(Note: This message was prepared to go out the evening of Tuesday, Sept. 10, but my Internet access kept dying, and I was too tired to stay up and fuss with it. I'll try again first thing Wednesday morning.)

Getting started in French and German

Hi,

Several of you are getting ahead of me. You are trying to find certain things online that I haven't put there, such as when your assignments are due, when you will have the first test, etc. I hadn't started talking about specific things that I want you to do in French and German ... yet ... because I still have so many students who haven't contacted either Christine or me. As of today, there are nine students on the French and German class rosters who are no-shows. Well ... a week is long enough. We've got to get going. If the others show up later, they will just have to scramble to catch up.

First, let me mention your textbooks. The French class won't be using a text for the first couple of weeks, but you might want to check to see if the bookstore needs to order more. I had estimated 10-12 in the class, but I have nearly 20 on the class roster. There is still plenty of time for the bookstore to get more books, but drop by there and make sure that they know that you will need one. You will need the textbook, French in Action, and the French in Action Workbook, Part 1.

The German class will need the text Kontakte right away. You don't need a workbook, but I ordered a Dasher CD that contains a great variety of exercises to reinforce what you will be doing in the text. I suggest that you buy the CD if you can spare the money.

In one of yesterday's messages, I referred you to the Plans.

http://www.westenskow.net/plans.html (or http://eet.msun.edu/~Westenskow/plans.html)

Notice that the plans for French and German are on the same page. Click on French in Action for the French plans, and Kontakte for the German. Or just scroll down to the bottom of the page for the German links.

Don't worry for now about all of the various links. Some are active, some are not. Some will send you to out of date material. The only ones that concern you right now are the links to Introduction 1 in the French section and Einführung A in the German section. So French students should end up with this study guide

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

and German students this one

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

These are your starting points, and this is the material that goes with the audio tape that Christine has for you in Cowan 305. I suggest that you listen to the tape as you go through the plan and the various exercises so that you will know what things are supposed to sound like.

These Plans contain a lot of explanations and links to translations and exercises. How do you know which exercises must be sent to me as homework? For this info, you go to the Assignments pages.

Again, go to either the French in Action or Kontakte section and click on Introduction 1 (for French) or Einführung A (for German) to arrive at

On these pages I have listed specifically which exercises should be completed and submitted. Print these assignment pages so that you can refer to them as you work through the Plans.

I'll talk about the exam description pages when we get a little closer to the exam. I have revised the exam descriptions, and the new versions may not be online yet.

When are the assignments due? I'll give you a little flexibility because I know that you are going to have good days and bad days. I'll give you a timeframe and let you spread your work over that period as best fits your particular schedules. I do suggest, however, that you try to do something everyday. Language study requires frequent exposure to the materials and lots and lots of repetition.

Let me also remind you that the rule of thumb in college courses is two hours of work outside class for every hour in class. Since we don't have a regular classroom situation, you should be spending the extra four hours per week on homework ... for a total of about 12 hours per week. Some of you will get by with less. Others might require more, but the lessons are designed with about that much work in mind.

These sets of exercises (Introduction A and Einführung A) should be completed in about a week and a half --- let's say by Sept. 21. I will then give you a review period, and you should take your exam by Thursday, Sept. 26. I will provide more details about exam taking procedures in a later message.

OK so far? Go to the Plans and Assignments. Work through the Plans step-by-step. Listen to the tape. And complete and send me the designated exercises.

----------------

Questions? Problems? Please let me know. I'll get back to you as soon as possible.