Messages - First Semester French - Spring 2004

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1-15-04

Beginning French students,

Some of you have already received most of this information.  For others it is brand new.  Students are still adding the class, and I still haven’t been contacted by about half of those enrolled.  As a result, I am repeating information I have already sent to some of you.

I have put together a class e-mail list based on the e-mail addresses that some of you have sent me, addresses that I have found in the MSU -Northern Banner databank, and possible addresses for student accounts created by Northern. I’m hoping to have a complete and correct address list ready by the start of next week so that I can get information to everyone at the same time.

If you haven’t already been in touch with me, please respond to this message letting me know if the e-mail address I’ve used is the one you prefer, etc.   You might also indicate if you prefer to be addressed other than by your listed first name.

This e-mail account  (french@westenskow.net) is the one I will use to send you course information and the one to which you will submit your homework assignments.

Most of you will have questions about how to handle an Internet course, so I’ll run you through an orientation period before you actually start your French study.  You will spend the first week and a half of the semester becoming familiar with the materials I have online and the various procedures I want you to use in this Internet course. 

I will ask you to submit a practice assignment next week, but for now you can read my introduction to online language study

http://www.westenskow.net/langsonline.html

and browse through the links I have on my “useful pages” list

http://www.westenskow.net/useful.html .   In particular you should be familiar with the course syllabus, the material on getting started in French, and the class schedule.

I will start sending specific course information and assignments at the start of next week, but don’t hesitate to contact me with your questions at any time.

Enrollment has exceeded my expectations, so the bookstore didn’t order enough texts for everyone.  This doesn’t present a problem, however, because I have created a couple of introductory lessons that we will cover before we start the text itself.  I have contacted the bookstore for more information on texts and will share that info with you as soon as I receive answers to my questions.

More later.

1-20-04

Textbooks

Because enrollments this semester far exceeded expectations, the bookstore is out of French and German texts.   If you have not already done so, drop by the bookstore right away and make sure that your name is on their order list. 

The French class won’t be using the text for a couple of weeks, so lack of texts is not critical.

The need is more urgent for German students, however, since we will start studying the textbook lessons next week.  If you are unable to obtain a book by next week, there is still no reason to panic.  I have so much material online that you can learn much of the first lesson material without the text, and I will provide additional material if necessary.   

1-20-04

Moving ahead

By now you should have read my introduction to my online classes, your French or German course syllabus, and perhaps the pages on getting started in French or German.

Languages Online

FREN 105 Syllabus

GER 105 Syllabus

Getting Started in French

Getting St arted in German

This week I want you to work on becoming familiar with the procedures for submitting homework over the Internet.   Read my online discussion of this process.

Electronic Homework Delivery

Then do the sample homework assignment.   Complete either the French or German practice document, and send it to me as an e-mail attachment.  Part of the assignment involves creating the accented letters or symbols that you will use in writing French and German. 

French Practice Document

German Practice Document

For some of you with limited computer skills, these computer details might be as difficult as learning your French or German. Let me know if you have problems with any part of this process.  I can’t help you if I don’t know what you are having trouble with.   I’m a language teacher, not a mind reader.

1-21-04

Electronic Homework Delivery

Things are going pretty well on the practice documents; however, some of you are pasting your documents into your e-mail message box instead of sending them as attachments.  I can still work with them, but this method does create a couple of problems.

When you send me an attachment, I simply open the attachment, and it’s ready to edit.  When the document appears as part of your e-mail message, I have to copy and paste it into a new document before I can edit.  I cannot edit anything that appears in the e-mail message box.  The copying and pasting process takes just a little extra time, but I will have 36 students submitting a dozen or more documents each week, and the extra time will add up in a hurry.

Pasting the document into the e-mail message box also results in the loss of the formatting, and I have to spend extra time re-arranging items in order to make my corrections and comments.

If you are having trouble with the process, let me know “precisely” where you bog down.  I can’t offer help with specific problems if you just say, “Help. I’m having a problem.”

You can be assured that I will do my part in this language learning process. Your success will depend on the degree to which you do your part.

Again, I don't read minds. If there is anything in my material that you have trouble with, let me know right away. I can't resolve your problem if I don't know what it is.

I am altering the first semester French schedule because I am having trouble getting the next tape to you.  Your first tape takes you only through section 5 in the first introductory lesson, so I am stretching that first assignment over this entire week. 

http://www.westenskow.net/frensched_s04_1.html

I have been away from my dubbing apparatus too much, and I’m not getting the next tape copied fast enough to get it to you this week.  I will probably mail tapes on Thursday, and Christine will have them by Monday when you will start working on sections 6, 7, and 8. 

