• 3 scheduled longer contrôles (usually given as take-homes): 25%
• several quizz auraux: 10%
• written work of varying length, some collaborative: 20%
• Final exam, taken during the exam period: 20%
• preparation and participation: 25%

I say "roughly" because, while I try to remain as objective as possible in evaluating student work, subjective factors inevitably influence my grading. I try to take attempts to go beyond the minimum expected and progress, among other factors, into account. This is particularly true as concerns preparation and participation.Here is how participation over the course of the semester will be evaluated:

4.0: the student is present and on time to all but two or three classes during the semester; demonstrates thorough preparation; always takes the initiative in answering questions and making comments; easily understands spoken French and has a strong sense of correct pronunciation and intonation; responds in complete sentences, usually more than one; makes a consistent effort to practice new grammar and vocabulary structures without prompting; contributes equally to group work; improves in confidence and ability from week to week. This student is distinguished by a consistent willingness to take risks.

3.7: the student is present and on time to all but two or three classes during the semester; arrives mostly, if not fully prepared; usually takes the initiative in answering questions and making comments; easily understands spoken French and has a good sense of correct pronunciation and intonation; responds mostly in complete sentences, usually more than one; makes a consistent effort to practice new grammar and vocabulary structures, but may need rare prompting to do so; contributes equally to group work; improves in confidence and ability from week to week. This student is distinguished by a consistent willingness to take risks.

3.3: the student is present and on time to all but five or six classes during the semester; usually arrives prepared, but preparation may be uneven (strong one day, weak another); usually takes the initiative in answering questions and making comments; easily understands spoken French and has a sense of correct pronunciation and intonation; responds in complete sentences, occasionally putting together two or three; makes an effort to practice new grammar and vocabulary structures with prompting; contributes equally to group work; improves in confidence and ability from week to week. This student is distinguished by a frequent willingness to take risks.

3.0: the student is present and on time to all but five to six classes during the semester; demonstrates average preparation; occasionally takes the initiative in answering questions and making comments; understands spoken French with some difficulty and has a weak sense of correct pronunciation and intonation; responds in at least one complete sentence; makes some effort to practice new grammar and vocabulary structures with prompting; contributes effectively to group work; improves in confidence or ability from week to week. This student takes occasional risks.

2.7: the student is present and on time to most classes during the semester; demonstrates basic preparation; rarely takes the initiative in answering questions and making comments; understands spoken French with some difficulty and has a weak sense of correct pronunciation and intonation; responds in one or two words; occasionally makes an effort to practice new grammar and vocabulary structures; contributes to some extent to group work; doesn't show much improvement in confidence or ability from week to week. This student rarely takes risks.

2.3: the student is often absent or late to class during the semester; demonstrates minimal preparation; infrequently takes the initiative in answering questions and making comments; has difficulty understanding spoken French and has little sense of correct pronunciation and intonation; frequently can't respond to questions; makes little effort to contribute to group work or to practice new grammar and vocabulary structure. This student doesn't take risks.

2.0: the student is frequently absent and often late to class during the semester and generally seems uninvested in acquiring linguistic skills or knowledge of French. This student doesn't contribute much to group work or discussions, and gives the impression of going through the motions of taking the class.

You'll note in these rubrics that I have said little about making mistakes. In a beginning French class, making mistakes is fine, as long as you don't keep making the same mistake over and over. One can't learn without risking being wrong! These rubrics also take into account the differing levels of experience in French that students in the class will have; a true beginner who has never had French before, but who shows great initiative, effort, and improvement in participation will be evaluated differently from someone with previous experience in French or another Romance language who is reluctant to go beyond that experience.

If you're ever unsure as to how well you're fulfilling the criteria set out in these participation rubrics, please consult me while there's still time to make changes. Your evaluation of your performance and mine may not coincide; if that's the case, there's room for discussion and guidance.