Grading

HOMEWORK 20%                                  

DAILY QUIZZES 15%                                       

4 WRITTEN EXAMS 30%                                 

CULTURE PRESENTATION 5%

2 ORAL EXAMS   10%                                      

FINAL EXAM  20%                                            

Final grades will be based on a traditional scale:

A = 90-100

B = 80-89

C = 70-79

D = 60-69

F = below 60 

Tests - There will be four written exams, two oral exams, and a comprehensive final exam. The written exams and the final will be administered during class time, in the classroom. In addition, there will usually be a daily quiz each Monday over the previous week’s material, unless there is an exam that day. Quizzes are based on the material from the previous classes and the homework assignment. There are no make-ups on daily quizzes, but one will be dropped at the end of the semester so you may be absent twice without penalty. After two missed quizzes, you will receive a zero on all other missed quizzes. This is how poor attendance is included in your grade. If you miss an exam, I will count your final exam grade for that test grade if you have a proven valid excuse and you inform me beforehand that you are going to miss it. All doctor’s notes must be originals, not photocopies. (If you have no excuse, you will receive a zero.)  I will do this only for one exam.

Homework .- Activities must be completed online using the electronic workbook by the assigned deadline. Other written homework assignments may be given that must be turned in at the beginning of the following class. Homework is accepted late only for extraordinary circumstances. I assign homework at the end of each class for the following class. If you miss class, please check your ACC email for the assignment. I also send out an email with the assignment after class at the end of the day.

Course policies

A student at ACC is expected to attend classes in order to progress satisfactorily toward completion of course objectives. A student who is not meeting course objectives may be withdrawn from the course at the discretion of the instructor. (See ACC Catalog.)

Minimum standards

Students whose exam average after the first two exams is below 65 may be withdrawn from the course at the instructor’s discretion.

Behavior

Your behavior should be appropriate to a professional situation:

• Courtesy and respect for everyone is expected.
• No food or gum is allowed in the classroom.
• Put away all phones during class. Please don’t check messages during class.
• Be on time. If you must be late, enter quietly and sit in the back of the room. Please don’t “pack up” before class is over.
• Language and behavior should be appropriate to a college classroom.

Attendance / Participation

Due to the emphasis on oral practice, attendance is mandatory and will be checked daily. Departmental policy allows instructors to drop students with more than three absences. Leaving class prior to class dismissal without the instructor’s approval will be counted as an absence. After 3 absences, each absence may result in a one-point deduction (per occurrence) from your final course grade. Foreign language classes are very interactive and you will be required to participate regularly in class and group activities. Failure to participate will result in a lower daily grade for participation.

Withdrawals

If you decide to withdraw from the class, it is your responsibility to fill out the forms to drop the course. If you do not do the paperwork yourself, you risk receiving an F at the end of the semester. The last day to withdraw is November 21.

Per state law, students enrolling for the first time in fall 2007 or later at any Texas college or university may not withdraw (receive a W) from more than six courses during their undergraduate college career. Some exemptions for good cause could allow a student to withdraw from a course without having it count toward this limit. Students are encouraged to carefully select courses; contact an advisor or counselor for assistance.

Due to state law, a charge of $60 per credit hour ($240 for a 4-credit course and $180 for a 3-credit course) will be added to the regular tuition for a course in which you have already been officially registered twice before. You are considered officially registered after the 12th day of classes in the spring and fall, and after the 4th day of classes in the summer. Learning a foreign language requires a substantial amount of time and discipline, and these classes often have high drop rates.  Therefore, it is extremely important that you carefully consider whether you have the time and dedication to successfully complete this course this semester.  Otherwise, make sure that you drop it before the end of the add/drop period.

Missed or late work

There are no make-ups for daily quizzes and no late homework is accepted for a grade under any circumstances, but two quizzes and two homework grades will be dropped. No online workbook assignments are accepted late. There are no make-up exams. If you contact me prior to missing an exam, and you provide proof of a good reason for missing it, I will substitute your final exam grade for the missing chapter exam grade at the end of the semester. You will receive a 0 on any missed exam, unless you contact me before the exam and provide proof of a legitimate reason for missing it.

Incompletes

If there is a documented extenuating circumstance after the last day to withdraw, then you may be eligible for an incomplete. The student must be in good standing and have a C or higher. The student must consult with the instructor and the final decision will be at the instructor’s discretion. 

1.      Prior to the end of the semester in which the I is to be awarded, the student must meet with the instructor to determine the assignments and exams that must be completed prior to the deadline date.  This meeting can occur virtually or in person.  The instructor should complete the Report of Incomplete Grade form.

2.      The faculty member will complete the form, including all requirements to complete the course and the due date, sign (by typing in name) and then email it to the student.  The student will then complete his/her section, sign (by typing in name), and return the completed form to the faculty member to complete the agreement.  A copy of the fully completed form can then be emailed by the faculty member to the student and the department chair for each grade of Incomplete that the faculty member submits at the end of the semester.   

3.      The student must complete all remaining work by the date specified on the form above.  This date is determined by the instructor in collaboration with the student, but it may not be later than the final withdrawal deadline in the subsequent long semester.  

4.      Students will retain access to the course Blackboard page through the subsequent semester in order to submit work and complete the course. Students will be able to log on to Blackboard and have access to the course section materials, assignments, and grades from the course and semester in which the Incomplete was awarded.  

5.      When the student completes the required work by the Incomplete deadline, the instructor will submit an electronic Grade Change Form to change the student’s performance grade from an “I” to the earned grade of A, B, C, D, or F. 

If an Incomplete is not resolved by the deadline, the grade automatically converts to an “F.”  Approval to carry an Incomplete for longer than the following semester or session deadline is not frequently granted.

