Elementary School French

French Classes are based on The Accelerated Integrated Method (AIM)

Benefits include:

• Quick fluency development
• Multi-disciplinary approach
• Motivating for both students and teachers

Curriculum Outline

Grades 2 to 5 French

The program used is Wendy Maxwell's "Histoires en action!" which is based on the Accelerative Integrated Method ("AIM").

The objectives of the program is to develop a strong foundation for beginning
fluency in French. This is accomplished through a program designed specifically to accelerate fluency.

The oral presentation of essential high frequency vocabulary (PDL, or Pared Down Language) is through a kinesthetic method that allows language to be presented in a way that responds to a variety of learning styles and intelligences. Language is contextualized for the students through the integrated use of plays.

When students complete drama units, they are encouraged to perform the play and share the related written activities with parents and family members. French is the language used in all classroom interactions.

Basic vocabulary as outlined in the Ontario Curriculum will be taught at all the grade levels throughout the year. PDL or Pared Down Language (500 highest frequency words) will be taught, reviewed, and reinforced throughout the program. Seasonal related vocabulary will also be taught at the appropriate times. eg. fall, Christmas, winter etc...

Plays:

• Grade 3 : La poule Maboule
• Grade 4 : Les trois petits cochons
• Grade 5 : L'arbre Ungali

Throughout the year students will:

• view, listen to and read the play
• memorize the story
• recognize words and their meanings within the context of the play
• dramatize the play
• read the text to the teacher and each other
• produce puppets
• respond to simple knowledge and comprehension based questions orally
• manipulate the language in written form through a variety of oral and written activities
• listen to and learn to sing songs and perform dances
• identify single words introduced through gesture, and name gestured words
• repeat vocabulary introduced through gestures
• learn to speak while the teacher gestures

Assessment will take a variety of forms, including anecdotal, performance, and products:

• observation of participation in large and small group oral language activities
• final production of play for an audience
• oral knowledge and comprehension questions
• written comprehension questions
• students will demonstrate ability to identify individual words by gesturing and/or naming the word
• participation when teacher gestures

References:

• Maxwell, W. "Histoires en action!" kit #1 program and DVD
• Maxwell, W. "Histoires en action!" add-on kit #1 program and DVD
• Maxwell, W. "Histoires en action!" pour les tout petits # 1 program and DVD

Grade 6 French

The program used is Wendy Maxwell's "Jeunesse en action!" new French Second Language program for junior high students. This program is also based on the Accelerative Integrated Method (AIM).

The use of high frequency vocabulary, introduced with gestures and contextualized in stories, drama, songs, and dance, allows students to achieve high levels of oral and written fluency.

Play:  "Salut, mon ami!"

During the year this program enables students to:

• express themselves orally in French
• learn vocabulary in visual, auditory, and kinesthetic ways
• learn to think and write creatively, while practicing oral communication

During the school year students will learn:

• present tense of irregular verbs vouloir, pouvoir, partir, sortir, and devoir
• double verb constructions
• aller plus infinitive to form le future proche
• agreement of verb with compound subject
• imperative of some regular -er, -ir, and -re verbs
• plural possessive adjectives
• singular and plural, feminine and masculine of some irregular adjectives and agreement in number and gender
• subject-verb inversions
• basic vocabulary (e.g. numbers 0-1000, words associated with outdoor and leisure activities, food, T.V., sports)
• vocabulary from units under study
• use of related spelling patterns and sounds associated with accents

Basic vocabulary (as outlined in the Ontario Curriculum) will be taught throughout the year. PDL or Pared Down Language (the 700 highest frequency words) will be taught, reviewed, and reinforced throughout the program. Shorter, seasonal related vocabulary, including expectations related to grammar and language conventions (as outlined in the Ontario Curriculum) will be taught at the appropriate times. eg. Christmas, Winter wear/activities, Easter.

Assessment will include a variety of methods, including anecdotal, performance, and products:

• observation of participation in large and small group oral language activities
• summative assessment of final production of play and dance for an audience
• formative assessment of choral reading and individual reading in small group play rehearsal
• formative assessment of knowledge and comprehension questions
• assessment of structured written language manipulation activities and creative oral and written activities based on the story for the unit
• formative and summative assessment in large and small group sessions, of student's ability to identify individual words and their associations as well as full sentences by gesturing and/or naming the word
• observation of spontaneous interaction among peers and with the teacher

References:

• Maxwell, W. "Jeunesse en action!" 1A "Salut, mon ami!" program, DVD, Partner/Group Activities Book, and Assessment Activities Book.