Southern Utah University

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Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2026

Beginning French I (Face-to-Face)

FREN 1010-02

Course: FREN 1010-02
Credits: 4
Term: Fall Semester 2026
Department: Languages and Philosophy
CRN: 30379

Course Description

Designed for students with little or no language experience. This course will emphasize conversation, vocabulary building, and basic grammar. (Fall) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Registration Restriction(s): Intensive English Program majors may not enroll General Education Category: Humanities

Required Texts

We are using Open Educational Resources for this course. This means you won’t buy a textbook, but should plan to have access to the internet to study and do homework, and/or may want to print certain materials for regular study and memorization. Additionally, it would be smart to use a binder to organize printed materials and notes to have them at your constant disposal both in class and to study.
We will use materials on a website from UT Austin, as well as a website I have created to replace/update the TX materials. Students should familiarize themselves with these sites, bookmark them, and learn how to access what is needed for success in the class. I will put links in homework assignments etc., but you will want to know how to find what you need for study later.
Our textbook Français interactif is found here: http://www.laits.utexas.edu/fi/
My website, French Lessons, Grammar for French 1010, is still somewhat a work in progress. Please let me know if you encounters mistakes, typos or anything unclear. Here's the link:

Learning Outcomes

SUU HSS General Education Learning Outcomes that apply to FREN 1010:
  1. Students develop and express ideas and will be able to do so in a variety of ways, namely in writing, and by speaking.
  2. Compare and contrast diverse humanistic perspectives across cultures, and/or communities.

Learning outcomes specified for FREN 1010
By the end of FREN 1010, students will have:
1. Gained familiarity with the basic sound system of French.
2. Gained basic conversational skills about common topics.
3. Learn some basic vocabulary related to greetings, numbers, dates and months, the classroom, physical and other descriptions, and food. 
4. Developed a basic understanding of major grammar topics such as the present tense, the infinitive, adjectives and adverbs, and negating verbs.
5. Begun to have some skills with regards to the following linguistic functions: speaking about the present, future and past, asking questions, describing and comparing.

Course Requirements

Responsibilities & Grade Break Down: 
Participation = 14% 
Homework = 19% 
Workshops (9) = 12%
Written Exams (5) = 35%
Quizzes (12, and I will drop the 3 lowest grades) = 12%
Final oral exam = 8%

Course Outline


Participation : This part of the grade includes attendance and active participation in all in-class activities. Full active participation in class merits the 5 points that attendance /participation assignments are worth. However, behaviors that diminish the class learning experience (for example, arriving late, leaving early, paying attention to your phone rather than class, doing other homework, talking to other students while I am presenting material, etc), can result in a lower grade for the day. Absence = 0/5. In case of illness or another emergency, please let me know (leahy@suu.edu) so I can excuse your absence. 

Homework : Written homework or recorded pronunciation practice will be due on several class days every week. In addition, spending time several times a week on memorization will be vital to success in this class (and in language learning generally). 

Written Exams (5) : On the grammar, vocabulary, videos, culture and any other topics covered in class and for homework. They will include exercises that demonstrate students’ memorization of forms and also their ability to write and understand written and spoken French. See Calendar for dates; there is one exam at the end of each Unit. Exams will be on paper and in class. I provide study guides and Canvas Practice Quizzes to help you prepare. If you are sick and cannot be in class for an exam but want to be able to take a make-up exam, please email ahead of time to let me know.

Quizzes (12, and I will drop the 3 lowest grades) On announced topics. Meant to foster memorization and thus, improve test scores and overall learning. See Calendar for dates. With a built in number of dropped lowest scores on quizzes, any missed quiz scores will be dropped. Please take advantage of the Practice Quizzes which I provide through the Canvas Quiz Function. Quizzes will be administered through the Canvas quiz function, in class, so please be ready with phones or other devices on quiz days. Alternatively, I will opt to administer a few quizzes in class on paper. Please see me with questions. 

Oral Final Exam The Oral exam is an extension of in-class activities; general topics will be announced ahead of time so students can prepare; however, the best preparation is to practice speaking on a regular basis, both in class and at workshops. In addition to a short conversation on topics covered during the semester, the oral final typically includes pronouncing vocabulary from one of the chapter lists and conjugating verbs we have learned aloud. These skills should also be practiced regularly in the workshops.

Tutor-lead workshops: (with a tutor in GC104). Part drill session, part pronunciation practice, part basic conversation on current class topics, these tutor-lead workshops which will include other students from your French 1010 class are to help you become comfortable speaking and so that basic French exchanges become automated. The workshops will start in the second or third full week of classes and for full credit, you should attend (for 20 minutes per session) nine times in all. At least four of your workshops should be completed and recorded before fall break. Extra workshops are a source of extra credit;  1 extra workshop = one extra point on a test. No more than 3 workshops total can be completed during the last two weeks of the semester. No more than 5 extra credit points (added to test scores) can be earned by workshops.

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Homework assignments: Turning in a homework assignment one day late will lower the grade by 20%. Turning in an assignment more than one day late but before the end of the unit will lower the grade by 50%. Assignments will close before the end of the pertinent unit. 
As stated above, the lowest 3 quiz grades of 12 will be dropped. Quizzes missed for any reason will earn a zero, but can be counted among the grades to be dropped. 

Attendance Policy

Participation : This part of the grade includes attendance and active participation in all in-class activities. Full active participation in class merits the 5 points that attendance /participation assignments are worth. However, behaviors that diminish the class learning experience (for example, arriving late, leaving early, paying attention to your phone rather than class, doing other homework, talking to other students while I am presenting material, etc), can result in a lower grade for the day. Absence = 0/5. 
In case of illness or another emergency, please let me know (leahy@suu.edu) so I can excuse your absence. If a student has 8 or more unexcused absences during the semester, he or she will receive a zero for this portion of the grade. 

Course Fees

4 Credit(s) | $24 Fee

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.