French 208 - Advanced French II: Telling Stories in French

From folktales and plays to comic books and news, this course invites students to engage with different uses and users of the French language across various media in order to examine how stories are told and why. In this course, students reflect on elements such as perspective and audience, contexts and motivations, as well as questions of relevance, adaptation, and endurance in the creation and transmission of particular narratives. With an emphasis on oral expression, the course aims to enrich students’ vocabulary, including idiomatic expressions, and to build their confidence with speaking. While the course does not directly cover grammar, a review of certain points may be offered according to the needs of the class. Conducted in French.

Requisite: FREN 205, or completion of AP French, or four years of secondary school French in a strong program. Limited to 16 students. Fall semester: Professor Katsaros. Spring semester: Professor Nader-Esfahani.

How to handle overenrollment: For the 2025-2026 academic year, priority will be given to first-year students, then second-year students, especially those who are planning to study in France, and to French majors and potential majors.

Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: Instruction in languages other than English; readings; oral presentations; group work; visual and aural analysis; creative work.