District 11 Educational Support Services
Multilingual Education



Images: Liberty Leading the People - 1830, Eugène Delacroix.
The boy holding a gun up on the right is thought to be an inspiration of the
Gavroche character in Victor Hugo's 1862 novel, Les Misérables.
French 1- 2: Overview
Course Number: FL.FREN1

Overview

This course develops the language skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Through a variety of enrichment activities and a basic text, the student learns to communicate in the language and to appreciate the culture of the French-speaking world. The mission of the foreign language department is to enable students to communicate effectively in another language and to develop life-long appreciation for various languages and cultures. The study of the foreign language is a progressive acquisition of communication, cultures, connections, comparisons and communities.   
Prerequisite: None 
Course Length: 2   Period Length: 1   Grade Level:  9-12   Credit per Semester: 1
Additional Credit Information: Credit per Semester: 1.0 (Humanities or Elective)

Communication - Cultures - Communities - Comparisons - Connections

For Teachers
Quarter 1
Quarter 2
No Prerequisite
Next Course



Enduring Understandings (Samples)
  • Developing knowledge and skills in a second language also provides insight into the foundations of different cultures.
  • Learning a foreign language enables individuals to participate in multilingual communities.
  • Being able to communicate in a second language other than English equips graduates to participate in and contribute to the growth of a global economy.
  • Understanding different cultural perspectives, patterns of behavior, ways of life, worldviews, and contributions is essential in order to.

Essential Questions (Samples)

  • Communication - How will learning a language enhance my life?

  • Cultures - How can cultural awareness enhance my language learning and vice versa?  

  • Communities - How does where I live shape who I am?

  • Comparisons - How do I determine the most effective language learning style for me? 

  • Connections - How might learning a language open “doors of opportunity”?


Standards
District 11 Foreign Language courses are aligned to the Colorado Model Content Standards for Foreign Language and include Standards, Benchmarks, and Indicators.
STANDARD - The information or skills that must be learned and demonstrated for expertise in a given discipline or content domain.  Also, refers to standards of practice, performance standards, etc.
BENCHMARK - More specific definitions that teachers can follow to assess and measure a student’s performance at various stages in his or her school career. 
INDICATORS - The actual learning behaviors teachers will look for in the classroom. 

Colorado Model Content Standards for Foreign Language

STANDARD 1:
Students communicate in a foreign language while demonstrating literacy in all four essential skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
LISTENING: Students listen to and derive meaning from a variety of foreign language sources.
RATIONALE: Students listen to comprehend information spoken in a foreign language. In order to meet this standard, a student will:
• recognize common expressions;
• obtain meaning from diverse listening sources;
• demonstrate comprehension through appropriate responses; and
• engage in a variety of listening situations.

Grades 9-12 of a Foreign Language Program - As students at the advanced level extend their knowledge, what they know and are able to do includes:
• deriving meaning through context, intonation, and situations from listening sources including conversations, lectures, authentic videos, films, and recordings; and
• obtaining and processing information by selecting, categorizing, and analyzing from these sources. For students extending their foreign language education, what they know and are able to do may include
• processing information by organizing, synthesizing, and evaluating from all types of authentic listening sources;
• integrating listening skills by interacting and/or participating with members of the community in various professions who use the foreign language; and
• using listening skills to interact culturally with peers and/or others in the foreign language.


71.2 SPEAKING: Students speak in the foreign language for a variety of purposes and for diverse audiences.
RATIONALE The ability to speak other languages allows students to communicate with people from various cultures. In order to meet this standard, a student will:
• apply pronunciation rules and intonation patterns;
• use vocabulary, grammatical forms, and structures of the target language to convey meaning;
• apply knowledge of cultural practices to spoken language;
• express needs, tell stories, obtain and convey information, explain concepts and procedures, and persuade; and
• interact with speakers of the language in a variety of venues: personal, business, debate panels, dramatic presentations.

