- Docente: Valeria Illuminati
- Credits: 8
- SSD: L-LIN/04
- Language: French
- Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
- Campus: Forli
- Corso: First cycle degree programme (L) in International relations and diplomatic affairs (cod. 8048)
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course students should reach a minimum level of A2 (Council of Europe framework) for spoken French, while the ideal level is B1, and a minimum level of B1 for reading comprehension – ideal level B2. In particular: students should be able to follow the essential themes of an oral text, for example a lesson or a TV-news broadcast, and make a simple oral report on it. Moreover, they should be capable of understand written texts of average difficulty regarding the disciplines of the degree course.
Course contents
The course is organized in lectures and laboratories, as detailed in the following program. Lectures (30 hours) will be taught in presence (in classroom) with the possibility to follow the lessons remotely on MS TEAMS. Lectures aim to enhance students’ reading, writing, and speaking skills, while also expanding their cultural skills and knowledge in the French-speaking context.
Language laboratories (40 hours) are organized as seminars and aim to use class materials and practice the skills acquired during the 30-hour course through exercises, focusing in particular on French grammar and morphosyntax.
The division into lessons and seminars is specified in the program that follows.
For the seminar section (language laboratory), students will NOT be divided into groups. The entire language laboratory will be taught in presence (in classroom) with the possibility to follow the lessons remotely on MS TEAMS.
Beginners will be offered 2 additional A1 laboratories in the first semester: one in classroom (40 hours) and one held remotely on MS TEAMS (40 hours).
All beginner students have to attend the preparatory laboratory. At the beginning of the academic year, all students with previous experience in learning French will sit a placement test to assess their language level and determine whether or not they should attend the preparatory lab.
Regardless of the health-related conditions and the specific organization of the course, students will be able to follow the lessons of the entire course remotely on MS TEAMS.
The 30-hour course (lectures) is organized into two modules:
a) one module will be devoted to enhancing students’ reading, listening, and analyzing skills by exposing them to a wide range of authentic oral and written text types intended for the general public on topics relevant to the the degree course and specific to the cultures of the French-speaking context. Texts will focus in particular on French civilization and political structures in order to develop a basic socio-political vocabulary in French and to provide an overview of French politics and socio-cultural life. Topics covered will include the analysis of the argumentative structure, polyphony, modals, linkers and conjunctions, evaluative lexis, specialized lexicon, synonymy, polysemy and morphology.
b) The second module will be devoted to the oral analysis and discussion of the topics covered in the texts analyzed.
The language laboratory is aimed at improving fluency and accuracy in writing and speaking skills and is dedicated to French grammar. Topics covered will include:
- les articles : définis, indéfinis, partitifs, contractés
- c’est/il est
- le féminin et pluriel des noms et adjectifs
- les adjectifs possessifs
- les adjectifs démonstratifs
- les adverbes en -ment
- la forme interrogative : intonation, est-ce que, inversion
- les gallicismes
- le présent
- le passé composé
- les prépositions de temps (il y a, pendant, depuis…)
- le conditionnel présent (quelques formes : je voudrais, il faudrait, je devrais, je pourrais…)
- les formes impersonnelles (quelques formes : il faut, il est + adj + de + inf)
- l’imparfait
- l’alternance imparfait / passé composé
- le plus-que-parfait
- l’alternance imparfait / passé composé / plus-que-parfait
- les pronoms démonstratifs
- les pronoms possessifs
- la forme négative complète
- les adjectifs indéfinis (chaque, quelques, aucun, tout, plusieurs, certains)
- le futur + expression de l’hypothèse sur le futur
- le subjonctif présent/indicatif pour l’expression de l’opinion (quelques formes : je pense que c’est / je ne pense pas que ce soit…)
- les pronoms personnels complémentsCOD -COI -EN -Y
- les pronoms relatifs simples
- les mots de liaison: conjonctions de coordination
- les connecteurs logiques simples: chronologie du discours.
During the laboratory, students can also give an oral presentation in small groups on a (relevant) topic of their choice, thus improving their oral expression and argumentation skills. The presentation will be followed by a short discussion on the topic with the other students.
Readings/Bibliography
The texts to be analyzed during classes will be made available online weekly in electronic format on the Virtuale platform for teaching and learning materials.
