TOKYO INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Course description and aims

This course will put priority to the needs of enrolled students, and among them, students who will be leaving for France or a French-speaking country in the course of the academic year to study and conduct research using the French language. If French will not be used when attending classes or seminars and writing reports, thesis, then these students will be given the same level of priority as other students.
The purpose of this course is twofold :
For students who will soon be studying abroad, it may be necessary to pass DELF B1 or DELF B2 exams for getting acceptance into French, Swiss or Belgian universities. The purpose of this class will thus be to help students meet these requirements by focusing on hearing and/or writing skills, in fact any skill that this/these student(s) and the instructor will consider to need boosting. Other students not planning to leave in a near future may also want to study for lesser DELF levels and may need to focus on a particular skill.
The other purpose of this class, is to master the communication skills needed in the creation of relationships with French speaking people, skills highly needed when living in France for more than a few weeks. To be able to speak about oneself, one's family, university, culture and ask someone what she or he thinks about anything, are fundamental assets in terms of bicultural communication. While learning the language patterns which are useful when trying to speak one's mind and understanding the other, students will endeavor to navigate through cultural differences, which, when understood, make communication more meaningful.
Textbooks for preparation to the DELF exams can be used, but also Internet, books, or other media that the students and the instructor will deem useful. This course is a very highly customized experience. The instructor will modify contents as necessary but always in accord with the students and will always pay utmost attention to any mistake revealing that for example grammar rules supposed to have been mastered long ago have not been completely understood.
French will be used in class as much as possible (almost 100% French is required at a DELF B1 level).

Student learning outcomes

By the end of this course, students will
・be more prepared for the DELF exams
・communicate more easily with people of different cultural backgrounds
・become more internationally minded

Keywords

DELF, doing research in a French speaking environment, bicultural communication, sociocultural awareness, broadening of the mind

Competencies that will be developed

Class flow

Contents will be decided in accord with the students.

Course schedule/Required learning

Textbook(s)

Among others possibilities the « Reussir le DELF » series, Didier

Reference books, course materials, etc.

Internet will be used in class and students will be asked to do Internet searches.

Assessment criteria and methods

There will be no exams. Attendance 30%, work in class 70%.

Related courses

• LAL.F361 ： French Conversation: Advanced Course 1
• LAL.F362 ： French Conversation: Advanced Course 2
• LAL.F363 ： French Conversation: Advanced Course 3
• LAL.F344 ： French: Advanced Course 4
• LAL.F434 ： French Seminar: Culture and Society 4

Prerequisites (i.e., required knowledge, skills, courses, etc.)

Having completed the French conversation basic course or an equivalent competence in French language.