French
Courses
Spring 2007 Course offerings
101 Elementary French (1) Fall
Introduces the French language and the francophone cultures
through the study of basic grammatical concepts and vocabulary. Develops
the four skills--listening,
speaking, reading and writing--necessary
for effective interpersonal, interpretive and presentational
communication. Conducted in French. Tutorials with teaching assistants
are integrated into the course. French 101 is recommended for students
with two years or less of high school French. Staff.
102 Elementary French, continued (1) Spring
Prerequisite: French 101 or placement.
Continuation of French 101. Expands vocabulary, grammar and
cultural knowledge to enable a more informed interpretation and
production of spoken and written communication in French. Conducted in
French. Tutorials with teaching assistants integrated into the course. Staff.
201 Intermediate French (1) Fall
Prerequisite: French 102 or placement.
Continuation of the study of the French language and
culture through the contextualized study of grammatical concepts and
vocabulary. Continues the development of the four basic skills necessary
for the interpersonal, interpretive and presentational modes of
communication. Authentic tapes and texts are the foundation of the
teaching materials. Conducted in French. Tutorials with native speakers
are integrated into the course. Guenin-Lelle, Yewah.
202 Intermediate French, continued (1) Spring
Prerequisite: French 201 or equivalent.
Continuation of French 201. Practice with more
sophisticated dialogues, reading of unedited short stories, poems and
other authentic materials reflecting the various cultures of the
French-speaking world. Conducted in French. Tutorials with native
speakers integrated into the course. Guenin-Lelle, Yewah.
301 Advanced Oral and Written
Expression, I
Students will develop communication skills in French relative to
grammar, syntax, appropriate registers, necessary vocabulary, non-verbal
communication and culturally-specific idiomatic usage.
Students will also learn the process of conversation development,
thesis formation and strategies for argumentation within French cultural
norms, as well as key contemporary issues of importance in the
French-speaking world. Conducted
in French.
301 French Conversation (1) Fall
Prerequisite: French 202 or equivalent, or placement.
Development of speaking proficiency and listening
comprehension in everyday situations with emphasis on practical French.
Conducted in French. TutorÍials with native speakers are integrated in
the course. Guenin-Lelle, Yewah.
302 Advanced Oral and Written
Expression, II
Students will develop communication skills
in French relative to grammar, syntax, appropriate registers, necessary
vocabulary, non-verbal cues, culturally‑specific idiomatic usage,
as well as skills in French/English and English/French translation.
Students will also learn the processes of conversation development,
thesis formation and strategies for argumentation operating within
French cultural norms, especially relating to professional life and the
workplace. Conducted in
French.
302 French Composition (1) Spring
Prerequisite: French 202 or equivalent.
Practice in writing French with emphasis on correctness of
structure, idiomatic usage and creativity. Topics explored are related
to French culture, newspaper articles and literature. Conducted in
French. Guenin-Lelle, Yewah.
303 French for All Professions (1)
This course is a study of the socio-economic nature of the lives of
people in the French-speaking world. Students will gain insight
into the French and Francopohone (Central and West Africa) working
environment as well as acquire specialized knowledge cultures in the
French-speaking world through authentic materials such as films,
newspapers, videos, and the Internet. Conducted in French.
Yewah
314 Multicultural France: Current Issues and
Historical Perspectives (1)
Students will understand how French society is a
dynamic multicultural construct, as they learn about France’s changing
place in the world, the changing role of women in French society and
changing demographics, especially North African immigrants to France
through reading recent novels or short stories representing these
issues. As part of the
analysis of these works, students will study the historical dimensions
of the social phenomena and the historical reasons for the current
situation. Conducted in
French.
315 Writing/Filming France Inside
Out (1)
Prerequisite: French 202 or permission of instructor.
This Interdiiciplinary course uses various theories -
narratology, explication de texte, and theories of adaptation -
to critically inquire into the construction of literary texts and their
filmic representations in order to uncover their multiple layers of
meaning. Assessment of students' performance based on active
participation in class discussions, oral presentations, several brief
papers, and term paper, all written in French. Conducted in
French. Guenin-Lelle, Yewah.
