Mises au point: advanced French

This module follows on from an OU Level 2 French module. It continues to develop your knowledge and understanding of the society and culture of contemporary France and French-speaking countries, and to extend the practical skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. The study resources include online authentic audio and video, comprising interviews, documentaries and reportages, and illustrated printed materials. You will also develop your academic writing, critical and analytical skills, and intercultural competence. The module has six themes that give both broad and focused coverage of different aspects of historical and contemporary France and French-speaking countries.

What you will study

Most of the materials for this module are delivered online via the module website, and you will spend a considerable amount of time carrying out interactive online activities.

Each theme is studied over five weeks, has online activities through the module website, associated video and audio documentary material together with listening and speaking exercises, reading and writing exercises based on longer texts from a full-colour printed anthology of texts (Francosphères).

The themes in detail are:

• History:< The end of the French Empire; a profile of General de Gaulle; Revolution and republicanism.
• Multicultural France: Interviews with the writer Azouz Begag; an exploration of secularism (Laïcité) and its role in French identity; immigration and identity through the prism of literature.
• The media: The regional daily Sud Ouest – production and presentation of the news; French radio, listener participation, consumer issues; television, the internet, globalisation, and celebrity culture.
• The arts in France: The influence of la bande dessinée in France; the national Fête de la Musique; the State of the Arts.
• Science and technology: The Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie, science and the public; a profile of two French oceanography museums; scientific endeavour the French way
• Expression and identity in the French-speaking world: The literatures of Québec; the Caribbean and French-speaking Africa; the French-speaking world.

This course is designed to enable you to achieve a level of language proficiency equivalent to level C1 of the Council of Europe Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Professional recognition

The Chartered Institute of Marketing now recognises this module under their Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme.

Entry requirements

This is an OU Level 3 module for students who have successfully completed an OU Level 2 French module or who already have an equivalent knowledge of French.

If you have any doubt about the suitability of the module, please speak to an adviser.

Preparatory work

Before the module begins, we suggest that you continue to use your French in any way you can. You could do this by: redoing some of the activities in your OU Level 2 French module; listening to French radio or internet TV broadcasts and podcasts; borrowing French books and films from the local library; or reading French newspapers and blogs online. Anything you can do to keep practising your French will be helpful.

You should ensure that you have access to dictionaries and grammar books, either in print or online, both monolingual and bilingual for your own first language.

What's included

You'll have access to printed books and a module website, which is the focal point of your study, and includes:

• a week-by-week study planner
• course-specific module materials
• audio and video content
• assessment details and submission section
• online tutorial access
• and access to forums where you can communicate with your tutor and fellow students.

Computing requirements

A computing device with a browser and broadband internet access is required for this module. Any modern browser will be suitable for most computer activities. Functionality may be limited on mobile devices.

Any additional software will be provided, or is generally freely available. However, some activities may have more specific requirements. For this reason, you will need to be able to install and run additional software on a device that meets the requirements below.

A desktop or laptop computer with either an up-to-date version of Windows or macOS.

The screen of the device must have a resolution of at least 1024 pixels horizontally and 768 pixels vertically.

To join in the spoken conversation in our online rooms we recommend a headset (headphones or earphones with an integrated microphone).

Our Skills for OU study website has further information including computing skills for study, computer security, acquiring a computer and Microsoft software offers for students.

Teaching and assessment

Support from your tutor

You'll have a tutor to help you with the study material who will mark and comment on your written and spoken tutor-marked assignments (TMAs). You can also ask your tutor for advice and guidance.

This module usually includes a mix of face-to-face and online tutorials. Some tutorials are offered online only, and others are offered face-to-face and online. Please note that student numbers on the module, and where tutors are based, will affect the locations of where face-to-face tutorials are held. We cannot guarantee that these will be hosted in specific locations, or locations that have been used previously. While you're not obliged to attend tutorials, you are strongly encouraged to take part as they will provide you with the opportunity to speak and listen to French and meet other students and tutors, whether online or face-to-face. Note that you can attend as many tutorials as you like, offered by any of the tutors. The online tutorials will give you practice in using the conferencing tool used for the end-of-module speaking test.

Contact us if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.

Assessment

The assessment details for this module can be found in the facts box above.

You must use the online eTMA system to submit your tutor-marked assignments (TMAs). The written part of the end-of-module assessment (EMA) must also be submitted online. The EMA also includes a speaking test which is carried out online.