French II for Teacher Education Students

The overall aim of the course is for students to deepen their knowledge of French and French-language literature and culture while they prepare for their future professional role as language teacher. A further overall aim is that students develop independence in their studies and the ability to reflect on their learning.

Modules

On completion of the module, students will be able to:

• apply and explain various French grammatical structures and reflect on how to deal with these in teaching situations
• produce texts in clear and grammatically correct French
• adapt language and form to different types of texts
• explain and reflect on the design of their own and others’ texts
• critically reason about current language debates
• translate texts with different characteristics from Swedish to French in a way that demonstrates linguistic certainty.

On completion of the module, students will be able to:

• describe the main features of the history and development of linguistic, in particular French linguistics
• explain some aspects of linguistic theories and methods
• explain and apply basic concepts of general and French linguistics
• in French, write a short academic text in accordance with established academic conventions
• demonstrate good linguistic competence in French both orally and in writing
• relate critically to knowledge sources.

On completion of the module, students will, in French, be able to:

• explain and discuss pronunciation variations in different parts of the French-speaking world
• in accordance with academic conventions, orally and in writing analyse and reflect on linguistic variation with regard to linguistic registers and sociolects
• express themselves orally in different situations and adapt the language to different contexts
• explain and discuss the structure in different types of debates and oral presentations
• argue orally according to rhetorical principles
• critically reflect on the norms that characterise the spoken French taught in the Swedish language classroom.

On completion of the module, students will, in French, be able to:

• discuss different genres and trends in French literary history from the 1600s, 1700s and 1800s
• understand, discuss and analyse a selection of novels, plays and poems from the 1600s to the 1800s
• discuss central literary concepts and demonstrate the ability to use them in relevant contexts
• conduct literary analyses, both orally and in writing, of poetry, drama and prose, and reflect on both form and content
• demonstrate the ability to independently complete a written piece of work that meets the basic requirements of literary studies and reflect on the writing process
• critically use different forms of knowledge sources
• demonstrate independence in their studies
• critically reflect on the type of French literary texts that are used to teach French in Swedish schools.

This module aims to give students an introduction to language didactics. The module provides a theoretical basis and complements the content of the other modules in preparation for students’ future professional role as langauge teacher.
On completion of the module, students will be able to:

• discuss how the position of foreign languages in school and society has developed historically and is debated in the present day
• explain central language-learning theories and discuss their importance for language teaching
• describe the school’s governing documents with a particular focus on the syllabuses and subject curricula for modern languages
• in Swedish, discuss and reflect on language didactic issues relating to the selection of teaching materials and working methods in relation to the target group and the school’s governing documents.

The aim of this module is for students to consolidate and deepen their language didactic knowledge and skills, and to develop familiarity with language teaching in primary and secondary school. The module also aims to increased awareness of pupils’ general and specific requirements for language learning. A further aim is for students to develop their ability to relate their other language studies to a professional perspective as language teacher.
On completion of the module, students will be able to:

• discuss content and working methods for teaching with regard to the target group, the school’s governing documents and relevant research based on pupils’ need for knowledge and individual conditions for learning
• discuss and decide on central language learning theories based on relevant and current research as well as their own experiences of language teaching
• discuss and explain relevant assessments of pupils’ oral and written performances based on different theories of assessment and the school’s governing documents
• discuss culture in language teaching, use different sources and critically decide on different interpretations of the concept of culture and intercultural competence.

On completion of the module, students will be able to:

• reflect on pupils’ views on and experiences of their language learning and discuss how language teaching should be designed to benefit pupils’ language development based on theories and research on foreign language learning
• discuss assessment in language teaching based on the school’s governing documents and theories on assessment
• explain the background to the school’s governing document with a focus on European cooperation and the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR)
• discuss and reflect on the interplay between internal and external factors that are linked to the student, the teacher and the concrete teaching situation and how these can be addressed by choosing content and relevant working methods in language teaching
• analyse and critically review teaching materials for teaching French as a foreign language from a language didactic perspective and in relation to the school’s governing documents
• describe different forms of digital tools and discuss how they can be used in teaching to develop the subject’s content and teaching methods as well as pupils’ learning, and also practically apply these in their own learning.

On completion of the module, students will be able to:

• independently choose relevant content and working methods in the planning of language teaching in relation to pupils’ different needs and backgrounds and in relation to the school’s governing documents and relevant research
• describe the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and make relevant assessments of pupils’ language skills in relation to CEFR and to the school’s governing documents
• explain how digital tools can be used in language teaching, explain the importance of digital development for the content and working methods of language teaching, and apply digital tools in teaching based on relevant language didactic research
• explain central language didactic research areas and research methods
• formulate a relevant research question within a defined problem area that is connected to language teaching in primary and secondary schools and develop a method to investigate the question
• prepare, lead and evaluate a discussion that is about selected content.

