Student Profile
Students who enter this level are able to accomplish everyday needs required to live in a new culture. In this course, students will develop independence and autonomy so that, when communication does break down, they have enough tools at their disposal to resolve these challenges on their own. Students should welcome and invite correction and guidance from their instructors, hosts, and others in the community as they progress. They will also begin to recognize their own and their peers’ errors.
By the end of this course, students will begin to converse at a rate of speed approaching normal conversation. They will be creative, spontaneous and self-reliant as they solve problems, interpret texts, negotiate, and express their opinions, likes, and dislikes in the culture. Although students will still make errors and experience communication breakdowns, they are much more likely to resolve these on their own. Students will understand a variety of colloquial expressions and slang, and will be able to understand a wider variety of native speakers from different backgrounds. By the end of this level, students will be capable of achieving the learning outcomes outlined below.
Attendance policy:
Class attendance is mandatory. Any absence that is not justified will have a negative effect on your grade.
Learning outcomes:
Students who are placed in this level should be capable of achieving the outcomes in the Emerging Independent Abroad level as defined by the IES Abroad MAP for Language and Intercultural Communication.
By the end of the course, students will be able to achieve the outcomes for the Independent Abroad level as defined by the MAP for Language and Intercultural Communication. The key learning outcomes from the MAP are summarized below:
I. Intercultural Communication
A. Students will be able to identify and describe some key host cultures, subcultures, habits, norms, and behaviors in a variety of settings, and they will be aware of the risk that generalizations can lead to stereotypes.
B. Students will be able to discuss the validity of their own cultural beliefs, behaviors, and values by contrasting and comparing them with the host cultures.
C. Students will be able to interpret gestures and body language, and they will integrate some of those nonverbal actions into their interactions with native speakers.
D. Students will recognize and at times conform to socio-cultural norms in almost any transactional event.
II. Listening
A. Students will be able to understand most spoken communications of moderate complexity (media and film, speeches, music, conversations, etc.) on a wide range of concrete everyday topics as well as abstract topics covered in classes.
B. Students will be able to understand native speakers from a variety of backgrounds and limited experience with non-native speakers, and they will comprehend common colloquial expressions and slang.
III. Speaking
A. Students will be able to speak on and discuss a wide range of concrete everyday and personal topics, abstract topics covered in classes, as well as other topics of particular interest to them.
B. Students will be able to participate, initiate, and respond actively in a wide variety of interactions.
C. Students will be able to narrate sequences of events with some degree of accuracy.
IV. Reading
A. Students will be able to read and understand a wide variety of articles, stories, and online texts using background knowledge to aid their comprehension.
B. Students will be able to read and understand academic texts with assistance.
V. Writing
A. Students will be able to meet their everyday writing needs (notes, text messages, letters, emails, chats, online forums).
B. Students will be able to write papers for class that narrate, describe, report, compare, contrast, and summarize on a wide range of topics.
C. Students will be able to edit their own and their peers’ writing.
Required work and form of assessment:
Tests (listening, speaking, reading, writing, intercultural communication, midterm, Final exam)
Grades breakdown:
In-class tests + presentation of an article + film analysis 20%
Mid-terms (2) 30%
Final exam 30%
Attendance and punctuality 10%
Participation - active and spontaneous 10%
content:
Week
Content
Assignments
Corresponding
Learning
Outcome(s)
Week 1
1. Functional : find your way in a new daily environment
2. Grammatical : particular forms of the present tense.
3. Vocabulary : verbs of movement
4. Culture : « Vous » or « Tu » ? Use and proper use
Write about the first impressions of the city of Nantes
I.A., III.A., V.A, V.B.
Week 2
1. Functional : greetings and manners at home and outside
2. Grammatical : the 4 basic tenses of the past
3. Vocabulary : the family
4. Culture : last names, first names and nicknames of French people
Tell an unforgettable or forgotten childhood memory
I.D., I.C.,III.A., V.B.
Week 3
1. Functional : understand a written document. How to choose a newspaper article and present it
2. Grammatical : personal pronouns
3. Vocabulary : the press and media
4. Culture : newspapers and magazines at IES and in the host family
Look for two news items in the press. Relate them with your own words
I.A., IV.A.,
Week 4
1. Functional : give your opinion on a film, positive and negative criticism
2. Grammatical : adverbs
3. Vocabulary : the cinema
4. Culture : film
Discussion on a film, and written summary of the plot
I.B., II.A., V.B.
