Lancaster University

FREN 101: French Studies Part I

Integrated course comprising the study of the literary, cultural and historical development of France in the twentieth century, together with the study of the contemporary French Language and the development of communicative skills in French.

The Part I course in French Studies at Lancaster combines work in French Language with a History, Culture and Identity course that looks at how key moments in French history have shaped contemporary French culture (film, plays, novels etc.).  

The FREN101 course will give you the opportunity to undertake a range of language work that will consolidate your work in 'A' or 'A/S' levels. In other words, it aims to consolidate Council of Europe framework B (Independent User) level, taking you from B1 Threshold through to B2 Vantage level. The course will focus on equipping you with an understanding of language necessary for more advanced study. There are 3 language classes per week, of which at least one is normally conducted by a French native speaker. Tutorials are based on a textbook, and emphasis is placed on the acquisition of vocabulary and a firm grasp of French grammatical structures. Listening and speaking skills are developed under the guidance of French native speakers using audio and video materials.

Assessment at Part I is divided between coursework and examination. There are 6 language coursework assessments during the year, comprising a wide variety of speaking, listening and written exercises. Marks received for these are combined with the June examination marks in spoken and written language to produce the overall Part I result.  Culture is assessed by coursework (one commentary plus one essay) and examination.

Students are encouraged to watch French films on DVD/video/television or at the cinema, to visit French-speaking countries during the vacation, and to take every opportunity of listening to and speaking the language.

Prerequisites:

AS or A-level French

or

Entry at B1 of Common European Framework ( CEF).

-        to consolidate and develop language skills already acquired at 'A'/ 'A/S' level (in Council of Europe framework terms, you will be a B category independent user, and consolidate level B1 (threshold) level and make inroads  into B2 (vantage) level.

 -        to enable you to speak and write accurately in French at an advanced level and to acquire advanced skills in reading and listening comprehension.

 -        to reinforce and expand the knowledge of French grammar, and increase your awareness of the way English works so that you can make comparisons.

 -        to enable and encourage you to learn about and appreciate the relevant contemporary culture and to form (and express in target language ) your own views on certain topics and issues.

 -        to assist you to improve your ability to learn a language and to absorb information systematically and to contribute to your  personal, social and cognitive development.

By the end of the course, assuming that you have attended all classes, completed coursework and undertaken a considerable amount of private study, you should be able:

-        to read both news and feature articles taken from the press and extracts from novels and to understand the information or argument(s) presented.

 -        to write accurately in French at an advanced level, which includes conveying factual information, expressing ideas and opinions, describing and narrating events, and a wider-ranging vocabulary, including idiomatic expressions and different registers.

 -        to listen to extracts of radio or television programmes, and to understand both their general gist and many specific details.

 -        to speak the relevant target language accurately and fluently, with good pronunciation, and be able to sustain oral presentations.

 -        to show confident knowledge of certain aspects of the relevant contemporary society.

Language texts

Savoir-Faire Plus, Second edition, Géraldine Enjelvin, (Routledge 2009)

French Grammar in Context (Third Edition), Margaret Jubb and Annie Rouxeville (Hodder Education, 2008)

Oxford/Hachette, Collins/Robert and Harraps publish the best bilingual dictionaries, and most bigger dictionaries now also offer on-line access.

These are the bilingual dictionaries most commonly bought by our students:

Oxford Hachette French Dictionary Fr-Eng/Eng-Fr, 2007, 1 vol

Collins/Robert French-English Dictionary 2008, 1 vol

Culture texts

For the culture course a large amount of material will be posted to the VLE and / or distributed in lectures and shown in special film screenings, but you should also buy the following books:

Jean Racine, Phèdre (1677), Folio classique

Chantal Thomas, Les Adieux à la reine, 2006, Points

Patrick Modiano, Dora Bruder, 1999, Folio

This course can stand on its own as a Part I course or it can lead to Part II French either as a major, combined major or minor subject.