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French 5 (FREN30003)

Undergraduate level 3Points: 12.5Dual-Delivery (Parkville)

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Overview

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Semester 1 - Dual-Delivery
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What does it mean to be French in the 21st century? Why should this question be asked? The program will explore the controversies concerning French unity that are currently taking place in France, not only in political terms but primarily as a conception of language and culture. The background to these controversies will also be explored by looking into contemporary debates and what feeds into them from the recent past. To this end, the subject will draw on a range of material from popular culture such as songs, advertisements, news articles, comics, TV shows, sport as well as French cinema and literature to explore and analyse the way in which this identity has been negotiated by individuals or groups of individuals at different points in time. Parallels and contrasts will be made with the various policies and initiatives taken by successive governments to promote national unity and patriotic sentiment (from street names to museums, the army and the republican school). The way this myth of unity was initially construed will also be discussed in the light of key national and international events.

Intended learning outcomes

On successful completion of this subject, students should:



  • have strengthened skills acquired at French 3 and French 4 in terms of résumé and narrative competencies in oral and written form;
  • have further developed their use of complex sentences and moods other than the indicative (subjunctive, gerund, present and past participles);
  • be able to proficiently use a range of technologies, dictionaries and other learning aids (thesaurus, online tools, grammar references, encyclopedia etc) to consolidate and increase their autonomy in their study of the French language and of French-speaking cultures throughout the world;
  • have gained the capacity to engage in intercultural dialogue taking into consideration the influence of late 20th century events on contemporary France.;
  • have further developed their understanding of discourse structure with a particular focus on argumentative competencies (th-/synth-/antith-) in oral and written forms;

Generic skills

At the completion of this subject, students should:

  • have developed of skills in independent learning;
  • have developed of skills in critical thinking and in the interpretation of texts;
  • be able to understand the social and cultural sensitivity of language use in particular contexts;
  • be able to appreciate different cultural contexts present in French-speaking communities;
  • be able to time manage and plan: through managing and organising workloads for required and recommended reading, essay and assignment completion and revision for examinations;
  • have developed advanced skills in written French;
  • have developed research skills in French.

Last updated: 19 September 2024