Students in French I will be using the textbook and workbook Discovering French Bleu. We will quickly move from the basic study of the alphabet, numbers and greetings. Over the year, we will cover vocabulary about likes and dislikes, family, food, weather, daily activities, descriptions of people and objects. The students will familiarize themselves with the concepts of masculine and feminine nouns and of conjugations. At the end of the year, they will master the regular -er verbs and the main irregular verbs such as être, avoir and faire. They will be able to correctly use articles, preposition such as à and de and adjectives. Many class games and activities will supplement the textbook and encourage the students to express themselves as much as possible.
Expectations:
I expect my students to arrive prepared in class with their school material and their homework completed. There will always be homework to do for the next class, whether it is a series of exercises, a review for a quiz, or a journal entry.
Second to Fourth marking periods, students are expected to write a short paragraph in their composition book each week. This journal entry is due on the last day of the week our class meets.
I expect my students to participate in class, ask questions when they feel confused and contribute to a respectful and positive atmosphere. Learning a Foreign Language is a difficult task that requires feeling comfortable to express oneself, even if it means making mistakes or mispronouncing words. One has to try over and over sometimes to get it right and this progression is much more constructive in a fun environment where each student can build self-confidence and be encouraged to try, no matter what.
For Review:
http://www.marincatholic.org/
http://www.classzone.com/cz/
The year will start with a series of reviews to ensure everyone feels comfortable when we start the first chapter of the book. The study of “foundations” may last the entire first marking period, if necessary. It will include vocabulary about places, houses, money and clothing. Grammar will cover stressed pronouns (me), possessive adjectives (my), demonstrative adjectives (this/that) and interrogative adjectives (what/which). Conjugations of the three types of regular verbs (-er, -ir, -re) will be studied in the present tense and the imperative.
After this introduction, we will start using the textbook and workbook Discovering French Blanc. This program allows the students to “recycle” what they have learned and add to it gradually. They will, for example, review être, avoir and faire but learn expressions that use them in different contexts. Vocabulary will include professions, descriptive adjectives and activities. Conjugating the past tense will be a big step this year as we study the Passé Composé.
Expectations:
I expect my students to arrive prepared in class with their school material and their homework completed. There will always be homework to do for the next class, whether it is a series of exercises, a review for a quiz, or a journal entry.
Students are expected to write half a page in their composition book each week. This journal entry is due on the last day of the week our class meets.
I expect my students to participate in class, ask questions when they feel confused and contribute to a respectful and positive atmosphere. Learning a Foreign Language is a difficult task that requires feeling comfortable to express oneself, even if it means making mistakes or mispronouncing words. One has to try over and over sometimes to get it right and this progression is much more constructive in a fun environment where each student can build self-confidence and be encouraged to try, no matter what.
For Review
http://www.marincatholic.org/
http://www.classzone.com/cz/
Students in French III will continue to use the textbook Discovering French Blanc along with different class activities. Over the year, we will cover vocabulary about food, entertainment, sports, health and home. We will study different prepositions, pronouns, irregular verbs and adjectives. Students will be able to write stories at the past tense using the Passé Composé and the Imparfait. We will incorporate more French reading material into the curriculum.
Goals and Expectations:
Work towards Proficiency: The purpose of this class is to increase students’ proficiency in French comprehension and communication skills. The goal is for students to build on mastery of listening comprehension, reading comprehension, speaking and conversation, grammar, writing, and culture in French-speaking countries or regions.
Class in the Target Language: We will spend as much time as possible in French (90%+ of class time). Communicating only in French can be very challenging for students. However, students will refrain from inserting English in their communication (oral or written). In all cases, students should make every effort to use the French they know to communicate. Note: In learning a language, the greatest growth happens when students have to find creative ways to work around a forgotten or unknown word. In this context, the attempt is more important than accuracy. Please see the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (www.actfl.org) for more information on this teaching philosophy, including the ACTFL Position Statements, proficiency guidelines and supporting research.
Attendance: As much of the learning in an immersion-style class takes place when students are present, students must make every effort to be in class on time and every day. Please be ready to begin class on time with all of your materials (book, workbook, homework, writing utensils, paper, etc. ) and any food or water you may need. Students who are frequently absent, tardy or who need to leave the class often tend to fall behind quickly. Please talk with me if there is an issue.
Translating: Students will use dictionaries or online translators only for single-word translations or to check their understanding. Bilingual dictionaries are preferred, as they give multiple translations from which you can select, depending on context. Students who use online translators to translate bulk text for homework or projects (i.e., phrases, sentences or paragraphs) will be in violation of the honor code and subject to repercussions.
For Review
http://www.marincatholic.org/
http://www.classzone.com/cz/
Students in French Intermédiaire/Avancé will concentrate on francophone literature and culture, drawing on a variety of texts and materials. They will start reading level appropriate books and will be responsible for several oral mini-presentations. Students will be expected to write on a regular basis and use French as their primary language in class.
Expectations:
I expect my students to arrive prepared in class with their school material and their homework completed. There will always be homework to do for the next class, whether it is a series of exercises, a review for a quiz, or a journal entry.
Students are expected to write half a page in their composition book each week. This journal entry is due on the last day of the week our class meets.
I expect my students to participate in class, ask questions when they feel confused and contribute to a respectful and positive atmosphere. Learning a Foreign Language is a difficult task that requires feeling comfortable to express oneself, even if it means making mistakes or mispronouncing words. One has to try over and over sometimes to get it right and this progression is much more constructive in a fun environment where each student can build self-confidence and be encouraged to try, no matter what.
THE SHARON ACADEMY
POST OFFICE BOX 207
SHARON,VT 05065
p: 802-763-2500
f: 802-763-2502
email: tsa@sharonacademy.net