Elementary French I – FREN-UA 1 New York University Spring 2021

Elementary French I – FREN-UA 1

New York University

Spring 2021 (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)

12.30 pm - 1.45pm (East Time) / 6:30pm - 7:45pm (Paris Time)

What if you were able to communicate directly, and in a meaningful way, with over

275,000,000 people in over 50 countries around the world (including this one!), people

with whom you cannot communicate today? What if you were able to learn about these

people directly from what they say and write instead of depending upon someone else’s

interpretation? What if you could gain access to the linguistic and cultural production of

these over a quarter-of-a-billion people to deepen your understanding of the world and

all it has to offer? Now you can…. Welcome to French!

Instructors: Contact Information: Dates :

Patrick Guédon [email protected]u 01/29/2021 - 03/12/2021

David Uhrig [email protected] 03/15/2021 – 05/10/2021

Materials: En Avant (3

edition)

i. Textbook

ii. Access to the Connect online learning platform

https://connect.mheducation.com/class/p-guedon-section-1

Calendar:

Date Chapter Assignments

Instructor: Patrick Guédon – [email protected]

Zoom : https://nyu.zoom.us/j/9705081466

Jan. 29 1

Feb. 1 1

Feb. 3 1

Feb. 5 1

Feb. 8 1

Feb. 10 1

Feb. 12 2

Feb. 15 No Class

Feb. 17 2

Feb. 18* 2 TBD

Feb. 19 2

Feb. 22 2 Essay 1 (in class)

Feb. 24 2

Feb. 26 Test One

Mar. 1 3

Mar. 3 3

Mar. 5 3

Mar. 8 3

Mar. 10 3

Mar. 12 3

Instructor: David UHRIG – [email protected]

Mar. 15 4 (Oral Test, Part I begins -TBD)

Mar. 17 4

Mar. 19 No Class

Mar. 22 4

Mar. 24 4 Essay 2

Mar. 26 4

Mar. 29 4

Mar. 31 4

Apr. 2 Test Two

Apr. 5 No Class

Apr. 7 5

Apr. 9 5

Apr. 12 5

Apr. 14 5 Oral Project presentations begin

Apr. 16 5

Apr. 19 5

Apr. 21 5

Apr. 23 6 Essay 3

Apr. 26 6

Apr. 28 6

Apr. 30 6

May 3 6 (Oral Test, Part II begins - TBD)

May 5 6

May 7 6

May 10 Test Three

*Legislative Day, runs on a Monday schedule

Important Information on Zoom Etiquette: As you saw in Albert during registration, this

class is being taught online through Zoom. It is designed to be an online synchronous

experience that will provide you with the chance to interact with your instructor and with

your classmates on a regular basis as you learn French and discover French and

Francophone cultures. Given the fact that our class is going to be online, you need to make

sure that you have access to a computer with audio and video capabilities and reliable

Internet access for our class meetings. If this will be a problem for you, please let me know

right away.

You should treat our online Zoom classroom in the same way that you would treat

a physical classroom, in way that shows your respect for the other people in the class. This

means that you should be clothed and seated upright for class (you’d be surprised what

we’ve seen!), you should have all other electronic devices (e.g., televisions, phones, etc.)

turned off, you should have no windows other than what you need for class open on your

computer, and you should stay seated. This also means that you need to have your camera

turned on every class period for the entire 75 minutes. Our being able to see each other is

an essential factor both in the development of your oral communication skills in French and

in my ability to help you. In addition, it is very difficult for your classmates and me to carry

on a conversation with you if we cannot see you! If there is any day during the semester

that you fear you will have difficulty keeping your camera on, you will need to notify me

ahead of time.

Course and Materials Description: This Elementary French course is designed to give

those of you with no previous experience in French, or very little experience

, the

opportunity to begin to learn about French and Francophone cultures and to acquire the

fundamentals of the French language, a language spoken by hundreds of millions of

people throughout every continent around the world. One of the tools that we will use

to explore this language and the numerous cultures for which it is a vehicle is En Avant

edition), a year-long, multi-component beginning French program that includes a

textbook and, housed on the Connect online learning platform, a workbook/lab manual,

an interactive eBook with video and audio, a battery of adaptive questions leading to a

personalized learning path, and more. All the components are fully integrated, so you

should familiarize yourself with the structure of the program and all of its parts before

you embark on your cultural adventure this semester. You can purchase these materials

online or at the NYU Bookstore. (Since En Avant and Connect are used throughout the

elementary level, you will not need to buy any additional materials for Elementary French

II [FREN-UA 2] next semester.)

