FRENCH LANGUAGE AND CULTURE
Why should I take this Trinity Elective?
Beginner Level: This Trinity Elective offers you the opportunity to learn the key fundamentals of the French language in order to acquire basic set of communicative competences. You will also explore a cultural topic in its linguistic context.
Advanced Level: This Trinity Elective provides the opportunity for learners who have already completed Leaving Certificate French (or equivalent) to bring their language skills to the next level. Designed to bring your spoken and written fluency to the next level, you will also explore a cultural topic in its linguistic context.
PLEASE NOTE: YOU CAN ONLY SELECT TO TAKE EITHER BEGINNERS LEVEL OR ADVANCED LEVEL, BUT NOT BOTH.
See below for further information on level requirements.
PLEASE NOTE that these Electives are not traditional language modules and in addition to language learning there is a considerable focus on the culture and society of the country of the target language being taught.
Visiting students should note that the modules may not fulfil language credit requirements in your home university and you should confirm this before enrolling.
What will I learn?
- You will acquire new linguistic and intercultural skills
- You will learn about a contemporary cultural issue that presents a societal challenge in its linguistic context
- You will develop your metacognitive skills and strategies as you communicate in the language you have selected
What will I do?
- Attend a series of language classes where you will engage in tasks to develop your linguistic proficiency in speaking, listening, reading and writing
- Engage in online quizzes and weekly activities to consolidate your progress
- Work in teams to complete collaborative, interactive tasks in class
- Prepare a short individual presentation on a cultural issue
How will this be delivered?
- 18 hours of face-to-face language classes and 10 hours of student engagement through teamwork and collaborative tasks
- Approx. 36 hours of online language learning exercises, tasks and activities
- Approx. 36 hours of assessment preparation & delivery (quizzes, presentation)
How will this be assessed?
100% continuous assessment:
- Online language quizzes 25%
- Participation in online discussion board on the cultural/linguistic topics of the module 25%
- Online personal learning journal 25%
- Pre-recorded timed slide presentation with separate written script of the presentation uploaded to Blackboard (25%)
Who can take this Trinity Elective?
- Any student eligible to take a Trinity Elective can select this Trinity Elective except for the students from the following programmes: Law and French, Business Studies and French, French in the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies.
Level Requirements
Please note that the Beginner modules (A1 common European proficiency level) are suitable only for complete beginners without any prior linguistic knowledge. If you have Leaving Certificate or equivalent you cannot take a Language and Culture Elective at Beginners' level. Advanced modules (B2 common European proficiency level) are suitable for students who have passed their Leaving Certificate examination or equivalent. Language and Culture Trinity Electives may not be taken by native speakers. We require students to declare linguistic proficiency accurately, according to these guidelines. Applications will be screened following enrolment. If students enrol for a language module that does not match their proficiency then they will be allocated randomly to any Trinity Elective in which places are available.