Basic French
24/04/2012
Arla Strauss and Carole Bonin Curriculum Consultants for Basic French Bureau de l’éducation française, Éducation Manitoba
Picture of Practice for Grade 6 Basic French
The categories on the new provincial report card for Basic French clearly illustrate the competencies to be taught and to be evaluated: oral communication, reading and writing.
This document, Picture of Practice, aims to clearly define the importance of emphasizing oral communication and the explicit teaching of reading and writing within the literacy-based approach. Teachers will find a description of the methodology for teaching French as an additional language on page 3.
An excerpt from the support document En route vers le succès langagier en Français de base is included to support teachers as they plan for their teaching and assessment. This chart outlines the components of a thematic unit, L’école, grade 6 and includes performance criteria, suggested activities, the integration of culture, linguistic content and suggested resources.
Further, included in this document are the report card categories as they relate to curricular outcomes and the activities suggested in En route; a sample assessment rubric for oral communication is also provided in student friendly language to assist teachers and students.
Vision and Goals of French
The Basic French course aims to provide all students in Manitoba with quality French instruction which enables them to communicate in the French language and to appreciate francophone cultures. The goals of the course are to give students the opportunity:
§ to acquire the necessary language skills to communicate in French;
§ to value the learning of French as a tool for personal, intellectual, and social growth;
§ to demonstrate an appreciation of Francophone cultures;
§ to further develop intercultural communication skills to benefit today’s global citizens.
Guiding Principles
1. The course focuses on authentic communication, based on students’ interests and experiences.
2. A literacy based approach supports increased language proficiency; teaching methodology follows the cycle of speaking-reading-writing, with a particular emphasis on oral communication.
3. Profiles and exemplars in language competencies guide student progress and teacher planning.
4. French culture is regularly integrated into the teaching and learning of French.
5. The value of learning about other languages and cultures is fostered.
In order to implement these principles, it is necessary to ensure an appropriate amount of instructional time and to provide support for teacher education in the areas of language proficiency, second language methodology, and cultural knowledge.
Methodology
- Oral skills: it is important that all communication begin with an oral interaction. The teacher models orally a sentence that stimulates an authentic conversation with the students. During guided interaction, the students use the model to interact with the teacher, further modeling the target sentence. Next, the students will interact with a partner (independent interaction) allowing them to use and reuse the structures.
- Reading: it is important that reading mirrors the oral conversations that have taken place and that it allows students to accomplish more cognitively demanding tasks. In order to activate students’ prior knowledge, the teacher models orally a sentence, based on the theme of the text that is to be read, which then fosters an authentic dialogue with the students. This interaction between the teacher and the students reinforces the link between oral communication and reading. The teacher also models, in French, the necessary reading strategies.
3. Writing: it is important that writing integrate the knowledge and skills that the students have acquired through oral communication and reading comprehension. In order to activate this knowledge, the teacher engages the students in a discussion based on the writing goal related to the theme. The teacher models the writing process on the board as required, using structures that have already been seen and practiced. Students are now ready to write their own text, using the model as a guide.
En route vers le succès langagier en Français de base – This table is taken from the support document En route vers le succès langagier en Français de base, p.36, illustrates the literacy-based methodology, the scaffolding of activities from grades 4-10, links to curricular outcomes, and the integration of culture.
L’école – le plan et le personnel Niveau: 6e année
Performance Criteria / Suggested Activities / Linguistic Content / ResourcesCommunication: Students are able to communicate their ideas. Students can:
· ask and answer simple questions related to the theme
· describe their school and the staff who work there
· understand various authentic, school-related documents
Language: Students are able to use the linguistic content/structures with ease and precision, both orally and in writing.
Students can:
· use pronunciation, intonation and speed in a way that facilitates communication
· gradually develop spontaneity
· choose task-appropriate vocabulary
· use grammatically correct structures
Culture: Students develop awareness of French-speaking cultures and discover some of the advantages of learning and speaking French.