You will see that each chapter in your textbook/eBook and in your online

workbook/lab manual (WBLM) is divided into several sections: “Communication en

direct,” “Vocabulaire interactif,” “Grammaire interactive,” and “Culture en direct.” The

WBLM also includes a section entitled “Prononcez bien.” For each chapter there are

explicit communicative goals (e.g., talking about what you like to do, eliciting opinions,

asking for and giving advice, etc.). Your careful study of the grammar, pronunciation,

cultural components, and vocabulary presented and discussed in a chapter will help you

achieve the goals for that chapter. To be sure that by the end of a chapter you’ve learned

how to do what you set out to do at the beginning of the chapter, you can do the

LearnSmart unit located on the Connect site.

On a final note, keep in mind that learning a language is learning to do something

(e.g., speak, read, write, and listen), not learning about something. Successfully learning

to do something requires regular practice, not last minute, frantic study. You couldn’t

become a good swimmer by reading about swimming every so often, then reading a

whole lot the night before a competition, and then diving into the pool for the first time

the day of the swim meet. The same holds true for language. To do well, you need to

practice every day; you need to train your mouth and your mind to speak and think

differently. That can’t be done in one all-night cram session!

Learning Goals: Upon the successful completion of this course, you will have learned the

vocabulary, grammatical structures, and communicative norms to allow you to do the

following in French:

● present yourself to others as well as identify and provide simple descriptions of

the people and things in your immediate surroundings (e.g., your family and

friends, your possessions, etc.),

● explain and describe your everyday life (e.g., your pastimes, your studies, etc.),

● read and understand short written passages related to the topics above,

● engage in short, simple conversations (ask and answer simple questions) and

written exchanges with others about the topics above,

● describe simple future plans,

● identify and show a basic knowledge of the Francophone communities around the

world, and

● demonstrate proficiency in the use of the following structures in speaking and

writing : present tense of regular and common irregular verbs, the futur proche,

adjective placement and agreement, articles, basic negation, the imperative, basic

prepositions of place, and basic interrogative forms

Your success in attaining these learning goals will be determined by a variety of

assessment tools, all described in detail below.

Assessment

: Participation 10%

Written Tests (3) 30%

(Oral Test 10%)

Oral Project 10%

Homework 20%

Essays (3) 20%

Participation (10%): As you can imagine, participation is of the utmost importance in a

language class. Your participation grade does not depend simply on your being present

in class. A good participation grade depends on having all your assignments completed

before class, participating (in French!) to the best of your ability with your camera on,

which includes paying attention to and engaging with your classmates as well as your

instructor during the entire 75-minute class, and making a real effort to improve.

Since participation, or “time-on-task” as it is sometimes called, is so important to

your regular progress, it counts as part of your grade. Keep in mind that when you are

not in class, no matter what the reason, you are missing essential time spent in and on

French. This has a negative impact on your progress and the participation component of

your grade. It’s very simple – once you miss three classes (the equivalent of one week of

class), you will receive a warning letter, a copy of which will also be sent to the Director

of Language Programs. For every absence over three, two percentage points will be

deducted from your final grade in addition to points you will lose from the participation

component of your grade. Joining class more than five minutes late for any reason will

also be counted as an absence. In fact, whenever possible, you should aim to arrive in

your Zoom classroom two to three minutes early to make sure you are successfully

connected and ready for class on time. Please note that absences for religious holidays

and university-sponsored events will not be counted against you as long as you notify

your instructor ahead of time and provide supporting documentation.

If you find that an illness, a family emergency, or some other event will cause you

to miss more than a week’s worth of class, you should speak with your instructor and

academic counselor about the possibility of arranging for a withdrawal from the class.

Oral Test (10%) and Written Tests (30%): As you have already seen in this syllabus, your

progress in French will be assessed through a variety of methods: regular homework, an

oral project, writing and editing assignments, and participation in class. You will also have

several types of tests: a two-part oral test and a series of three written tests.

Both parts of the oral test will take place outside of regular class hours. The format

for both part I and part II are the same; your instructor will explain the format in class.

You will receive written feedback for your performance on part I and a grade will be

provided. That grade will count toward your midterm grade, which will be posted no later

than Friday, April 2

. For part II of the oral test, your grade will be based on the same

criteria as for part I, but your instructor will also consider your success in improving upon

the elements signaled in your feedback for part I. Your grade for part II will count toward

your final grade. No late oral tests will be administered. Not showing up for either part I

or part II of the oral test will result in a 0 (zero) for your final oral test grade.