The course consists of four obligatory modules:
Module 1. Written Language Proficiency II, 7.5 credits
Module 2. Introduction to Linguistics and Academic Writing, 5.5 credits
Module 3. Spoken French, 5.5 credits
Module 4. French Literature II: Up to 1900, 5.5 credits

Students then choose one of the four modules that focus on language learning and teaching:
Module 5. Language Learning and Teaching 1A, 6 credits
Module 6. Language Learning and Teaching 1B, 6 credits
Module 7. Language Learning and Teaching 2A, 6 credits
Module 8. Language Learning and Teaching 2B, 6 credits

The modules Language Learning and Teaching 1 and Language Learning and Teaching 2 can be taken in any order. They are normally offered once a year. Students who have already taken Language Learning and Teaching 1 take Language Learning and Teaching 2 and vice versa.

Students who are studying French as their first subject AND students who have studied a subject other than language as their first subject take module 5, Language Learning and Teaching 1A or module 7, Language Learning and Teaching 2A.
Students who have studied another language as their first subject take module 6, Language Learning and Teaching 1B or module 8, Language Learning and Teaching 2B.

Modules

The module includes an in-depth study of French grammar, as well as a review of various aspects of importance for clear written communication in French. The module contains varied grammatical exercises and writing tasks aimed at developing students’ writing, including training in adapting text structure and style to different types of texts. Students also familiarise themselves with and critically discuss current language debates in French-speaking countries. In addition, practice in translation is included.

The module provides an introduction to both general linguistics and French linguistics. The module also provides an introduction to academic writing in French. Students write a short academic text in French and critically review a text written by another student.

The module includes studies of how pronunciation varies in different geographical areas of the French-speaking world. It also includes studies on linguistic variation with regard to linguistic registers and sociolects. Students also practice expressing themselves academically in both spoken and written French. The module also includes the study of different types of debates and oral presentations and exercises in argumentation in spoken French.

The module includes the study of French literature (novels, plays and poetry) from the 1600s to the 1800s. The module covers the history of literature and literary analysis techniques. The literature is examined in light of historical and social developments in France.

This module constitutes an introduction to language didactics and to the central questions concerning the content and design of language teaching in relation to pupils’ different conditions for language learning and the school’s governing documents. The role and development of foreign languages in Swedish schools is treated in a historical retrospective. Central elements are a basic study of theories about language learning and discussions about language didactic issues. By also studying current governing documents in the form of curricula and syllabuses for modern languages, the relationship between the theories and the content of the school subject is treated. In this way, the content of the other modules is linked to the future profession and the concrete teaching situation as well as to the demands placed on the language teacher at school.

The module involves an in-depth study of language didactic theories linked to various aspects of language learning and language teaching and a discussion of the relevance of these theories for language teaching. Students compare different theories on and models for language learning and gain insight into national and international research on multilingualism. Through practical exercises, students’ improve their scholarly approach and increase their ability to independently evaluate different theories. Students immerse themselves in the school’s governing documents and various theories about assessment and practices using different assessment models that are used in language teaching. Using practical exercises, students work on their ability to teach about cultural phenomena and to apply theoretical knowledge about the role of culture in language teaching.

This module contains studies of different aspects of language learning where discussion and reflection on didactic issues are central. Pupils’ linguistic awareness and how they perceive their situation as language learners is treated. The module invites reflection on and discussion about the awareness of  students’ language learning and how this knowledge can be used in language teaching. Different aspects of assessment and grading in languages form another important feature of the module. The Common European Framwork of Reference (CEFR) is treated and put in relation to the Swedish school’s curricula for modern languages. The module also includes studies of how digital tools can be used in language teaching and also includes the review of other types of teaching materials. The content of the module connects with the other studies in the subject of French and to the students’ future professional role.

This module involves an in-depth study of language didactic theories and research with a particular focus on the importance of new media for language teaching in terms of both the content of the subject and its teaching methods. The module provides tools to independently plan, implement and evaluate language teaching as well as to use and critically decide on digital tools as a resource for pupils’ learning. The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is studied from an assessment perspective, and students also get to practise how it can be used in the assessment of pupils’ knowledge and skills in relation to the school’s governing documents. The course introduces central research areas and research methods in language didactics, and students work on their ability to formulate a relevant research question within a defined area and to describe a relevant method to answer the question.

• Active participation in seminars
• Written assignments
• Oral presentations
• Written supervised online examinations

The grading scale used for the final course grade is U–VG.

For a final course grade of VG, students must achieve VG for a minimum of 22.5 credits.

Grades are reported as follows:

• Written Language Proficiency - 4 Credits | U–VG
• Grammar - 3.5 Credits | U–VG
• Linguistic Concepts and Theories - 2.5 Credits | U–VG
• Academic Writing - 3 Credits | U–VG
• French in the World - 1.5 Credits | U–VG
• Linguistic Variation - 2 Credits | U–VG
• Argumentation and Rhetoric - 2 Credits | U–VG
• French Literature, Oral Presentations - 1.5 Credits | U–VG
• French Literature, Written Presentations - 4 Credits | U–VG
• Language Learning and Teaching 1A - 6 Credits | U–VG
• Language Learning and Teaching 1B - 6 Credits | U–VG
• Language Learning and Teaching 2A - 6 Credits | U–VG
• Language Learning and Teaching 2B - 6 Credits | U–VG

This course overlaps previous course codes GFR2R4, GFR2JD, GFR27E and GFR24D.

The course includes two to three days at a primary or secondary school.