Why learning French?

   Everybody knows about the benefits of learning a foreign language. But, do you want to
   find the Top Ten Reasons for Learn French?  The Cultural Services of the French Embassy
   in the United States and the American Association of Teachers of French came up with  
   this list.

Facts

• During the first week of classes, we have the drop/add week. During that week,
     changes are made at any Drop/Add registration booth on campus. But, if you are  
     changing sections within The Foreign Language Department, this change can be
     quickly handled in the World Languages Office.
• If your mayor requires 16 Foreign Language or Sign Language credit hours, and you
     would like to complete the language requirements, check this information to earn                       
     your credits with the credits by examination option.
• If you would like to browse the French Web and enjoy your search in French
     while you practice, please connect to our resources.

 Personal Information

• Born in Madrid, Spain and educated in French schools and Spanish, French, and American universities
• Taught in MCC since 1987
• Lived in Spain, France and USA
• Married since 1975 (to the same guy!)  Mother of three children

Education                                   

• B.A.in French Philology. Universidad Completense de Madrid, Spain (1972)
• M.A. in French Phonetics. Université dès Sciences Humaines de Strasbourg, France (1974)
• M.A. in French Literature. Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona (1979)
• Ph.D in Spanish Literature ( Contemporary Theater in XXth Century Spain),
     Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona (1990) and Universidad de Valencia, Spain (1993)

 Professional Affiliations

• American Association of University Professors
• American Association of University Women
• American Council of Teachers of Foreign Languages

Teaching Experience in the USA

• French Teaching Assistant in Arizona State University , Foreign Language    
     Department (1977-79)
• Spanish Teaching Associate in Arizona State University, Foreign Language
      Department (1985-87)
• French Full-time Faculty in Mesa Community College since Fall 1987

Interests

• Second Language Acquisition
• Teaching Methods
• Literature and Art
• Films
• Cultures and Traveling
• Swimming and Walking

Teaching Method

• What you’ll find in my classroom

In a language class, communication is implied. Obviously, each course level has different objectives, but the risk of interrelation should not be threatening. Interaction is the normal process of learning French in my classes. Therefore, my first concern is to make all students to feel at ease and appreciate their effort when participating. A system of participation cards will compensate effort and contribute to a daily and final grade.

My job is to bring my students to the level of French they’ve chosen to enroll and to ensure a soft transfer to any four-year university. French is the target language and French is used and heard in class at least 85% of the time during each 50-minute class period. To achieve this goal, activities are frequently changed. This is to make sure every student benefits from different learning patterns and stays motivated.

I believe in motivation to excel. Interaction and dynamic interpersonal skills in French are the normal way to create an almost full-immersion atmosphere in class. Students are encouraged to participate regardless of accuracy. Communication and oral guided practice in French is our target. Proficiency is achieved by ways of analysis and deduction in and out class. Everyone is an important element in the class dynamics and everyone’s participation aids the group. Deduction, description, explanation, and hypothesis are constantly required to ensure high-thinking skills in the target language from my college students.

I believe in the results of commitment. Personal and group activities in and out of the class allow each student to find an interest to excel. Learning a foreign language requires a personal commitment to practice. When learning a foreign language, three periods of thirty minutes a day bring better results than an hour and a half in one sitting. And practice, practice, and practice creatively. Never bore yourself; try it from another angle, change the approach!   Listen, write, watch, interact, visit and get involved.  Persistence equals mastering; mastering equals proficiency.

I hope you will enjoy your French learning experience as much as I enjoy my teaching. If I had to do it all over again, I would still become a teacher.

• Facts

When enrolling in a course, be very careful and check its number. Some courses have prerequisites. FRE 102 has FRE 101 as a prerequisite unless you have had two years of French in H.S. To enroll in FRE 201 you should have taken the first year of college courses (FRE 101 and FRE 102) or three years of H.S French. FRE 202 expects FRE 101, FRE 102, and FRE 201 or four years of H.S.

