ASSIGNMENT: For this Touchstone, you will write a short composition in French in which you will use the vocabulary and skills you have learned in Unit 1 to make an introduction and share some basic information about yourself and about a friend of yours. After you receive feedback on this written submission, you will create a video submission in which you incorporate the feedback given in a spoken version.
In order to foster learning and growth, all work you submit must be newly written specifically for this course. Any plagiarized or recycled work will result in a Plagiarism Detected alert. Review Touchstones: Academic Integrity Guidelines for more about plagiarism and the Plagiarism Detected alert. For guidance on the use of generative AI technology, review Ethical Standards and Appropriate Use of AI.
A. Assignment Guidelines
DIRECTIONS, PART 1: Before starting your composition, please take a moment to tell us in 1-2 sentences (in English) about any previous experience you may have with the French language. For example:
Did you study the language in elementary, middle, or high school? If so, what is the highest level class you took and how long ago was that?
Do you speak French outside of the classroom, such as with family members or friends?
Have you spent any extended time (a month or more) in a French-speaking country? If so, was it for leisure or were you studying there?
Please include this information at the top of the page, before your composition. It will not be considered as part of your grade, but it will help us evaluate your submitted materials more accurately and provide you with more relevant feedback to help you progress in your language learning.
DIRECTIONS, PART 2: Write a composition (at least 100 words) in French that incorporates each of the following:
Use a form of salutation (start with “hello” in your favorite form in French).
Introduce yourself (state your name).
State your age.
State your birthday. Be sure to include the month and the date (but not the year) by using nouns and numbers for both, not individual digits. Make sure you format the date correctly in French.
For example, Mon anniversaire est …
Describe the different subjects that you are currently studying, and if you like them or not, using verbs like aimer, adorer, détester, and préférer. Remember you can add nuance to your likes and dislikes with expressions like un peu, vraiment, beaucoup, etc.
For example, J’aime beaucoup … mais je préfère …; J’aime étudier … mais je n’aime pas …
State some activities that you do or like to do on specific days of the week, month, or season. Include as many as possible using the indicative present of verbs you have learned in Unit 1, including -er verbs.
For example, Le lundi, j’étudie le français …; Le week-end, je mange …; En été j’aime voyager à …; En juillet, je travaille …
For the next part, describe a friend of yours covering all of the topics above. This time, you will use the third person singular form (make sure you use the correct subject pronoun). State your friend’s name, their age (exact age or made-up), and their birthday; describe the subjects they are studying and if they like them or not (if they are not a student, you can pretend they are); and finally state some activities your friend does on various days of the week, month, or season. Remember that you must use the third person singular form of each verb in this part of your composition.
How to begin: Mon amie s’appelle Julie. Elle …
End with your favorite form of “goodbye” in French.
B. Tips for Success
Remember to use gender and number agreement between nouns and articles, and adjectives if you use them. Make sure that you have subject-verb agreement as well.
Use the vocabulary and grammar you studied in this unit. Verbs you learned include être, avoir, dire, lire, écrire, and many regular -er verbs.
You will use the first person singular (je form) to talk about yourself and the third person singular (il, elle, or iel form) to talk about your friend.
Review your composition before you submit it to ensure that your composition flows and you can understand the language. Revise the language as needed before submitting.
Don’t forget to use conjunctions to make your message flow better. Examples of conjunctions include et (and), mais (but), ou (or), donc / alors (so), and parce que (because).
Use paragraphs to organize your ideas.
Remember that French uses mandatory accent marks on some words, as well as the cedilla. Learn how to use your keyboard so you can type French special characters, since this is part of learning the language. You could also copy and paste from this list: à, â, é, è, ê, ë, i, î, ï, o, ô, œ, ù, û, ü, ç
Mac: While holding down the Option key, press “e,” and press the letter you want the accent on.
For é: Option + e, then “e”
For à, è, ù: Option + `, then the letter
For â, ê, î, ô, û: Option + i, then the letter
For ë, ï, ü: Option + u, then the letter
For ç: Option + c
For œ: Option + q
Windows 10: Change your keyboard settings.
Click on the Windows icon on the bottom left corner of your screen.
Click on “Settings.”
Click on “Time & Language.”
Click on “Language” on the left.
Click on “Keyboard.”
Click on “Add a keyboard.”
Select the “English – United States – International” keyboard.
Check the box for “Use the desktop language bar when it’s available” so you can switch to “U.S. keyboard” from your taskbar whenever you want. You can also hold the Windows key and press the spacebar until you find the language of your choosing.
Chromebook: Click on the little wheel for settings (on the bottom right hand side).
Scroll to the bottom and look for “Show advanced settings.”
Scroll down to “Languages and input settings.”
Under input method, put a checkmark next to “U.S. international keyboard.”
You should be able to see “ENG” on the bottom right of your screen
Now you can type special characters:
Holding down the Alt key on the right, press a, e, i, o, u, c
C. Rubric: IN ORDER TO RECEIVE A PASSING SCORE ALL OF THE FOLLOWING MUST BE MET.
Content (20 points)
The content is appropriate for the assignment and comprehensible: The message is thorough and relevant, and all the tasks have been addressed in detail.
Vocabulary (10 points)
Relevant vocabulary is included and properly used: The student demonstrates an extensive and impressive knowledge of the words studied in the unit. Their use is precise and effective.
Grammar (15 points)
Grammar is correctly integrated and properly used:
The student uses grammar studied in the unit correctly or with very few minor errors
Organization and Mechanics (5 points)
The composition is organized and flows well: The ideas are organized in a logical and effective way, the main points and details are well-connected, and the composition flows nicely. Spelling and mechanics are near perfect.
