IB FRENCH a and B

French Immersion Program Usha Ahluwalia, Ph.D. Syllabus/Information [email protected]

French Immersion courses are designed for students with previous experience of the French language. The main focus is on language acquisition, proficiency and development in the four primary language skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. These skills are developed through the study and use of a range of spoken and written material which extends from everyday oral exchanges to literary texts and are related to various cultures of the francophone world and its relationship to the global society in which we live today. Material is selected to enable students to develop proficient French language skills so they are able to demonstrate use of the French language in a range of situations and purposes.

The successful use of French consists of developing competence in three distinct but highly interrelated areas:

 LANGUAGE: handling the language system

accurately (grammar, syntax, etc.)

 CULTURAL INTERACTION: selecting language appropriate to a

particular cultural and social context

 MESSAGE: understand ideas and how they are

organized in order to communicate them effectively

These three areas are considered equally important and form the basis of the assessment criteria.

We shall encourage and implement a typical monolingual environment where teaching is provided in French and learning is placed in contexts that would be familiar to speakers of the language. Further, we shall use “authentic material – spoken or written, printed or electronic, that has been produced to satisfy the needs and expectations of speakers of French. Additionally, we shall encourage students to develop various strategies of coping with unfamiliar language and situations, and to develop their autonomy. The themes studied are based around, although not limited to:  Global and francophone issues  Cultural diversity  Science and technology  Health  Customs and traditions  Social relationships  Communication and the media  Leisure  Literature, etc

We shall endeavor to encourage students to:

 investigate the world beyond their immediate environment  recognize their own as well as the perspectives of other people and cultures  communicate their ideas, in the medium of the French language, effectively and with diverse audiences  translate their ideas and findings into appropriate actions to improve conditions of humankind and the habitat in which we live

Amongst other materials to be used are:

GRAMMAR/LANGUAGE : - Connaissances et Reactions (9th grade) - Autour de la Litterature - Personnages (11th grade) - En Bonne Forme (12th grade) - Une Fois pour Toutes - Reflets/Bien Lire et Bien Ecrire

MAGAZINES : - Authentik en Français - Chez Nous - Les Dossiers de l’Actualité - Le Monde diplomatique - France, Amérique, etc.

INTERNET (may be recorded) : - RFI International - BBC France/Afrique - Radio Canada - Canal Académique - Radio Afrique - T.V 5, etc. Several electronic sources which are available shall also be included.

Several different methodologies, such as some of the following, shall be used to engage the students in learning: - Listening/reading/comprehension/analysis - Debate/discussion/Problem solving - Interviews - Publicity spots - Writing essays/ compositions including some research papers/blogs/creative writing/analysis/letter writing/journal writing - Role play/simulation etc

At least one major oral activity per quarter, whether individually done or group based will be included for assessment.

We would like to see students bring the following supplies/material into the classroom:

 A 3 ring binder which includes a section for their French IB class  A Flash Drive  Enough paper to last the entire class period  Black/blue pens/any colored pens for corrections  Highlighters for quick indexing  A composition book for essays and journal entries

The following resources will be excellent reference tools/homework aids for the students:  A simple French to French dictionary( Larousse or Cassell’s is a good choice for French Immersion students and/or an English/French dictionary  “501 French Verbs” published by Barron’s Educational Series

Both of the above can be easily bought at Barnes & Noble or ordered at www.amazon.com, at a far lower cost.

All students must observe the following, simple rules/routines:

 Be in class on time, seated and ready to start work when the bell rings  Follow directions as they are given  Bring all necessary material to the class daily  No electronic gadgets are permitted to be used during the class nor should they be placed on student’s desks  No food/beverage/gum is permitted during class.  Raise your hand and wait to be called on to talk  Take pride in your classroom and it and keep it’s furnishings clean and tidy  Be seated until the teacher dismisses at the end of the period  No hallway/bathroom/locker passes will be given except for dire emergencies and at the discretion of the teacher  ASK FOR HELP AND ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST

All assigned work is to be placed in the designated place in a timely fashion. In case of an absence, it is the student’s responsibility to search for, complete and turn in all missed assignments.

In short, the philosophy which guides the French Immersion Program is based on an approach to education that creates opportunities for both students and teachers to demonstrate global competence within and outside the francophone world and to acquire 21st century skills which make our students college and career ready. With this in mind, we shall seek to inspire, enable and empower students to meet rigorous, academic standards, to lead ethical lives and demonstrate responsive citizenship. In keeping with this objetive, it is imperative that we collaborate together, students, teachers, parents and the local community alike to continue to articulate and implement a vision to attain academic success for all students through this challenging and innovative classroom.