Module Specifications..
Current Academic Year 2023 - 2024
Please note that this information is subject to change.
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Description This module aims to develop effective interactional skills, language awareness and its appropriate use in formal and informal situations (e.g. work, social gathering, everyday life). Focusing on every linguistic skill (oral and written comprehension and production, expression and interaction) and with the aim to further deepen the students’ understanding of contemporary French-speaking cultures, the activities will revolve around two main themes: ‘Current Affairs’ and ‘Interactional Negotiations’. Students will engage in conversational management and co-operation strategies by developing their capacity to highlight significant points and relevant supporting detail and negotiate using persuasive language and arguments skilfully through linguistic coherence and cohesion. To this end, students will engage in individual and collaborative activities and projects. These include listening and reading comprehension, individual research on cultural issues, discussions (oral and written expression) and debate on current affairs, online interaction and collaboration with native or non-native French speakers via telecollaboration. The module also consolidates transferable skills such as teamwork and communication skills and reflection on the learning process, guided by teacher and peer feedback. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Learning Outcomes 1. LO1: Understand extended speech and lectures and TV news and current affairs programmes, and follow complex lines of argument, provided the topic is reasonably familiar. 2. LO2: Interact with native and non-native speakers of French with a degree of fluency & spontaneity, displaying adequate oral comprehension in conversation, and take active part in discussions in familiar contexts, accounting for and sustaining/negotiating his/her views. 3. LO3: Present orally clear, detailed descriptions on a wide range of subjects related to his/her field of interest and be able to explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options, privileging analysis and discussion over simple presentation of facts. 4. LO4: Produce written pieces to express oneself in clear, well-structured text, expressing points of view at some length, presenting arguments and offering constructive peer critique, while selecting a style (formal or informal) appropriate to the reader in mind. 5. LO5: Show a relatively high level of grammatical control and connectors and a grasp of complex syntax and cohesive devices to enable full comprehension and a structured confident expression in a variety of contexts (formal and informal language registers). Display adequate proficiency in the pronunciation of French and understand the phonemes used in French. 6. LO6: Engage in activities to develop capacity for lifelong learning and transferable skills: Reflect on his/her own development and learning experience by making effective use of digital tools and resources; teamwork and negotiation skills. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml |
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Indicative Content and Learning Activities
Indicative Content and Learning ActivitiesThis project and task-based module is conducted through French and is delivered in two semesters of learning: Semester 1: Current Affairs in France and other Francophone Cultures Semester 2: Interactional Negotiations Each semester comprises four continuous assessment components. The class activities will provide students the necessary practice to improve their linguistic competences and transferable skills. They will also be the object of formative assessment and assessment of participation/engagement in the module. The following learning activities will be focused on: Aural and written comprehension; Synchronous oral discussions & debates on topics of individual interest and current affairs with peers and speakers of French from other institutions; Online written interaction on forums with peers involving peer-review; Online oral interaction via telecollaboration platforms with native or non-native speakers of French from another institution to collaborate on a project; Group/individual oral presentations and interactional negotiations in various formal and informal situations; Reflection on one’s language learning experience and outcomes. Telecollaboration with native or non-native speakers of French will offer students an authentic context to put their language learning into practice, gain confidence, fluency and interactional spontaneity, and reinforce intercultural knowledge along with sociolinguistic skills using co-operation strategies. In semester 1, the learning activities above will be targeted through the study and exploration of topics of individual interest and current affairs and issues in French-speaking cultures. Each week, based on a specific topic, students will practice their skills working from a large range of documents (videos, articles, podcasts, blog, etc.) that they will analyse and comment, defending their own opinion, during synchronous sessions, individually or in group and also outside time-tabled hours, with peers from DCU and French speakers from other institutions. Semester 1 will culminate in a group video project and individual reflective report. This will also enable the consolidation of some digital skills. In semester 2, students will focus on interactional negotiations through group discussions around various formal and informal interaction situations, such as an informal small talk before a meeting, a formal meeting, an interview, building a project with peers, etc. They will analyse documents and situations and practice how to structure and express their opinion while addressing a group of people or interacting with them, during synchronous sessions, individually or in group and also outside timetabled hours, with peers from DCU and French speakers from other institutions. The end of semester 2 production will comprise group interactional negotiations and reflections on developed competencies. This will assist students in taking responsibility for their own learning and in developing effective language learning strategies. Student productions will be evaluated through continuous assessment. Oral and written expression, interaction and reflection on one’s own learning will be graded in each semester. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Indicative Reading List | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Other Resources None | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Module delivered in: (List programmes on which the module will be delivered) BAJ, BAJI, ALTS | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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