If a course is numbered FRE 101-102 it targets first-year college students. 200-numbered courses are target second-year college students. That’s the way our programs are ordered for you. This sequence tells students the courses they must have taken before other courses can be taken. When you have already taken French in H.S. and you want to enroll in a second-year college course, you have to have a certain background of expertise.  In a 200 course, it is assumed that you are familiar with most of the French structure. A second-year college course expands students’ knowledge in structure and in the French culture. This implies more context.   Like in an Algebra class, it is assumed that students can handle basic arithmetic principals at the very beginning of the program.  Therefore, in a second-year college course, you will expand your vocabulary, continue understanding French language as a tool of communication, work with authentic documents (newspapers, internet, small articles, stories), work in a portfolio, etc.

My experience in teaching tells me that students that have already taken enough language courses in their mother language or accomplished ENG 101 and its prerequisites are more comfortable with the mechanics of languages. This helps when learning a second language. Having attained  a college level of the first language helps to better understand the second one mechanics and do well in the written assignments required.  Learning a second  language without fundamentals is extremely demanding and challenging.

When you enroll for the first time in French, you need no prerequisites.   If you need my assistance,  contact me at gardeta@mail.mc.maricopa.edu

Always remember to practice, but add new tricks to your learning and challenge yourself:

practice, practice, practice ...

 Before enrolling in a French college course, please read this.

The sole purpose of the placement tests available in our World Language Laboratory is to help you decide in which level college course you feel comfortable enrolling in, regardless of what your transcripts says. Two years of H.S. allow you officially to enroll in a FRE 102 class. But if you haven’t practiced French for several years, it can be difficult to keep up with the challenge of the new level. The Language Lab has a set of Placement tests ready to help you.

After taking a placement test in the lab, make sure you talk to your French adviser or contact me at gardeta@mail.mc.maricopa.edu . You can also call me at (480) 461-7030.

Some students, after a couple of years of full-immersion in a French-speaking country, are very confident with their French. The first-year French courses would be too simple for them. To meet the prerequisites to enroll in a more challenging course level, they could contemplate challenging the first-year French courses by examination. For more information on challenging a FRE college course by examination, check that section in this home page.

  Challenge by Examination Steps:

• Decide on the course you want to challenge by examination and 
     complete the paperwork required by the Administration
• Have your papers signed by the Chair of the Foreign Language  
     Department, the administration, and the cashier
• A proctor will be assigned to you by the Chair
• Contact your proctor to agree on the examination date
• Take the examination and your proctor will take it from there

                Top Ten Reasons to Learn French

• Un: Knowing French will allow you not only to function but to compete effectively in the global economy of our century.
• Deux: Speaking French will increase your job opportunities and salary potential.
• Trois: Studying French increases your appreciation of other people and their
      culture.
• Quatre: Knowing French will improve your vocabulary in English
• Cinq: Knowing a new language, like French, develops your critical and creative
     thinking skills.
• Six: Proficiency in French will significantly improve your chances of being
     accepted to the university and graduate school .
• Sept: Using your French enhances your travel abroad to Canada, the Caribbean,
     Europe, and Africa.
• Huit: French opens up an entire world of sporting events to enthusiasts.
• Neuf: French is the language of culture, opening your door to art, music, fashion,
     cuisine, and cinema .
• Dix: French is the language of many great literary masterpieces.

French Search Engines

Yahoo! France: http://www.yahoo.fr/

Francité: http://www.francite.com/

Wanadoo – Qui Quoi Où: http://www.wanadoo.fr

La Toile du Québec: http://www.toile.qc.ca

Suisse (Swiss) Search: http://www.search.ch/index.html.fr

Netscape en français: http://home.fr.netscape.com/fr/escapes/internet_search.html

TV5 - French TV Website: http://www.tv5.org/indextv5.html

Exercices de phonétique sur l'Internet: http://phonetique.free.fr/

Réseau de Centres d'Enseignement du français en France: http://www.fre.fr