Week 5
1. Functional : know how to describe places
2. Grammatical : relative pronouns
3. Vocabulary : review of vocabulary previously studied
4. Culture : cultural places in France
Midterm 1
I.D., III.B.V.B.
Week 6
1. Functional : locate events in time, talk about your projects
2. Grammatical : the different futures.
Prepositions of time
3. Vocabulary : vocabulary for the field study
4. Culture : field study : exhibition or visit
Write clear and detailed answers to a questionnaire about the field study
I.A., II.A., III.B.,
Week 7
1. Functional : ask (yourself) questions about social reality
2. Grammatical : conditional, condition and hypothesis
3. Vocabulary : free time and leisure
4. Culture : live à la française
In pairs, prepare oral interactive strategies.
Write a structured paragraph on one of your hobbies
I.B., III.B., VB.
Week 8
1. Functional : characterize something. Describe and compare facts, ideas
2. Grammatical : masculine and feminine nouns. Locate in space
3. Vocabulary : student life
4. Culture : school and university education in France
Construct an argumentative plan with introduction and conclusion : « Making friends on the internet, is it possible ? »
I.D., III.B, III.C., V.B.
Week 9
1. Functional : express your opinion
2. Grammatical : subjunctive
3. Vocabulary : approve/disapprove
4. Culture : social climate and demonstrations in France
Choose a current event and express your point of view
I.B., III.C., IV.A.,
Week 10
1. Functional : logical connectors
2. Grammatical : possessives and demonstratives
3. Vocabulary : review of vocabulary previously studied
4. Culture : consumer society
Midterm 2
IV.A., V.B.
Week 11
1. Functional : more formal aspect of oral and written speech
2. Grammatical : preterit
3. Vocabulary : short vocabulary of history and art
4. Culture : cultural quiz
Present a historical event of the United States and France, orally and in writing
I.D., II.A., III.C.,
Week 12
1. Functional : know how to present/portray someone
2. Grammatical : indefinites
3. Vocabulary : portrait
4. Culture : cultural diversity
Portray someone you met in France
I.B., I.C., III.C., V.C.,
Week 13
Review
Review
Required readings:
Depending on the instructor’s choice (will change every semester)
Recommended readings:
Dictionnaire Le Petit Robert
Grammaire du Français, Hachette
Newspapers and magazines
Brief Biography of Instructor:
Instructor of French at IES Abroad Nantes since 1991. Instructor of French at IRFFLE (Institut de Recherche et de Formation en Français Langue Etrangère, Université de Nantes); Masters in Specialized Translations.
Student Profile
Students who enter this level are able to accomplish everyday needs required to live in a new culture. In this course, students will develop independence and autonomy so that, when communication does break down, they have enough tools at their disposal to resolve these challenges on their own. Students should welcome and invite correction and guidance from their instructors, hosts, and others in the community as they progress. They will also begin to recognize their own and their peers’ errors.
By the end of this course, students will begin to converse at a rate of speed approaching normal conversation. They will be creative, spontaneous and self-reliant as they solve problems, interpret texts, negotiate, and express their opinions, likes, and dislikes in the culture. Although students will still make errors and experience communication breakdowns, they are much more likely to resolve these on their own. Students will understand a variety of colloquial expressions and slang, and will be able to understand a wider variety of native speakers from different backgrounds. By the end of this level, students will be capable of achieving the learning outcomes outlined below.
Class attendance is mandatory. Any absence that is not justified will have a negative effect on your grade.
Students who are placed in this level should be capable of achieving the outcomes in the Emerging Independent Abroad level as defined by the IES Abroad MAP for Language and Intercultural Communication.
By the end of the course, students will be able to achieve the outcomes for the Independent Abroad level as defined by the MAP for Language and Intercultural Communication. The key learning outcomes from the MAP are summarized below:
I. Intercultural Communication
A. Students will be able to identify and describe some key host cultures, subcultures, habits, norms, and behaviors in a variety of settings, and they will be aware of the risk that generalizations can lead to stereotypes.
B. Students will be able to discuss the validity of their own cultural beliefs, behaviors, and values by contrasting and comparing them with the host cultures.
C. Students will be able to interpret gestures and body language, and they will integrate some of those nonverbal actions into their interactions with native speakers.
D. Students will recognize and at times conform to socio-cultural norms in almost any transactional event.
II. Listening
A. Students will be able to understand most spoken communications of moderate complexity (media and film, speeches, music, conversations, etc.) on a wide range of concrete everyday topics as well as abstract topics covered in classes.
B. Students will be able to understand native speakers from a variety of backgrounds and limited experience with non-native speakers, and they will comprehend common colloquial expressions and slang.