Students can:
· identify similarities and differences between their school and a Francophone school
Strategies: Students develop communication strategies. Students can recognize and use the strategies that they need to accomplish the task (see annex, p. 53-56). / Before touring the school with his students, the teacher asks questions about the school layout and staff.
After practising the linguistic content orally, students create a layout of their actual or ideal school (on paper, on the computer using Photostory, slide presentation, etc.) and present it to the class.
Students take a guest or parent on a tour of their school. They also describe the school staff. / - Combien de garçons et de filles est-ce qu’il y
a dans la classe?
Il y a 12 garçons et 14 filles dans la classe.
- Est-ce qu’il y a des ordinateurs dans la
classe? (un projecteur, une bibliothèque,
une table, une horloge, un tableau blanc
interactif, des casiers, un divan, une plante)
Il y a / Il n’y a pas / Il y a ____ (nombre).
Voici la bibliothèque. Mme Bérard travaille
à la bibliothèque. Elle est très sympa.
Voilà le gymnase. Mlle Dupont est
l’enseignante au gymnase. Elle est très
sportive.
M. Legault est l’enseignant de la 4e année. Il
est aimable.
Voici le bureau. Mme Morissette travaille
au bureau.
Elle est la directrice. Elle est sérieuse.
Voici la cafétéria. J’adore la soupe et les
biscuits à la cafétéria!
- Qui est l’enseignant de la… année?
- Où travaille Mme Morissette?
- Quelles sont les différentes salles dans ton
école?
The vocabulary and expressions are those of the classroom. In Grade 6, students are able to use le présent et l’impératif in context. / Livres
- Mon école (Parle-moi de ton école, Le
Trésor enterré, Les bloggeurs; Mon école
de rêve), À la ronde 2, Nelson
- L’école Lajoie, Alizé, Beauchemin
- À l’école, Mon premier théâtre des lecteurs,
Chenelière
- L’environnement (Allons à l’école), À la ronde
3, Nelson
- Voici mon école, Échos 1, Pearson
- Je fais le plan de ma classe, Comment
faire? Série rouge-lilas, Chenelière
- Mon école, En avant, Scholastic
- Des coins spéciaux à l’école, Alpha-monde, Scholastic
- Des aventures de partout (p. 5), Poster Pals
- Ce n’est pas mon passe-temps, Collection
Galaxie, Heinemann Educational Publishers
- Viens voir mon école, Collection Petits curieux,
ERPI
- Voyages francophones, Cultur-osité, Nelson Module
- Le cas mystérieux de monsieur Leblanc
(Notre école, leçon 1), Oxford Canada Ça
Commence (Thème 2, leçons 2 et 3), Pearson
Education.
Chanson
- Que j’aime pas les devoirs, Oui, Gregg
LeRock
The majority of the resources are available at the DREF. www.dref.mb.ca
Suggestions on Integrating Culture
Students explore the Web site of a Francophone school to familiarize themselves with the similarities and differences between their school and the Francophone one.
http://clesperance.dsfm.mb.ca/Tournee_ECL.html
With the teacher’s help, students can contact students in a Francophone school and discuss their school's layout (epals). They can also ask questions using the linguistic content/structures learned.
The teacher can read the sections about school in the book Voyages francophones, Cultur-osité, Nelson so that the students can better understand the school system in a few Francophone countries.
