French - Speaking and pronunciation - Objective B1

Teacher(s)

Neuenschwander Valérie (coordinator); Rassart Emmanuelle (coordinator);

Language

French
> English-friendly

Prerequisites

To take this course, students must have reached level A2+ as described by the Council of Europe's Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, as evidenced by:
For people studying at ILV for the first time:

• passing the A2 placement test organized by ILV at the beginning of the semester with a minimum score of 7/10
• OR a recent DELF A2 certificate (maximum 1 year old and passing all 4 skills)

For former ILV students:

• passing the LFRAN1201 course  with a minimum grade of 14/20
• OR passing  the LFRAN1301, LFRAN1311, or LFRAN1321 course with a minimum grade of 10/20
• OR taking the general LFRAN1301, LFRAN1311, or LFRAN1321 course at the same time.

Main themes

Reading with expression, make a short presentation about her/his backgroung or about somebody else, make an oral annuncement, play a short scene, make phone calls, leave a message on a voicemail, narrate a story real or imaginary, describe feelings and reactions, give personal views in an informal discussion.

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :

At the end of this course, the student is supposed to be able to : be conscious of all the settings involved in oral communication (language, voice, body, space) have increased her/his French pronunciation (sounds, rythm, articulation, intonation) respect more, when speaking, the French phrase structure express her/himself in a clearer and more intelligible way, in daily life situations

Content

The course takes a step-by-step approach to various everyday oral communication situations (such as introducing oneself, leaving a voicemail, telling a story, making an announcement, etc.).
 
Through a variety of exercises, students become aware of the different elements involved in oral communication in general (language, voice, body language, and space).
The student speaks regularly to improve their French pronunciation (rhythm, intonation, sounds) and expand their French vocabulary.

Teaching methods

Each class counts 3 parts :

1. The first part consists of a technical warm-up (focusing on rhythm, speech rate, intonation, phonetics, and nonverbal communication).
2. The second part of the class focuses on exploring a specific aspect of French pronunciation (final stress, liaison, a specific sound, etc.) and examining a real-life oral communication scenario (announcement, phone conversation, narrative, etc.) to master the vocabulary and typical structures used in that context. 
3. The third part of the course involves delivering a speech appropriate to the communication situation or practicing public speaking skills through reading, recitation, or a presentation.                                                                                                            

The course requires regular homework. Students will be expected to complete self-guided pronunciation exercises on Moodle. They will also be required to submit audio assignments by recording themselves.
Some sessions may take place remotely, on Teams, depending on the pedagogical objectives.

Evaluation methods

The certification consists of continuous assessment on the one hand, and several exam components during the exam session on the other.
CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT | 50%

•     Active and regular participation (min. 75%) in class activities | 5%
•     2 quizzes | 5%
•     Performance of a scene from a play | 10%
•     3 audio assignments | 15%
•     2 self-paced pronunciation courses on Moodle | 15%

Continuous assessment assignments cannot be submitted after the deadline set by the instructor, except in cases of a doctor’s note or force majeure. No continuous assessment assignments may be submitted during the August exam session.
EXAM | 50%
The exam is oral. It consists of 4 parts:

•     an improvised interaction with 2 or 3 students | 15%
•     a prepared presentation | 15%
•     an expressive reading of a literary text (audio recording) | 15%
•     pronunciation assessment #2 (audio recording) | 5%

An absence (whether excused or not) from the exam (or any part thereof) or failure to submit an audio recording by the required deadline will result in a final grade of “absent.”
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Generative artificial intelligence must be used responsibly and in accordance with academic and scientific integrity practices.
For certain activities, the instructor may authorize the occasional use of AI, provided that such use adds educational value to the course.

Other information

This course corresponds to the BI level of the Common European Framework  of Reference of the Council of Europe

Online resources

Moodle UCL

Teaching materials

• Syllabus (en vente à l'ILV)

Faculty or entity

> ILV