MYP Course Outline

Level: (7,8,9,10)
Course Title: French I
Course Description:
In French I we start the year by exploring students’ prior knowledge of things French, acknowledging the extent to which French vocabulary has permeated the English language, and the extent to which French culture has influenced Western culture as a whole.  In this way, we establish the ongoing relevancy of learning French in an Asia-ascendant era. 
In French I we focus on developing all four communication skills: listening (compréhension orale(CO), reading (compréhension écrite (CE), speaking (expression orale EO), and writing (expression écrite (EE) .  Our communicative themes includes those relating to the self, family and friends, social activities, cultural practices, school, cross-cultural comparisons and cultural contexts. Our guiding question for this year will be: “WHO AM I?”  Course work will reveal that students are defined in multiple ways, e.g. by their status as students, musicians, athletes, sons, daughters, cousins, by their various nationalities, etc. and a final poster project will allow students to describe these multiple facets of their identity.
                  By the end of the school year, students should be able to use their French skills to:

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  • Greet people formally and informally
  • Express likes, dislikes and preferred activities
  • Order something to eat and drink in a restaurant
  • Describe their school class schedule,  indicate the supplies needed for each class and express opinions about their classes and teachers
  • Interpret a family tree, describe their friends and family members to others and create a family photo album
  • Describe the weather and be able to state days, dates and times
  • Shop for clothes and ask about colors, sizes and prices

MYP Aims Addressed by this Course:
The aims of the teaching and study of modern foreign languages are to:

• enable the student to use language(s) effectively as a means of practical communication, providing a sound base of communication skills necessary for future study, work and leisure
• enable the student to understand the nature of language and the process of total language learning, which comprises the integration of linguistic, cultural and social components
• enable the student to develop an appreciation of a variety of literary and non-literary texts
• offer insight into the cultural characteristics of the communities where the language(s) is (are) spoken
• encourage an awareness and understanding of the perspectives of people from other cultures
• promote involvement with different communities, where relevant
• provide access to varied sources of information
• foster curiosity, a lifelong interest and enjoyment in language learning.