CURRICULUM
(French
Language)
Revision
submitted by Patricia Westerfer 7/15/96
FOREIGN LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT
I.
Philosophy
Ø
The
ability to communicate in another language is an indispensable life skill for
all students. As countries of the world become increasingly interdependent, we
must actively promote proficiency in Foreign Language as well as cross-cultural
understanding. As we move into the twenty-first century, we need educated
citizens whose Foreign Language abilities and cultural sensitivities prepare
them to work in such a pluralistic society and global economy. Our students
must possess the ability to communicate in other languages and develop the
understanding needed to operate within differing cultural contexts. This will
significantly broaden their personal and professional opportunities.
Ø
The
foreign language program can serve as an important ingredient in developing a
well-rounded individual. It can be the basis for the linguistic training which
is so important for the citizens of tomorrow. Foreign Languages are a part of
the American heritage. This makes the study of Foreign Languages even more
important. The study of foreign language can open the door to a richer, more
rewarding life through literature, art, music and travel. From it should come a
deeper appreciation of the varied cultures of the world and also an
appreciation of our own culture.
Ø
The
language program should serve as a means for enriching the curriculum of all
interested students. The study of language should be a wonderful and
challenging experience for the individual. The teacher must allow for
differences in background and ability. A successful student should be
encouraged to study the language in depth over an extended period of time. All
materials and instructional techniques should be up-to-date in order to provide
effective teaching methods.
II.
Guiding Principles
Ø
Foreign
Languages are an essential part of the students' overall education.
Ø
The
primary goal of a Foreign Language program is communicative proficiency.
Ø
All
students should be able to read, write, speak and comprehend in the Foreign
Language.
Ø
Culture
is an integral part of the Foreign Language discipline.
Ø
Advanced
courses in Foreign Languages should offer the student the opportunity to
acquire a high level of proficiency in the use and appreciation of the Foreign
Language.
Ø
Advanced
courses in Foreign Language should stress oral/aural skills, composition and
structure, with emphasis placed on the persistent use of the target language
for active communication.
Ø
The
Advanced course seeks to develop skills that can be applied to various
activities and disciplines.
III.
Proficiencies
Ø
The
ability to comprehend increasingly complex formal and informal spoken French.
Ø
The
ability to express ideas orally with reasonable accuracy and fluency.
Ø
The
acquisition of vocabulary and grasp of structure to allow greater facility in
accurate reading of newspaper and magazine articles, as well as some
contemporary literature.
Ø
The
ability to compose fairly well-organized and more structurally correct expository
passages on topics reflecting a wide range of experience - e.g. the arts,
current events, history, foods, sports, etc.
Ø
The
understanding and appreciation of the culture through further study of French
history and literature.
IV.
Course of Study
Learning
Outcomes:
Ø
The
French V student should be able to demonstrate proficiency in reading French
narratives and literary texts with good overall comprehension despite some gaps
in detail.
Ø
The
students should be able to:
v
Understand
magazine articles on various topics of general interests;
v
Separate
main ideas from subordinate ones;
v
Draw
inferences from material read, although recognition of subtle nuances may be
limited;
v
Develop
successful strategies for interpretation of unfamiliar words, idioms, or
structures, based on broad general vocabulary and solid knowledge of
grammatical forms and structures;
v
Discriminate
between registers of language (e.g. formal/informal, literary/conversational)
to recognize many of their important cultural implications; and
v
Appreciate
some figurative devises, stylistics differences and humor.
v
Activities
and Indicators of Success:
§
Students
will be exposed to various forms of printed intermediate material including the
following:
·
Textbooks
·
Supplementary
readers
·
Magazines
·
Newspaper
articles
·
Short
stories, poems and plays.
Writing
Learning
Outcomes:
Ø
By
the end of the French V course, students should be able to write in French on
topics of general interest. Students should have good written control of most
grammatical structures. Vocabulary should be extensive enough to cover most
topics, although some gaps in vocabulary can be expected.
Students
should be able to:
Ø
Write
a narration or description several paragraphs in length;
Ø
Present
and defend ideas and points of view;
Ø
Provide
appropriate examples and draw conclusions from them.
