French IY Syllabus 7th Grade (IB MYP Year 2017-2018)
CAMPBELL MIDDLE SCHOOL, an International Baccalaureate World School
678-842-6873
Susan Fernie
Room 702
http://www.cobblearning.net/mmefernie/
COURSE SUMMARY:
This course will deepen knowledge of the French language and emphasizes integrated listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. The format of this course promotes student engagement through exploration of concepts and making natural connections between units of study and how different concepts integrate into the global community. These connections will personalize student learning and promote habits of the mind that support the IB learner profile. Throughout the year, we will use “real-life” applications and encourage students to become inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, risk takers, balanced, caring, and reflective in their learning.
Our study of these topics will be:
· Holistic – Learning will be focused on students as individuals as they acquire facility in French.
· Intercultural – Students will learn how to connect with French and Francophone cultures, while gaining a deeper understanding of their own culture.
· Focused on communication – Students will learn how to communicate in French and speak and write about basic topics.
OBJECTIVES, STANDARDS, AND UNITS OF STUDY
The primary aim of Language B (French) is to encourage students to gain competence in a modern language other than their mother tongue, with the long-term goal of balanced bilingualism.
MYP CRITERIA
In order to measure a student’s progress and achievement in each phase of the course, four criteria have been established.
• A: Oral communication—to measure the student’s development as a speaker of the language
• B: Visual interpretation—to measure the student’s ability to interpret visual text presented with spoken and written text
• C: Reading comprehension—to measure the student’s ability to comprehend written text
• D: Writing—to measure the student’s development as a writer of the target language
AREAS OF INTERACTION:
During the course, we will use the areas of interaction to build connections between students’ knowledge and experience related to the real world. The areas of interaction for the Middle Years Programme International Baccalaureate include approaches to learning, community and service, human ingenuity, environments, and health and social education. The Foreign Language Standards that comprise linguistic and cultural competency afford the opportunity to explore each of the areas through the various topics for study. The areas of interaction and accompanying topics help students to embrace the interdependent learner profile.
TEXTS AND RESOURCES:
D’Accord Text, V-Text, Workbook
Discovering French Bleu et Blanc
*The textbook should remain in the classroom and should not be removed to be placed in a locker or taken home. Workbooks are used as a resource only, and are not to be written in by students. Access to the D’Accord digital text will be provided as soon as it is made available by the county.
METHODOLOGY:
In the MYP, teachers work together to develop a variety of opportunities for learning focusing on the approaches to learning, especially critical thinking and reflection. Individual and collaborative active learning are at the heart of the classroom instruction. Real world connections and opportunities to investigate and solve problems will help students become world citizens who understand contemporary issues with a depth and wisdom drawn from experience and future trends.
METHODS OF ASSESSMENT:
A balance of formative and summative assessments will be used to assess student learning. Rubrics and checklists will provide students with assignment expectations.
The French classroom is a performance-based environment. This means that students will be graded and assessed on their ability to perform activities and participate in the French language, as well as demonstrate proficiency of the Georgia Performance Standards. Examples of activities and assessments include warm ups, written assignments, dialogues, role-plays, practice work, spoken assignments, projects, quizzes, and tests.
Some assessments will require for the teacher to record the students’ voice(s) or videotape role-plays, etc. Please be aware that these recordings will be used for grading purposes only, and will remain private and anonymous if placed on a student’s online portfolio.
As part of our Georgia Performance Standards (MLI.CU1), students will participate in the study of French film during this course. French films will be chosen for their educational and cultural value, as well as exposure of the French language. Films will be deemed appropriate for the students at the discretion of the teacher.
GRADING AND REPORTING:
Numerical grades will be issued to indicate academic performance. Class averages will be determined using the following weighted averages for content to be covered. Parents may access Synergy (the free online grade book) to view your student’s grades, missing assignments, and attendance. In addition, at least two assignments per semester will be assessed using the IB MYP learning criteria.
The categories in SYNERGY are based on the 5C’s of Modern Language.
Communities / Culture / Comparisons / Communication / Connections20% / 20% / 20% / 20% / 20%
The 5 C's
Communication, Culture, Connections, Comparisons, Communities
Standards-based world languages education and the Georgia standards reflect the themes in the Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21stCentury (1999), known as "The Five Cs." These standards describe the "what" (content) of world languages learning and form the core of standards-based instruction in the world languages classroom.
Communication- 20 %
The communication standard stresses the use of language for communication in "real life" situations. It emphasizes "what students can do with language" rather than "what they know about language." Students are asked to communicate in oral and written form, interpret oral and written messages, show cultural understanding when they communicate, and present oral and written information to various audiences for a variety of purposes.
Cultures- 20 %
Cultural understanding is an important part of world languages education. Experiencing other cultures develops a better understanding and appreciation of the relationship between languages and other cultures, as well as the student's native culture. Students become better able to understand other people's points of view, ways of life, and contributions to the world.
Connections- 20%
World languages instruction must be connected with other subject areas. Content from other subject areas is integrated with world language instruction through lessons that are developed around common themes.
Comparisons- 20%
Students are encouraged to compare and contrast languages and cultures. They discover patterns, make predictions, and analyze similarities and differences across languages and cultures. Students often come to understand their native language and culture better through such comparisons.
