Contemporary French Studies Program, Paris, France

FALL 2013

Course number and name: FREN 2004 PCFS

Intermediate French II: Conversation and Culture

Language of Instruction: French

Course Meeting Times and Place: TBD – Paris Center for Critical Studies

Professor: Jean-Philippe Primout

Recommended Credit: 3 semester credits/ 4.5 quarter credits

Course Description

Students will learn to understand and carry out face-to-face conversations about a range of everyday issues relevant to contemporary France. They will learn to compose and present short oral presentations on topics requiring research in French. The course also focuses on vocabulary development, articulation, and the notion of registers of speech.

Course Objectives
  • Developing competency in spoken and written French, both in production and comprehension
  • Developing cultural knowledge
Course Prerequisites

Students are placed in groups of different levels based on the observations of the pedagogical team at the Paris Center for Critical Studies.

Methods of Instruction & Course Requirements

Students meet two times a week and discuss different topics (the city of Paris, cultural elements that distinguish French from Americans, current news, literature, etc.), applying the different grammatical concepts they have learned thus far to everyday conversation. The goal is for students to feel more at ease with spoken French by the end of the semester.

Note: Course attendance is mandatory. Participation and presence will be taken into account for the final grade.

Material

Ma vie est tout à fait fascinante, Penelope Bagieu

Newspapers

Collection of poetry and photography (Prevert, Saint Exupery, Capa, Cartier Bresson, Doisneau)

Blogs, Tumblr, Websites…

Assessment and Final Grade
Midterm / 25%
Final Exam / 25%
Oral presentation / 20%
3 short videos recorded by the student based on a course theme / 20%
Vocabulary Tests / 5%
Participation (debates & discussions in class) / 5%

Course Outline

Week 1: 9/16 and 9/18

  • Course presentation
  • Theme 1Conviviality: the Parisian families / move in!
  • WritingRegister at a Parisian library
  • ReadingA typical Parisian day, Paris websites
  • CommunicationIntroduce oneself, introduce a friend, talk about studies & interests
  • Video 1Record aVIDEOtalking about themselves, alone or in groups of two

Week 2: 9/23 and 9/25

  • Outing 1Library of 11th Arrondissement
  • LiteratureQuiz: French poets, French photographers
  • SpeakingRecite a poem by Prévert
  • Theme 2French time: calendar, secularism, French food, leisure activities
  • HomeworkBuy a newspaper and present an article`

Week 3: 9/30 and 10/2

  • Theme 3 French Press and French TV
  • CommunicationPresent newspaper article – Write down interesting facts
  • Oral presentationLibération, le Monde, le Figaro, a famous journalist
  • Outing 2Visit of Libération (if possible)
  • HomeworkWatch l’Auberge Espagnole

Week 4: 10/7 and 10/9

  • Theme 4 Studying abroad
  • Oral presentationInternational studies, who goes & why?
  • WatchL’Auberge espagnol
  • ReadErasmus
  • Discuss Being a citizen of the world
  • LiteraturePenelope Bagieu, Ma vie est tout à fait fascinante
  • HomeworkPresent your neighborhood / city where come from

Week 5: 10/14 and 10/16

  • Theme 5 The city of Paris
  • ListenVideo
  • CommunicationPresent your neighborhood/ the city where come from
  • Outing 3Exploration of 11th arrondissement

Week 6: 10/21 and 10/23

  • Theme 6Politics in France and American election
  • Oral presentationPolitical parties in France and the US
  • CivilizationPolitical parties, current state of affairs
  • CompetencyStatistics, polls
  • Outing 4L’Assemblée Nationale
  • HomeworkPrepare for a debate

Week 7: 10/28 and 10/30

  • DEBATE & REVIEW
  • MIDTERM

Week 8: 11/4 and 11/6

  • Les petits plaisirs ?
  • Cooking, fashion
  • Penelope Bagieu
  • Delerm

Week 9: 11/11 and 11/13

  • Theme 8Cinema / Music
  • Oral presentationPresent a film that takes place in Paris
  • CivilisationFrench music: US-France, downloading, streaming
  • Outing 4The Cinemathèque
  • HomeworkFind a free concert and write a paper about it

Week 10: 11/18 and 11/20

  • Theme 9New trends
  • Oral presentationThe Hipster vs. Bobo, fitness in France, biographies
  • Outing 5Wanderlust or Belleviloise
  • DiscussionComparison with the United States

Week 11: 11/25 and 11/27

  • Theme 10Work
  • Oral presentationFrance: a social paradise? Housing aid, social security, etc.
  • WritingA resumé / CV
  • CommunicationDo a practice interview

Week 12: 12/2 and 12/4

  • FINAL REVIEW
  • FINAL EXAM

Week 13: 12/9 and 12/11

  • LAST ASSIGNMENT & LAST OUTING

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