FRENCH 101 — Beginning French I (5 units)

MTWTH 7:50am - 9:00am CR 225

Instructor: Jaimie Sherif
Email: jsherif@glendale.edu

Welcome to Beginning French I!

This course presents the fundamentals of French grammar. The students are guided to
pronounce correctly, to acquire a small working vocabulary which they use in
conversation and writing and to learn to read simple French. Note: This class is not
intended for students with oral proficiency or who have attended schools where French
was the language of instruction.

Why study another language?

Part of the purpose of a general education requirement is for students to challenge their
own preconceived personal and cultural frameworks, as well as to further their
intellectual development and personal growth. To this end, the study of a language
beyond one’s native tongue pushes students to communicate through different sounds,
words, and structures, and it provides an opportunity to gain deeper insight into the
practices of one’s own and other cultures. Furthermore, empirical research in recent years
suggests that language learning is related to improved cognitive abilities such as
attentional control, memory, problem solving, and verbal and spatial abilities.

Why study French?

In addition to the academic, cognitive, and social benefits to learning another language,
there are unique benefits to learning French.
• French is the official language of 29 countries, there are more than 100 million native
speakers of French and 274 millions francophones in the world.
• French is one of the official languages of the United Nations, the Olympics, and many
other world organizations.
• French is a major language of business and high tech in the world.

Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of the required coursework, students will be able to:
1. Pronounce French correctly at an introductory level;
2. Communicate orally and in writing using basic vocabulary;
3. Comprehend oral and written French at the beginning level;
4. use grammatically correct French to discuss or write about simple topics;
5. Compare and contrast French culture with his or her own.

Textbooks:
Title: Motifs 6th Edition iLrn: Heinle Learning Center
Publisher: Heinle Cengage Learning
Author: Kimberly Jansma, Margaret Ann Kassen

Behavior and course expectations:

Classes will be conducted within a courteous environment. Students are to be considerate
of others. This includes respecting others opinions in class. Even though class
participation is expected, no private conversations will be allowed. Behavior distracting
from the learning environment will not be tolerated. The use of cell phones and other
electronic devices is prohibited in class. All cell phones should be turned off before the
start of class (not set on “vibrate”, but turned OFF). If you have a medical or family
emergency and need to receive a call during class, you should inform your instructor
before class. Students who habitually use cell phones and electronic devices in class may
be dismissed from class and counted as being absent for the day. Any student caught
texting or using cell phones or other electronic devices during a quiz will automatically
fail the quiz. There are no exceptions to this policy.

Academic honesty:
Cheating in any form will result in a zero for the test or assignment and/or suspension
from class, and possible expulsion from the college. Names of students who violate this
standard will be sent to the Vice-President of Instruction. Please refer to the GCC website
or catalog for the full version of the official Academic honesty Policy. Students must not
turn in anyone’s work or words but their own, and must not allow their work to be copied
by other students.

Students with disabilities:

All students with disabilities requiring accommodations are responsible for making
arrangements in a timely manner through the Center for Students with Disabilities.

Coursework:
Course work will consist of active class participation, completion of assignments, writing
compositions, and taking examinations (chapter exams, a midterm exam and a final
exam).

Attendance:
Learning French involves both developing a mental representation of language as well as
developing skill. In order for skill to develop, you must attend class consistently and
participate in the interactive goal-oriented activities of each lesson. Students are
expected to be punctual and attend class regularly. Students should arrive promptly to
class every day. Three late arrivals will count as one absence. Attendance represents 10%
of your final grade and should be taken seriously.

Grading:
There will be an exam approximately upon completion of a chapter. The final grade will
be determined by combining the grade of the exams, midterm, final exam, class
participation, pop quizzes, homework, special assignments, and compositions. Students
must pass the final exam in order to pass the course. Late assignments will not be
accepted, and no make-up exams will be given.

Grading scale:
Your final grade will be determined from the following components:
30% - Chapter Exams
15% - Midterm Exam
20% - Comprehensive Final Exam
10% - Homework
10% - Oral Exams
5% - Class Participation
10% - Attendance

If there is a change in this breakdown, I will inform you before the Final Exam.