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Livre: Contacts. Valette & Valette (Houghton Mifflin, 1997): Textbook and Cahier d'activités at UMB Bookstore.

Cours: French 101 is a 4-credit course. My section 4 meets Tuesdays andThursdays from 8:30-9:45am. The fourth credit is for regular required work in the language lab with both audio and video materials. This is an integral part of the course and regular attendance both in class and in the lab is both expected and required for successful completion of the course. The lab will keep attendance records of each visit. Be sure to sign attendance sheets in class. Repeated absences or tardiness will have a negative effect on your grade.

Participation en classe: Learning a foreign language is an active and interactive process. It does not happen simply by studying a book. You learn by doing. It is thus imperative that you participate actively in class, using French to communicate. Trust me: you will learn to speak and understand French. If this approach presents any special problems for you, let me know.

Laboratoire de langue: Located on the third floor of the Science Building, the language lab has both course-specific and other audio and video materials for your use. There is no specific time scheduled for the course. Audio lessons can be rapid-copied weekly onto the cassette which the lab will supply to each student. You can then work either in the lab or wherever you have a tape-player available. Video tapes are available on demand Monday through Thursday 9am-10pm, on Fridays till 5. You can also use CD-ROM materials to help you learn French, or explore all things French on the Internet: there are many French-language sites immediately accessible, as well as English-language sites about France and other French-language cultures.

Internet: There are thousands, perhaps even millions of web sites in French. The language lab has computers set up with bookmarks that will get you started. You can also use my web page as a starting point, especially the French links/Liens francophones. Just click on the underlined blue words to get there. We will be doing some exploring on the net during the semester. There are even sites to help you with grammar, vocabulary, etc. Have fun as you learn to navigate in French.

Cahier d'activités: The workbook is a tool to help you integrate new structures and vocabulary. Keep up with the weekly schedule and hand exercises in promptly. Correct your own work using the answer key available at the desk in the Language Lab and a pen or pencil of a different color. Self-correction is an extremely effective learning process. When there are problems you do not know how to correct, ask me before, during or after class, or consult a classmate: cooperative learning is also effective. It is helpful if you complete exercises before the corresponding quizzes or exams.

Contrôle des connaissances: There will be chapter quizzes, a mid-term and a final exam as indicated on the Calendrier. Each will have both a written and an oral / interactive component. They will reflect what we do in class as well as your lab work. They will attempt to assess your ability to actually use French to communicate.

Téléphone: I will produce a class list with phone numbers, to facilitate cooperative learning and preparation for dialogues or skits in class or as quiz or exam components. If you do not want your phone number shared with classmates, let me know. It will then be your responsibility to initiate phone contacts. [Abuse of the telephone list should not be tolerated. Report it to me, for referral to campus authorities.]

Heures de bureau: My office is M-4-220, my phone is 287-7569 and has voice mail. If necessary, you can reach me at home. I'll hold office hours Tuesday and Thursday 10am-11:15am and 1:00-2:15pm. I generally get in early, and can also set up appointments on non-class days as necessary. I'll generally arrive in class at least a few minutes early. Do not hestitate to seek me out with questions or other concerns before or after class or in my office.

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