Textbook and Materials:

Either:

Horizons 7e (Manley, Smith, McMinn-Reyna, Prévost, Cengage publishing company)

Inclusive Access (Unless you opted out, you purchased this 24-month access to the online materials when you paid your tuition and fees.)

Print upgrade (ISBN 9780357092842). This is a loose-leaf hardcopy of the print textbook available to students with Inclusive Access at ACC bookstores for $46.95.

Or:

Horizons 7e (Manley, Smith, McMinn-Reyna, Prévost, Cengage publishing company) Loose leaf with Mindtap 4-semester access (ISBN 9781337807593) This is for students who opt out on Inclusive access.

If you opted out and purchased an access code for the online materials, be careful not to lose it. You will need it to register for the materials for FREN 1412 and FREN 2311.

Registering for materials in Blackboard

Follow these instructions to register for the class online in Mindtap,

• Log into Blackboard and click the link for our French 1411 course.
• Select the content area for Horizons Online Textbook and click on the course link with the Cengage icon.  
• If you already have a Cengage user name and password, use them to login. Otherwise create them and follow the directions online to complete the registration.

Instructional methodology

In the lecture format class, our primary objective is to learn to communicate in French. We will study vocabulary words and grammar rules with this end in mind. We will practice developing reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. The majority of class time will be spent practicing speaking and listening and you will participate in partner and group work.

You will need to practice and learn much of the material outside of class. The online activities will be very helpful to you. The audio activities will help you with pronunciation and listening comprehension. You should be prepared to spend a minimum of three hours outside of class for each hour in class; that is, at least 12 hours per week studying, memorizing, and doing homework to prepare for class. It is best to study a little each day. If you feel you need extra help, you can find a French tutor at the Learning Labs. This service is free to ACC students.

 My goal is for each and every one of you to succeed in this course and learn what you need to know to be successful in the next semester of French. I will help you to learn and understand the material through my instruction, help during office hours, and by providing you extra practice materials. However, to be successful in the course, YOU must make a commitment to regular attendance, class participation, and daily studying.

Use of Artificial Intelligence and Online Translators is forbidden

Use of artificial intelligence or online translators to complete homework, quizzes, or exams is forbidden. If your work includes vocabulary or grammatical structures that are beyond what has been covered in class or a few words you may have looked up and learned, you will not receive a grade until I can meet with you online to make sure that you understand all of the grammar and vocabulary you are using.

Course Rationale

In addition to offering the fundamentals of the French language, this course is intended to fulfill one semester of the foreign language requirement as needed for Associate Degree plans and transfer credit to four-year institutions. The number of courses required varies from discipline and institution.

Learning Outcomes and Objectives

French 1411 Learning Outcomes

The main objective of the course is to help students develop skills in the areas of listening, speaking, reading, and writing in the French language at a basic level. Your ability to understand and communicate will develop along with your knowledge of the vocabulary and grammatical structures of the language.

At the end of FREN 1411, you should be able to do the following:

CRITICAL THINKING:

• utilize context, cognates, and related familiar words to understand written passages.
• determine what information is important when reading or listening for the gist or for specific information.
• utilize brainstorming and appropriate sequencing and visualization techniques to organize their writing.
• utilize language creatively to talk about familiar topics.
• compare and contrast aspects of French society and discuss some advantages and disadvantages of each.

TEAMWORK (Interpersonal Skills):

• interview classmates and tell information about them.
• create dialogues with partners talking about their daily lives and other topics related to them.
• help one another with areas of difficulty.
• brainstorm in groups to organize tasks.
• share resources related to common interests.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (Civic and Cultural Awareness):

• compare customs when meeting and greeting people and explain how differences can lead to misunderstandings.
• utilize formal and informal speech correctly.
• compare and contrast aspects of French society with their own, and discuss advantages and disadvantages of each.
• compare values related to daily life.
• name countries where French is spoken and contrast differences between them.

PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY:

• show time management skills by successfully completing tasks on time.
• demonstrate effective study habits for language learning.
• state how learning French will be useful to them and improve their lives.
• name aspects of French language and culture of personal interest.

COMMUNICATION (Written, Oral and Visual Communication):

• utilize context, cognates, and related familiar words to understand unfamiliar material in written passages.
• determine what information is important when reading or listening for the gist or for specific information.
• utilize brainstorming, appropriate sequencing, and visualization techniques to organize their writing.
• exhibit conceptual understanding and control of courtesy expressions .
• interpret and express ideas in the present tense on familiar topics through written, oral, and visual communication.

Discipline-Level Learning Outcomes for French

At the end of the fourth semester of French, students should be able to:

• demonstrate comprehension of aural instructions, aural questions, and aural passages composed of familiar materials;
• converse on familiar topics,
• read intermediate-level materials and brief literary texts with reasonable comprehension;
• write original compositions using correct spelling, punctuation, and grammatical structures;
• demonstrate awareness of cultural connections and contrasts, of the culture of the target countries, and of sociolinguistic conventions.

General Education Students Learning Outcomes

Students will also demonstrate competence in:

Civic and Cultural Awareness- Analyzing and critiquing competing perspectives in a democratic society; comparing, contrasting, and interpreting differences and commonalities among peoples, ideas, aesthetic traditions, and cultural practices

Critical Thinking- Gathering, analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating and applying information.

Personal Responsibility- Identifying and applying ethical principles and practices; demonstrating effective learning, creative thinking, and personal responsibility.

Interpersonal Skills- Interacting collaboratively to achieve common goals.

Written, Oral and Visual Communication- Communicating effectively, adapting to purpose, structure, audience, and medium.