French 420-001  Advanced French Composition & Stylistics
Spring 2005   TR 2:00-3:15   FAC 254 & 252 (Media Center) (updated daily)
Instructor: Nathan Love, Ph.D. (I.U.)  FAC 282 
Office hours:  MWF 8:00-9:00 & TR 11:00-12:00  e-mail: nathan.love@wku.edu  Web page: http://edtech.wku.edu/~nlove  Office 745-5909   Home 781-4128   Blackboard: https://blackboard.wku.edu Required book: none. 
Recommended books: L'Essentiel de la grammaire française 3e éd. 1995 Prentice Hall
& a good French dictionary

F420 Advanced French Composition and Stylistics counts toward fulfilling the French minor and major programs. It presupposes a rudimentary knowledge of the structure of the French language and of French grammar, as is taught in F320, French Grammar and Composition or equivalent. 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.

The course goals, listed in order of priority are:

      Structure of Language. To acquire a thorough knowledge of the structure of the French language.

     Grammar. To become able to discuss as well as put into practice grammatical rules and concepts.

      Writing. To be manifestly able to write sustained compositions which illustrate specific grammatical points and to become sensitive to, and able to imitate, various types of French prose compositions and style.

      Preparation: become prepared linguistically to take more advanced French.

Participation and attendance: class participation is essential.  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. Students are expected to come to class prepared, to contribute to class activities, to arrive on time, and to seek help from instructor when appropriate.  Cell phones must be turned off during class; they must remain out of sight during all graded activities.  I will come well-prepared, provide opportunities for you to hear, speak, write and read French. I will be available during stated office hours.

Expectations in summary are as follows. Students are expected 1) to attend and participate in class sessions, 2) to study in preparation for class meetings, 3) to demonstrate knowledge and language skills acquired, 4) to work on pronunciation, listening comprehension and recognition of spoken vocabulary, 5) to submit by deadlines work required, 6) to meet with the instructor for practice or explanation, as necessary, 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) Students are to log in to the Blackboard site for the course: (http://ecourses.wku.edu)  and stay abreast of announcements, assignments and changes in the syllabus at least three times each week. There will be questions over each reading assignments posted on Blackboard between meetings to be answered in writing in French before the next class. 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) to offer as much written practice in class as possible, 5) to meet with students outside of class, as requested, 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.)

Course Grade -- sources & weights:

compositions & exercises:

60%

author journals (graded weekly):

10%

participation (assessed weekly):

10%

 Academic dishonesty: (see page 27 in WKU 2003-2005 catalog): “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.”   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 page 27 of the 2003-2005 undergraduate catalog for more information. “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 2006-2007 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 dishonesty in the 2006-2007 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, Room 101, Garrett Conference Center.  The OFSDS telephone number is (270) 745-5004.  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.

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Some pertinent Web sites

http://grammaire.reverso.net/

http://www.rivieracom.net/french/grammar.htm

http://www.laits.utexas.edu/fi/vcr

http://fis.ucalgary.ca/repsit/grammaire_conjugaisons.htm#present

http://www.realfrench.net/

http://fis.ucalgary.ca/repsit/langue_grammaire.htm

http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/%7Eik2r-myr/english/n2maina.htm

http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/%7Eik2r-myr/english/n3maina.htm

http://pubwww.st.carnet.hr/cgi-af/francais/bienvenue.cgi

http://www.laits.utexas.edu/tex/gr/

http://www.laits.utexas.edu/fi/html/toc/01.html

http://fog.ccsf.cc.ca.us/%7Ecreitan/grammar.htm

http://www.didieraccord.com/

http://www.bonjourdefrance.com/index/indexgram.htm

http://www.wagner-juergen.de/franz/grammaire.htm

http://www.hku.hk/french/starters/structures/intro_structures.htm

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.

Saved 5/24/12     f420spring05.htm