Intermediate French 2

Course Aims

Based on the knowledge acquired in the first year, this course aims to improve the oral expression and the reading comprehension in French and also to understand the society and culture in French-speaking country more profoundly.

Key Features

A language class shouldn't be one-way from the instructor to students, but organized through their mutual contribution. Therefore, I try to make the atmosphere where students can be relaxed and willing to participate in the class. At the beginning of every class, to make the class as much convivial as possible, I will have casual conversation for around 10 minutes about current topics in France. During the class, to keep students' concentration, Text reading is limited to for 1 hour at the longest and the rest of the class will be consecrated to practice pronunciation for the play and so on. During the practice, I walk around the class and check on each student's pronunciation and also accept questions about the class and French language. I of course pay attention to remember the names of students and call the names to call on in the class.

Students Accomplishments

Note: All files are in Japanese and French.

Script

The script for the play is based on the conversetion in the following dialogue

Le petit Nicolas en colonie de vacances

French Play

The following are Videos of the play by the students(Flash Video Format)

• Group1
• Group2
• Group3

Contents

Students will read some stories of Petit Nicholas series, which is written by Goscinny and illustrated by Sempe.

The stories which tell adventures of Petit Nicolas and other naughty kids are all heartwarming, with cute illustrations in every page, They must let students learn French cheerfully, looking back their own childhood. In the class, as well as reading the texts, students will question and answer about the story in French, and practice rephrasing indirect speech into direct speech. These practices will be the thorough review of basic grammar that focuses on the personal pronouns and verb tenses. Besides, to cultivate the speaking skill, students will act a couple of plays, which apply texts of the book in the scripts.

Course Requirements

Students in school of letters and of Economics

Textbooks

Rene Goscinny, Jean-Jacques Sempe, Le petit Nicolas en colonie de vacances, Gallimard Education,1999 (copy will be distributed)

Assignments

Note: All files are in Japanese and French.

• playscript
• Exercises
  (Q&A-style exercises) + Free writing exereises

Course Schedule

Session	Contents
1	Introduction
2	Exercise in the conversion of speech and others, Text reading
3	Grouping for the play, casting. Text reading
4	Text reading, Pronunciation for the play
5	Working on handouts. Pronunciation for the play
6	Text reading. Pronunciation
7	Text reading. Pronunciation
8	Acting the play (1st)
9	Working on handouts. Text reading. French songs.
10	Text reading. Pronunciation for the play
11	Text reading. Pronunciation for the play
12	Working on handouts. Text reading. French songs
13	Text reading. Pronunciation for the play.
14	Acting the play (2nd)
15	Listening comprehension

Lecture Handouts

Note: Files are in French and Japanese

Texts are not only to read but also to speak or write. Therefore, students will learn through the combination of those 4 regards below.

1. Text reading Students are expected to have read the pages announced in the previous lesson, and each student takes turn to translate a few phrases in the text.
   It is not necessary to translate every word but to understand meanings and syntax and to think about how to say the phrases explicitly in Japanese.

2. Practice of French expression by working on handouts Students will work on handouts at the end of each chapter (3 times).
   The contents are to answer the question-and-answer exercises and to make French compositions. In 2 weeks, we will check the answers for the question-and-answer exercises together. French compositions will be handed in as reports and be corrected and returned to each student.
   The examples of the latter will be:

   • Exercise 1: One-way conversation Nicolas speech will be blank and Maman's speech will be written. Students will make Nicolas' speech so that the conversation proceed naturally.

     One-way conversation(handout)

   • Exercise 2: Letters Nicolas broke Papa's precious flower vase. Students will write a letter of apology to Papa as Nicolas.

   • Exercise 3: Future dream Students will write their own intension about their future careers.

   As you can see, the required compositions will be longer every lesson.

3. Practicing and Acting the play The play script with the conversation picked up from the text will be distributed to students who will be divided in groups with 3 members each.
   Each group will decide the casting, and practice the pronunciation for the play memorizing the lines for the last 15 minutes of each class. The play will be acted twice in the semester in front of the class on the platform as a stage. The original scripts are to be respected but further interpretation is also welcome.

   Play script

4. Besides, French songs and tongue twisters will be also introduced in the class. Among French songs, those that are familiar to Japanese people as Les Champs-Élysées , Tous Tous Pour Ma Chérie, Irrésistiblement have been practiced together in the class.

Grading

Class attendance and performance, oral presentations, report.

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