FR 127 Introduction:
Learning Goals; Class Requirements and Rules		 Syllabus
Welcome to FRENCH 127!

-Learning Goals

FR127 is the final course in the required language sequence at Colby College (FR125-127). In addition to working on the four traditional skills of listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing, students are encouraged to develop critical thinking through language learning. Because language practice is closely tied to cultural understanding, we will use authentic texts in contexts that foster linguistic competence while highlighting the diverse cultures of the French and Francophone world. All four skills (reading, listening, speaking and writing) will be practiced and tested throughout the semester, and students are entirely responsible for all assignments. These must be prepared before every class session. This applies to the vocabulary, grammar, readings in the book as well as the online homework via MindTap.

-Class Rules
  1. Attend every class and be on time. Be courteous.
  2. Participate only in French; (ask questions in English outside of class; see office hours on syllabus page).
  3. No cellphone* use is allowed once you enter the classroom.
  4. Late assignments will not be accepted. This includes any written assignments handed in during class and the assignments on MindTap.
  5. No make-up quizzes or exams.
  6. It is your responsibility to check your emails and the online syllabus daily.

Cell phone: No cell phone use in the classroom. Any student who violates this basic rule of etiquette will receive a 0 for class participation that day. A student who insists on violating this rule will be asked to drop the class.

Email: Students must check the online syllabus and their emails every day in the event of any updates and/or changes to assignments.

Course materials:
Students are to bring their hard copy of Sur le vif, a binder (described below), pens and pencils to each class. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the book. Read the preface to students carefully and look through the entire book before the second class meeting in order to understand how the chapters are organized.

Material required for class:

  1. Tufts, Claire and Hannelore Jarausch. Sur le vif: Niveau intermédiaire (7th edition) with a MindTap course
  2. Each section of the class has a specific link to register for the MindTap course; see the syllabus page for the correct link.
  3. I strongly recommend that each student purchase a three-ring binder for the class, divided into the following four sections:

1 Vocabulaire
2 Grammaire
3 Lecture
4 Interrogations écrites/Examens

Resources outside of class:
We will have a class tutor. Along with our class tutor, the French language assistant will also hold office hours. They will guide you, but will not correct your mistakes.
You can also see me during my office hours or by appointment, as listed on the course syllabus.

To maximize your learning and success in FR127, keep the following in mind:

Speak French in class! This course will be conducted exclusively in French, and you will be expected to speak French at all times during class. If you are confused or lost, I encourage you to ask questions in French, using simple phrases and questions, such as: “Excusez-moi, je ne comprends pas”; “Pourriez-vous répéter s’il vous plaît”, “Comment dit-on….?”, “Est-ce que vous pouvez expliquer….”. Don’t be afraid to speak up in class!!! Don’t expect to understand absolutely everything you hear from the outset; pay close attention, get the gist of what is going on, ask for clarifications and in little time you will be following easily.

Final Grade at a glance:

I. Attendance, preparation, participation, including quality of oral expression in French: 25%
II. MindTap: 20%
III. Written performance: 55%

I. Attendance, preparation, and participation, including quality of oral expression in French: (25%)

I expect you to be on time for class and uphold Colby’s no absence policy. This means that I do not excuse absences. If you are absent on a given day, you will receive a zero for class participation and any other assignements due that day. I do not accept late work.

“Students are expected to attend all of their classes and scheduled course events in any semester or January and are responsible for any work missed. Failure to attend can lead to a warning, grading penalties, and/or dismissal from the course with a failing grade” (Colby College Catalogue).
Sports-related absences are to be discussed well in advance with your instructor, and may not be excused.

Because of the communicative nature of the course, regular class attendance, preparation, and participation are critical to your learning. Lost class time cannot be made up outside of class. Successful students develop progressively develop language skills by through steady, regular study outside of class and active participation in class.

Be systematic and thorough in your preparation of assignments outside of class.
- Begin by familiarizing yourself with the overall theme of the chapter you are preparing, writing down the new vocabulary you are to memorize. File these lists in your binder.
- Write out the answers to comprehension questions for all Lectures 1 & 2 and file these in your binder. -Your oral performance in class gives me an indication of how well you have prepared, and you will receive a daily participation grade.
- The better you prepare reading assignments , the more progress you will make not only in your overall comprehension but also in your ability to express yourself in writing throughout the semester.

Daily class participation graded as follows:

A (90-100) : The student prepared for class; spoke up easily and willingly; contributed ideas and opinions; showed mastery of the material, asked questions, brought the textbook; participated well in small group work; spoke French to classmates; was on time.

B (80-89) : The student was moderately well prepared; tried when called on but gave inconsistent results

C (70-79) : The student did not bring the textbook; spoke only when spoken to, listened passively; used English; contributed little to group discussions/work.