Grades 9-12 of a Foreign Language Program - As students at the advanced level extend their knowledge, what they know and are able to do includes:
• applying pronunciation and intonation patterns at a normal rate of speech;
• making predictions, analyzing, drawing conclusions, and expressing facts and opinions;
• defining points of view; and
• summarizing and paraphrasing.

For students extending their foreign language education, what they know and are able to do may include:
• communicating and talking about topics of current, public, and personal interest; and
• handling complicated tasks such as describing, narrating, and hypothesizing with increasing accuracy.
 


81.3 READING: Students read and derive meaning from a variety of materials written in a foreign language.
RATIONALE Reading in a foreign language gives students access to information, and expands their knowledge. This ability provides students with the opportunity to learn about cultures and the human experience. In order to meet this standard, students will:
• recognize words, phrases, idiomatic expressions, and grammatical structures;
• demonstrate comprehension of reading materials written for a variety of purposes;
• use and apply the information gained from reading; and
• respond to the cultural elements contained in reading materials of the language.

Grades 9-12 of a Foreign Language Program
As students at the advanced level further extend their knowledge, what they know and are able to do includes:
•analyzing and synthesizing reading materials;
•recognizing the author's point of view and purpose;
•expressing personal reactions to reading materials; and
•interpreting cultural elements found in reading materials.

For students extending their foreign language education, what they know and are able to do may include:
• using literary terminology accurately including setting, character, conflict, plot, resolution, and theme; and
• responding to and discussing a variety of authentic texts.
 


91.4 WRITING: Students write in a foreign language for a variety of purposes and for diverse audiences.
RATIONALE Writing allows students to express themselves, to communicate with others, and to document ideas in a foreign language. In order to meet this standard, students will:
• write for purposes such as relating personal experiences, obtaining and conveying information, explaining ideas and opinions, and persuading;
• write for audiences such as peers, teachers, community members, and people from other countries;
• plan, draft, revise, proofread, and edit written communications;•use correct grammar, sentence structure, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization to convey meaning; and
• use legible handwriting and/or word processing.

Grades 9-12 of a Foreign Language Program - As students at the advanced level further extend their knowledge, what they know and are able to do includes:
• analyzing and drawing conclusions;
• incorporating information from foreign language resource materials in their writing;
• selecting and expressing ideas and opinions on topics from various content areas; and
• using specialized vocabulary and more advanced grammatical structures.

For students extending their foreign language education, what they know and are able to do may include:
• writing business letters and/or advertisements;
• using writing skills to analyze, persuade and hypothesize with increasing accuracy; and
• writing creative poetry and short stories.
 


STANDARD 2: Students acquire and use knowledge of cultures while developing foreign language skills.
RATIONALE Language learners are culture learners as well. Students need to develop an understanding of the cultures in which the language is spoken and the ability to function in an appropriate manner. In order to meet this standard, students will:
• demonstrate knowledge of aspects of foreign cultures such as daily life, education, history, geography, government, economics, and the arts;
• apply knowledge of cultural practices when communicating in a foreign language; and
• use the foreign language to access cultural information available only in that language.

Grades 9-12 of a Foreign Language Program - As students at the advanced level further extend their knowledge, what they know and are able to do includes:
• analyzing aspects of the cultures being studied, such as social and political institutions and laws;
• functioning in a culturally appropriate manner, through speaking and writing, in complex social and/or work situations; and
• researching a topic of interest using sources from the cultures being studied.
 


District 11 French curriculum guides students to learn the language through Functions, Content/Vocabulary, Structure/Grammar, and Culture.

