TR 001 French
UNIVERSITY OF DUBLIN
TRINITY COLLEGE
DEPARTMENT OF FRENCH
Junior Freshman Handbook
2009/2010
Two-Subject Moderatorship
Bienvenue!
This Handbook should be read in conjunction with relevant entries in the University Calendar. In case of any conflict between the Handbook and the Calendar, the provisions of the Calendar shall apply.
Lecturing staff
Individual telephones can be accessed from outside College by pre-fixing (01) 896; email addresses are followed by <@tcd.ie>.
Dr Sarah Alyn Stacey, room 4105, tel. 2686, email <salynsta>
Dr Edward Arnold, room 4106, tel. 1836, email <ejarnold>
Ms Annick Ferré, room 4104, tel. 1977, email <ferrea>
Professor Johnnie Gratton, room 4090, tel. 2278, email <grattonj> (on leave Michaelmas Term 2009)
Dr Rachel Hoare, room 4103, tel. 1842, email <rmhoare> (on leave from February 2010)
Dr Claire Laudet, room 4108, tel. 2313, email <claudet>
Mr Tommy Murtagh, room 4114, tel. 1511, email <tmurtagh >
Mr David Parris, room 4112, tel. 1979, email <dparris>
Dr Paule Salerno-O'Shea, room 4113, tel. 1472, email <psalerno> (on leave Michaelmas Term 2009)
Professor David Scott (Head of Department), room 3135, tel. 1374, email <dscott>
Lectrices, room 4077, ext. 1248
Florence Impens
Audrey Robitaillie
Léa Lefranc
Séléna Benattou
Language assistants, room 212 in Foster Place, ext. 3052
Alexandra Tauvry
Marjorie Deleuze
Judith Villez
Executive Officers
Ms Mary Kelly and Ms Sinéad Doran, room 4111, tel. 1553, email <french>
Ms Tracy Corbett, room 4089, tel. 1333, email <tcorbett> (Monday to Wednesday) and Ms Lorraine Kerr, room 4089, tel 1333, email <lkerr> (currently on leave).
Term Dates
Michaelmas Term: Monday 28 September 2009 - Friday 18 December 2009
Hilary Term: Monday 18 January 2010 - Friday 5 April 2010
Trinity Term: Monday 12 April 2010 - Friday 28 June 2010
Bienvenue au Département de français !
Freshers’ week reminders:
Library: At registration, you will be given information concerning Library Tours relative to French and the other subject you are studying. It is imperative that you attend these, in order to familiarise yourself with the Library facilities, the use of the computer (OPAC) catalogue, where to find reserve books etc. For those who inadvertently miss their tour, there will be ‘mop-up’ tours organised, in approx. week 3 of term. Information concerning these tours will only be posted up in the Library.
Computers: Students are very strongly advised to also attend one of the Induction courses organised by Information Systems Services (ISS). These courses include an introduction to the College network, how to use email, the principles of file management, Virus protection etc. Details of these courses, which run throughout Freshers’ week and, less regularly, throughout the month of October, will also be given to you at registration, or can be obtained in Áras an Phiarsaigh. Furthermore, since students are strongly encouraged within the French Dept. to word-process as much of their work as possible (and in later years it becomes compulsory), those not familiar with computers and / or word-processing may wish to attend one of the specific courses concerning the various word-processing programmes which are also run thoughout the year by ISS. A schedule of these courses for each term can be found in the ISS newsletter, Interface.
Email: You will be given an email account as soon as you register. It is absolutely imperative that you become familiar with email, and check your Trinity email account regularly for departmental messages. Trinity accounts can be accessed from outside Trinity through http://webmail.tcd.ie. Email is being used more and more frequently for the circulation of both course material and departmental information concerning deadlines etc.
