Teaching

French 232 Comics

The goal of this course is to study the cultural importance of French Comics in France and analyze the form (both the art and the text) around various themes (French history, French politics, Relationships).

Students read French Comic books throughout the semester from the selection d'Angoulême; a couple are ordered from France and others are read online or provided in class.

https://sites.google.com/umich.edu/french232comics

F13, 14, W15, 16, 17

French 232 Songs

In this course, students explore samples of French artists (text and music) and examine how they define French culture nowadays. Students study the cultural importance of French poetry and music in France and analyze the form (the text and the music) around various themes (French history, politics, arts, sense of pride and nationalism, current societal issues). Students analyze poems and songs, read texts from the Internet, watch videos, and listen to songs in-class and outside of class. Students also perform (either read a poem or sing a song) for an event organized during the term.

F15

French 232 Politics

In this course, students will explore French and American cultural differences by examining the French and American upcoming elections — Fall 2016 in the US and Winter 2017 in France. After comparing the two political systems and how/when/where people vote in the two countries, and the importance of politics in everyday life, the course will address three main themes:

  1. Education: What does it mean to have “free education”? Is there equality in education? What is the relationship between education and taxes/cities/urban planning? What is the role of government in education?
  2. Health care systems: What does it mean to have a “free” health care system? What are the implications /consequences /definitions of a governmental run health care system?
  3. Immigration: How is immigration similar or different in the two countries? How are immigrants represented in the government? What are the implications of immigration laws — what are they? What does cultural diversity mean and imply?

We will address all these issues while observing and reacting to what politicians are saying throughout the elections in the U.S. and the primaries in France. Students will watch and analyze the news, read news articles, watch videos and movie clips.

F16

French 232 - "Cross-cultural Comparisons and Technology"

What is culture? Where and how is it represented? How can the study of a foreign language help in the understanding of the culture it embodies? The purpose of this technology based course is to confront students with the notions of culture both to appreciate the values of the foreign language and to develop cultural awareness and analysis. Via web activities, research on the internet, videos, and movies students will first reflect on their own culture and then apprehend the foreign culture. We will address topics such as gender representation, interaction with people and the environment, politics, racism and social issues.

Students will be asked to participate in class discussions and to be willing to use technology both in class and outside of class on a regular basis.

Four mains projects: a comparison of a French movie and its adaptation in English, a comparison of French and American commercials, a cultural presentation on a topic of interest (technology based presentation), and a collaborative writing of a short story.

F00, W01

French 274 - "Medical"

This course's objective is to prepare students who will be working in medical fields to interact with the French-speaking population. Students develop linguistic and cultural proficiency to enable them to communicate effectively in French in situations relating to the medical professions.

Medical French focuses on cultural differences such as Health Care, medical professions, medication and treatment, nutrition, and doctor-patient relationships.

F12, W13, F13, W14, W15, 16, 17

French 274 - “La société française dans la BD – Fiction ou réalité”

This course discusses the representations of French society in various bandes dessinées also referred to as the 9th Art. Historical events, women, discrimination, politics, education, are some of the topics that will be explored.

We will also analyze the medium and talk about its creative form and limitations.

W12

French 274 - “L’inter-culturel au sein de la francophonie”

F1997, W1998

French 113 - Graduate reading course

Fr 113 is an accelerated one-semester course that is primarily designed for graduate students who need to acquire reading proficiency in French in order to be able to read articles pertaining to their areas of research. This course will not only provide students with a proficient reading knowledge of French, but will also facilitate the translation of French texts from a variety of disciplines. The principal structures of French grammar and main lexical features (for instance, verb tenses, sentence structure, idioms, and vocabulary) will be studied and analyzed systematically. We will be using English grammar terms to compare the languages.

F01, F02, F10, W15, 16, 17

French 350 - Study abroad in Grenoble (OIP)

This course will focus on cross-cultural comparisons via observations and analysis of the French culture. Students will reflect on several themes (daily lives and habits, relationships, societal issues) and study "La vie de Henry Brulard" by Stendhal.

Summer 02

  • French 100 - intensive first year elementary French (F96-present)
  • French 101 - first semester elementary French (F96-present)
  • French 102 - second semester elementary French (F96-present)
  • French 103 - accelerated first year elementary French (F96-present)
  • French 230 - intensive second year elementary French (F96-present)
  • French 231 - third semester elementary French (F96-present)
  • French 232 - fourth semester elementary French (F96-present)


  • French 232 - content-based fourth semester elementary French - In French 232, we will use literature, magazine articles, movies, videos and songs to explore the history of France and several other francophone countries from the 1940's until the present. We will begin by studying life in France during the Second World War. Then, through some videos and the literature of several other francophone cultures, we will examine the effects of colonisation and decolonisation on language use, culture and identity. The last part of the course will focus on the politics and social climate in modern French society. (F00 - W12)


  • French 235 - Through current events and their historical background, this course focuses on some concepts essential to French and Francophone Studies, among which French slavery, colonialism, decolonization, migration, race relations, globalization, gender and sexuality. (F11, W12, F14 )

Language Tutorials, Intermediate French, Center for International Business Education, the University of Michigan, Fall 2001.