French Level 5

By the end of this module, you will be better prepared to:

• engage with extended native speech with ease, identifying details of complex arguments and recognising culturally relevant meanings;
• interact fluently, spontaneously, and accurately in a variety of social and professional contexts, adapting to the needs of the communicative context;
• navigate and critique the main ideas and essential detail of complex texts from a variety of genres and topics, including scientific material, and write detailed, well-structured texts on a wide range of complex subjects, developing viewpoints and using sophisticated linguistic structures, register and style of C1.1 level (CEFR);
• demonstrate an understanding of the target culture, in analysing a broad range of cultural, scientific practices and socio-political perspectives, comparing these with your own backgrounds and contexts of practice;
• learn independently, using a range of digital language-learning tools, to tackle sophisticated linguistic material and identify relevant sources to support your research.

In this module, you will cover the following linguistic structures:

• revision of grammatical structures, as appropriate, with a strong emphasis on tenses in indicative and subjunctive moods;
• revision of subordinating conjunctions used in dependent clauses;
• nominalisation;
• structural exercises: rewriting sentences/ gap filling;
• study of common translation problems;
• essay writing;
• summarising of texts;
• text analysis, oral presentation techniques.  

Class content may include (but is not limited to) the following topics:  

• the power of language;
• developments in modern French;
• style and registers, e.g., formal, colloquial, literary;
• the political jargon;
• the French and common stereotypes;
• study of literary texts;
• analysis of the role of the arts and sciences in contemporary societies;
• study of selected scientific texts;
• French current affairs.

In line with modern foreign languages communicative and active learning methodologies, the in-class activities you will complete will cover all four skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking). These will include pair work and groupwork (critical evaluation of texts, audio and video material and discussion); individual tasks (presentations); discovery and formulation of grammatical rules. Weekly preparation tasks set on the Virtual Learning Environment and coursework tasks will give you the opportunity to revise and consolidate your knowledge and skills at your own pace and to develop your awareness of how to use language-learning tools independently. Our approach not only ensures you engage with a wide range of tasks and activities but also seeks to support different learning styles.

Your coursework will be marked and returned within two weeks. Rubrics and revision guidance (how-to guides) will be included as needed with each coursework. You will receive detailed feedback alongside suggestions for improvement and an overall percentage showing your provisional grade for that assessment.

The module includes formative as well as summative assessment. Homework tasks (theory revision, reading, writing, listening, etc.) are set every week on the virtual learning environment, following a flipped classroom approach to ensure face to face time is devoted for interactional learning and communicative skills acquisition. This means that you will be provided with materials to study independently beforehand, and then apply these during classroom time. Your lecturer will give you support materials and guidance to reinforce topics covered at your own pace.  
 
You will be expected to complete two pieces of summative coursework (set during mid-autumn term and mid-spring term) which will include rubrics and revision guidance to ensure you are supported when completing your work and you are aware of the assessment expectations. There will also be a 1-hour in-class examination (scheduled at the end of spring term), and one practical - in the form of an oral examination (during the summer term). The coursework, examination and practical contribute to your final grade.

• Coursework (20%): Integrated skills pack, in mid-autumn term: receptive/ productive skills, incl. writing (c. 400 words).
• Coursework (20%): Recorded oral task, in mid-spring term (6-7 minutes) .
• Examination (30%): 1-hour in-class test, run on the VLE (Bring Your Own Device) at the end of spring term: writing task (c. 400 words).
• Practical (30%): Oral examination in the summer term, including discussion on text or film studied in spring term, and presentation on a topic studied during the year  (approx. 25 minutes).

Assessment information for students on a course with a year abroad

• 7.5 ECTS points awarded on successful completion of the module.
• Available to take for credit towards your degree, where your department allows. Also available for extra credit. The Module options by department page has a full list of the credit options.
• You must be prepared to attend all classes and undertake approximately 3 hours of private study each week in addition to the assessment.

Module materials

Relevant reading lists and/or materials will be published on the VLE.

Grammar support

La Grammaire progressive du français, niveau perfectionnement, CLE INTERNATIONAL, Janvier 2012. ISBN: 978-2-09-035359-4.

Students may also wish to purchase the grammar reference book, French Grammar and Usage, Fourth edition by Roger Hawkins, Richard Towell, Routledge 2015. ISBN: 978-1138851108

Further information

Further information for Year Abroad/ Year-in-Europe Students
Further information for BSc Hons and MSc Language for Science Degrees