If you have registered for a class prior to taking the test, you will still be required to take the test in order to verify that you are in the appropriate level class.
If you have already taken French, Italian, or Spanish 101-232 on the Ann Arbor campus, or if you have already taken the placement test once, you are not eligible to take the test again. For questions regarding the LS&A language requirement, please see a general academic advisor or call POINT-10 (764-6810).
Please Note: With the reduction in the number of classrooms throughout LS&A, departments must limit the number of classes offered between 10 am and 4 pm. There will be more classes open before 10 am and after 4 pm. Please take advantage of the opportunity to register for these classes and avoid the "Lottery" (see 2b below).
Instructions for students requesting overrides for French or Spanish 101, 103, 231, or 232.
1. Try to find a section that will fit into your schedule, since the Department cannot guarantee every student a space in a section of his/her own choice.
However, do not register for a class that you cannot attend. You will not be eligible to override into the section of your choice if you are registered for any section of 101-232, even if you cannot attend that section.
2. As it states in the Time Schedule any registered student who misses one of the first four class meetings will be dropped from the course, thereby leaving some open spaces for those students who have been closed out.
If there is absolutely no section open which will fit your schedule, you should follow this procedure:
(a) Start attending the section you would like to get into on the first day of class. You will receive a Proof of Attendance form which must be signed by your instructor every day. You must attend a class every day, but it does not need to be the same section. All students must take action through T-T Registration to make sure their official schedule of courses matches the courses they are taking.
(b) On Wednesday, September 10 at 7:00 p.m., there will be a meeting in the basement of the MLB, rooms to be announced later, for each of the above courses. At these meetings, students will be assigned to remaining vacated spaces in the most fair and equitable manner possible, using a lottery system. At no time, however, will any class be allowed to exceed 25 students. Students must bring their printout of classes and the Proof of Attendance form to the meeting!
3. Please note that you will not be allowed to change sections at these meetings. Beginning Thursday, September 11, Elementary French Language Supervisors will hear requests for section changes and fill those requests to whatever degree is possible.
4. Please ensure when adding with the override that you also add modifiers for pass/fail, etc.
Students who intend to continue a language begun in high school must take the Placement Test to determine the language course in which they should enroll. French 102 is NOT open to students who have begun instruction in high school. It is strongly recommended that students who began French at another college or university also take the placement test. Students must check with the Course Coordinator for any exceptions to the Placement Test level.
101. Elementary French. Students with any prior study of French must take the Placement Test. Credit is not granted for more than two courses from French 101, 102, and 103. (4). (LR).
The sequence of French 101/102 presents the essential elements of French grammar, vocabulary, and culture which are needed in everyday life to understand French spoken at a moderate speed and to be understood by sympathetic native speakers. Vocabulary and structures are practiced in class primarily through communicative activities stressing listening and speaking. Authentic documents are used to develop reading skills and culture. Cultural awareness and listening skills are further developed through listening and video materials. Classes meet four hours per week in sections of 20-25 students. Daily homework assignments involve studying vocabulary and grammar, writing exercises or short compositions, and practice in listening comprehension. There are several quizzes and tests, as well as midterm and final examinations and speaking tests. Class participation is graded. Credit is not granted for more than two courses from French 101, 102, and 103.
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103. Review of Elementary French. Assignment by placement test. No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in 102. (4). (LR).
French 103 is a course for students with some prior language study in French, and covers the same material presented in French 101/102. Entrance into the course is by placement or with the permission of the course coordinator. Because students are expected to be already familiar with some of the material, the course moves at a rapid pace, and students will need to plan on spending at least 8-10 hours each week preparing daily lessons. The objectives and methods of instruction are similar to those of French 101/102. Frequent quizzes (with both oral and written components) are administered to check students' assimilation of material. There are two hourly exams, a final, and speaking tests. By the end of the course, students will have a good working vocabulary and strong listening comprehension skills; they should be able to express themselves in French (both in writing and orally) using most of the basic structural patterns in the language.
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231. Second-Year French. French 102 or 103; or assignment by placement test. No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in 112 or 230. (4). (LR).
Students whose last French course was NOT at U of M Ann Arbor must take the placement test. The sequence French 231/232 is built upon the work done in French 101/102. It presents intensive and comprehensive grammar review, study of finer points of French grammar structure, and the reading of journalistic prose, short stories, and literary excerpts. Both courses include the use of French movies and video. The proficiency gained by the end of French 232 should enable students to express themselves in French on subjects of intellectual interest, to understand conversation on such topics. Classes meet four times per week in sections of 20-25 students. Since communicative skills are emphasized daily, regular attendance and active participation are essential. Homework consists of grammar study, writing exercises, and laboratory work, both audio and video. There are comprehensive course-wide tests, compositions, and final examinations.
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232. Second-Year French, Continued. French 231 or equivalent; or assignment by placement test. No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in 112 or 230. (4). (LR).
In French 232, students will continue learning and reviewing vocabulary and grammar from the second half of the book Ensuite. There will be short weekly readings (advertisements, literary excerpts, and short stories). Throughout the term, students will listen to French songs, see several videos (from French television) as well as two French movies. Classes meet four times per week in sections of 20-25 students. Since communicative skills are emphasized, daily, regular attendance and active participation are essential. There will be three course-wide tests, compositions, and a final examination.