320 French Women Writers and Feminist Criticism (1)
Prerequisites: French 302, 315, 341 or 342, or permission of
instructor.
Works by French women writers from the Middle Ages to the
present, as well as works of feminist critical theory will be analyzed.
Offered every three years. Conducted in French. Guenin-Lelle.
330 French Louisiana: The Cajun and Creole Experiences (1)
Spring
Prerequisite: French 202 or permission of instructor.
n this class students will learn about the cultures
and traditions of French Louisiana, with particular focus on Acadiana and New Orleans. In studying Acadiana, students will
learn why this area is a vital part of la Francophone, how for
many in this area French is their first language, how race is
intrinsically related to cultural identity, and the ways in
which this culture is being preserved for future generations. In
studying New Orleans, students will learn about the historical
traces of French in this metropolitan area, from its being a
French settlement during the reign of Louis XIV, to its being
the city with the largest number of Free Persons of Color, to
finally how “Creole” identities are vibrant still today. We will
also study the devastation caused by Hurricanes Katrina and
Rita. Conducted in French. Readings and music in French and
English.
351 French Society from
Marie de France to Louis XIV (1)
This course, incorporating literature,
art, history and what the French call l’histoire
des idées, or changing epistemologies, during the French ancien
régime, incorporates the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Baroque
and Classical periods of the seventeenth century and the beginning of
the Enlightenment in the early eighteenth century.
Central issues in this interdisciplinary course include the place
of “the Divine” and humankind in the universe, the role of Classical
antiquity relative to traditions, identity and power, the role of women
in society and the role of education as a vehicle for change.
Conducted in French.
352 Francophone Cultures
on the Internet: Fictionalité, Réalité,
Hypertextualité (1)
This course uses several sources to gain an understanding of the
theoretical construction of Francophone cultures, their representation
on the web, and the problems associated with web-based cultural
research. Students will enhance reading skills and their ability
to synthesize useful information from large amounts of information
available on the web. Conducted in French. Guenin-Lelle;
Yewah.
353 Francophone Africa
Fall (1)
In this course, you will study texts and contexts of Francophone
(Central and West) African societies through in-depth analyses of
history, politics, music, art, film and literature. This course
especially focuses on how these elements have shaped people's
contemporary worldview. Conducted in French. Yewah
354 The French Caribbean: Les
Antilles créoles (1)
In this course on the French Caribbean, an important component of la
Francophonie, students will study issues of post-colonialism, la
créolisation, le métissage, and identities as changeable as the water surrounding
the islands. The course
begins with a study of the history and geography of these islands,
situating them as part of the “New World” as well as having enduring
cultural, linguistic and political bonds with France.
The focus then moves to Aimé Césaire and his essentialist quest
for identity via Africa and the past, then proceeds to a study of la
créolisation, as first proposed by Glissant. The second half of the course focuses on contemporary social
issues, represented in literature, art and cinema. Conducted in French.
355 Quebec: A World Apart
(1)
This is a new course focusing on
Quebec and other French-speaking provinces in Canada. This course
rounds out the department's offerings focusing on the French-speaking
world. It will begin with a historical perspective, which will
provide the basis for understanding how French political systems of
colonization were the impetus for the founding of Quebec. This
course will continue exploring Quebec history after the British gained
control of Canada. The history of places and questions regarding
identities will also be explored. Resources include fictional and
non-fictional texts, films, and interviews.
398 Practicum (1/2) Fall, Spring
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Experience in teaching French in the classroom or with
individual students under the supervision of an instructor. Offered on a
credit/no credit basis. Staff.
401, 402 French Seminar (1/2, 1) Fall, Spring
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Special topics in languages, literature or civilization for
advanced students. Conducted in French. Staff.
411, 412 Directed Study (1/2, 1) Fall, Spring
Prerequisite: Permission of department chair. Staff.
413 Senior
Seminar
Students will reflect on lessons
learned in the French program, identify competencies they have developed
in French and in other areas of study, understand the importance of
these competencies in today’s world, and leave Albion more confident
in their preparedness to enter the next stage of their professional
development.
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