French 2

  • Course Description

    Students who successfully complete this course will develop their French proficiencies to the Novice High-Intermediate Low range according to the ACTFL* Proficiency Guidelines. Students will also show proficiency in the "five C's" denoted in ACTFLs Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century: Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons, and Communities. By the end of French 2, students will be able to use strings of sentences including some complex sentences with emphasis on vocabulary acquisition and broadening their repertoire of grammatical structures with which to express themselves.

    *American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages

    Mode of Communication

    Interpersonal Communication, Novice High:
    I can communicate and exchange information about familiar topics using phrases and simple sentences, sometimes supported by memorized language.

    Interpersonal Communication, Intermediate Low:
    I can participate in conversations on a number of familiar topics using simple sentences. I can handle short social interactions in everyday situations by asking and answering simple questions.


    Presentational Speaking, Novice High:
    I can present information on most familiar topics using a series of simple sentences.

    Presentational Speaking, Intermediate Low:
    I can make presentations on a wide variety of familiar topics using connected sentences.


    Presentational Writing, Novice High:
    I can write short messages and notes on familiar topics related to everyday life.

    Presentational Writing, Intermediate Low:
    I can write brie y about most familiar topics and present information using a series of simple sentences.


    Interpretive Listening, Novice High:
    I can often understand words, phrases, and simple sentences related to everyday life. I can recognize pieces of information and sometimes understand the main topic of what is being said. I can understand the main idea in short, simple messages and presentations on familiar topics.

    Interpretive Listening, Intermediate Low:
    I can understand the main idea of simple conversations that I overhear.


    Interpretive Reading, Novice High:
    I can understand familiar words, phrases, and sentences within short and simple texts related to everyday life. I can sometimes understand the main idea of what I have read.

    Interpretive Reading, Intermediate Low:
    I can understand the main idea of short and simple texts when the topic is familiar.


    Major Units

    Semester 1:
    1. Leisure and culture (music, theater, movies)
    2. Health (illness and medical care)
    3. Technology (phone conversations, email, comparing yesterday and today)

    Semester 2:
    4. Traveling (Leisure activities, climate, fashion, customs, hotel and transportation)
    5. Celebrations (cultural research; Francophone gastronomy)
    6. Gastronomy (typical French dishes, menus, ordering, making requests)

    Major Grammar Concepts for the Year

    • Verb conjugations: imperative, imperfect vs. passe compose, past participle agreement, future, conditional
    • If clauses
    • Negative pronouns
    • Prepositions and proper names (geography)
    • Relative pronouns qui and que

    Grading

    Grading categories and percentage breakdowns for the course are as follows: Interpersonal 2-way Communication such as conversations and text chats (15%), Presentational 1-way Output such as speeches and writing (15%), Interpretive 1-way Input such as listening and reading (15%), Tests and Quizzes (25%), Final Exam (20%), Homework / Classwork (10%).

    Suggested Pre-requisite concepts:

    • Minimum grade of C or better in French level 1
    • Number and gender of nouns
    • Agreement of nouns and adjectives
    • J'aime / je n'aime pas
    • Subject pronouns (je, tu, elle, etc.)
    • Regular -er, -ir and -re verbs
    • Irregular verbs: etre, avoir, faire, aller
    • Negation
    • The present tense
    • Passé Composé