Hafta 1
Week 1: Introduction to Course and Overview of Current Affairs Introduction to the course structure, objectives, and evaluation. Overview of current affairs topics in French media. Discussion: Importance of staying informed as a translator.
Hafta 2
Identifying and Following Current Affairs Key sources of news in French (newspapers, TV, podcasts, etc.). Differentiating between reliable and biased news sources. Assignment: Follow two major French-language news outlets and summarize key stories.
Hafta 3
News Sources Selection and Evaluation Techniques for selecting relevant news sources. Critical reading and assessing credibility of French media. Discussion: Comparison of French and international coverage of the same event.
Hafta 4
Language Augmentation - Terminology in Current Affairs Terminology used in political, social, and economic news. Searching and finding accurate terms and equivalents in translations. Workshop: Translating headlines and key phrases.
Hafta 5
Debating Skills and Creating Arguments Techniques for structuring an argument in French. Language functions: expressing agreement, disagreement, and counter-arguments. Group Activity: Debate on a current social issue (e.g., climate change).
Hafta 6
Social Issues I (climate change, AI, social media etc.) Analyzing how selected topic is discussed in French media. Terminology related to relevant policy Presentation: How French media presents this issue.
Hafta 7
Social Issues II (climate change, AI, social media etc.) Analyzing how selected topic is discussed in French media. Terminology related to relevant policy Presentation: How French media presents this issue.
Hafta 8
MIDTERM: Practice exercise: Translating a French article on a social issue.
Hafta 9
Political Conflicts I (Russia-Ukraine; Israel-Palestine; Middle East; Africa etc) How the conflict is represented in French and international media. Key political terms and diplomatic language in conflict coverage. Group discussion: Contrasting perspectives in the news.
Hafta 10
Political Conflicts II (Russia-Ukraine; Israel-Palestine; Middle East; Africa etc) How the conflict is represented in French and international media. Key political terms and diplomatic language in conflict coverage. Group discussion: Contrasting perspectives in the news.
Hafta 11
Geopolitical Influence of France in Africa Understanding France’s historical and current influence in African politics. Terminology related to post-colonialism, international relations, and diplomacy. Debate: The role of France in African geopolitics today.
Hafta 12
Language Augmentation - Advanced Terminology Search Methods for finding and verifying specialized terms. Tools for keeping up with evolving terminology in fast-changing fields (e.g., tech, environment). Workshop: Research and translate terminology for an assigned topic.
Hafta 13
Public Speaking and Presentation Skills Techniques for delivering an effective presentation in French. Structuring information for clarity and impact. Practice: Present on a geopolitical issue of choice (Israel-Palestine, Russia-Ukraine, or French influence in Africa).
Hafta 14
Final Presentations and Course Wrap-Up Final presentations: Students present on a current affair topic. Course wrap-up and feedback session. Final reflection: The role of a translator in today’s world of rapidly changing news.