TESTIMONIALS

Personally I enjoyed the course, but I wouldn't say it was a bird course. I was in French Immersion every since elementary school, so my experiences might be different from others. Overall, the course was chill. There are frequent quizzes in both the lecture (grammar) and tutorial (vocabulary+this is not marked). You are also marked for attendance and participation, so if you're the type to skip a lot, it's not worth taking. Throughout the year, you are assessed through presentations and essays in your lecture, and through presentations in the tutorial. The tutorial is worth 15% of your final mark, and the two presentations in the tutorial are worth 50% of your tutorial mark while the rest of your tutorial mark comes from participation and attendance. Once a week, there is a novel study day. Each professor chooses a different novel for each semester. This year, Hanley chose Les Grandes Marees and Zadig. We had to write one essay per semester and on both the midterm and final, there will be an essay question. Overall, it was not too difficult to do well in the course, but it does require effort. Since it is a smaller class, your professor and TA will know you, so it is important to create a good impression. One tip I would give is to go to office hours if you have questions about writing the essays. Each professor prefers different styles and has different requirements, so it is best to understand their preferences when writing your essays. The grammar part is not hard, though there are quite a few rules. All of it can be found in the textbook. Make sure to do your homework because they will call on you to answer during class. The exam is fair, though you might be pressed for time. This could possibly be a more challenging course for people with a less intensive French education.