Tests should not be solely an indication of the average of where you have been

during the semester; they should also reflect the level of skill and knowledge you’ve

achieved by the end of the course. As a result, your three written tests during the

semester, all of which are cumulative, are not evenly weighted. The first test is 5% of

your final grade, the second is 10%, and the third is 15%. Not only is this a more logical

distribution of points, since you should know a lot more by the end of the semester, but

it also benefits those of you that are still relatively new to language study and might need

a little more time before everything “clicks.”

Each test will focus on the material presented in the two chapters on which you

have just completed working. However, keep in mind that each test is cumulative in the

sense that you are expected to remember and build upon what you learn as you progress

through the semester. For example, in Chapter 1 you will learn about the gender of

nouns. At the end of the semester, when it comes time to take the test for Chapters 5

and 6, while no portion of the test will focus specifically on the gender of nouns, you will

not be able to use demonstrative adjectives, which are presented in Chapter 6, if you have

forgotten about the gender of nouns.

You will take your written tests during class on the days indicated on this syllabus.

Your instructor will provide you with the details concerning how the test will be delivered

and how you have to submit it. Be sure you log in early on test days because each test

begins with an oral comprehension section. If you arrive late, you will be unable to

complete that first section. No late written tests will be administered.

Please note that while taking the written tests, you may make no use of any

outside resources. This means that during the test, you may not consult your book, your

notes, the Connect platform, translation applications, any form of dictionary, French

speakers, friends in studying French, etc. If you do consult any outside resource, even for

just one test answer, you will receive a 0 (zero) on the test, and further academic penalties

will apply, including the possibility of a failing grade for the course.

Oral Project (10%): At the end of the semester, you and at least one other classmate will

present an oral project. This may be a short film project with a live component, a skit

acted out for the class, or a research presentation on a francophone region, personality,

event, etc. Your instructor will give you all the necessary information about the format

and the content of the oral project toward the end of the semester.

You can do research for your project in the library, online, or through interviews

with French speakers, but be sure when you present your oral project in class that your

words are your own. If you use words or phrases from another source, no matter what

they are and no matter how short the citation (even a word or two), you must make it

very clear that you are citing someone else’s words; failure to do so constitutes

plagiarism. Beyond any sources you cite, the language of the oral project should be yours

and your partner’s. You may not ask a tutor, a French speaker, or other French student

to read over and correct any part of the text for your oral project before you perform it;

this is also plagiarism. You may use online dictionaries such as WordReference or Linguee

or the bilingual dictionaries available through the Bobst site when creating your text, but

only to look up individual words. You may not use online translation programs to

translate sections of text into French, even short sections of text; this, too, is plagiarism.

If you do decide to use a French speaker’s or another French student’s help or an online

translation program, even if it is for only a small part of your project, you will receive a 0

(zero), and further serious academic penalties will apply, including the possibility of a

failing grade for the course. Make everyone happy and get the most out of your work by

doing it all yourself! No late oral presentations will be permitted.

If you would like to better acquaint yourself with the principles and standards with

respect to academic integrity for students at NYU, you can find a detailed description

here: https://www.nyu.edu/about/policies-guidelines-compliance/policies-and-

guidelines/academic-integrity-for-students-at-nyu.html

Homework (20%): Your homework grade is not based on how many of your homework

answers are correct, but rather on how much effort you put into doing the work and doing

it on time. Mistakes are an essential part of learning anything new, including a new

language…there is a reason why people say, “You learn from your mistakes.” You should

think of your homework assignments as an opportunity to see how well you know what

you’ve been studying and to pinpoint areas that you still need to work on. Your

homework grade reflects both your completion of assigned exercises from the Connect

online learning platform and other homework assigned by your instructor.

The WBLM contains an array of exercises that focus on listening, speaking,

pronunciation, grammar, writing, reading, and culture. Exercises from the WBLM will be

assigned by your instructor on a regular basis throughout the semester. You will be able

to check on what has been assigned by your instructor by consulting the assignment

calendar in Connect. The exercises will correspond to the topics studied in class as you

make your way through each chapter. This is an easy way to check yourself and to make

sure you have a good handle on the vocabulary, culture, and grammar being presented

and discussed in class.

Some WBLM exercises can be corrected with the click of a mouse, while some

require your instructor’s input, which you will need to go back and read or listen to in

order to benefit from. Please note that there may be some exercises that require you to

record (audio and/or video) yourself. Your instructor will provide you with feedback on

your performance, but you should always be sure to listen to your own recordings. It

might make you uncomfortable at first but listening to yourself speaking French is one of

the best ways to help yourself figure out what sounds, words, and expressions you need

to work on. You are welcome to do additional WBLM exercises that are not marked as

assigned. No late homework will be accepted for credit.