III. Speaking
A. Students will be able to speak on and discuss a wide range of concrete everyday and personal topics, abstract topics covered in classes, as well as other topics of particular interest to them.
B. Students will be able to participate, initiate, and respond actively in a wide variety of interactions.
C. Students will be able to narrate sequences of events with some degree of accuracy.
IV. Reading
A. Students will be able to read and understand a wide variety of articles, stories, and online texts using background knowledge to aid their comprehension.
B. Students will be able to read and understand academic texts with assistance.
V. Writing
A. Students will be able to meet their everyday writing needs (notes, text messages, letters, emails, chats, online forums).
B. Students will be able to write papers for class that narrate, describe, report, compare, contrast, and summarize on a wide range of topics.
C. Students will be able to edit their own and their peers’ writing.
Tests (listening, speaking, reading, writing, intercultural communication, midterm, Final exam)
Grades breakdown:
Week
Content
Assignments
Corresponding
Learning
Outcome(s)
Week 1
1. Functional : find your way in a new daily environment
2. Grammatical : particular forms of the present tense.
3. Vocabulary : verbs of movement
4. Culture : « Vous » or « Tu » ? Use and proper use
Write about the first impressions of the city of Nantes
I.A., III.A., V.A, V.B.
Week 2
1. Functional : greetings and manners at home and outside
2. Grammatical : the 4 basic tenses of the past
3. Vocabulary : the family
4. Culture : last names, first names and nicknames of French people
Tell an unforgettable or forgotten childhood memory
I.D., I.C.,III.A., V.B.
Week 3
1. Functional : understand a written document. How to choose a newspaper article and present it
2. Grammatical : personal pronouns
3. Vocabulary : the press and media
4. Culture : newspapers and magazines at IES and in the host family
Look for two news items in the press. Relate them with your own words
I.A., IV.A.,
Week 4
1. Functional : give your opinion on a film, positive and negative criticism
2. Grammatical : adverbs
3. Vocabulary : the cinema
4. Culture : film
Discussion on a film, and written summary of the plot
I.B., II.A., V.B.
Week 5
1. Functional : know how to describe places
2. Grammatical : relative pronouns
3. Vocabulary : review of vocabulary previously studied
4. Culture : cultural places in France
Midterm 1
I.D., III.B.V.B.
Week 6
1. Functional : locate events in time, talk about your projects
2. Grammatical : the different futures.
Prepositions of time
3. Vocabulary : vocabulary for the field study
4. Culture : field study : exhibition or visit
Write clear and detailed answers to a questionnaire about the field study
I.A., II.A., III.B.,
Week 7
1. Functional : ask (yourself) questions about social reality
2. Grammatical : conditional, condition and hypothesis
3. Vocabulary : free time and leisure
4. Culture : live à la française
In pairs, prepare oral interactive strategies.
Write a structured paragraph on one of your hobbies
I.B., III.B., VB.
Week 8
1. Functional : characterize something. Describe and compare facts, ideas
2. Grammatical : masculine and feminine nouns. Locate in space
3. Vocabulary : student life
4. Culture : school and university education in France
Construct an argumentative plan with introduction and conclusion : « Making friends on the internet, is it possible ? »
I.D., III.B, III.C., V.B.
Week 9
1. Functional : express your opinion
2. Grammatical : subjunctive
3. Vocabulary : approve/disapprove
4. Culture : social climate and demonstrations in France
Choose a current event and express your point of view
I.B., III.C., IV.A.,
Week 10
1. Functional : logical connectors
2. Grammatical : possessives and demonstratives
3. Vocabulary : review of vocabulary previously studied
4. Culture : consumer society
Midterm 2
IV.A., V.B.
Week 11
1. Functional : more formal aspect of oral and written speech
2. Grammatical : preterit
3. Vocabulary : short vocabulary of history and art
4. Culture : cultural quiz
Present a historical event of the United States and France, orally and in writing
I.D., II.A., III.C.,
Week 12
1. Functional : know how to present/portray someone
2. Grammatical : indefinites
3. Vocabulary : portrait
4. Culture : cultural diversity
Portray someone you met in France
I.B., I.C., III.C., V.C.,
Week 13
Review
Review
Depending on the instructor’s choice (will change every semester)
Dictionnaire Le Petit Robert
Grammaire du Français, Hachette
Newspapers and magazines
Instructor of French at IES Abroad Nantes since 1991. Instructor of French at IRFFLE (Institut de Recherche et de Formation en Français Langue Etrangère, Université de Nantes); Masters in Specialized Translations.