This class explores practical themes connected to the French way of life, involving the student’s capability to understand oral and written messages in everyday situations, but also to express his or her opinions about more abstract themes. Four competencies will be enhanced: grammar, listening comprehension, reading, vocabulary, so as to assimilate easily in a French speaking setting. The course will privilege communication skills.
Research has demonstrated that study abroad can enhance every aspect of language ability. One of the most important general findings of this research is, however, that study abroad is most beneficial for the development of abilities related to social interaction. Students who go abroad are able to learn how to produce language in a variety of situations, such as the making of requests, the use of compliments and apologies, and they also may develop skills to interpret such interactions within the local cultural context… In short, and logically, study abroad has been show to enhance the aspects of communicative competence that are most difficult to foster in classroom settings (IES Abroad MAP for Language and Intercultural Communication, p. 6).
Student Profile
Students who enter this course will already be capable of achieving the outcomes of the Emerging Competent Abroad level as defined by the IES Abroad Map for Language and Intercultural Communication. Students who take this level should already be familiar with certain complex structures and linguistic functions that will be covered.
Students who enter this level are able to accomplish nearly all everyday needs required to live in a new culture. In this course, students will begin to develop independence and autonomy so that, when communication does break down, they have some tools at their disposal to resolve these challenges independently. Students should welcome and seek 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 sometimes able to resolve these on their own. Students will understand some colloquial expressions and slang, and are starting 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.
Prerequisites:
Proficiency at a level equivalent to IES Abroad’s Emerging Independent Abroad, as determined by placement test.
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 some of 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 at a basic level 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 describe their own cultural beliefs, behaviors, and values by contrasting and comparing them with the host cultures.
C. Students will be able to describe gestures and body language, and they will integrate some of those nonverbal actions into their interactions with native speakers.
II. Listening
A. Students will be able to understand a variety of 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 certain native speakers from a variety of backgrounds and 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 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 variety of interactions.
IV. Reading
A. Students will be able to read and understand articles, stories, and online texts using background knowledge to aid their comprehension.
B. Students will be able to read and understand the main ideas and supporting arguments of academic texts with assistance.
V. Writing
A. Students will be able to meet most everyday writing needs (notes, text messages, letters, emails, chats, online forums).
B. Students will be able to write short essays for class that narrate, describe, report, compare, contrast, and summarize on a wide range of topics with a moderate degree of grammatical and lexical accuracy.
C. Students will be able to edit their own and their peers’ writing for common errors.
Method of presentation:
Listening to authentic oral documents (dialogues, videos), reading authentic written documents (press articles, novel), discussing issues related to the personal experiences of the students, discovering works of art (movies, museums, a movie theater), experiencing cultural differences (wine and cheese tasting). The lexical and grammar skills will be enhanced and trained in class.
Required work and form of assessment:
The evaluation focuses on what has been taught and takes into account the level of each group and each student. Investment and progress are taken into account as well as the success of graded exercises.
Throughout semester: written skills 20% (3 papers, personal CORE work)
Throughout semester: 2 tests 20% (listening comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, written expression)
Mid-term exam: 20% (listening comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, written expression)
Final exam: 20% (listening comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, written expression)
Oral participation 10%
content:
Week
Content
Assignments
Corresponding Learning Outcome(s)
Week 1, Intensive Session
1. Functional: Introducing yourself; how to survive in Paris (running errands, taking the metro and train stations), discovering what is around the IES center. Personal objectives
2.Grammar: Articles, affirmative and negative forms in the present tense, past tenses (indicative mode), nouns’ genders.
3.Vocabulary: Transportation, shops
4.Culture: Stereotypes (French people, Parisians) ; visit the Montparnasse area ; intercultural aspects: cafés and restaurants.
Presentation of the vicinity
Grammar and vocabulary exercises
I. A
II. A, B
III. B
IV. A
V. A
Week 2, Intensive Session
1.Functional: Listening comprehension (video). Giving a clear and logical oral presentation. Transmitting messages.
2.Grammatical: Logical connectors, adjectives, demonstrative adjectives and pronouns.
3. Vocabulary: How to read a menu and order in a restaurant.
4. Culture: Crêpes and the Brittany traditions in Montparnasse. Cafés and restaurants
Presentation of monuments;
Reading: how to devise an oral presentation.
