Intermediate French Language & Culture II

While studying culture, literature and language, students will review basic structures in French with a variety of contextualized activities and ample communicative practice (mostly available on the Vista Higher Learning website, and many of which will be used during in-class meetings).

By the end of the course, successful students should have a greater understanding of certain aspects of French and Francophone cultures and have developed their communicative competence in French at the intermediate level. They will have: learned vocabulary related to family life, food, personality, and stages of life; watched the short film De l'autre côté; learned about North Africa and Lebanon; read about the designer Yves Saint Laurent; studied the subjunctive; studied demonstrative pronouns; studied irregular -re verbs; have read an article about a wedding in Algeria and read Olivier Charneux's "La logique des grands"; learned vocabulary related to progress, technology, inventions, science, astronomy, the universe, and people in science; watched the short film Le Manie-Tout; learned about Belgium, Switzerland, and Luxembourg; learned about a robot that supports la téléprésence in French schools; studied the comparative and superlative of adjectives and adverbs; studied the simple future tense; studied the subjunctive with conjunctions and expressions of doubt; studied the past subjunctive; learned about CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research; read Didier Daeninckx's short story Solitude numérique; learned vocabulary related to sports, leisure time, arts, and theater; watched the short film Le ballon prisonnier; read about the Indian Ocean; learned about the poet Khaleel Torabully; studied infinitives; studied prepositions with geographical names; studied the conditional; read an article about recreation in la Réunion; read Jean-Jacques Sempé and René Goscinny's story Le football; studied vocabulary related to work, people at work, and finances; watched the short film Bonne nuit Malik; learned about Brazzaville and Kinshasa; watched an advertisement for Oui Marketing, a Canadian company specializing in marketing campaigns; studied and practiced relative pronouns; studied and practiced the present participle; studied and practiced irregular -oir verbs; read an article about women entrepreneurs in Africa; and read an excerpt from Anna Sam's Les tribulations d'une caissière; learned vocabulary related to animals, nature, natural phenomena, and making use of nature or destroying it; watched the short film L'Homme qi plantait les arbres; learned about French Polynesia, New Caledonia, and Asia; learned about movie director Rithy Panh; studied and practiced the past conditional, the future perfect, and si clauses; read an article about the natural wonders of the Pacific; and read Jean-Baptiste Tati-Loutard's poem Baobab.

In keeping with Cal Poly's learning objectives, successful students should, moreover, better be able to: think critically and creatively; communicate effectively; work productively as individuals and in groups; use their knowledge and skills to make a positive contribution to society; and make reasoned decisions based on an understanding of ethics, a respect for diversity, and an awareness of issues related to sustainability. They should, more specifically, have made progress in: communicating effectively through speaking, listening, reading, and writing in authentic situations in French; developing communicative and intercultural competency in order to work productively both as individuals and in collaboration with others; gaining perspective on cultural and historical achievements in French-speaking cultures as well as on relevant issues of diversity; cultivating awareness of ethical and professional perspectives that reflect linguistic and cultural heritage; thinking critically and creatively using French and negotiating meaning between French and English; and developing the life-long ability to evaluate ways in which language and culture provide perspective/s on the larger world of the arts, science, and technology.

Required Text

Portails 1.0: Intermediate French 2 (Vista Higher Learning)

ISBN 978-1-54333-724-2

The required text can be ordered directly from Vista Higher Learning for the best price.

Tech support phone number: 1-800-922-6003

Recommended

Morton, Jacqueline. English Grammar for Students of French

Links

Grade Breakdown

Online Activities for credit: 10%

Online Graded activities: 30%

Online Quizzes: 10 %

In-Class Quizzes 20%

Online Tests: 30%

Communication

I want to help you succeed in this course. I encourage you to reach out to me first and directly during my office hours (which take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the two hours before class) with questions, suggestions and/or concerns. Once you have scheduled a time slot (or slots) with me using your Cal Poly email address, I will update my office hours accordingly to reflect slots that might remain open for other students to book.

You should expect email response/s from me within 24 hours.

In order to be successful in this class, you should make it a priority, put away your cellphone, and actively participate in person during each class session. You are encouraged to meet with me to review tests, homework, and any concepts with which you might be struggling--including discussing VHL assignments that may be unclear and for which partial credit may be warranted. Help will also available in the World Languages Lab.

Late Work

You might believe you have a bit more wiggle room in a semester-long course than in a quarter-long courses. Au contraire! It is crucial that you regularly come to class, actively participate, and not fall behind. Since learning a language is cumulative (with each class session building upon prior sessions), if you fall behind you run the risk of breaking the chain of comprehension, getting confused, and not internalizing more advanced materials. For more on this, feel free to meet with me during my office hours or check out resources available online (such as "tips and tools" for language learning).

Your VHL assignments should also be completed by their 11:59 p.m. deadline. Late activities will be accepted for 50% of their original point total only. But no late quizzes or tests will be accepted for credit.

Policy on Student Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence Tools

Generative AI tools—like ChatGPT for text or DALL·E for images—can create new writing, images, code, videos, and more. These tools are widely available and becoming more common.

In this class, you may only use AI tools for assignments if I specifically say it is allowed. If I have not given you permission, you should not use them.

You are not permitted to conceptualize, outline, draft, revise, and/or edit your work using AI. Neither are you allowed to use AI to correct grammar mistakes or to translate sources into English.

You are, however, permitted to use AI for research on papers--but only for the limited purpose of identifying (secondary) sources.

If you do use an AI tool (with permission), you must:

Cite the tool properly, following MLA format. https://style.mla.org/citing-generative-ai/Links to an external site.
Briefly explain how you used it—for example, to brainstorm ideas, check grammar, or generate a first draft.

Keep in mind:

AI tools aren’t always accurate. They may include outdated or incorrect information.
Many are trained on existing content, which could include copyrighted material—using them without care may lead to plagiarism.
Their main goal is to sound human—not necessarily to be correct—so you are responsible for checking facts, quality, and originality.

If you use an AI tool without permission or misuse it, I will follow Cal Poly's policies for cheating and plagiarism. https://academicprograms.calpoly.edu/content/academicpolicies/CheatingLinks to an external site.

In short: use AI responsibly, honestly, and only when allowed. Your academic integrity and personal character are what truly matter.

Nota Bene

Cheating and/or plagiarism will not be tolerated neither will the use of translation software . Per California Education Code Section 78907, neither electronic listening nor recording devices should be used without prior written consent of the instructor.

Schedule

Les générations qui bougent

le 26 janvier: Pour commencer; La famille en France; La famille qu'est-ce que c'est?

le 28 janvier: Court métrage; La honte de la famille

le 2 février: Imaginez; Maghreb (Larousse); Qui était Yves Saint Laurent?

le 4 février: Structures; Je voudrais que tu me consoles

le 9 février: Structures; In-class quiz (6.1)

le 11 février: Culture; Traditions du mariage algérien

le 16 février: Littérature

A la recherche du progrès

le 18 février: Pour commencer; À quoi ça sert la science?; Avantages et désavantages de l'intelligence artificielle; L'intelligence artificielle, menace ou opportunité? ;

le 23 février: Court métrage; Voyager dans le temps