French II Class Syllabus
Teacher: Sarah Shackelford, room 207
Email: (home) or (school)
My Homepage:
Phone: (513) 931-0712 (school) or 513-706-1488 (cell)
(I am generally available in Room 207 during fourth period, and can also make arrangements to see you after school if you need extra help or have any concerns. I check email often and reply promptly when contacted. You and/or your parents may also reach me via my cell phone if needed.)
Scope of Level 11 French
Lessons in French II engage mid- novice to low intermediate students in using the language in activities that are embedded in real life contexts and make frequent use of authentic materials produced by and for native French speakers. Activities encompass all three communicative modes (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational) and provide practice in the skill areas of listening, speaking, reading, and writing.During this course you will learn to make suggestions, ask and answer increasingly complex questions about a variety of topics, relate orally and in writing a series of present, past and future events, and express opinions and advice. You will read short literary passages (e.g. stories and poems) and write letters, journals, and extended responses to reading. You will apply information gathered from authentic French sources for information, entertainment, and personal enrichment, and analyze and explain cultural and linguistic perspectives unique to francophone culture.
Class Goals and Activities:
French class goals support the mission of Finneytown Local School District and are based on Ohio’s Academic Content Standards for Foreign Languages that outline what students should know and be able to do with a Foreign Language. Emphasis is placed on functional proficiency in a communicative context. The instructional approach is designed to facilitate genuine interaction with others, and offers opportunities to explore, develop, and use other subject content, communication strategies, learning strategies, critical thinking skills, and skills in technology as well as the appropriate elements of the language system and culture.A wide variety of methods and techniques are used in the classroom, including student centered activities in pairs and groups, information gap exercises, role play, drama, games, narration of imagery, songs and music, dictation cloze activities, dialogue practice, Total Physical Response and Pace Storytelling, interactive media via technology, epal exchanges, direct instruction of reading, writing, speaking and listening strategies, and more.
Resources and Required Supplies: The textbook will be used mostly as a reference and practice tool; resource materials are drawn from a wide variety of authentic sources in both print and non print, and you will receive many handouts. You will be expected to maintain and bring to class every day a three ring binder organized in four sections: a) handouts b) class notes and homework c) graded assignments d) miscellaneous. This will be checked periodically. Each section should be in chronological order – so every item should be dated. I may announce a notebook check ahead of time, or I may check the notebook “as is” with no warning. Your notebook should be up to date and organized at all times.
Evaluation Procedures:
Progress toward proficiency will be assessed frequently, both formatively and summatively, and by a variety of means: graded assignments and projects, quizzes (oral and written), tests (oral and written), informal class activities and presentations, performance based tasks, and use of portfolios and journals for reflection and self assessment. Tests are announced in advance, and quizzes are USUALLY announced. Rubrics and/or checklists describing grading criteria for assignments and activities will generally be available. Letter grades, based on percentage values, follow the scale outlined by the district.
Course Units: (Note that these may be subject to change during the course of the year). Units are broad in scope and cover a variety of topics, language functions, and activities.
1st Semester
Self portraits – talking about ourselves, our families and friends, and a little French artwork, too
Voyageons! (Let’s travel!) – We’ll learn how to talk about the geography of the francophone world and the European Union as we make brief virtual trips to various regions of France and to Belgium.
Les Repas (Meals), Sports and Health
Raconte! (Listening to, reading, narrating , and enacting French Fairy Tales and other stories that occurred in the past)
Voyage au Québec - Our virtual travels will take us to the Canadian province of Quebec
2nd Semester
Cultural Leisure - Movies, Theater, Museums- with a trip (and class picnic!) along the Seine River to Monet’s Giverny. We’ll also predict future events in this unit.
Amazing Virtual Trips to :
French Africa (full of wonderful stories) and
Martinique (also full of beauty, music, fun)
Telling Tales of Childhood
French is all around us ! Yes, there are French speakers in the U.S. ! We’ll meet a few of them during our virtual trip to Louisiana Cajun Country, and also hold a contest to locate other French things very nearby