
17 vendredi 05 oct 18 Chapitre 2 Moi, ma famille et mes amis ; articles définis - le, la, l' , les [42] ; possessive adjs.

18 lundi 08 oct 18 Chapitre 2 Moi, ma famille et mes amis ; la ratatouille, plus ; articles définis - le, la, l' , les [42] fonctions ; la famille de Loulou ; numéros de téléphone ; famille jeu! ; quiz: la famille de Loulou ;
19 mercredi 10 oct 18 Chapitre 2 Moi, ma famille et mes amis ; possessive adjs. ma clé, mon livre, mes stylos interactivité
   vendredi 12 oct 18 Fall Break

20 lundi 15 oct 18 Chapitre 3 Nouvelle étape ; verbes de la première conjugaison ; negation [41] ; cognates [44] ; couleurs ; parle-nous de ta famille [handout] ; verbes en -er : 1, 2, 3 + ; prononciation; avoir expressions (page 50) : 1, 2, 3, 4 ; lecture ('reading') : la francophonie, pp. 20-23 ; quiz: verbes en -er, détester, etc. (pages 41-42) ; projet deuxième étape : analyse personnelle
21 mercredi 17 oct 18 Chapitre 3 Nouvelle étape ; prononciation - adjectifs [52], famille Dupont , adjectifs-Dupont ; film français
22 vendredi 19 oct 18 Chapitre 3 Nouvelle étape ; adjectifs-Dupont ; adjectifs [52, 74] ; last day to drop with a  "W", to change from credit to audit

23 lundi 22 oct 18 Chapitre 3 Nouvelle étape ; vocabulaire ordinateur 1, 2, 3 ; dictées ; quiz: avoir expressions [50] ; film français
24 mercredi 24 oct 18 Chapitre 3 Nouvelle étape ; moi, toi, lui, elle [76] exemples et plus ; son boulot ; profil (Claude Pignon) [81] ; vouloir et pouvoir ; concours: vocabulaire et genre ; Chez Emilie (compréhension) ; chez Emilie (2e visite) ; vocab - scatter ; adjectifs - nombre (singulier / pluriel) et genre (masculin / féminin)
25 vendredi 26 oct 18 Chapitre 3 Nouvelle étape ; chez Emilie encore ; famille, numéros de portable (concours?) ; vouloir, pouvoir [84] ; pouvoir matching, vouloir matching ; film français

26 lundi 29 oct 18 révision ptt ; pouvoir / vouloir dic ; savoir ou connaître? ; quiz: connaître et savoir au présent [82-83] ;
27 mercredi 31 oct 18 second assessment written (& listening) - format
28 vendredi 02 nov 18 second assessment speaking - order

29 lundi 05 nov 18 Chapitre 4 Aujourd'hui bureau, demain rendo ; examen 2 ; comment dire l'heure [112] ; liens pour l'heure
30 mercredi 07 nov 18 Chapitre 4 Aujourd'hui bureau, demain rendo ; dire l'heure et 24/24 ; film français ;
31 vendredi 09 nov 18 Chapitre 4 Aujourd'hui bureau, demain rendo ; Alexis se réveille ; les pronominaux ; film français ;

32 lundi 12 nov 18 Chapitre 4 Aujourd'hui bureau, demain rendo ; horaires train Paris-Strasbourg, heures youtube ;
33 mercredi 14 nov 18 Chapitre 4 Aujourd'hui bureau, demain rendo ; s'appeler ; verbes pronominaux 1, 2
34 vendredi 16 nov 18 Chapitre 4 Aujourd'hui bureau, demain rendo ; film français ;

35 lundi 19 nov 18 Chapitre 4 Aujourd'hui bureau, demain rendo ; film français ;

       du 21 au 23 novembre Thanksgiving break

36 lundi 26 nov 18 Chapitre 4 Aujourd'hui bureau, demain rendo ; Alexis se prépare ; interrogation ; quelle question? ; projet troisième étape : présentation PowerPoint
37 mercredi 28 nov 18 Chapitre 4 Aujourd'hui bureau, demain rendo ; dire l'heure et 24/24 ; faire au présent ; faire + sujets ; aller au présent ; aller + sujets ;
38 vendredi 30 nov 18 Chapitre 4 Aujourd'hui bureau, demain rendo ; pronominal verbs as vocab. [handout] ; faire + expressions, PPT, [108, 116, 415-416] ; film français ;

39 lundi 03 déc 18 Chapitre 4 Aujourd'hui bureau, demain rendo  ; F102: passé composé & imparfait, exemples donner, donner ;
40 mercredi 05 déc 18 Chapitre 4 Aujourd'hui bureau, demain rendo ; le temps qu'il fait [114-116] ; liens pour le temps qu'il fait ; questions [110] ; pronominal verbs as vocab. [106 & flash cards a & d & contest] ; quizzes: faire, aller ; changements (futur proche) ;
41 vendredi 07 déc 18 révision ; Roster freeze date (no late adds or withdrawals for extenuating circumstances will be processed after this date.)

jeudi 13 déc 18 third assessment written - format & speaking - order 1:00-3:00 p.m.

Changes to the foregoing may be deemed necessary by the instructor. It is the responsibility of the student to obtain the most recent iteration of the syllabus either as posted on the instructor's web page or as made available in the classroom.
Estimated Course Grade | Quizzes & Assignments | Assessment 1 | Assessment 2 | Assessment 3 | Projet 

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