Grammar and vocabulary exercises
I. B
II. B
III. B
IV. B
V. B
Week 1
1. Functional: Finding your way in town, asking for directions, describing a place.
2.Grammatical: Future tense (2 forms), comparative and superlatives
3.Vocabulary: Tourism, going out
4.Culture: Reading of a novel over the course of the semester (intermediate level). First oral presentations (CORE)
Oral presentation (CORE)+ discussion
Reading of a novel (written comprehension)
Grammar and vocabulary exercises
I. A
II.A; B
III.A
IV. C
V. B
Week 2
1. Functional: Telling a story, describing present, past and future situations.
2. Grammatical: Past tenses, impersonal forms.
3.Vocabulary: Presenting a movie, novel p. 1 to 20
4. Culture: Oral presentation (CORE). Discussion. Creative visit of an old movie theater (see how it works and participate).
1.Functional: Literature and the media. Debate over the novel read during the semester
2.Grammatical: Simple relative pronouns
3.Vocabulary: Media, literature, novel p. 100-120
4.Culture: Oral presentation (CORE)
Medias and literature in the U.S and in France
Oral presentation (CORE) + discussion,
Document reading (written comprehension)
Grammar and vocabulary exercises
I.A;B
II. A,B
III. B,D
IV. A,B, C
V. A, B
Week 10
1.Functional: Oral comprehension of a song (audio)
2.Grammatical: Indefinite pronouns, prepositions
3.Vocabulary: Song and poetry
4.Culture: Oral Presentation (CORE)
French and American pop and folk artists
Oral presentation (CORE) + discussion,
Document reading (written comprehension)
Grammar and vocabulary exercises
I.A;B
II. A,B
III. B, C, D
IV. C
V. B
Week 11
1. Functional : The economic and social life in France
2.Grammatical: Subjunctive tenses
3.Vocabulary: Economic aspects, social institutions
4.Culture: Compare economic and social visions in the U.S. and France
General revision for the final exam
I. A, B
II. A, B
III. B, C, D
IV. A, B, C
V. B
Week 12
FINAL EXAM
- Oral comprehension
- Grammar exercises
- Written comprehension and expression
- Personal expression of an opinion
(written)
1.Functional: Oral comprehension (audio)
2.Grammatical: Grammar in context
3.Vocabulary: Whole program
4.Culture: Synthesis of acquisitions in the written expression
I. A, B
II. A, B
III. A, B, C, D
IV. A, B, C
V. A. B
Required readings:
Grammaire en dialogues, niveau intermédiaire, Claire Miquel, ed. CLE International
A novel (intermediate level)
Agenda for the vocabulary
Recommended readings:
A conjugation book, Le Nouveau Bescherelle, Hatier
A French language dictionary : Le Robert Micro, édition de poche.
A Bilingual dictionary: Robert & Collins Super Senior, éditions Robert.
Brief Biography of Instructor:
Dominique Taffin-Jouhaud graduated in Paris, and started her activities as a literary translator in 1983. To this day, she has translated more than 130 books from English and German into French. Since 1998, she has taught French as a foreign language and the techniques of translation at IES Abroad, Smith College in Paris, the University of Angers and ISTI (Institut Supérieur de Traducteurs et Interprètes) in Brussels.
This class explores practical themes connected to the French way of life, involving the student’s capability to understand oral and written messages in everyday situations, but also to express his or her opinions about more abstract themes. Four competencies will be enhanced: grammar, listening comprehension, reading, vocabulary, so as to assimilate easily in a French speaking setting. The course will privilege communication skills.
Research has demonstrated that study abroad can enhance every aspect of language ability. One of the most important general findings of this research is, however, that study abroad is most beneficial for the development of abilities related to social interaction. Students who go abroad are able to learn how to produce language in a variety of situations, such as the making of requests, the use of compliments and apologies, and they also may develop skills to interpret such interactions within the local cultural context… In short, and logically, study abroad has been show to enhance the aspects of communicative competence that are most difficult to foster in classroom settings (IES Abroad MAP for Language and Intercultural Communication, p. 6).
Student Profile
Students who enter this course will already be capable of achieving the outcomes of the Emerging Competent Abroad level as defined by the IES Abroad Map for Language and Intercultural Communication. Students who take this level should already be familiar with certain complex structures and linguistic functions that will be covered.
Students who enter this level are able to accomplish nearly all everyday needs required to live in a new culture. In this course, students will begin to develop independence and autonomy so that, when communication does break down, they have some tools at their disposal to resolve these challenges independently. Students should welcome and seek 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 sometimes able to resolve these on their own. Students will understand some colloquial expressions and slang, and are starting 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.
