FRENCH I
This beginning course stresses basic proficiency in both production skills (speaking and writing) and receptive skills (listening and reading). The French I student develops a practical vocabulary and builds a strong grammatical foundation in the target language. She learns to relate information about herself, her family and her friends, using the present tense, the passé composé, futur proche, and object pronouns. Authentic reading and audio-visual materials enhance the student’s discovery of the Francophone world. Only the target language is used in class.
FRENCH II
College Preparatory and Honors
French II is an intensive course in reading, writing, and speaking. From the simple structures in French I, the student moves on to use compound tenses, the present subjunctive, the imperfect, the future, and the conditional. Students also learn how to express both affirmative and negative commands and to formulate conditional and complex sentences using relative pronouns. Videos complement and reinforce the vocabulary presented in the text. Only the target language is used in class.
FRENCH III
College Preparatory and Honors
In French III, students review the grammar, syntax, and vocabulary of French I and II and study more complex forms of grammar and syntax, including the subjunctive. They expand their vocabulary and knowledge of idiomatic expressions. Points of grammar and syntax and newly acquired vocabulary are reinforced through dialogues with classmates, oral descriptions of places, people, and situations, and interviews and role-playing. French III students are exposed to a variety of literary forms. They read short stories, poems, and a French novel appropriate to their experience and their knowledge of the language.
Students of French III are required to use only the target language in class and to find every possible opportunity to practice oral skills outside the classroom. They are asked to visit museums and exhibits that feature Francophone art and culture, watch the French news on television, and listen to French programs on the radio.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT FRENCH LANGUAGE
This course is designed to prepare students for the Advanced Placement Examination in the French language. Since students are expected to have mastered the basics of French grammar, a grammatical review takes the form of “mini-lessons” according to the students’ needs. Students devote most of the class time to discussions of literature and to writing exploratory and critical essays.
Language skills are refined through prepared oral presentations, discussion, debate, and responses to questions presented in class. Through writing and speaking on a wide range of topics, students expand their vocabulary, perfect their writing style in French, and work to improve their critical thinking. Participating in classroom discussion, viewing French films, and listening to French songs and cassettes of native French speakers further develop listening skills. Finally, students assess their skills and progress by taking past Advanced Placement Examinations for practice and review.
FRENCH IV
French IV is designed to reinforce and expand on the grammar and syntax studied in French I, II, and III. Students read a variety of essays, articles, short stories, and poetry from both French and Francophone authors. They also continue developing oral and listening comprehension skills and, through active participation in class, improve their speaking skills. Students are encouraged to think of the study of language as an ongoing process that takes place both in school and outside of school. They are asked to experience spoken and written French by going to French language films and theater, French restaurants, and exhibits of Francophone art.
ADVANCED READINGS IN FRENCH
In this college-level course, students read a range of works by other Francophone writers. Students learn to analyze texts, develop theses, and compare themes common to several works. Although grammar is not presented in formal lessons, review of specific grammatical issues occurs as a means of improving and refining the students’ writing skills. The written work includes short reactions to daily reading assignments and more substantial essays on the literature. Discussion, always in the target language, is a daily feature of class. Students are expected to have thoroughly read the assigned work and to have carefully considered guide questions about the reading.
FRENCH V
French V is designed for students who wish to further their studies in the language after having successfully completed French IV. Through selected readings, film, and active participation in class, students gain greater fluency in French as well as a comprehensive grasp of French culture and the Francophone world.