Communities- 20%
The standards for Modern Languages level one can be found here.
Extending learning experiences from the world language classroom to the home and multilingual and multicultural community emphasizes living in a global society. Activities may include: field trips, use of e-mail and the World Wide Web, clubs, exchange programs and cultural activities, school-to-work opportunities, and opportunities to hear speakers of other languages in the school and classroom.
Students will not have homework assigned daily, however, students should be reviewing the vocabulary and structures learned in class for 10 minutes daily. They may use online sources for this practice. If you child does not have internet access you may request hard copies for practice.
.
I am looking forward to a fun and fabulous year. Should you have any questions or concerns, the quickest way to reach me is always--- EMAIL!
CONDUCT
Students must follow the CMS Student Behavior Expectations Plan as outlined in the Student Agenda. The agenda must be with students at all times and will serve as their hall pass. In addition, students are expected to abide by ALL classroom procedures and expectations. Conduct grades will be determined using the number of classroom infractions earned by a student during the grading period. Additionally, the teacher’s assessment of the student’s overall behavior in his/her class will be considered in assigning conduct grades.
CLASSROOM RULES and EXPECTATIONS
· Discipline:
o Students will be courteous and respectful to their peers and the teacher.
o Students must stand when the teacher or other adult enters the classroom.
o If a student fails or refuses to follow procedures, behaves inappropriately, and/or disrupts a class, discipline procedures will take place. Multiple or severe offenses will be referred to the discipline office.
o All rules and procedures listed in the Campbell Middle School handbook will be enforced in the classroom.
· Turning in assignments:
o Students should pass all papers forward, face up. The table leader of each table is in charge of the piling papers neatly for the teacher to collect.
o Please make sure that you head the assignment as your first step. Names should not be written on your paper last minute while your peers are waiting to pass forward your work.
Making up and Turning in Assignments: Please turn in all assignments on time!
· What do I do if I am absent?
o The evening of your missed day, or the day you return, check Mme Fernie’s blog to find out what we did in class. Any handouts will be attached to the blog post, or the teacher will give it to you the next day.
o If you are confused, or need information that was not described in the blog, then speak with Mme. Fernie at the beginning of class, during the warm up.
o Check the DID WE DO ANYTHING WHILE I WAS GONE notebook on the table next to the door.
o It is the student’s responsibility to ask the teacher about make-up work! Mme Fernie will not track you down for missing assignments.
o Make sure you complete any classwork or homework assignments and turn it in to the teacher within THREE days for full credit.
IN ANY CASE, if an assignment is missing, late, or not yet made-up, it will remain a 50 in the grade book. If you were absent while an assignment was graded, excused or unexcused, it will be a 50 in the grade book until the teacher receives the assignment and grades it.
· What if I failed a test or a quiz?
o Students may retake a failed test for full credit. All assignments may be redone or retaken.
· What do I do with graded work?
o Students will keep graded work in their French folder.
· I did the assignment, but the teacher did not accept it, and I still got a bad grade! Why?
o Assignments that are messy, effortless, incomprehensible, plagiarized, copied from another student, or directly translated from English using an online tool such as GOOGLE TRANSLATE will not be accepted. Work must be written in pen or pencil.
STUDENT AGENDA:
Your child was given a student agenda at the beginning of the school year or upon enrollment. We encourage you to regularly check this agenda for important dates and reminders, as well as for your child’s daily assignments. The agenda will also serve as the student’s hall pass and should be with your child at all times while on campus.
CLASSROOM MATERIALS:
In order to be prepared DAILY, each student should have:
· Campbell Middle School Agenda .
· A three ring binder! These can be left in the classroom if desired.
· Color Pencils, glue stick, two white board markers, rag and scissors
PARENT TIPS
Parents may register to receive access to Synergy, which can be used to keep up with student progress. Students will record assignments and homework in their agenda. Teachers will update their blogs on a weekly basis. Please feel free to email anytime. If you do not receive a response within 48 hours, your email may have been blocked. Therefore, please send a note in your student’s agenda. While at home, parents are encouraged to:
· Set a regular time and routine for doing homework and or review. Often homework and review games are online, because these exercises are interactive and students can check to see if they have indeed found the correct answer. Consequently, it is important that student be given access to these resources.
· Remove distractions during home study time. No television, phone calls, or text messaging.
· Insist that homework assignments are completed daily, when assigned.
This plan can be changed to reflect the needs of the students.
On va beaucoup s’amuser et on va apprendre à parler français!
Students and parents please sign and return. It will be kept in the students’ French folder for reference.
French IY 8th Grade Syllabus
Student Name (Printed): ______Grade Level: ______
By signing below, both student and guardian(s) acknowledge that they have read and understood all of the information presented in this syllabus, and agree that the student will comply with these procedures and rules with the support of the guardian.
Student Signature: ______
Guardian Signature: ______
Please complete the following contact information for the guardian(s) whom the teacher should contact regarding French class:
Guardian Name (Printed): ______
Relationship to Student: ______
Email Address: ______
Phone Number: ______
Guardian Name (Printed): ______
Relationship to Student: ______
Email Address: ______
Phone Number: ______
Questions / Comments:
______