Proficiency at a level equivalent to IES Abroad’s Emerging Independent Abroad, as determined by placement test.
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 some of 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 at a basic level 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 describe their own cultural beliefs, behaviors, and values by contrasting and comparing them with the host cultures.
C. Students will be able to describe gestures and body language, and they will integrate some of those nonverbal actions into their interactions with native speakers.
II. Listening
A. Students will be able to understand a variety of 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 certain native speakers from a variety of backgrounds and 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 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 variety of interactions.
IV. Reading
A. Students will be able to read and understand articles, stories, and online texts using background knowledge to aid their comprehension.
B. Students will be able to read and understand the main ideas and supporting arguments of academic texts with assistance.
V. Writing
A. Students will be able to meet most everyday writing needs (notes, text messages, letters, emails, chats, online forums).
B. Students will be able to write short essays for class that narrate, describe, report, compare, contrast, and summarize on a wide range of topics with a moderate degree of grammatical and lexical accuracy.
C. Students will be able to edit their own and their peers’ writing for common errors.
Listening to authentic oral documents (dialogues, videos), reading authentic written documents (press articles, novel), discussing issues related to the personal experiences of the students, discovering works of art (movies, museums, a movie theater), experiencing cultural differences (wine and cheese tasting). The lexical and grammar skills will be enhanced and trained in class.
The evaluation focuses on what has been taught and takes into account the level of each group and each student. Investment and progress are taken into account as well as the success of graded exercises.
Evaluation:
(oral participation, regularity, in-class exercises)
(3 papers, personal CORE work)
(listening comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, written expression)
(listening comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, written expression)
(listening comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, written expression)
Week
Content
Assignments
Corresponding Learning Outcome(s)
Week 1, Intensive Session
1. Functional: Introducing yourself; how to survive in Paris (running errands, taking the metro and train stations), discovering what is around the IES center. Personal objectives
2.Grammar: Articles, affirmative and negative forms in the present tense, past tenses (indicative mode), nouns’ genders.
3.Vocabulary: Transportation, shops
4.Culture: Stereotypes (French people, Parisians) ; visit the Montparnasse area ; intercultural aspects: cafés and restaurants.
Presentation of the vicinity
Grammar and vocabulary exercises
I. A
II. A, B
III. B
IV. A
V. A
Week 2, Intensive Session
1.Functional: Listening comprehension (video). Giving a clear and logical oral presentation. Transmitting messages.
2.Grammatical: Logical connectors, adjectives, demonstrative adjectives and pronouns.
3. Vocabulary: How to read a menu and order in a restaurant.
4. Culture: Crêpes and the Brittany traditions in Montparnasse. Cafés and restaurants
Presentation of monuments;
Reading: how to devise an oral presentation.
Grammar and vocabulary exercises
I. B
II. B
III. B
IV. B
V. B
Week 1
1. Functional: Finding your way in town, asking for directions, describing a place.
2.Grammatical: Future tense (2 forms), comparative and superlatives
3.Vocabulary: Tourism, going out
4.Culture: Reading of a novel over the course of the semester (intermediate level). First oral presentations (CORE)
Oral presentation (CORE)+ discussion
Reading of a novel (written comprehension)
Grammar and vocabulary exercises
I. A
II.A; B
III.A
IV. C
V. B
Week 2
1. Functional: Telling a story, describing present, past and future situations.
2. Grammatical: Past tenses, impersonal forms.
3.Vocabulary: Presenting a movie, novel p. 1 to 20
4. Culture: Oral presentation (CORE). Discussion. Creative visit of an old movie theater (see how it works and participate).
Oral presentation (CORE) + discussion, document reading (written comprehension), Grammar and vocabulary exercises
I. A
II. B
III. A, B
IV. A,B
V. A
Week 3
1.Functional: Describing a museum, judging a work of art (giving your opinion), expressing feelings.
