--- Forwarded Message from wroget <[log in to unmask]> ---

>Date: Tue, 11 Jun 2002 07:27:46 -0400
>From: wroget <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: [log in to unmask]
>Organization: Temple University
>To: Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum     <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: #6713 Beginning French program (TBob)
>References: <[log in to unmask]>

Take a look at Motifs (Harcourt): it seems to meet your criteria, and we are
into the second year using it in a three-semester sequence, with mostly positive
results.

LLTI-Editor wrote:

> --- Forwarded Message from TennesseeBob Peckham <[log in to unmask]> ---
>
> >Date: Fri, 7 Jun 2002 11:52:19 -0700
> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >From: TennesseeBob Peckham <[log in to unmask]>
> >Subject: Beginning French program (TBob)
>
> ------------------
> We are planning for the eventual replacement for Portes Ouvertes (an
> outstanding beginning college French textbook, which will probably not see a
> second edition).  I just finished looking at the CD of another popular
> book, and it was clearly and devastatingly inferior to Portes
> Ouvertes.  The wooden characters are the worst of Jack Webb
> impersonators, and dorks to boot, with those eye movements are
> characteristic of unwilling actors, still discovering a script.  I
> keep waiting to see other members of the "Night of the Living Dead"
> cast appear, or for one of them to suddenly animated and utter "Live
> from New York...". Hey, maybe they are there "en attendant Godot".
>
> As director of the language resource center (an all Mac lab), I am
> responsible for 40% of the time of
> all of our language students from sand-pile through 2nd year.  I am
> looking for a beginning French book which could be used for 3
> semesters, one with a thorough CD and web program with exercises
> whose scores or transcripts can be printed out. I want engaging
> exercises, reflecting developmental realities and expectations in
> text type, topical variety, grammar, etc.  Situational realism is
> important. It must have good video (no dorky talking heads) and
> accompanying activities, which could be used in listening
> comprehension tests. Materials should be
> integrated so that serious use could be made of each, and so it would
> be obvious that they were all part of the same learning experience.
> Our successful lab program required 100 minutes of hard work per week
> in the lab.  Students get zeros for slack time.  The textboo0k itself
> needs to be right also.  Do you know of such a product?
>
> TBob
>
> --
> ==========================================================
> Look it up in the Andy Holt Virtual Library
> http://www.utm.edu/vlibrary/vlhome.shtml
> ==========================================================
> Robert D. Peckham, PhD
> Director, the Globe-Gate Project
> Director, the Muriel Tomlinson Language Resource Center
> Department of Modern Foreign Languages
> Univ. of Tennessee-Martin
> http://globegate.org/french/globe.html