FREN 3034

This class was truthfully a lot easier than I expected it to be. It is definitely useful for students who are aiming to improve their speed at speaking and responding in French, and getting used to being put on the spot to speak about the topics you have read about and watched videos on to prepare for the class that day. Those of you who have taken Phonetics with Mme. Saunders will not be surprised that she does place a large emphasis on your pronunciation (she will correct you in the middle of a sentence), but it is not quite as harsh as she typically was in Phonetics.

There is very little reading to do - usually just articles to read and video clips to view, along with which she usually sends out a list of questions that will be covered in class so you know what to focus on while reading, as well as independent research when Saunders assigns small presentation projects for the class - and no written assignments: no papers, discussion posts, or any other written piece to submit for a grade. In that sense, if you hate the time it takes to write papers in French, I would highly recommend this class.

However, I would suggest paying attention throughout the semester, as the final project/exam is an oral summation of the themes discussed throughout the semester, along with a more open-ended recording (~10 minutes) on a subject of your choice that has not been covered in the semester. Overall, I would say that this was a much less work- and submission-heavy course than most other higher level French courses, and if you don't mind being asked to answer a question or respond to a fellow classmate on the spot, then you will definitely find this course to be easy.

P.S. As Mme. Saunders does often like to play favorites, try your best to get on her good side - since I was in her class during online classes, I made it a habit to join class a few minutes early and chat with her, and that certainly helped.