French 201
Professor Holly Tucker
Furman 205
holly.tucker@vanderbilt.edu
COURSE DESCRIPTION
French 201 is a fourth semester course taught in French that serves as a gateway to upper level French courses. Students will have successfully completed French 103 at Vanderbilt or will have tested into the course. The focus of this course is on written expression in a four-skills context (reading, writing, speaking and listening). Instruction and evaluation will highlight the importance of composition as a process with the following steps:
-pre-writing (brainstorming, planning, concept mapping)
-writing a draft
-collaborative reading and editing by /with peers
-revising
-reading and commenting by professor
-additional revising
-reading and grading by professor
Using the process above, students will write four 2-4 page compositions over the course of the term. The goal of each composition is to engage students in meaningful practice with a wide range of genres. Because 201 is a prerequisite for French 220 (Introduction to Literature) and a gateway for a French major or minor, students will practice two genres used to write about literature, the dissertation and the explication de texte.
In French 201, grammar is not presented in isolation but in coordination with the compositions. Students will focus on one or two grammatical concepts for each composition and will be evaluated on how well they apply grammar rules to the practice of writing.
Required Course materials
Books: (available at campus bookstore)
Stillman and Gordon, The Ultimate French Review and Practice. McGraw Hill, 1999.
French / English dictionary (McGraw Hill, Harper Collins, Larousse recommended)
French/French dictionary (Le Micro Robert recommended)
In addition, you will need a notebook / journal for pre-writing activities and in-class exercises with one section designated for use as a personal vocabulary/grammar dictionary. This notebook will be checked on the day each final draft of a composition is due. You will also need a folder to be used as a portfolio to hold all pre-writing materials, drafts, and final compositions.
Attendance/Participation
Attendance is required and will be taken daily. Since discussion of ideas is an important part of the pre-writing process, attendance and class participation are essential. For grading purposes, participation is defined as physical attendance, obvious preparation, active contribution to in-class discussions and activities and willingness to speak French. You have two “free” absences. After 2 absences, I will deduct 2 points from your final grade for each class you meet. There will be no make-up quizzes for students who are absent or who arrive late to class.
Class will start on time. If you arrive late, you will be responsible for all information including announcements of changes in the homework or syllabus. Please silence cell phones when you arrive in class and please eat or drink either before or after class. Laptop use in class is not permitted.
Vanderbilt is committed to providing all students equal access and learning opportunities. Please let me know if there are any special accommodations that you may need.
The Honor Code is respected and all students are expected to adhere to the rules, regulations, and spirit of the Honor System at Vanderbilt. Please consult www.vanderbilt.edu/student handbook/Honor System.html. if you have any questions Please refrain from using online translation or from soliciting help from friends or native speakers. Please submit only your own work.
Grammar Homework
You will complete grammar exercises each week in coordination with the composition assignment. Workbook exercises should be self-corrected against the answer key and corrections should be made in a different color ink. We will correct a limited number of examples in class so be sure to come prepared with questions. Some homework exercises will be collected and graded.
Compositions
You will write four compositions (approximately 2-3 pp. each) over the course of the semester, using the method presented in Tâches d’encre. The compositions should be typed, double spaced with proper accents. The focus will be on correct usage, vocabulary building, and stylistic control. Drafts will be required for two of the four compositions—and recommended for all of the compositions. I will not review partial drafts. Each composition grade will consist of the average of the drafts and the final composition. With this in mind, every effort should be made to submit a strong draft. The final project will consist of a portfolio representing corrections of all work and a reworking of what you consider to be your “best” composition. Late compositions will be docked 10 points per day late. No late drafts will be accepted.
Exams: There will be two in-class grammar exams that cover specific chapters in Contrastes
Quizzes: Pop quizzes will be given on a regular basis in class. These quizzes figure into the preparation/participation/class exercise grade.
Evaluation
The final grade will be calculated as follows:
4 compositions 40%
2 grammar tests 30%
Preparation/Participation/Quizzes 10%
Final Portfolio 20%
French Department grading scale
A 95-100 C 74-76
A- 90-94 C- 70-73
B+ 87-89 D+ 67-69
B 84-86 D 64-66
B- 80-83 D- 60-63
C+ 77-79