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Courses Taught in English (without language prerequisite)
Section 001 - Literature and Science. This discussion course will explore differences between 'science' and 'literature.' Science explores and discovers 'external reality' while literature deals with the world of creation and imagination. The scientist experiments and collects data which should be precise and reproducible. Thus the language of science should be precise and unambiguous, and secondary to observation. In literature, the written text is everything and some ambiguity and imagination in interpretation is important. Chance plays an important role in science and is a significant theme in literature. We will discuss some discoveries in French science where chance played an important role, read literary texts where chance is prominent and explore other scientific concepts that occur in literature. The course will be in English and there are NO SCIENTIFIC PREREQUISITES. Those wishing to read the texts in French will be encouraged to. Grade based on regular and active class participation and term paper. (Maxwell)
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Cultural and Literary Studies
Section 001. This course introduces students to the cultural, economic, social, and political interconnections between Francophone and European literature and cinema. The course will provide an introduction to French Studies by examining several approaches or methods to the study of cultural production. A strong emphasis will be placed on student participation in class discussions, vocabulary development, and writing skills. We will study contemporary literary and filmic texts from French-speaking writers and filmmakers from Africa, the Maghreb, the Caribbean, Canada and France. Required work: participation in class, short weekly papers, oral presentations, and one final project. (Yervasi)
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270. French and Francophone Literature and Culture. French 232. (4). (HU). May be repeated for a total of 8 credits.
Intensive study of a topic, theme, or genre in the literature and other cultural productions of French speaking peoples, providing an introduction to the methods and practice of literary and cultural study in the French language and opportunities for development of linguistic proficiency beyond the fourth term level.
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274. French and Francophone Societies and Culture. French 232. (4). (HU).
Section 001 - Societies and Culture. Intensive study of a topic in the culture, politics, and structures of French-speaking societies, providing an introduction to the methods and practice of cultural and social study in the French language.
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Section 002 - Small Change: Childhood Narratives and the Politics of Learning French. The purpose of this course is twofold, to introduce students to French and Francophone societies and cultures and to allow students to develop their reading, writing, and speaking skills in French, skills they will need in more advanced courses in French and Francophone studies. We shall concentrate on French and Francophone childhood narratives (to be distinguished from literature written for children) in both novels and film and consider what these childhood narratives teach us about their cultural context and, especially, about the role (political, social, economic) of teaching and learning French in France and the French colonies (during the colonial period). We shall begin with several Francophone novels to consider the relation between teaching French and colonization. Throughout the course we shall view French and Francophone films to study the representation of historical events such as the Algerian Revolution through childhood narratives, with special attention devoted to how childhood narratives can serve as allegories of the political conflicts to which children are sometimes thought to be immune. We shall also consider the political implications of children's discovery of sexuality as they grow up. Finally, students will have the opportunity to think about how their own experiences of learning French might relate to the narratives they will have studied. The objectives of the course will be to envision ways of learning French that empower students rather than alienate them. This will be an intensive writing course with an emphasis on revising and rewriting as a way of improving writing skills. Students will keep a journal of reflections on the texts studied in the course. The grade will be based on class participation (contribution to class discussions on the part of every student will be crucial), journals, in-class writing assignments, and papers. Readings will include an Algerian, a Guinean, and a Québécois novel, as well as the memoirs of an American French teacher. Five French and Francophone films will be screened. Novels: Mouloud Feraoun, Le fils du pauvre (Algérie) Camara Laye, L'enfant noir (Guinée) Michel Tremblay, Therese et Pierret à l'école des Saints-Anges (Québec) Alice Kaplan, French Lessons (USA) films: Halfaouine, dir. Férid Boughedir; L'argent de poche, dir. François Truffaut; Les roseaux sauvages, dir. André Téchiné; Le souffle au coeur, dir. Louis Malle; La rue Case-Nègres, dir. Euzhan Paley. (Hayes)
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Other Language Courses
French 235 uses a cultural content as a basis for oral and written communication. It is a content course in which current problems and issues in French society are studied through readings (textbook; education system, sexism, immigrants and racism); videos (documentaries, news programs exposés on current issues), and films. The course focuses on developing student's ability to support opinions oral and in writing in a coherent manner. Students gain experience by working through texts in class and through class discussion, three oral presentations, and three medium-length papers. The final examination is an individual oral presentation. Active participation for 20% of the final grade.
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Students who intend to continue a language begun in high school must take the Placement Test to determine the language course in which they should enroll. Italian 102 is NOT open to students who have begun instruction in high school. It is strongly recommended that students who began Italian at another college or university also take the placement test. Students must check with the Course Coordinator for any exceptions to the Placement Test level.
101. Elementary Italian. (4). (LR).
This course is task- and content-based and incorporates grammar in a functional use of language through listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Vocabulary and structures are practiced in class through communicative activities. Cultural awareness and listening skills are further developed through audio-visual materials. Evaluation criteria include: regular attendance, oral participation, in-class work, homework assignments, quizzes, a midterm, and a final examination.
