Faculty Syllabus

Course description 

Credit Hours: 4

Classroom Contact Hours per week: 4

Laboratory Contact Hours per week: 0

Study of fundamentals of French: conversation, basic writing, listening and reading comprehension, vocabulary building, grammar, and culture.  

This is a beginning level course. In this course you will learn to read, write, speak, and understand French at a novice level, and will increase your knowledge of the culture of French-speaking regions around the world. There is no prerequisite for this course.

Course Rationale 

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

Credit by Examination/High School Language Credit

If you are not sure if this course is the correct level for you, please talk to your professor.  You can earn college credit without taking this course by exploring all your options. You could easily be placed in the appropriate level, which could save you time and money.  You can earn credit for this course with the following:

High School AP or IB scores

Course Challenge Exams (ACCs in house exams for all languages)

The CLEP National Exam (French, German, and Spanish only)

Please be aware that there is not a financial penalty incurred for a level change at ACC. Please visit our departmental website for more information or talk to your professor:  http://sites.austincc.edu/fola/credit-by-exam/

Instructional methodology/ Distance Education

In this online 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. You must have a computer with a working camera and microphone and a reliable internet connection for this course.

Students will use the Blackboard learning management system for assignment instructions, submitting assignments, and collaboration.  Although we do not meet as a class on campus, you will be required to complete work according to a schedule. You should be prepared to spend a minimum of at least 12-16 hours per week studying and doing assignments 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.  

If you are  new to distance education to review the ACC Distance Education General Information available at https://online.austincc.edu/faq/

Student Technology Support

Austin Community College provides free, secure drive-up WiFi to students and employees in the parking lots of all campus locations. WiFi can be accessed seven days a week, 7 am to 11 pm. Additional details are available at https://www.austincc.edu/sts.

Students who do not have the necessary technology to complete their ACC courses can request to borrow devices from Student Technology Services. Available devices include iPads, webcams, headsets, calculators, etc. Students must be registered for a credit course, Adult Education, or Continuing Education course to be eligible. For more information, including how to request a device, visit http://www.austincc.edu/sts.

Student Technology Services offers phone, live-chat, and email-based technical support for students and can provide support on topics such as password resets, accessing or using Blackboard, access to technology, etc. To view hours of operation and ways to request support, visit http://www.austincc.edu/sts.Course Grades

Course policies

A student at ACC is expected 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.)

Participation and Minimum standards

Students who miss two quizzes in a row my be dropped by the instructor. Students whose exam average after the first two exams is below 65 may be withdrawn from the course at the instructor’s discretion.

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 April 27, 2026.

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

Late homework, quizzes, an exams are allowed only with proof of a good reason for missing them. 

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, and must have completed at least 90% of the course work. The student must consult with the instructor and the final decision will be at the instructor’s discretion.  If a grade of I is given, the remaining course work must be completed by a date set by the student and professor.  This date may not be later than two weeks prior to the end of the following semester.  A grade of I also requires completion and submission of the Incomplete Grade Form, to be signed by the faculty member (and student if possible) and submitted to the department chair.

The faculty member will determine whether the Incomplete is appropriate to award or not.  The following processes must be followed when awarding a student an I grade. 

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.”

Copyright violations 

By college policy, there shall be no copying of or from copyrighted works intended to be “consumable” in the course of study or of teaching. These include workbooks, exercises, standardized tests and test booklets and answer sheets and like consumable material. Copying shall not substitute for the purchase of books, publishers’ reprints or periodicals.

Generative Artificial Intelligence Policy
This policy outlines the rules and expectations for the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) tools in this course. This course is designed to help students develop their language proficiency through personal effort, practice, and engagement with course materials. In order to preserve academic integrity and support authentic language acquisition, the use of GAI tools is not permitted for use in drafting, editing, translating, or completing any coursework unless specified otherwise by the instructor. All assessments—including written assignments, class exercises, quizzes, and exams—must be completed using your own original language skills. The use of GAI in these assessments constitutes academic dishonesty. Submissions will be evaluated for evidence of authentic language production, and suspicious patterns may be subject to further review. Instructors may check whether students using vocabulary and grammar beyond the level of the course understand their use.

Generative Artificial Intelligence refers to any software or application capable of producing human-like text, translations, or corrections based on prompts or inputs. This includes, but is not limited to:

• AI language models (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude, Bing Copilot, Gemini)
• Machine translation tools (e.g., Google Translate, DeepL, Reverso)
• Browser translation features (such as in Chrome, Safari, Firefox and others)
• AI writing assistants or rewording tools (e.g., Grammarly, QuillBot, Wordtune)

Students are expected to use their textbook, course notes and handouts, dictionaries, or other reference materials to complete assignments. 

