French 1A On-line is designed to provide beginners with fundamental skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing French. Some cultural information about French speaking countries will also be introduced. This 3-unit course covers one half of the material of a standard first semester college course.

French 1A Home Page: http://fog.ccsf.edu/~creitan/fr1a

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There are no mandatory meetings on campus. There is an optional in-person orientation on August 18, 2011. If you are unable to attend the orientation on campus, you must complete the online orientation.

French1A On-line is NOT a self-paced course. Students must:

• meet required deadlines,
• participate in the online discussions, and
• complete assigned tasks.

• read the text,
• listen to online audio materials,
• watch video materials,
• post text and voice messages to the discussion board,
• complete frequent written exercises,
• complete formal writing assignments,
• complete oral assignments that will be submitted online (this will include discussion board postings, and online chat).

Tutors are available in the Learning Assistance Center. Please contact the LAC for details.

As this is an online course, students must be comfortable using the web, have regular access to a computer with a headset or speakers, and a microphone.

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If you do not log in to your Insight (powered by Moodle) account and complete the complete the "Learner Contract" by noon on the last day to drop with a full refund (Aug. 31, 2011), you will be dropped from the course.

If you discover that you do not have time to complete the course during the semester (before the last day to drop), you must drop the course yourself.

After August 31, 2011, you cannot count on me to drop you from the class, but you CAN count on me assigning grades to all students on the class list at the end of the semester, even those who have stopped participating. If you do not plan to complete the course, it is up to you to drop the class. Be sure to observe the college deadlines.

• Participation - Discussion Board (text and voice), voice chat= 20%
• Exercises [Written and Listening Comprehension]= 20%
• Compositions= 20%
• Quizzes = 20%
• Chapter Tests and Final Exam = 20%

Required:

Allons-y , Bragger and Rice, Heinle and Heinle, 6th edition, 2004.
ISBN: 1413056067 Publisher textbook companion website:

(This ISBN refers to a "bundle" which includes the text and all required elements listed below. It is only available in the CCSF Bookstore, but some of the various components may be found elsewhere.) The same textbook is used in French 1, 1A, 1B, 2, 2A, and 2B.

We will cover chapters Preliminary through Chapter 3. Individual chapters (in PDF format) may be purchased from iChapters.com for about $7.00 each. (Search for "Allons-y".) The preliminary chapter is free.

Quia Online Workbook (Cahier) OPTIONAL, Bragger and Rice, Heinle and Heinle, 2004 (included in bundle or can be purchased separately at: http://books.quia.com/ You will need a code Heinle and this registration info.

Your instructor will not correct the exercises in the "Cahier". They are corrected automatically. Doing the workbook exercises generally increases success on the exams.

You may substitute the paper version of the workbook (Cahier) with the answer key if you wish. You may find this on reserve in the Library or in the Language Center.

VMentor (VMentor is a 24/7 tutoring service and is included in the bundle for no extra charge), Bragger and Rice, Heinle and Heinle, 2004.

Optional:
(free w/bundle)

Allons-y Video, Bragger and Rice, Heinle and Heinle, 2004 (included in bundle) [Also available to registered students inside of Insight.]

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Week by Week

TIP : Learning a language is cumulative. Each week you'll build on what you've learned the week before. To be successful, it's important to practice regularly and not fall behind. [Assignment Checklist: not yet fully updated for Fall 2011, but it will give you an idea of the amount of work]

Most of these assignments are short and do not take a lot of time, but you need to be consistent and do them regularly to make progress.

Week:

1. Introduction & Orientation to the course
• alphabet, days of week, months, greetings 
2. Chapitre préliminaire, parts 1,2,3,4
   • formal vs. informal greetings, vocabulary (au café), the Francophone world (intro), basic expressions, numbers 1-10
3. Chapitre 1, étape 1
   • greetings (cont'd); ordering food and drink (cont'd); indefinite articles (un, une, des)
4. Chapitre 1, étape 2
   • -er verbs, subject pronouns; asking questions; talking about likes and dislikes; definite artcles (le, la, les); saying no
5. Chapitre 1, étape 3
• the verb to be (être), adjectives (nationality, profession), simple get acquainted conversations, more food and drink vocabulary
6. Chapitre 1, étape 4
   • review, writing assignments, speaking assignments, getting ready for the chapter test
7. Examen, chapitre 1
8. Chapitre 2, étape 1
   • common vocabulary; asking what something is; talking about possesions, the verb to have (avoir)
9. Chapitre 2, étape 2
• talking more about likes and dislikes; asking questions (who, what, where, why); talking about sports, musical instruments, and other activities, the verb faire
10. Chapitre 2, étape 3
    • talking about your family and personal characteristics; numbers 0-69, possessive adjectives
11. Chapitre 2, étape 4
• review, writing assignments, speaking assignments, getting ready for the chapter test
12. Examen, chapitre 2
13. Chapitre 3, étape 1
    • vocabulary of the city; the verb aller, the preposition à; expressing the future
14. Chapitre 3, étape 2
• prepositions of place; the preposition de, the imperative (telling people what to do)
15. Chapitre 3, étape 3
    • vocabulary of giving directions, the verb prendre, telling time, talking about vacation activities
16. Chapitre 3, étape 4
    • review, writing assignments, speaking assignments, getting ready for the chapter test
17. Révision (review)
18. Examen final  (Final Exam)

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There will be an optional orientation on Thursday evening,Aug 18, 2011 from 4:30-6:00 in MUB 398. (subject to confirmation). Students are encouraged to attend. You will learn more about the course and start speaking French!

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