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103. Accelerated Italian. Assignment by placement test. No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in 102. (4). (LR).
Italian 103 is an accelerated course for those students who wish to develop their speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills at a rapid pace, while being introduced to various aspects of Italian culture. The material covered in this term course is equivalent to that taught in two terms of elementary Italian 101 and 102. Evaluation criteria include: regular attendance, oral participation, in-class work, homework assignments, quizzes, a midterm, and a final examination.
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Courses Taught in English Translation (without language prerequisites)
Section 001 - Writing Women in the Renaissance. This course will be taught in English and is designed for a small group of incoming freshmen. Its focus will be the influence of Italian literary models for the construction of female literary types as well as female voices in Europe from 1300 to about 1600. Italian authors studied will include four influential Florentines, Dante, Petrarch, Boccaccio, and Machiavelli, as well as Castiglione, Ariosto, Tasso, and Aretino. We will also read women poets, patrons and prostitutes from Italy and other countries. At issue will be women's roles in city and court culture during the early modern period, and Italy's immense cultural impact at a time when she was politically subjugated by other European powers. Required are active participation, two essays (4-6 pp.), and a final exam. (Cornish)
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Students who intend to continue a language begun in high school must take the Placement Test to determine the language course in which they should enroll. Spanish 102 is NOT open to students who have begun instruction in high school. It is strongly recommended that students who began Spanish at another college or university also take the placement test. Students must check with the Course Coordinator for any exceptions to the Placement Test level.
101. Elementary Spanish. (4). (LR).
For students with little or no previous study of Spanish, this course provides a basic introduction to the Spanish language and culture. Emphasis is placed on the development of functional, communicative language skills. Extensive practice in listening, speaking, reading, and writing Spanish. Grade based on daily oral work, departmental tests, final (oral and written) exam, and written work. (Spanish 101 AND 102 are the equivalent of Spanish 103.)
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103. Review of Elementary Spanish. Assignment by placement test or permission of department. Transfer students elect Spanish 103 if they have completed the equivalent of Spanish 101 elsewhere. No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in 102. (4). (LR).
A refresher course for students with two or three years of high school Spanish whose previous study did not occur within the preceding two years. Equivalent to 101 and 102 condensed into one term. It prepares students for Spanish 231.
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231. Second-Year Spanish. Spanish 102, or 103, or the equivalent; or assignment by placement test. No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in 112 or 230. (4). (LR).
This course is designed to improve the speaking, listening, reading and writing skills of students; to review the fundamentals of Spanish grammar; to build vocabulary; and to provide some insight into the literature and culture of Spanish-speaking peoples. Course grade based on a series of quizzes and exams designed to assess ability to read, write and understand Spanish plus periodic written work, and oral class participation.
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232. Second-Year Spanish, Continued. Spanish 231 or the equivalent; or assignment by placement test. No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in 230 or 112. (4). (LR).
This course is designed to develop fluency in understanding, speaking, reading, and writing Spanish and to provide a deeper understanding of the literature, history, culture, and outlooks, of Spanish-speaking peoples. Course grade is based on exams, designed to assess ability to speak, understand, read and write Spanish, plus periodic written work (including compositions) and oral class participation.
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Other Language Courses
Spanish 270 is a practical Spanish course for non-concentrators interested in the Spanish language and in contemporary Hispanic culture. Texts include journalistic prose as well as journal formatted videos aimed at increasing students' knowledge of current affairs in Spain and Latin America. Audio tapes will be employed to improve pronunciation, vocabulary, and listening skills. Class format includes group discussions, debates, oral presentations, and role-playing. Attendance and participation will be mandatory and will constitute a large part of the course grade. Grades will also be determined by examination of students' listening and expressive skills. Finally, students will practice writing in various practical formats such as letters, book or movie reviews, etc. These written exercises will form the final component of the course grade.
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275. Grammar and Composition. Spanish 232 or 233. A maximum of six credits of Spanish 270, 275, and 276 may be counted toward graduation. (3). (Excl).
Spanish 275 is intended to increase the accuracy of students' Spanish and to increase vocabulary and cultural knowledge through readings. The course is centered on a grammar-review text. Students do readings in Spanish, prepare translations and other exercises, and expand vocabulary. Time is allotted to class discussion of readings and especially to the treatment of recurrent problems of grammar. Classes are taught in Spanish. The final grade is based on weekly translations, tests, and class participation.
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276. Reading and Composition. Spanish 232 or 233. A maximum of six credits of Spanish 270, 275, and 276 may be counted toward graduation. (3). (Excl).
Spanish 276 is intended to improve students' ability to read Spanish prose, as well as their skills in conversational and written Spanish. To this end, students are presented with a variety of materials to stimulate discussion, both written and oral. A major component of this course is an interactive computer program based on a movie version of the short story "Instrucciones para John Howell." This computer application is designed to improve students' ability to read and interpret fiction. Compositions are assigned regularly and oral presentations by students are required, as well. Classes are conducted exclusively in Spanish. The final grade is based on compositions, exams and participation in class discussions.
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