FRENO3405 3rd Year Grammar and Composition Course

SYLLABUS
Third-Year Grammar and Composition – Summer 2016
Columbia University Undergraduate Programs in Paris
Instructor: Sarah Lazur
Contact: [email protected]
Course Description:
The goal of this course is to help students improve their grammar and perfect their writing and
reading skills, especially as a preparation for taking literature or civilization courses. Students
who have not yet taken the equivalent of fifth semester French will be required to take this
course in Paris. Through the study of two full-length works of literature and a number of short
texts representative of different genres, periods, and styles, they will become more aware of
stylistic nuances, and will be introduced to the vocabulary and methods of literary analysis.
Working on the advanced grammar points covered in this course will further strengthen their
mastery of French syntax. They will also be practicing writing through a variety of exercises,
including pastiches and creative pieces, as well as typically French forms of academic writing
such as "résumé," "explication de texte," and "dissertation."
Student Learning Outcomes:
1. Students will be able to express themselves confidently and creatively in both speaking
and writing.
2. Students will have read and understood texts from a variety of time periods and a
variety of genres, and will be able to able to do some literary analysis.
3. Students will be able to discuss abstract concepts and ideas, and make arguments about
them.
4. Students will have further exposure to French and Francophone culture, weighted
towards texts that reflect on the urban experience, education, and the relationship
between the self and the other.
Required Texts:
1. Grammaire progressive du français, niveau avancé, CLE International
2. Vocabulaire progressif du français, niveau avançé
3. Literary texts and documents related to writing forms will be distributed in class
Course Format:
The class takes place three days a week, for two hours at a time. We will attempt to distribute
our time each day across the three areas of study – nuances of grammar, a survey of literary
readings, and writing techniques – and students will have assignments to complete over the
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weekend, every weekend, including a visits to a few unusual sites in Paris. There will be three
short tests on the grammar work in order to ensure the pacing of the class. At the end of the
course, students will put together a portfolio compiling their edited written work over the
seven-week program.
Grading:
Active participation in class and preparation
Grammar tests (3)
Completion of homework (exercises and reading responses)
First drafts of compositions (6)
Final portfolio (edited final drafts of all compositions)
20%
20%
20%
20%
20%
UNIVERSITY POLICIES
Accommodations for students’ disabilities:
Individuals with documented disabilities may be eligible to receive services and
accommodations from the Office of Disability Services (ODS). E-mail the
ODS [email protected] or call 212-854-2388, and please do so before leaving for your
study abroad program, in order to make arrangements with your instructors. The office is
located at 801 Lerner Hall.
Academic Integrity:
Students who copy assignments, get unauthorized assistance on any assignment, plagiarize, or
cheat on tests will fail the assignment and may be subject to the Dean’s Discipline Process
depending on the severity of the offence.
Teachers can easily recognize essays that are written by native, near-native, or advanced
speakers, are copied from other sources, or are completed using online translation services. We
are obligated to uphold the university's policy on academic integrity. If you are unsure about
your particular situation, please ask your teacher for clarification BEFORE you turn in an
assignment as your own work. Please take the time to read the “Academic Integrity” section in
the Columbia College bulletin.http://www.college.columbia.edu/bulletin/universitypolicies.php
Programme du cours
Semaine 1 (8, 9, 10 juin)
Grammaire : verbes irréguliers, les pronoms personnels
Lecture : extraits – Rancière, Le Maitre Ignorant ; description de Julien Sorel dans Le Rouge et le
noir
Ecriture : Résumé de texte, portrait d’un personnage
Travail pour le week-end : rédiger un résumé de texte, et un court portrait d’un personnage
historique
Semaine 2 (15, 16, 17 juin)
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Grammaire : Subordonnées relatives ; Examen 1
Lecture : Poèmes de la Renaissance ; description de la pension Vauquer dans Le Père Goriot
Ecriture : Explication de texte, décrire un lieu
Travail pour le week-end : rédiger une explication de texte sur un poème, et visiter la Maison
Balzac pour en faire une description courte
Semaine 3 (22, 23, 24 juin)
Grammaire : les temps du passé, l’accord du participe passé, les subordonnées de temps
Lecture : sélection de lettres de Mme de Sévigné ; extraits des Lieux de Mémoire
Ecriture : Explication de Texte (continuation), le récit au passé
Travail pour le week-end : choisir un moment ou évènement de l’histoire de votre pays, et
écrire un récit descriptif en s’inspirant de Mme de Sévigné
Semaine 4 (29, 30 juin, 1er juillet)
Grammaire : l’expression de la cause, de la conséquence, de la comparaison ; Examen 2
Lecture : Voltaire, Le Monde comme il va
Ecriture : le texte argumentatif
Travail pour le week-end : faire un plan des arguments donnés, identifier
Semaine 5 (6, 7, 8 juillet)
Grammaire : L’expression de l’opposition, de la concession, du but
Lecture : Foucault, « Les Hétérotopies »
Ecriture : le texte argumentatif (suite)
Travail pour le week-end : visiter deux « hétérotopies » de Paris, les Catacombes et une des
cimetières, et écrire un texte argumentatif comparatif
PAUSE POUR LE 14 JUILLET
Semaine 6 (20, 21, 22 juillet)
Grammaire : le subjonctif ; Examen 3
Lecture/visionnement : Truffaut, Les 400 coups ; Bégaudeau, Entre les murs (extrait)
Ecriture : la dissertation, et analyse d’un film
Travail pour le week-end : regarder le film Entre les murs, faire une courte analyse du film, et
faire un plan de dissertation
Semaine 7 (27, 28, 29 juillet)
Grammaire: le futur, le conditionnel, et l’expression de l’hypothèse
Lecture/visionnement : de Certeau, L’Invention du quotidien (extrait) ; Banlieue 13 (film)
Ecriture: la dissertation (suite)
Travail final : écrire une dissertation finale, et faire un portfolio de tout le travail écrit du
semestre.
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