Essays (20%): You will write three essays during the course of the semester. You will

write the first essay during class; the second and third essays are due on the day indicated

on the syllabus unless your instructor tells you otherwise.

The best way to improve your writing skills in any language, including your native

language, is to take a process approach to writing, which is what we will do in this class.

For the first two essay assignments, when you turn in the essay, your instructor will read

it and signal the errors; however, he or she will not make corrections. When you get your

essay back, you will need to look over your instructor’s comments and rewrite the essay,

correcting the errors your instructor indicated and incorporating all the changes your

instructor suggested. Your final grade for an essay will be the average of your first grade

and the grade for your rewrite. Not rewriting your essay or not attempting to correct all

the errors indicated by your instructor will result in a 0 (zero) as the final essay grade.

Note that there will be no rewriting of the final essay; however, having worked

throughout the semester on the process approach, you are strongly encouraged to work

on your third essay in the same way (i.e., edit it and rewrite it yourself) before you turn it

in.

The essay assignments are a chance for you to find out just what you can really do

in written French. The essays you submit should be entirely your own original work so

that you and your instructor can know for sure where your strengths and weaknesses lie;

you cannot recycle written work you have done for previous courses. The guidelines are

the same as those for the creation of your oral project: you may not ask a tutor, a French

speaker, or other French student to read over and correct your essay before you turn it

in – not only will you lose out on the chance to show yourself and your instructor what

you can do, but this is also plagiarism. You may use online dictionaries such as

WordReference or Linguee or the bilingual dictionaries available through the Bobst site

when writing your essay, but only to look up individual words. You may not use online

translation programs to translate sections of text into French, even short sections of text;

this, too, is plagiarism. If you do decide to use a French speaker’s or another French

student’s help or an online translation program, even if it is for only a small part of your

essay, you will receive a 0 (zero) for your essay, and further serious academic penalties

will apply, including the possibility of a failing grade for the course. Make everyone happy

and get the most out of your work by doing it all yourself!

Below you will find the schedule of essay topics, along with an indication of the

required length for those essays. (If your instructor decides to change an essay topic, he

or she will announce it well in advance.) Your essays should be double-spaced. Be sure

to indicate the word count at the bottom of your essay. No late essays or late essay

rewrites will be accepted.

Due Date

Essay Topics

Feb. 22

Essay 1 (during class): sur le site Connect: WBLM – Culture en direct – Le

coin d’écriture – Stratégie d’écriture (Chapitre 2). (150 mots).

Mar. 24

Essay 2 : sur le site Connect: WBLM – Culture en direct – Le coin

d’écriture – Stratégie d’écriture (Chapitre 3). Si vous préférez, vous

pouvez décrire votre propre journée typique ou celle d’un membre de

votre famille au lieu de celle d’un(e) ami(e). N’oubliez pas de faire la

section “Stratégie d’écriture” avant d’écrire votre composition. (250

mots).

Apr. 23

Essay 3: sur le site Connect: WBLM – Culture en direct – Le coin d’écriture

– Stratégie d’écriture (Chapitre 5). Si vous préférez, vous pouvez décrire

un restaurant que vous n’aimez pas du tout ! N’oubliez pas de faire la

section “Stratégie d’écriture” avant d’écrire votre composition. (300

mots).

This course is specifically designed for those students who have had no (or almost no)

previous experience with French. If you have already taken French in high school or at

another university, you must take our online placement test, and you must send me proof

of your score. You can find the placement exam here:

https://www.nyu.edu/cas/flpexam/login.html

Please keep in mind that while you may have chosen this course based on your beliefs

about your abilities in French or based on a placement test score, the final decision

concerning your correct placement in a French course is up to your instructor and the

Director of Language Programs.

The following scale is the grading scale for all graded assignments as well as midterm

and final grades:

A 93% – 100% B- 80% – 82% D+ 68% – 69%

A- 90% – 92% C+ 78% – 79% D 60% – 67%

B+ 88% – 89% C 73% – 77% F 0% – 59%

B 83% – 87% C- 70% – 72%

If you are registered with the Moses Center for Students with Disabilities, please let your

instructor know as soon as possible. Academic accommodations are available for

students with disabilities through registration with the Moses Center. The Moses Center

website is www.nyu.edu/csd. Please contact the Moses Center for Students with

Disabilities (212-998-4980 or m[email protected]) for further information. Students who

are requesting academic accommodations are advised to reach out to the Moses Center

as early as possible in the semester for assistance.

