FRENCH  101/102/111/201/202
CLASSROOM POLICIES

Placement: In order to be successful in a language learning environment, a student must place him/herself in the appropriate class level.  On the first day of class, your instructor will explain the School of International Letters and Cultures (SILC) suggested placement policy to you.  If you are not a native speaker but have only learned French in an informal environment, and if this is your first or second semester at ASU, you may take a comprehensive exam to get credit for your knowledge.  Ask the SILC Testing Supervisor (LL B404) for details on this process.  If you have taken high school French or some other form of formal instruction and are unsure at which level you should be, you may take a computerized placement test during the first few days of the course.  All students currently registered in 101 who have had French before and all 111 students will take this exam during their first lab session.

Withdrawals: If it becomes necessary for you to withdraw from the class, do so as soon as possible.  Until the third week you do not need the instructor's signature.  From the third to the eighth week you may withdraw (if you are passing the course) with the instructor's signature.  After that you must receive a grade for the course unless you withdraw from all of your classes at ASU.

Incompletes: Incompletes are given only under dire circumstances.  Do not ask for an incomplete unless you have documented proof of a medical or family emergency that prevents you from completing the course.  You must also be passing the course at the time you ask for an incomplete; therefore, if you receive a failing grade on midterm report sheets you will not be eligible for an incomplete.

Disabled Students: If you are a disabled student in need of special arrangements for exams and/or homework, bring your instructor a letter from the Disabled Student Resources office.  You may also have to meet with the course supervisor to finalize the arrangements.

Student Athletes: If you are a student athlete in need of special arrangements for exams and/or homework due to your participation in official competitions on and off campus, provide your instructor with a copy of your sports schedule during the first week of class.  If you do not make him/her aware of your status and possible schedule conflicts at the beginning of the semester, your instructor is not required to make special arrangements for you after the fact.

Audits: If you are auditing the course, talk to your instructor about what is expected of you to receive an "X" (successful audit) instead of a "W" (withdrawal) as your grade.

Tutoring: If you need a tutor, you may sign up for one with the Learning Resource Center, located in the Student Services Building A361, as soon as possible.  The number of tutors is limited, and they are assigned on a first-come first-served basis.  The SILC also has a card index of referrals for people who tutor (for a fee)--these listings are provided as a courtesy, and the School of International Letters and Cultures does not sponsor or endorse these tutors.  There is also a bulletin board outside the fourth floor B-wing elevators of the LL building on which people post fliers for tutoring.  Your instructor is not a tutor and will be available to help students only during his/her weekly office hours.

Cheating: If you are suspected of academic dishonesty by your instructor, you will be referred to the TA Supervisor, the French Section Coordinator, and the Department Chair.  If you are found guilty, appropriate disciplinary measures will be taken against you.

Absences: If you cannot attend class, call your instructor ahead of time at the SILC main office (965-6281) and leave a message explaining the reason why you cannot attend.  Call a friend in the class to get the assignment for the next day; late homework will not be accepted by most instructors.  It is your responsibility to get the assignment and missed work from a classmate before you attend the next class, and you are expected to be prepared for that class as well.  During his/her office hours, your instructor will be happy to help you understand work that you missed, but s/he should not have to spend time looking through his/her grade book to see what homework you may have missed.

Making up incompletes: If you are attending this class to make up an incomplete, you should not have registered again for this class this semester.  During the first week, you must inform your instructor of your status, since your name will not appear on the roster.  Let your new instructor know who your former instructor was and what conditions you need to fulfill in order to make up the course.  These arrangements should have been specified in the written agreement signed by the student and the original instructor at the time the incomplete was given.

1)  Arrive at class on time.  Excessive tardiness will be noted and your class participation grade will be adversely affected.  Do not leave class early for any reason unless it is a medical emergency.  Picking someone up at the airport and meetings with other professors should not be scheduled during your French class time.

2)  Bring your book every day and your workbook when your instructor indicates that it will be necessary.

3)  DO NOT BRING FOOD OR DRINK INTO THE CLASSROOM OR THE LAB.

4)  DO NOT CHEW GUM IN CLASS OR IN LAB.

5)  DO NOT SPEAK IN ENGLISH UNLESS GIVEN PERMISSION TO DO SO BY YOUR INSTRUCTOR.  You will never learn to speak French if you keep relying on English.  Use gestures or other words to get your message across.

When you don't know how to say something in French, say:

Comment dit-on __________ en français?
(How do you say _________ in French?)

When you need something repeated, say:

Répétez, s'il vous plaît.
(Repeat, please.)

When you don't understand something, say:

Je ne comprends pas.
(I don't understand.)

OR

Que veut dire___________?
(What does __________ mean?)

When you don't know the answer to something, say:

Je ne sais pas.
(I don't know.)

When you want to stall for time, say:

Euh-h-h-h . . .

When you want to get by people to get to your seat, say:

Pardon.
(Excuse me) = (I need to get by.)

6)  Have respect for your classmates and your instructor.  Don't talk when they are talking.

7)  Hand in your homework on time and attend class every day.

8)  Be prepared for class: do your homework and read your assignments before class in order to get the most out of your class hour.

9)  Amusez-vous = have a good time.  Rule #9 is the most important rule of all.  Think of learning French as acquiring a new way to express yourself and to widen your circle of acquaintances and your knowledge of the world.
 

Last Update:  06/24/98