General information
Lecturing staff are all in the same corner of level 4. Unless specific times are posted on the door, you should feel free to knock on the door of any member of staff you need to consult; if s/he is not free to speak to you at that moment, you can at least arrange a time to meet. Many queries can often be solved by email however, so try in the first instance to contact the staff-member electronically. Avoid disturbing meetings or small classes which may be going on in offices. If you have difficulty contacting any particular member of staff, consult the secretary in room 4111.
Dr Rachel Hoare is the Junior Freshman coordinator, and is happy to answer any queries concerning the course (e-mail ).
Secretaries are in room 4111, which is open to students at times stated on the door, and in 4089 (Monday to Wednesday only). Practical problems (e.g. concerning timetable clashes, etc.) should be drawn to the attention of the secretaries in 4111, whilst course-material is collected from Tracy Corbett or Lorraine Kerr in 4089.
Notice-boards The notice-board outside room 4111 is strictly reserved for notices posted by members of staff. Keep an eye on this board for special notices, changes of class, etc. Underneath this board is a set of boxes to be used for handing in assignments related to weekly classes. The notice-board next to room 4073 includes information on members of staff; that opposite is used for general information regarding events of interest, courses in France, etc., and may be used by students for relevant activities.
Departmental committee: Students are entitled to representation on the departmental committee, which considers all matters relating to your studies. Arrangements will be made through the Students Union for election of class-representatives when you have got to know each other sufficiently. The Department welcomes views on all aspects of the teaching programme.
Staff-student committee: Student representatives also participate in the term meetings of the Staff-Student Committee. This has recently been set up to establish a forum, other than departmental meetings, where students can raise issues specifically relevant to their year, and to the concerns of their classmates. Details of meetings will be emailed to class reps throughout the year.
Socrates exchanges: Students intending to undertake a Socrates exchange may do so, either in their Senior Freshman or in their Junior Sophister year, and should consult the Departmental Socrates coordinator, Dr Salerno-O’Shea, on this subject. Information meetings are arranged, concerning such exchanges. Intending Socrates students are required to obtain at least a II:2 result (50% or more) in both their examination subjects, at the first examination session preceding their intended departure.
In broad, general terms, students should aim at doing, in the host university, that which would have been done at home. This does not mean that students must perform exactly the same exercises, or study exactly the same authors. It does mean that there should be a half-and-half mix of language and content courses (literature, history of ideas or French linguistics).
A year’s work is defined in terms of ECTS (European Credit Transfer Units). A full year’s work is normally 60 ECTS. Since TSM courses are composed of two equally weighted courses, this would represent 30 ECTS per subject. In order to take account of the fact that working in a foreign environment, and in a less familiar language can be difficult, the French Department will accept 80% of the full quota (that is to say 24 ECTS), although for safety, we suggest students aim a little higher, say 26 ECTS. A student who sits examinations in 26 ETCS, but who passes in less than 24 will not normally be allowed to rise with his/her year and will be required to take repeat examinations in the host university, although the Department will review cases close to 24 ETCS on an individual basis. The precise split between language and non-language courses will vary from institution to institution, but both should figure prominently, and the language should count for at least 10 ECTS, except by specific agreement with the French Department. Where the student is away for less than a full year, these rates should be applied pro rata (13 ECTS for a semester &c).
Students are generally expected to select options appropriate to their year. Second-year students should take second-year courses and third-year students should take third-year courses. There is no objection to students taking a course above their equivalent year (second-year students taking third-year courses) but students should be aware that this comprises an element of risk, should they not be successful in assessments. However, the above not withstanding, JS students may well find third-year translation courses in France too advanced for their level, and by agreement with the Department, may then be advised to take a lower level course.
The courses selected by students should be courses intended for and available to full-time students in the host university, and NOT special courses designed for Socrates students, except by special, specific and prior arrangement with the French Department.
Students are required to submit themselves to the assessment provided by the host university. This may take the form of examination or continuous assessment, or any combination of the two. In order that the ECTS should count, students must be successful in their assessments. As a precaution, students should bring their marks with them on their return. However, only officially returned marks from the host institution can be counted at the end of the year. It is the student’s responsibility to ascertain the dates and location of examinations, and failure to present for examinations will lead to a loss of credit.