And finally, a note of welcome from our Department:

Bienvenue au département de français !

Congratulations on your choice to pursue studies in French and Francophone language

and culture in NYU’s Department of French Literature, Thought and Culture. We offer a

wide range of undergraduate courses, in both New York and Paris, at all levels of French,

as well as courses in the literature, film, culture, history, linguistics, and thought traditions

of France and the Francophone world. We are a department full of passionate, engaged

students and scholars, and we’re glad to have you as a member.

Stay Connected: Follow the Department of French on Instagram @nyufrench. It’s the

best way to stay connected, see important announcements about courses, find out what’s

going on, and share your thoughts with us. You can also follow us on Facebook; simply

search for NYU Department of French Literature, Thought, and Culture.

Events for You: Are you looking for ways to keep up with what’s going on in the French

Department and ways to work on your French outside of class this semester? Here is a

sampling of the events and opportunities coming up this spring:

● Major Mardi Gras! Laissez les Bons Temps Rouler with the French Department!

– Tuesday, February 16

Join us for our department spotlight event to find out more about us, our

courses, the French major, the French minor, and Mardi Gras! You’ll also have

a chance to win some prizes, including a $1,000 travel grant!

● Theatre Reading Series

A captivating series of four theatrical readings throughout the semester – come

find out what French and Francophone theatre is all about: 1789 (on February

, in French), Tideline (on March 25

, in English), L’Amante anglaise (on April

, in French), and The True Story of Little Red Riding Hood (on May 6

, in

English)

● French Major and Minor Alumni Speaker Series

Join in on virtual discussions with some of our French major and minor alumni

to find out about how they have put their French studies to work for them as

they have built varied and successful careers. Your instructor will fill you in on

the dates and times of these events later in the semester.

12 
La Maison Française:  NYU is lucky to have this major center of French and Francophone 
intellectual life right here on our campus.  La Maison Française is a lively cultural center 
hosting all  sorts  of virtual talks, films, concerts, etc., highlighting  the  French-speaking 
world – to be sure you don’t miss any of their exciting programming, sign up for their 
newsletter by sending a blank email to join-maisonfrancaise-ev[email protected]  
 
French  Club:   Join  the  NYU  French  Club  to  keep up-to-date  on  all  things  French  and 
Francophone in  New  York City and to  meet others that  share your interest in  French 
language and culture.  The NYU French Club welcome members of all levels of French, 
from  beginner  to  fluent,  and  with  varying  levels  of  understanding  of  French  and 
Francophone  cultures.    You  can  join  on  the  NYU  French  Club  website: 
https://www.nyufrenchclub.com  The site also houses a wonderful list of resources for 
French-related events in New York City and websites for those of you that are looking for 
new ways to keep up your French.  
 
Tutoring:  Are you looking for a little extra help with your French?  Our department offers 
twenty hours a week of free online tutoring on Zoom from advanced doctoral students.  
Our two departmental tutors for Spring 2021 are Sharif Mosaad (ttm261@nyu.edu) and 
Tony Haouam ([email protected]).  Their schedule is as follows: 
Monday: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (Tony) and 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (Sharif) 
Tuesday: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (Tony) 
Wednesday: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (Sharif) 
Thursday: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (Tony) 
Friday: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (Sharif) 
 
You can sign up for an appointment with Sharif here: 
https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0/selfsched?sstoken=UU8xR0Q5YmI4ei1XfGRlZ
mF1bHR8MzI0MjI5OTJiMWZiNTZmZTE0ZWYyMWMzNzY0M2M2ODI 
 
And you can sign up for an appointment with Tony here: 
https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0/selfsched?sstoken=UVBCN2xMenZwTkV3fGR
lZmF1bHR8NDA3MzVkYzQ2YzFmMWU5ODk0ZjJjMmVkMjE1YWEwMGI 
 
Opportunities:  Did you know that you can get a French minor with only four courses 
beyond the  intermediate level?   For details  about  the  French  minor (and major)  and 
information about upcoming courses in the Department in New York, please speak with 
your instructor and/or get in touch with the Director of Language Programs and Director 
of Undergraduate Studies John Moran ([email protected]u).  You can also check out 
our website (http://french.as.nyu.edu/page/undergraduate). 
 
NYU Paris:  NYU also has a fantastic program in Paris.  You can continue taking French 
language courses at NYU Paris as well as explore upper-level courses on history, literature, 
politics, and culture, both in French and English.  You will find information about studying 
at NYU Paris here: http://www.nyu.edu/global/global-academic-centers/paris.html 

Enjoy your semester!