French Advanced Three (FLF3730)

StaffMrs Florence Gomez - Convenor
Credit Value30
ECTS Value15
NQF Level6
Pre-requisitesCompletion of FLF3515/3530: French Advanced Two or equivalent
Co-requisitesNone
Duration of Module Term 1: 11 weeks; Term 2: 11 weeks;

Module aims

French Advanced 3 is intended for students with a near proficient level of French who have successfully completed FLF3514-30 French Advanced 2 or who have an A Level plus 2 years of further study on an Advanced course or equivalent (evidence of advanced-level accomplishment as Entry level) or who may have spent a recent period of study or work in a Francophone country (e.g. on a ‘with European Study’ pathway). 

On completion of this module, you will have a level equivalent to C1/C1high (as Exit level) - Proficient User of the Common European Framework for Languages, and you will be able to:

  • review and consolidate effective operational proficient structures of French, developing both idiomatic vocabulary and a wide range of language structures, thus equipping you with the linguistic tools to communicate spontaneously for academic and specific purposes without much obvious searching for expressions
  • further develop and embed active and passive proficient language skills, including comprehension skills in listening and reading, with particular emphasis placed on proficient skills necessary for effective oral and written communication in French at a proficient level to engage in analysis, criticism/questioning and summarising/synthesising the content of several written and aural documents on the same topic, but with various approaches
  • explain a wide range of demanding, longer and complex texts, and recognise implicit meaning, including any sub-textual or stylistic nuances and produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices to develop a well-structured argument
  • identify socio-cultural aspects of the regions/countries in which French is spoken, to refine transferable intercultural skills necessary for living and working abroad and to use the language proficiently in a social, professional or academic context

ILO: Module-specific skills

  • 1. Demonstrate consistent grammatical control of complex language and structures of French
  • 2. Read, comprehend and summarise a wide range of demanding, longer written and aural texts in most registers on a range of topics in French, including articles and reports concerned with current affairs in which the writers adopt particular attitudes and viewpoints
  • 3. Communicate confidently, proficiently and naturally in a wide range of situations, both orally and in writing, on complex and abstract topics and demonstrate ability to research a specialist topic, extracting and summarising key information from a range of written and spoken sources, and produce a written portfolio of material to a high professional standard

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

  • 4. Demonstrate proficient levels of autonomy in language learning and ability to research a project, with minimal direction from the teacher
  • 5. Combine specialised learning aids in a variety of media to class material and personal research, including a proficient reference grammar and specialist/for specific or academic purposes dictionary, to consolidate your learning

ILO: Personal and key skills

  • 6. Work spontaneously with others as part of a team or as a leader, anticipate unexpected situations and solve a wide range of problems effectively
  • 7. Practice self-study, further reading on class material individually and autonomously and relate to the foreign culture
  • 8. Make presentations on a range of concrete and abstract subjects and explain/defend your viewpoint in debate as well as prove your point in disagreement expressing yourself confidently, very fluently and accurately, differentiating finer shades of meaning in more complex situations

Syllabus plan

Whilst the content may vary from year to year, it is envisioned that it will cover some or all of the following topics:

The module provides a systematic approach to acquiring proficient grammar structures in a communicative context and in accordance with the skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing.

At this level, you are expected to:

  • Demonstrate a near native competence in the use of all proficient grammatical structures
  • To follow weekly French national and international news and their global causes and consequences
  • Develop a critical analysis and interpretation of current issues.

It covers the following grammar / topics (Note this list is only indicative):

  • The main grammar covers remedial revision/consolidation of some fossilised grammar inaccuracies as required.
  • The main topics are various aspects of French and Francophone societal issues such as historic, politic, philosophic, social, ethic, scientific, social, etc. debates:
    • Digital Society (technology, social networking, etc.
    • General overview of French economy
    • Consumer society
    • Poverty, exclusion, social inequalities
    • New trends: birth rate, marriage, ageing population
    • French Politics: Constitution, institutions, parties
    • French modern culture (cinema, music etc.)
    • Current affairs and press reviews
    • Role of science and technology in modern society

Teaching methods are based on interactive language development tasks, such as pair/group work/class debate, and include the study of several longer texts to compare, contrast and question topical ideas with listening and reading comprehension exercises and oral development work.

You will be expected to spend time studying outside the class and we provide guidance, facilities and materials to help you develop your expertise as a proficient language learner.

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching ActivitiesGuided independent studyPlacement / study abroad
662340

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

CategoryHours of study timeDescription
Scheduled Learning and Teaching66Language classes
Guided Independent Study234Consolidate class work by learning vocabulary and structures, and by reading, watching or listening to material from a wide range of sources in Spanish. Prepare exercises and activities for class, write assignments and further develop a repertoire of effective language learning strategies.

Formative assessment

Form of assessmentSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
6 formative tasks per year (grammar and vocabulary, writing, reading and listening comprehension)Variable1-7Written and oral

Summative assessment (% of credit)

CourseworkWritten examsPractical exams
60040

Details of summative assessment

Form of assessment% of creditSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
In-class test (listening and text reduction)251.5 hours 1-3, 7Written and oral
Oral test2512-13 minutes1-3, 6-8Written (upon request)
Dossier35Consists of different components, including short text reductions (summaries & reports, 1400-1700 words overall) and an essay (1200-1300 words) in the target language1-7Written
Oral presentation156-10 minutes plus debate1-8Written and oral
0
0

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Original form of assessmentForm of re-assessmentILOs re-assessedTimescale for re-assessment
In-class test (listening and text reduction)Written examination1-3, 7Referral/Deferral period
Oral presentation, Oral testOral test1-8Referral/Deferral period
DossierDossier1-7Referral/Deferral period

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%.

You will only be required to retake any failed assessments. Marks for any passed assessments will be carried forward. If you have failed any assessments but managed to pass the module overall, you will not be allowed to retake the failed assessments.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Main course book:

  • There is no coursebook for this module but a study pack will be posted online on the ELE page.

Recommended materials:

  • Activités pour le Cadre Européen Commun de Reference - niveaux C1-C2, Clé International, 2007. Code  ISBN 978-2-09-035387-7
  • Dictionary: Collins/Robert French Dictionary or Oxford/Hachette French
  • Grammaire progressive du français - Nouvelle édition : Livre perfectionnement B2/C2 + 600 exercices, CD. 2nd edition by Eric pessan, Publisher: Cle international (May 2017), ISBN-13: 978-209038209

Module has an active ELE page?

Yes

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

Indicative learning resources - Other resources

  • French TV and radio: TV show C’est dans l’air on France 5 and news report Arte Journal on Arte

Available as distance learning?

No

Origin date

January 2017

Last revision date

17/02/2023

Key words search

French Advanced 3