Required Texts:
Berg, R. J.. Parlons affaires!: Initiation au français économique et commercial. 2nd. Ed. Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace & Company, 2006
Savoir-vivre avec les Français. Que faire? Que dire?
Scanned photocopies on-line or distributed in class.

Recommended: A good French/English dictionary, such as Collins or Harrap's. If you are majoring in French, consider buying an excellent French/French dictionary such as Le Petit Robert.

You are allowed three "unexcused absences" during the semester. Reasons for missing class abound: work in another class, oversleeping, car problems, romantic turmoil, a special event you wish to attend, etc. Use these "absences" judiciously, for, you are only allotted three. Your final grade will be lowered one percentage point every additional time you have an "unexcused absence". Note: repeated tardiness could be count as absences.

EXCUSED ABSENCES: You must phone me or e-mail me EACH DAY you are ill if you wish your absence to be considered "excused". If your car is unreliable, take the bus. If parking is difficult around campus, plan your time accordingly. "Excused absences" are for illnesses and personal/family tragedies. If extenuating circumstances arise, PLEASE let me know in general terms about these difficulties.

I take roll everyday and you are given oral participation grades regularly. I expect you to be prepared for class. This means you are ready with specific questions when you haven't understood some aspect of your assignments and/or readings. You have completed all exercises assigned to you with the greatest accuracy possible. It is also my hope that you will feel comfortable to bring up what facets of the texts you are unsure about. Any time you do not understand part of your assignment, it is important for you to ask me questions so that I may try to clarify any information you find confusing.

Notice that I grade on not only how often you might participate in class, but how successfully you communicate (will to speak, accuracy, grammatical control) and the degree to which you have thought about the texts we read. It is important to provide answers to written exercises as well as to be able to summarize the main points of the texts we read.

You should have one or two classmates' phone numbers, as you're expected to be prepared for class, even when you have missed class the previous day. I also occasionally give take-home quizzes. If you plan on missing class, contact a classmate ahead of time so s/he can pick up extra copies of such assignments/quizzes for you. You can also check 3164's homework web page for each theme's assignments, though changes to the course are communicated in class.

When I use my check system, this is how I will calculate your grade. I start you all off with an A-(90%). Each time you receive a check on your assignment that means you have completed it successfully--following the instructions, being mindful of your French, using dictionaries when you don't know words instead of writing English/Spanish/German/Russian words in place of a French word. With a check, your 90% remains as is, I neither add nor take away points. If your work distinguishes itself (which is often the case) you most likely will receive a check plus or perhaps a plus plus. A check plus adds one point to your overall percentage, a plus adds two points, a plus plus (very rare) adds five points to your score. A check minus takes away one point, a minus takes away two points, a double minus takes away 4 points. If you receive a 0 (not having done an assignment) it is calculated as -8 points. At the end of the semester, for the portion of your grade where I use checks to grade your work (web activities, for example), I tally all these checks (points) together to convert them into a percentage grade.

You'll have greater success in this course if you keep up with your reading, homework, and studying of vocabulary. Refer to your weekly grid to know what material you will be responsible for each week. It will help you organize and pace yourself.

I am very available to help you if you're having difficulties. If there is a lot of material you regularly don't grasp, you should look into a tutor.

I take this policy seriously. All written work you submit must be written only by you this semester. Asking tutors, native French speakers, or more advanced French students for "help" with your business letters, cv, or cover letter is also unacceptable. You are allowed to consult dictionaries and other grammatical sources (Le Bon Usage, Le Français pratique, previous textbooks of yours). All work submitted with you name on it must contain your French and your level of expression, not someone else's. The use of on-line translators is also considered a violation of VT's honor code.

Students are therefore expected to abide by the University Honor Code Article II (Section 2) of the Constitution of the Virginia Tech Honor System. If you are not familiar with the code, please go to the following address:

Special Accomodations: If you have a learning style that requires special accommodations, you need to contact the Office of the Dean of Students. A staff member from that office will provide a form to make available to all your instructors. The form will include a written description of the necessary specified accommodations.

Post April-16 realities: You may continue to experience on-going grief this semester. Some flexibility has been built into my syllabus for post-April 16 difficulties as well as for other medical, emotional, or psychological challenges that you might encounter. If you miss a week of classes, you should be in contact with the Schiffert Health Center (231-5313), the Cook Counseling Center (231-6557), or the Dean of Students Office (231-4035) who will provide information to your professors about your absence if appropriate. It also would be helpful for me to know the general nature of the problems you are facing. I will try to assist you to receive the help you need; however, too many absences may require that you withdraw from my course. Please be aware of the university deadlines and policies for dropping classes or using the course withdrawal procedure.

The more contact you have with the French language, the better you abilities will be. In two weeks there will be an organizational meeting for our French Club, Le Cercle Francophone. Every Thursday at 6:00 p.m. students and professors get together at More than Coffee, on 235 N. Main Street. It is a wonderful opportunity to speak and listen to French in a more relaxing, natural context. In addition, the Le Cercle Francophone often organizes films and parties.

You can watch same-day broadcasts of French news via the internet or on television. Off campus, if you have cable, you can also receive same-day French news on the International channel at 7:00PM. On French Program's web page (http://www.fll.vt.edu/French/liens.html) you'll find many links to French media: to listen to, to watch, and to read. The International Channel also offers French films on the weekends and other French-language programming.

Getting in the habit of watching the French news nightly will increase your listening skills while bringing you up to date with the political, economic and social debates that presently are gripping France and Europe, providing you a very important, unmediated presentation of European perspectives.