Violation of this policy is considered a breach of academic integrity and may result in the following consequences:

• A grade of zero on the affected assignment or assessment
• A formal academic misconduct report filed with the College or university
• Failure of the course and additional institutional disciplinary action

Repeat violations may result in more serious penalties as determined by institutional policy.

Exceptions to this policy may be made only with prior documented approval from the instructor. Exceptions may include approved accommodations through Student Accessibility Services  or explicit instructor-approved use of GAI for specific tasks (e.g., comparing machine translation with human translation as part of a guided activity). 

If you have any questions about what constitutes appropriate or inappropriate use of GAI, or about potential breaches of course policies, please consult your professor for clarification.

College Policies

All College Policies must be followed in this class. Please review them by clicking on the College Policies and Student Support Services link in the menu for this class in Blackboard.

Course grades

Course grades will be calculated with the following components weighted as shown below. 

HOMEWORK 20%               

POWERPOINT CULTURE PRESENTATION 5%         

DAILY QUIZZES  15%                                       

4 WRITTEN EXAMS  25%                                 

2 ORAL EXAMS   15%                                      

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 

Textbook and Materials: 

Either: 

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

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

[Instructors may require the print upgrade or make it optionl.] 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. 

For more information on inclusive access for the online materials Cengage Unlimited, go to:

https://www.cengage.com/student-training/mindtap/blackboard/ia-yes

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. 

Schedule and Due Dates

Chapitre préliminaire:

Chapitre 1: 

Chapitre 2: 

Chapitre 3

General Education Student Learning Outcomes

Students will demonstrate competence in:

—    Critical Thinking

Gather, analyze, synthesize, evaluate and apply information for the purposes of innovation, inquiry, and creative thinking.

—    Teamwork

Consider different points of view to work collaboratively and effectively in pursuit of a shared purpose or goal.

—    Social Responsibility

Analyze differences and commonalities among peoples, ideas, aesthetic traditions, and cultural practices to include intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities

—    Personal Responsibility

Identify and apply ethical principles and practices to decision-making by connecting choices, actions and consequences 

—    Communication Skills

Develop, interpret, and express ideas and information through written, oral and visual communication that is adapted to purpose, structure, audience, and medium.

Course Outcomes

The main objective of this course is to develop competencies that align with the general education goals of critical thinking, interpersonal skills, civic and cultural awareness, personal responsibility, and written, oral and visual communication, in the French language, at an appropriate level. The ability to understand and communicate and comprehend French will develop along with the knowledge of the vocabulary, grammatical structures of the language, and exploration of how culture shapes communication. Two to three hours a day should be dedicated for the study of French (at least two hours outside of class for each hour in class). 

At the end of French 1411, students 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:

CRITICAL THINKING:

• utilize a variety of reading or listening strategies for comprehension.
• draw inferences from information that has been presented.
• synopsize and synthesize the information from passages heard or read.
• utilize language creatively to make it relevant their lives.
• make comparisons and find contrasts among the different Francophone cultures and their own and explain different values.
• mention implications and applications of information they have read or heard.

TEAMWORK (Interpersonal Skills):

• complete a variety of language-based activities working in pairs and small groups.
• demonstrate the ability to negotiate meaning to complete language-based activities.
• demonstrate the ability to work in groups to achieve a common goal.
• demonstrate the ability to consider different points of view and work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (Civic and Cultural Awareness):

• compare and contrast different perspectives on cultural issues, customs, and traditions after reading or listening to passages in the French language.
• demonstrate some intercultural competence by correctly using formal and informal speech, changing registers as needed, and using gestures.
• mention some differences among the French-speaking countries.
• show awareness of current events in French-speaking regions and analyze their implications.
• state ways that studying French-speaking societies can help understand and improve their own society.
• explain the importance of knowledge of French culture for relationships between individuals, businesses, or nations.

PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY:

• demonstrate effective language learning strategies.
• state how learning French will be useful to them and improve their lives.
• name and investigate aspects of French language and culture of personal interest.
• explain the value of learning about other people and respecting  cultural differences.
• make appropriate decisions when interacting with people from different cultures.

COMMUNICATION (Written, Oral and Visual Communication):

• show effective written and spoken communication in French at the appropriate level using a variety of strategies and adopting the appropriate type of speech. 
• use listening strategies such as listening for the main idea and for specific details and asking for clarification.
• exhibit conceptual understanding and control of courtesy expressions and appropriate kinesics when speaking in French
• interpret and express ideas through written, oral and visual communication