French - Upper Intermediate Level (B2) - De la voix à la plume

Teacher(s)

Briet Geneviève; Rassart Emmanuelle (coordinator); Renard Christine (coordinator);

Language

French

Prerequisites

To take this course, students must have reached the level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. This should be attested by

• the ILV placement test organised during the 1st week of each semester
• OR a recent DELF B1 (less than 1 year)
• OR having achieved a minimal mark of 14/20 on the LFRAN1301 course.

Main themes

The course focuses on discovering authors:

• Georges Simenon  and crime fiction
• French Singers of the Rive Gauche (Brassens, Bref, Ferré, Barbara, Vian')
• Edmond Rostand and his famous play 'Cyrano de Bergerac'.  

Each extract from a literary work is not only studied for its language (grammar and vocabulary) but also looked at in terms of a current context.
The course ' De la voix à la plume' encourages students to form their own opinions and express them 'in real life' on the subjects discussed. The intercultural aspect of the group is used to the full.

The approach is simultaneously one of rationality and imagination, attaching great importance to the emotional and physical aspects of speaking. Students are involved in practical projects to develop their command of the French language; they lead discussions and make presentations.

N.B. The grammar covered includes revision of basic grammar and the study of complex sentences (expressing cause, purpose, consequence, opposition, comparison, etc.).

Aims

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :
1	According to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, the learner /independent user of the language of level B2 can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics express him/herself on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options. Level B2 describes a developed and relatively confident command of the foreign language.

The contribution of this Teaching Unit to the development and command of the skills and learning outcomes of the programme(s) can be accessed at the end of this sheet, in the section entitled “Programmes/courses offering this Teaching Unit”.

Content

The course covers francophone cultural themes of various genres and eras (novels, songs, movies, comics, poems, theatre play, ...). Each document is studied for its language and looked at in terms of a current context and students discuss this orally or in writing.
By speaking in class regularly, students become more confident when doing so. Listening comprehension is developed by means of audio and video recordings. In addition, they write texts regularly and have to read two novels for the course.

Teaching methods

Each lesson has four phases : a light-hearted warm-up (listening to a song, game, discussion), a listening or reading activity (comprehension), language work based on the comprehension activity and an active speaking or writing activity.

Regular homework is required. Each week, students are asked to work on e.g. a point of grammar and /or vocabulary on the Moodle platform or with the grammar book for the following lesson.

Students do three projects (illustration of idiomatic expressions, presentation of a topic of current interest, leading a debate), plus producing three pieces of written work and reading two novels.
Students take part in a cultural activity outside classroom.

Evaluation methods

Assessment is based on activities carried out during the quadrimester and on the progress made by the student.

Continuous Assessment and Progress : 40%

• Written work :   10%
• Grammar test : 10 %
• Presentations : 10 %
• Presence and active participation in class and outside classroom : 10%

Exam :  60%
 
The final exam assesses both written and oral work. It consists of four parts:

• Listening comprehension 15%
• Reading comprehension  15%
• Speaking                       15%
• Writing                          15%

Other information

Opened only to the non-francophone students enrolled at UCL as well as to the members of UCL staff.
This course corresponds to B2 level of the common European Framework of reference

Online resources

http:// plateforme Moodle

Bibliography

• M. Boulares et J.-L. Frérot, La grammaire progressive du français, niveau avancé, Paris, Cle international.
• Plateforme Moodle (la clé d'inscription sera communiquée lors du premier cours)
• Syllabus (en vente à l'ILV)

Faculty or entity

ILV