Report Card Categories and Curricular Links
Basic French Support Document: En route vers le succès langagier en Français de base http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/m12/frpub/ped/fdb/succes/docs/document_complet.pdf
Report Card Category / Curricular Outcomes / En route, 6e annéeL’école - Le plan et le personnel
Oral communication:
Listens and speaks to communicate ideas and to interact with others. / § understand the meaning of oral communication
§ express himself orally according to the purpose of the communication / Students can:
§ ask and answer simple questions related to the theme
§ describe their school and the staff who work there
§ use pronunciation, intonation and speed in a way that facilitates communication
§ gradually develop spontaneity
§ choose task-appropriate vocabulary
§ use grammatically correct structures
Reading:
Reads for meaning and responds to written text (reading comprehension and written comprehension). / § understand the meaning of different types of authentic and adapted texts / Students can:
§ understand various authentic, school-related texts
§ use pronunciation, intonation and speed in a way that facilitates communication
Writing:
Writes to communicate ideas and information. / § express in writing ideas related to a particular subject
§ understand and use, orally and in writing, syntactic structures and vocabulary related to the fields of experience / Students can:
§ describe in writing their school and the staff who work there
§ choose task-appropriate vocabulary
§ use grammatically correct structures
Sample Evaluation Rubric of the Final Project for L’école, Grade 6
Carte de route:
évaluation du plan de mon école
Je m’appelle ______C’est le ______
Total:/ 24 pts. / Je suis indépendant (e). / Je suis capable. / Je fais du progrès. / Il me faut de l’aide. / Je ne suis pas capable en ce moment.
4 / 3 / 2 / 1
1. Je peux parler en phrases complètes.
2. Je peux parler avec une prononciation appropriée.
3. Je peux parler avec spontanéité.
4. Je peux parler avec un volume et un débit (rythme) approprié.
5. Je peux faire le contacte des yeux avec mon auditoire.
6. Je peux offrir beaucoup de détails. / Il y a au moins 12 détails intéressants sur mon école dans ma présentation. / Il y a 8-11 détails intéressants sur mon école dans ma présentation. / Il y a 5-7 détails intéressants sur mon école dans ma présentation. / Il y a 1-4 détails intéressants sur mon école dans ma présentation. / Il y a un manque de détails intéressants sur mon école dans ma présentation.
Commentairesde ton enseignant (e):
______
______
Ma réflexion personnelle sur mon travail
Ce travail démontre que …
Il me faut de l’aide pour…
Ma réflexion sur la culture … (can be done en anglais)
This sample rubric contains criteria that reflect the oral component for the final project as suggested in En route vers le succès langagier en Français de base, L’école, Grade 6. For criterion number 6, the number of details required was decided upon by the students, guided by the teacher, during co-construction of the rubric.
The rubric and the student’s personal reflection are photocopied back-to-back. Students can use the rubric as a carte de route when preparing their final project. They later return the rubric to their teacher who uses it for summative assessment purposes as the student demonstrates his learning. The student is able to complete the personal reflection in French by referring to the list of criteria (je peux statements) which were co-constructed in class. They may also reflect on what degree of quality they attained for each criterion. This metacognitive process allows the students to become independent learners and thinkers and it empowers them to be responsible for their learning.
Par exemple: Ce travail démontre que je peux parler en phrases complètes. Il me faut de l’aide pour parler avec une prononciation appropriée.
Ma réflexion sur la culture… I liked the book Voyages francophones. In Haiti, the students wear uniforms to school. I do not wear a uniform. I am very happy about that.
The indicators, numbered 4 3 2 1 are written in student-friendly language and align with the indicators on the provincial report card. As the student demonstrates his learning, the teacher records observations in the appropriate columns on the rubric, then totals the score.
See the following pages for a description of the Academic Achievement Scale as it relates to French and a description of how to include the integration of culture on the report card.
Basic French Report Card Categories
Oral communication: listens and speaks to communicate ideas and to interact with others.
4 / Thorough understanding and in-depth application of concepts and skills / Communicates ideas clearly using appropriate structures, with correct pronunciation, in complete sentences3 / Very good understanding and application of concepts and skills / Communicates ideas in complete sentences using appropriate structures and pronunciation with some prompting from the teacher
2 / Basic understanding and some application of concepts and skills / Repeated modeling of the structure and pronunciation required in order to communicate ideas in complete sentences
1 / Limited understanding and minimal application of concepts and skills; see teacher comments / With repeated modeling, the student is still unable to communicate with correct pronunciation and in complete sentences
ND / Does Not yet Demonstrate the required understanding and application of concepts and skills / Is not yet able to communicate in French
Reading: Reads for meaning and responds to written text (reading comprehension and written comprehension).