For the language laboratory:
Maia Grégoire, Odile Thievenaz, Grammaire progressive du français, niveau intermédiaire A2/B1, Paris, Clé International, 2017.
Dictionary: Le petit Robert : dictionnaire alphabétique et analogique de la langue française, Paris, Dictionnaires Le Robert, 2020 (or previous editions).
Reading list:
1. Guillaume Bernard, Bernard de Gunten, Arlette Martin, Mauricette Niogret, Les Institutions de la France, Paris, Nathan, coll. « Repères pratiques », éd. 2017.
2. Jean-Louis Auduc, Le système éducatif français, Paris, Nathan, éd. 2018.
3. Jean-François Sirinelli, La Vè République, Paris, PUF, collection « Que sais-je ? », 2013.
4. Denis C. Meyer, Clés pour la France en 80 icônes culturelles, Paris, Hachette, 2010.
5. Maxime Lefebvre, La politique étrangère de la France, Paris, PUF, Coll. « Que sais-je », 2019.
Teaching methods
The language laboratory is based on a grammar book specific for Italian speakers and on practical exercises using “communicative methods.” It aims at allowing students to reach a good command of linguistic and communicative competence.
Lectures are aimed at developing skills in order to comprehend and interpret written and oral texts of average difficulty. The course will be taught in French.Assessment methods
The first mide-term test will take place onlineon EOL (https://eol.unibo.it/eol.unibo.it ).The second mid-term test, the oral exam, the written and oral exam for students not attending classes will be heldin presencewith the possibility to be taken onlineon EOL for the written exams and on MS Teams for the oral exams.
For more information on online exams visit https://www.unibo.it/en/services-and-opportunities/online-services/online-services-for-students-1/lessons-and-exams-online
Students attending classes:
Overall assessment will be based on two written mid-term tests and a final oral exam. Both mid-term tests include a reading comprehension with multiple choice and open questions, and a grammar test.
The oral exam will consist of a discussion of selected chapters from ONE of the books in the reading list included in the bibliography section. In addition to the reading of selected chapters, each student will choose one or two recent articles from the online press dealing with a topic related to the chosen essay and the chapters selected. The first part of the oral exam will focus on the essay and will assess the knowledge acquired through the reading. In the second part, the student will briefly present the chosen article(s) (sources, topics covered, interest and relevance of the articles in the current context, journalist’s opinion, tone of the articles – polemic, neutral, etc.) – and express their personal opinion on the articles and related topic(s).
Students not attending classes:
Written test – a reading comprehension with multiple choice and open questions and a grammar test.
Oral test – an oral examination on selected chapters of ONE of the books listed in the recommended reading section in the bibliography. All books are available at the Ruffilli library. In addition to the reading of selected chapters, each student will choose one or two recent articles from the online press dealing with a topic related to the chosen essay and the chapters selected. The first part of the oral exam will focus on the essay and will assess the knowledge acquired through the reading. In the second part, the student will briefly present the chosen article(s) (sources, topics covered, interest and relevance of the articles in the current context, journalist’s opinion, tone of the articles – polemic, neutral, etc.) – and express their personal opinion on the article(s) and related topic(s).
1. Guillaume Bernard, Bernard de Gunten, Arlette Martin, Mauricette Niogret, Les Institutions de la France, Paris, Nathan, coll. « Repères pratiques », éd. 2017.
Selection of chapters:
-chapters « État »; « Vie politique »; « Administration ».
OR
-chapters « Collectivités locales »; « Justice »; « International ».
2. Jean-Louis Auduc, Le système éducatif français , Paris, Nathan, 2018.
Selection of chapters:
- chapters « Généralités » ; « Le cursus scolaire »
OR
- chapters « Les acteurs » ; « Les établissements » ; « Les organismes » ; « Les partenaires ».
3. Jean-François Sirinelli, La Vè République, Paris, PUF, collection « Que sais-je ? », 2013. (ebook available)
Whole book.
4. Denis C. Meyer, Clés pour la france en 80 icônes culturelles, Paris, Hachette, 2010.
Whole book.
5. Maxime Lefebvre, La politique étrangère de la France, Paris, PUF, Coll. « Que sais-je ? », 2019. (ebook available)
Whole book.
Teaching tools
PC with Video projector, Internet, Virtuale
Office hours
See the website of Valeria Illuminati
SDGs
This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.