D (60-69) : The student was working at the minimal basic level; did not participate ; had a disinterested attitude in class.

0—Absent

Please see detailed grade scale below.

II. MindTap (20%)
Follow our online class syllabus carefully for assignments. Before each class (unless otherwise indicated on the syllabus), you will have to go online and submit the assigned MindTap exercises through the Cengage website.

- As you will see on the weekly calendar in the MindTap course, I have selected activities that will help you to learn, practice, apply and understand -- the vocabulary, grammatical structures and various readings included in our text Sur le vif.
I have also selected activities to help you review for chapter quizzes ("interrogation écrite") or exam on multiple chapters.

-You will notice that the number of activities assigned for each class varies. Please focus not on the quantity but rather on the type of activity you are assigned. Study the material first in your book, and take some notes (that will also help you review for quizzes and exams) before attempting the activity online.

-You will see that activities are due by 9 am on the day for which they are assigned. A zero will be assigned to an activity that is submitted late.

III. Written performance

Short quizzes and dictations (5%):
You will often have either a short quiz on verb conjugation, vocabulary, or a brief “dictée” (dictation) in class. These short quizzes will be both announced and unannounced.

Four longer writing assignments, “Rédaction” (10%):
These must be typed, with accents, double spaced, spell checked, and handed in at the start of class on the date they appear on the syllabus.

Six “interrogations écrites” (15%) :
These are 30-minute tests on students’ oral comprehension skills, spelling, vocabulary, grammar, and cultural knowledge. Each of them is designed to evaluate your understanding of the vocabulary, grammatical structure, reading, and cultural material covered in the chapter.

2 exams: (10%): These are 50-minute tests on multiple chapters designed to evaluate your oral comprehension skills, spelling, vocabulary, grammar, and cultural knowledge at distinct moments in the semester (chapters 1-3 and chapters 4-6).

Final exam (15%):
There will be a three-hour written exam on the date specified by the college. No final exam can be taken early. Please do not make travel plans until our final exam slot is posted to the registrar's page.

Detailed Grading Scale:

Conversion: letter to grade
A+=98
A=95
A-=92
B+=88
B=85
B-=82
C+=78
C=75
C-=72
D+=68
D=65
D-=62
F=59

Final Grades:
97-100=A+
93-96=A
90-92=A-
87-89=B+
83-86=B
80-82=B-
77-79=C+
73-76=C
70-72=C-
67-69=D+
63-66=D
61-62=D- / Below 60=F


If you have documentation requiring accommodations in the class, please make sure to let me know the first week of class.

Academic Honesty & Consequences for Academic Dishonesty:
Honesty, integrity, and personal responsibility are cornerstones of a Colby education and provide the foundation for scholarly inquiry, intellectual discourse, and an open and welcoming campus community.  These values are articulated in the Colby Affirmation and are central to this course. You are expected to demonstrate academic honesty in all aspects of this course. If you are clear about course expectations, give credit to those whose work you rely on, and submit your best work, you are highly unlikely to commit an act of academic dishonesty.

Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to: violating clearly stated rules for taking an exam or completing homework; plagiarism (including material from sources without a citation and quotation marks around any borrowed words); claiming another’s work or a modification of another’s work as one’s own; buying or attempting to buy papers or projects for a course; fabricating information or citations; knowingly assisting others in acts of academic dishonesty; misrepresentations to faculty within the context of a course; and submitting the same work, including an essay that you wrote, in more than one course without the permission of the instructors.

Academic dishonesty is a serious offense against the college. Sanctions for academic dishonesty are assigned by an academic review board and may include failure on the assignment, failure in the course, or suspension or expulsion from the College.

For more on recognizing and avoiding plagiarism, see the library guide: libguides.colby.edu/avoidingplagiarism

Please visit https://libguides.colby.edu/avoidingplagiarism to learn more about plagiarism and how to avoid it.

The Colby Affirmation
Colby College is a community dedicated to learning and committed to the growth and well-being of all its members.

As a community devoted to intellectual growth, we value academic integrity. We agree to take ownership of our academic work, to submit only work that is our own, to fully acknowledge the research and ideas of others in our work, and to abide by the instructions and regulations governing academic work established by the faculty.

As a community built on respect for ourselves, each other, and our physical environment, we recognize the diversity of people that have gathered here and that genuine inclusivity requires active, honest, and compassionate engagement with one another. We agree to respect each other, to honor community expectations, and to comply with college policies.

As a member of this community, I pledge to hold myself and others accountable to these values.

What does this mean to students?

We respect each other and ourselves.
We respect our physical spaces on campus.
We respect our academics and complete work honestly.