Where a student is unable to take a course for a full year or up until the normal assessment in the host institution, a special assessment may be agreed, but should nevertheless be officially administered through the host institution, which should return the marks obtained in the same way as for a regular assessment.
Language assistants frequently organise various cultural activities through French throughout the year – keep an eye out for information. In addition, room 3135 houses a small collection of French books of general interest which may be borrowed at times posted on the door. All students are urged to make use of this facility, and to get into the habit of reading widely.
Residence Abroad Requirement:
Students taking one or more modern languages other than English must spend not less than two months in the country of each language in order to fulfill the requirements of their course; students of Irish must spend at least the same amount of time in the Gaeltacht. The residence required for each language must be completed before the moderatorship examination in that language. This requirement can be waived only in exceptional circumstances and with the prior approval of the schools or departments concerned. It is recommended that in the year prior to their entering college, intending students spend a period in a country of which they are proposing to study the language; such residence may, with the approval of the department concerned, be counted for up to half of the residence requirement in that language. Students who wish to interrupt their course in order to spend one year abroad in a country of which they are studying the language may do so, provided that they comply with the General Regulations and Information included in the Calendar 2007/8
Attendance and prepared work: You are expected to attend all lectures appropriate to your course and all classes and seminars to which you are allocated, and to perform all exercises prescribed by class-teachers. In cases of brief absences (‘flu, funerals, etc.) it is a simple courtesy to inform class-teachers in advance where possible, or to make apologies afterwards. In cases of prolonged absences for medical reasons, you should inform your tutor as rapidly as possible, and provide a medical certificate. If you are persistently absent without good reason, or fail to prepare / submit, in any one term, at least two thirds of prescribed work of a quality which suggests conscientious effort, your tutor will be notified, and you will be expected to discuss the situation with him/her. You and your tutor will also be notified formally if the overall standard of your work gives rise to serious concern.
If you have a problem, do not wait for this to happen! If you have difficulties with a particular course, consult the lecturer concerned, or Dr Rachel Hoare (JF coordinator). If you have a more general problem, consult the head of department (Prof. David Scott), your tutor or the student counsellor as seems appropriate. In any case, consult someone. If you are not sure which is the relevant individual, start with any of the above. S/he will refer you to the right person. But do not keep your problem to yourself. Small problems quickly grow into large problems if they are ignored.
Bonne rentrée et bon courage!
Courses
Junior Freshman students take courses in Language (including an Introduction to Contemporary France), and Texts. This amounts to seven hours class-time:
Language: Two weekly lectures and three weekly classes (tutorials)
These five hours are complemented by self-access work (in Computer and Language laboratories), carried out in the student’s own time.
Texts: One weekly lecture and a weekly tutorial
Books
Book purchase is the personal responsibility of students. All books prescribed are available from International Books, 18 South Frederick St. It is also possible to order books over the Internet from:
http://www.bol.fr or http://www.fnac.fr or http://www.amazon,fr
The following books are required:
Language:
Oxford-Hachette French Dictionary
Hawkins, Roger and Towell, Richard, French Grammar and Usage (London: Arnold, 2001)
Hawkins, Roger and Towell, Richard, Practising French Grammar: A Workbook (London: Arnold, 1997)
Cholet, I., Robert, J.M., Précis de conjugaison, CLE International, Paris, 2005.
Paul Humberstone, Mot à mot (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1996)
Also recommended: Jacqueline Morton, English Grammar for Students of French (London: Arnold, 2002)
Students should also download the following dossiers from the French department website (https:// www.tcd.ie/French/):
Language II: Composition & Comprehension Introduction to Contemporary France) *
Poetry Anthology
Guidelines to essay and commentary-writing
JF Oral and Aural practice
* A printed version of the first six weeks of the Language 2 dossier will be provided for the students, but after that students will be expected to download and print their own copy for the website.