French Introductory Language Sequence

An introduction to French as a spoken and written language. The work includes regular practice in class and scheduled drill-sessions in understanding and using the spoken language. Written exercises and elementary reading materials serve for vocabulary building and discussion.

French 1: Introductory French

This course is open to true beginners, students with one or two years of high school French or students with a score of 0-530 on the SAT II Subject Test. Emphasis will be on speaking and dialogue with your peers. You will learn to introduce your family and friends, share what your daily life looks like, talk about what you do for leisure. Your final assignment will be to do an oral presentation in French describing your home town. Does not serve to satisfy Distributive or World Culture Requirements.

French 2: Introductory French II

This course is open to students who have completed French 1 on campus, those with three or four years of high school French, or those with a score of 540-600 on the SAT II Subject Test. You will expand your possibilities of expression by learning how to use the past and future tenses, to say where you've been and where you're going. You will share childhood memories and exchange ideas about plans for your education and career. While building your vocabulary, you will deepen your cultural knowledge with introductions to multiple francophone countries around the world. Your final assignment will be to choose a francophone country and do an oral presentation for your peers on its history, geography, architecture, art or traditions. Does not serve to satisfy Distributive or World Culture Requirements.

Prerequisites: French 1 or qualifying placement through the APE exam.  Please contact Professor Oliveira for more information.  

French 3: Introductory French III

This course is open to students who have completed French 2 or French 11 on campus, those with a score of 610-710 on the SAT II Subject Test or a score of 4 on the AP. You will explore several themes of contemporary life and learn to discuss travel, technology and its influence, wellness and healthcare, and social relationships. Your final assignment will be to seek out information on a current issue facing a francophone country—the environment, racism, poverty, freedom of speech, immigration, the colonial past, religious conflicts—and present it to your peers through a medium of your choice: film, interview, blog, skit, music or poster. Does not serve to satisfy Distributive or World Culture Requirements.

Prerequisite: French 2, French 11, or placement qualifying from an APE exam.   Please contact Professor Oliveira for more information.  

French 11: Intensive French

This 1-credit course is designed for students with little or no knowledge of the French language, but who have a strong background in another Romance language (i.e. Spanish, Italian, Romanian, Portuguese, Catalan, Latin).  It might also be suitable for students who have been exposed to French through family ties or have spent some time in a francophone environment. French 11 is an accelerated course that combines French 1 and 2 in one term, offering an exciting and fast-paced atmosphere in which to learn French. The course will have a web-based component, which, through cultural, grammar and multimedia learning activities, will complement face-to-face work and prepare students for in-class work. Students will learn to talk about familiar events in the present and the past, as well as formulate plans for the future. Weekly cultural videos will situate in context the grammatical content of the course, making it relevant and meaningful. Students will be actively engaged in a variety of creative written and oral activities that will help them develop their language skills. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to sign up for French 3 (remember that after French 3, you are eligible to apply for the French LSA+ in Toulouse). With the goal of facilitating the acquisition of the target language, this course will be conducted entirely in French.

Prerequisite: One year or equivalent of university level instruction in a Romance Language or Latin; or three high school years of instruction in a Romance Language or Latin; or native speaking proficiency in a Romance Language; or permission of instructor.