French 1-2 Functions -
Recognize basic idioms, Talk about self, activities, school, Recognize & follow commands/directions, Recognize & begin to utilize social register, Recognize monetary system, Respond to simple questions, Express likes, dislikes, & simple desires, Form simple questions, Ask & tell dates & years, Describe weather, Describe people & things, Make introductions & greetings, Show possession

French 1-2 Content/Vocabulary - #s 1-100, supplementary to million, colors, calendar: seasons, days, months, alphabet, time, introductions, greetings, leave-taking, nationalities: français, américain, anglais, canadien
Semester 2 - School subjects, objects, opinions, rejoinders, Likes & dislikes, Activities & sports, Hobbies, Foods: basic, Drinks: basic, Geography: France, surrounding  countries & water, Loire, Seine, Alps, Pyrenees, le Massif Central, Paris, Tours, Bordeaux, Marceille, Lille, Lyon, *  Supplementary:  Nice, Strasbourg, Grenoble, Dijon, Le Havre, Rennes, Reims

French 1-2 Structure/Grammar - être, venir, gender, number, subject pronouns, C’est, s’appeler: je, tu, il, elle,

French 1-2 Culture - Monetary system, Calendar differences, 24-hour clock, Gestures

Sample Units

District 11 Diamond Units/Lessons Overview - includes information about the purpose, goals and structure of these sample instructional units:
  • French 1 Quarter 1 Units
    Numbers Unit # 1-100, *supplementary to million,
    Colors Unit
    Calendar Unit - seasons, days, months
    Alphabet
    Unit 
    Time Unit
    In
    troductions/Greetings - leave taking
    Grammar Unit - être, venir, gender, number, subject pronouns, C’est, s’appeler: je, tu, il/elle
    Nationalities Extension Unit: français, américain, anglais, canadien
  • French 1 Quarter 2 Units
    School subjects & Objects Unit
    Opinions & Rejoinders Unit
    Likes and Dislikes Unit
    Activities and Sports Unit
    Hobbies Unit
    Foods and Drinks Unit
    Geography Unit - France, surrounding countries, surrounding water, Loire, Seine, Alps, Pyrenees, Le Massif Central, Paris, Tours, Bordeaux, Marseille, Lille, Lyon.  Supplementary:  Nice, Strasbourg, Grenoble, Dijon, Le Havre, Rennes, Reims
    Weather Unit

    B
    asic Body Parts Unit
    Grammar Unit -
    avoir, -er verbs + -ger verbs, definite/ indefinite articles, faire, préférer: je, beaucoup(de), peu, bien, souvent, rarement, mal, mieux, negation: ne…pas, Classroom commands, falloir : il me faut, il te faut, definite & indefinite articles
  • French 2 Quarter 3 Units
    Family Members Unit
    Domestic Animals Unit
    Activities Unit
    Food Items Advanced Unit
    Restaurant Unit

    Grammar Unit -
    partitive article (as a unique function; not contrasted to other articles), possessive adjectives, possession with “de, questions with “est-ce que, avoir faim, avoir soif, negation : ne…jamais, *questions :inversion, n’est-ce pas, & ;intonation, *prendre 
  • French 2 Quarter 4 Units 
    Town Places Unit
    Nationalities Unit
    Colors as Adjectives Unit
    Adjectives: Like Grand and Jeune Unit
    Adjectives of Nationality Unit
    BAGS (placement of adjectives) Unit
    Grammar Unit - à+definite articles, de + definite articles, aller, futur proche, acheter,
    information questions with « est-ce que », stress pronouns, prepositions : sur, sous, dans, devant, derrière, a droite, a gauche, a cote de, en face de, près de, loin de, entre, au centre, *questions :inversion

Assessment
 


Parents

Benefits of Knowing a Second Language
Colorado children need second language fluency in order to be competitive in the 21st century.  Students of foreign language score statistically higher on standardized tests conducted in English.  Students who average 4 or more years of foreign language study scored higher on the verbal section of the SAT than those who had studied 4 or more years on any other subject area. (1992 report consistent with College Board profiles of previous years.)  Students of foreign languages have access to great number of career possibilities and develop a deeper understanding of their own language and other cultures.  Children who receive second language instruction are more creative and better at solving complex problems.  Coloradans fluent in other languages enhance U.S. economic competitiveness abroad, improve global communication, and maintain national, political and security interest.

District 11 Offers French Classes for Parents
Our Community Education Department offers various level classes in Spanish, German, French, Italian, Mandarin Chinese, and Japanese. See the class schedule and registration information.

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