Ø
Provide
introductory remarks, transitions, and a conclusion in an essay.
Activities
and Indicators of Success - Students will:
Ø
Write
summaries of cultural topics.
Ø
Write
short essays on reading-correlated subjects, stressing grammatical points.
Ø
Write
short essays based on literacy themes.
Ø
Write
with greater confidence and authority.
Listening
Learning
Outcomes :
Ø
Students
who successfully complete the French V course will have developed sufficient
skill in listening comprehension to be able to:
v
Comprehend
formal and informal spoken French;
v
Follow
with general understanding, oral reports and classroom lectures on
non-technical subjects;
v
Understand
the main points and some details of conversations between native speakers;
v
Follow
the plots of French language television shows and movies and understand the
main ideas in characters dialogues.
Ø
Activities
and Indicators of Success - Students will:
v
Gradually
become accustomed to the exclusive use of the target language in all class
activities.
v
Listen
to recordings, television, films and filmstrips that have cultural as well as
practical value.
v
React
appropriately to response eliciting tapes and other verbal stimuli.
v
Listen
to records of varying lengths, taking notes and answering comprehension
questions.
v
Listen
to short narratives and/or dialogs.
Speaking
Learning
Outcomes:
Students
who successfully complete the French V course should have attained a speaking
proficiency that allows them to:
Ø
Communicate
facts and ideas with an accent that is accurate enough not to interfere with
comprehension;
Ø
Discuss
topics of current interest and express personal opinions, while demonstrating a
fairly good command of grammatical forms and language patterns;
Ø
Narrate,
describe, and explain using past, present, and future tenses correctly; and
Ø
Have
an immediate recall of a fairly broad range of vocabulary in order to speak
with a level of fluency and accuracy that foes not impede communication.
Ø
Activities
and Learning Outcomes - Students will:
v
Practice
speaking through short discussions of readings.
v
Respond
orally to directed responses or questions.
v
Tell
stories (orally) from a series of pictures.
v
Be
able to speak on subjects and in situations from many aspects of life.
v
Role-play
in dialogs, skits and plays prepared from supplementary materials or from
individually inspired topics.
v
Become
familiar with taped materials and the recording of oral responses.
Culture
Learning
Outcomes:
Students
who successfully complete the French V course will have attained a greater
understanding and sensitivity toward people of other cultures will be able to:
Ø
Recognize
and understand verbal and nonverbal cues within French culture.
Ø
Explore
and discuss similarities and differences between American and French cultures.
Ø
Recognize
the geographical and historical backgrounds of the French-speaking countries
and areas of the world.
Ø
Activities
and Indicators of Success - Students will:
v
View
films and filmstrips and react to them by discussion, note taking and by
creating original questions.
v
Read
textbook, magazines, and newspaper articles and literary works.
v
Listen
to television and/or radio broadcast for music, news and information.
V.
Evaluation
Ø
Tests
- Objective and subjective
Ø
Quizzes
Ø
Listening
comprehension
Ø
Oral
tests emphasizing pronunciation and fluency.
Ø
Written
compositions based on reading materials
Ø
Oral
presentations
Ø
Individual
projects
Ø
Daily
conversations and participation I. Homework assignments J. Translations
Ø
K.
Combination of oral/aural/and written activities during any given class period.
VI.
Course Overview
Ø
Survey
of French civilization which will consist of background information and can be
used to improve reading comprehension, speaking practice and writing practice
through the use of summaries.
Ø
Structure
review of basic topics including all tenses, the use of the subjunctive, the
use of the imperfect and the "Passé compose, personal pronouns, Passive
Voice, articles and other concepts that require more remediation.
Ø
Literature
will include readings from some major French authors as well as biographical
information. A series of short stories by noted authors will also be presented.
VII.
Materials
Ø
1.Texts
- AP French
Ø
TROISIEME
LIURE/AMSCO
Ø
Magazines
- Chez Nous / Scholastic
Ø
Dictionaries
Ø
Supplemental
readers
Ø
Selected
films, filmstrips, videos cassette tapes and recordings.
Ø
Newspapers
(as available)
Ø
Teacher
prepared materials.