SOLUS is Queen’s Student On-Line University System. You’ll have access to a SOLUS account once you become a Queen’s student. You’ll use SOLUS to register for courses, add and drop courses, update your contact information, view financial and academic information, and pay your tuition.
Communication et culture III
FREN 118/3.0
This course is designed for students who have completed beginner level French. In this course students will further develop their written and oral communication skills as well as acquire the means to competently engage in a range of everyday common social and professional situations.
Please note: This course is typically offered in the winter term
Learning Outcomes
After successfully completing this course, students will be able to
- Communicate effectively about familiar topics and express feelings, opinions and desires, employing intermediate vocabulary and grammatical concepts;
- Demonstrate fundamental rules of pronunciation to be able to clearly communicate in common social contexts;
- Demonstrate listening and reading skills, as well as oral communication skills, which will allow them to engage in a variety of social situations when clear and standard language is used;
- Write grammatically correct sentences to communicate effectively in common social contexts;
- Demonstrate proficiency using past and future verb tenses to recount experiences and describe plans;
- Describe aspects of societies and cultures in French-speaking countries, especially with regards to interpersonal relationships, health and well-being, leisure activities and travelling, arts and media.
Description
In this course, students will develop their written and oral communication skills, as well as acquire the means to competently engage in a range of everyday social situations. Each week is organized around a common theme: leisure activities, travelling, personal relationships, health and well-being, and media and the arts. Students will apply new vocabulary and grammar through exercises that focus on reading comprehension, listening comprehension, speaking and pronunciation, and writing.
NOTE: This course is designed for students who have beginner-level French skills; this course is not intended for fluent speakers.
If you are uncertain of your language level, we recommend you take our online Placement Test (https://www.queensu.ca/french/undergraduate/french-placement-test). Since the language learning background that each student brings in French is unique, the French Placement Test is the French Studies Department’s best way of making sure you are in the course that best suits your current level.
Terms
Winter 2021
Course Dates:
Jan. 11 - April 9, 2021
Exam Dates:
April 14 - 30, 2021
Evaluation
Homework Activities
| 28% |
Synchronous online tutorials (4) | 12% |
Midterm | 10% |
Oral interview | 25% |
Final exam | 25% |
Total | 100% |
Final Examination
Students must write their exam on the day and time scheduled by the University. Do not schedule vacations, appointments, etc., during the exam period.
Examity Statement
When you enroll in this online course, you are agreeing to write tests, quizzes, and block theory exams online with remote proctoring. The benefits of this are that you can complete the exam in your own space using your own computer. For each assessment, you will be using exam software developed at Queen’s, which is integrated with an online proctoring system. To ensure a successful exam experience, you are responsible for ensuring that your computer meets the Evaluation and Grading Policies.
8 minimum technical requirements, as described on the course web page, and that you are located in an area with sufficient high speed internet at the time of the exam. You will be given the opportunity to practice the exam initiation process in advance of any quizzes, tests or exams that require the use of this software
Instructor
Professor Frédérique Offredi (f.offredi@queensu.ca)
Textbooks and Materials
ASO reserves the right to make changes to the required material list as received by the instructor before the course starts. Please refer to the Campus Bookstore website at http://www.campusbookstore.com/Textbooks/Search-Engine to obtain the most up-to-date list of required materials for this course before purchasing them.
The following material is available from the Queen's Campus Bookstore:
Required Learning Resources
MyLab French with eText for Chez nous: Branché sur le monde francophone, 5/e, by Mary Ellen Scullen, Cathy Pons, and Albert Valdman (Pearson Education, 2020)
Coffman Crocker, Mary. Schaum’s Outline of French Grammar. Seventh Edition, McGraw-Hill, 2019.
All other learning materials will be available through OnQ
Time Commitment
Success in online language courses relies on the student’s personal efforts and ability to work independently. Regular, disciplined practice is required to perform at an appropriate level. Students who are unable to set aside sufficient time to work on the course components on a regular basis will have difficulty completing this course satisfactorily. It is important that students pace themselves to keep up with the course schedule.
Students can expect to spend on average about 10 hours per week completing exercises, assignments, and other course activities.
Course Resources
About SOLUS
About OnQ
onQ is Queen's online learning platform. You'll log into onQ to access your course. All materials related to your course—notes, readings, videos, recordings, discussion forums, assignments, quizzes, groupwork, tutorials, and help—will be on the onQ site.
About Credit Units
Queen’s courses are weighted in credit units. A typical one-term course is worth 3.0 units, and a typical two-term course is worth 6.0 units. You combine these units to create your degree. A general (three-year) BA or BSc requires a total of 90 credit units.
Computer Requirements
To take an online course, you’ll need a high speed internet connection as well as a microphone and speakers to be able to watch videos, hear sounds, and participate in interactive online activities. A webcam is recommended but not necessary.
System Requirements:
Computer Specifications
- Windows 8.1 or newer
- OSX 10.13 (High Sierra) or newer
- Dual Core 2 GHz processor
- 4 GB RAM
- Soundcard
- USB Headset
- Webcam
Supported Browsers
- Chrome (preferred - latest version)
- Firefox (latest version)
- Safari is not recommended as it causes several known issues in onQ
- Edge is not recommended as it causes several known issues in onQ
Internet Connection
- Wired high speed access: Cable or better
- Wifi is not recommended
Java
- Latest version
Media Player
- Flash (latest version)
Adobe Reader
- Latest Version
Dates/Deadlines
The deadlines for new applications to Queen’s Arts and Science Online courses are in our Upcoming Application Dates section.
Grading Scheme
The information below is intended for undergraduate students in the Faculty of Arts and Science. Academic Regulations in other Faculties may differ.
| Letter Grade | Grade Point |
| A+ | 4.30 |
| A | 4.00 |
| A- | 3.70 |
| B+ | 3.30 |
| B | 3.00 |
| B- | 2.70 |
| C+ | 2.30 |
| C | 2.00 |
| C- | 1.70 |
| D+ | 1.30 |
| D | 1.00 |
| D- | 0.70 |
| F | 0.00 |
GPA Calculators
Have your SOLUS grade report handy and then follow the link to the Arts and Science GPA calculators.
How does this affect my academics?
See the GPA and Academic Standing page.
Follow the link above for an explanation of how the GPA system affects such things as the Dean’s Honour List, requirements to graduate, and academic progression.
Frequently Asked Questions on the Grading Scheme
Please follow this link to the FAQ's
Tuition Fees
Tuition fees vary depending when you start, your year, faculty, and program. Fees for Summer Term 2018 first-year Distance Career Arts & Science Domestic students are as follows: for a 3.0-unit course, $685.90; for a 6.0-unit course, $1371.80 See also Tuition and Fees.
Campus Bookstore
All textbooks can be purchased at Queen’s Campus Bookstore.
Non-Queen’s Students
All Queen’s Arts and Science Online courses are open to students at other universities. Before applying as a visiting student, request a Letter of Permission from your home university that states that you have permission to take the course and apply it to your degree. See also Apply.
Academic Integrity
Please see Queen’s policy statement on academic integrity for information on how to complete an online course honestly.
