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

• Engage with extended native speech with ease, identifying details of complex arguments and recognizing 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
• 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
• Develop the ability to 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

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: art by Yasmina Resa
• 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. Homework and coursework tasks will give you the opportunity to revise and consolidate your knowledge and skills 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.

• Coursework (15%): Mid-autumn term project-based coursework on the virtual learning environment: reading/ listening/ writing (350-380 words).
• Examination (10%): In-class test run on the virtual learning environment (bring your own device). This 1-hour test will take place at the end of autumn term. It will include essay questions based on a pre-prepared document (380-400 words).
• Coursework (20%): Mid-autumn term project-based coursework: speaking (pre-recorded presentation: 6 minutes)/ writing (350-380 words).
• Examination (20%): In-class test run on the virtual learning environment (bring your own device). This 1-hour test will take place at the end of spring term. It will include essay questions on literary texts and other topics from the course (400 words).
• Practical (35%): Oral examination in the summer term, including presentation of topics from the course and unprepared discussion (approx. 20 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.
• You must be prepared to attend all classes and and undertake approximately 3 hours of private study each week in addition to the assessment.

Module materials:

• French literary texts: Stupeur et tremblements by Amelie Nothomb (term 1); Le Silence de la mer by Vercors (term 2)
• video and audio material: television and radio broadcasts;
• online resources; articles from contemporary French press and scientific journals.

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