2.Grammatical: Past participles (to be)
3.Vocabulary: Art vocabulary, expressing one’s reactions with nuances, novel p. 20 to 40
4. Culture: Oral presentation (CORE)
Group work on a document (written comprehension). Comment on a photograph. Grammar and vocabulary exercises and games
I. A
II. A, B
III. A, B, D
IV. A,B, C
V. A, B
Week 4
1.Functional: Health, the environment
2.Grammatical: The conditional mode
3.Vocabulary: Giving detailed advice on a societal question, novel p. 40 to 60
4.Culture: Oral presentation (CORE). Comparison of societal conditions in native country and host country. Oral debate
Oral presentation (CORE) + discussion,
Document reading (written comprehension)
Grammar and vocabulary exercises
I. A
II. A, B
III. A, B, D
IV. B, C
V. B
Week 5
1.Functional: The French calendar
2.Grammatical: The imperative mode
3.Vocabulary: Celebrations, novel p. 60 to 80
4.Culture: Cultural habits associated with certain dates. Oral presentation (CORE)
Revision of the whole program for the mid-semester exam
I. A,B
II. A, B
III. A, B, D
IV. A, B, C
V. A, B
Week 6
MID-SEMESTER EXAMINATION
- oral comprehension
- grammar exercises
- written comprehension (vocabulary, questions)
- Written expression (on one or several points studied in class
1.Functional: oral comprehension (tape or video)/ written comprehension
2.Grammatical: whole program
3. Vocabulary: whole program
4.Culture: whole program
Oral presentation (CORE) + discussion,
Document reading (written comprehension)
Grammar and vocabulary exercises
I. A,B
II. A, B
III. A, B, D
IV. A, B, C
V. A, B
Week 7
1.Functional: Oral comprehension (audio)
2.Grammatical: Possessive adjectives and pronouns
3.Vocabulary: Novel p. 80-100
4.Culture: Oral presentation (CORE)
Oral presentation (CORE)+ discussion. Reading the press, written comprehension,
Grammar and vocabulary exercises
I.A, B
II.B
III. A, B, D
IV. A, B
Week 8
1.Functional: Cooking, regional specialties (video)
2.Grammatical: Personal pronouns
3.Vocabulary: Food, wine, novel p. 80-100
4.Culture: Wine and cheese tasting
Oral presentation (CORE) + discussion,
Document reading (written comprehension)
Grammar and vocabulary exercises
I.A;B
II.A,B
III. A.B,D
IV. A,B
Week 9
1.Functional: Literature and the media. Debate over the novel read during the semester
2.Grammatical: Simple relative pronouns
3.Vocabulary: Media, literature, novel p. 100-120
4.Culture: Oral presentation (CORE)
Medias and literature in the U.S and in France
Oral presentation (CORE) + discussion,
Document reading (written comprehension)
Grammar and vocabulary exercises
I.A;B
II. A,B
III. B,D
IV. A,B, C
V. A, B
Week 10
1.Functional: Oral comprehension of a song (audio)
2.Grammatical: Indefinite pronouns, prepositions
3.Vocabulary: Song and poetry
4.Culture: Oral Presentation (CORE)
French and American pop and folk artists
Oral presentation (CORE) + discussion,
Document reading (written comprehension)
Grammar and vocabulary exercises
I.A;B
II. A,B
III. B, C, D
IV. C
V. B
Week 11
1. Functional : The economic and social life in France
2.Grammatical: Subjunctive tenses
3.Vocabulary: Economic aspects, social institutions
4.Culture: Compare economic and social visions in the U.S. and France
General revision for the final exam
I. A, B
II. A, B
III. B, C, D
IV. A, B, C
V. B
Week 12
FINAL EXAM
- Oral comprehension
- Grammar exercises
- Written comprehension and expression
- Personal expression of an opinion
(written)
1.Functional: Oral comprehension (audio)
2.Grammatical: Grammar in context
3.Vocabulary: Whole program
4.Culture: Synthesis of acquisitions in the written expression
I. A, B
II. A, B
III. A, B, C, D
IV. A, B, C
V. A. B
Grammaire en dialogues, niveau intermédiaire, Claire Miquel, ed. CLE International
A novel (intermediate level)
Agenda for the vocabulary
A conjugation book, Le Nouveau Bescherelle, Hatier
A French language dictionary : Le Robert Micro, édition de poche.
A Bilingual dictionary: Robert & Collins Super Senior, éditions Robert.
Dominique Taffin-Jouhaud graduated in Paris, and started her activities as a literary translator in 1983. To this day, she has translated more than 130 books from English and German into French. Since 1998, she has taught French as a foreign language and the techniques of translation at IES Abroad, Smith College in Paris, the University of Angers and ISTI (Institut Supérieur de Traducteurs et Interprètes) in Brussels.