Remember that the assignment dates are guidelines, not unbreakable deadlines.  I like to give you a little flexibility, but I warn you against getting too far behind.  You should be sending me homework at least twice a week, and I suggest that you do some work each day instead of delaying and working on large chunks.  Frequent exposure and review will help you to retain the material much better. 

2-2-04

Homework tidbits

Bonjour,

You should now be working on and submitting homework exercises.   Bookmark the course schedule so that you can refer to it frequently.

http://www.westenskow.net/frensched_s04_1.html

Your starting place for each lesson is the Plan.   For the first introductory lesson, go to

http://www.westenskow.net/fact1plan1.html,

and send me the exercises marked with an asterisk.  

I do suggest that you listen to the tapes as you go through the study guides so that you have an idea how everything should be pronounced.  You should also try to repeat what I’m saying on the tape in order to develop correct pronunciation.  If you haven’t already picked up your first tape (exercises 1-5) from Christine in 102 Hagener, please do so immediately.   I mailed the second tape (exercise 6 – telling time) on Friday, so Christine should receive it today.  

I check my e-mail several times a day, and I am usually able to correct and return your work within a few hours.   I am helping out at South High in Denver by operating a writing lab, working with classes in a computer lab, and building web pages for the English department.  I hadn’t planned to work in Denver, but my wife teaches English at South, so I decided to go work with her and the people I had been socializing with.   I am at South from 6:30 to 3:00, but I’m on the payroll for only about six hours.  That means that I have about 2 ½ hours throughout the day to spend on my Northern classes.  I also work on Northern materials between 3:30 and 7:30 after returning home.  I work Friday evenings only if I’m not engaged in some TGIF function.   I don’t work a set schedule on weekends, but I do try to put in at least a couple of hours each day.    

Some of you are having trouble submitting materials in the format I prefer (a Microsoft Word attachment).   If your home computer doesn’t have Word, let me know, and we’ll work out the best system for your particular setup.   I don’t want you to pass up working at your best times simply because you don’t have Word.  If I have to take time to do a little copying and pasting, I’ll live with it.  

I have divided your week into two assignments, and I would like to have you submit exercises at least twice a week.   If you want to do an exercise or two at a time and send to me daily, that is just fine.  I just don’t want you letting everything go to the end and trying to cram it in.  Your French will soak in much better if you do some work everyday and review often.

Submitting the homework assignments is, of course, only the first step in obtaining a mastery of the material.   Do the exercises several times as self-tests to make sure that you can indeed handle the material without looking up the answers. 

Don’t hesitate to let me know if you still have questions regarding the homework assignments and the submission procedure. 

2-10-04

Return of the homework tidbits

Some of you are off to a great start.  Others have started a bit slowly.  Several have chosen (for whatever reason) not to participate in the process to this point.   It’s your tuition money.  Use it or waste it as you prefer.  

It is your responsibility to refer often to the schedules that I have put online and to be aware of homework and exam timelines.

(French)  http://www.westenskow.net/frensched_s04_1.html

(German)  http://www.westenskow.net/germsched_s04_1.html

The homework schedules are meant to serve as guidelines and not as a series of deadlines.  I know that there are good times to study and bad times to study, so I want to give you a little flexibility.   You will learn much more effectively, however, if you study each day and review often.  Try not to get very far behind.  Language lessons don’t “cram” well.  

I will also be able to return your homework more rapidly if you send me exercises at least twice a week.   If you send me a whole lesson all at once, I will have to work on it bit by bit and get it back to you when I can.   I can’t ignore the work sent in by eight or ten other students simply because you sent everything at once.  

I will also give you a little flexibility in your exam schedule.  Note in the class schedule that I have given you a two-week window for taking your exams.  If you are working on schedule, you should take your exam during the first week indicated.  If you are a bit behind, I will allow you to take the exam during the second week without penalty.  You can still take the exam beyond that second week, but each additional week will result in an automatic 10% reduction in your test score.  (See the course syllabus.)

Note that your first exam is scheduled for next week.  I will send more exam information in a day or two. 

Any other questions on your homework assignments or the submission process?

I recently sent you the link to an English to French sample exam page.

 http://www.westenskow.net/rev_intro_1.html

Now I am sending you the answer sheet that you can use instead of submitting your translations to me.

http://www.westenskow.net/rev_intro_1b.html

I suggest that you print off several copies of these sample exam pages and practice translating the material back and forth. Of course, your exam will not be identical to these pages, but it will be very similar. Questions?

TUESDAYS 10:00-12:00
WEDNESDAYS 12:00-2:00
THURSDAYS 9:00-11:00

If the above times are impossible for you, check with Christine right away. She has a few other times when she can accommodate individuals.

4. Have you erased a message that you should have kept. Remember that you can go to the Useful Pages for a link to all the major e-mail messages I have sent out this semester.