Foreign Language Department

Basic French

1. The student will be able to use the French language to engage in conversations, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions and information.

2. The student will be able to understand and interpret written and spoken language on diverse topics from diverse media.

3. The student will be able to present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics.

4. The student will understand traditional ideas and perspectives, institutions, professions, literary and artistic expressions and other components of the French culture.

5. The student will be able to understand that different languages use different patterns to communicate and applies this knowledge to the French and native languages.

Standard #1

The student will be able to use the French language to engage in conversations, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions and information.

Benchmarks

Basic Level

1. Uses the French language to express likes, dislikes, and personal preferences (e.g. objects, people, favorite activities, food, celebrations) in everyday environments.

2. Uses vocabulary for a wide range of topics (e.g. basic subject area terms, such as story elements, weather, geographical concepts, categories such as number, shapes, colors, size).

3. Uses some conventions of oral language (e.g. pronunciation, intonation) to speak and to understand in familiar context.

4. Responds to oral texts (e.g. express opinions) and connects to personal experience.

5. Gives an oral presentation of five to ten sentences in length (e.g. report on reading material).

Standard # 2

The student will be able to understand and interpret written and spoken language on diverse topics from diverse media.

Benchmarks

Basic Level

1. Writes sentences and questions that contain learned vocabulary and familiar language structures.

2. Understands the basic ideas of oral messages and short conversations based on simple or familiar topics appropriate at this developmental level.

3. Understands the main ideas of ability appropriate video of television programs on familiar topics.

4. Understands common phrase groupings and voice inflection in simple spoken sentences.

5. Understands common cognates and expressions in the French and native languages.

Standard #3

The student will be able to present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics.

Benchmarks

Basic Level

1. Presents simple oral reports or presentations about family members and friends, objects present in environment, and common school and home activities.

2. Writes in a variety of forms to describe information about oneself, friends and family, or school activities.

3. Presents cultural and literary works in the target language that are appropriate to the grade level.

4. Summarizes the plot and provides descriptions in short stories and anecdotes.

5. Uses a dictionary or thesaurus entirely in the language to select appropriate words for preparing written and oral reports.

Standard #4

The student will understand traditional ideas and perspectives, institutions, professions, literary and artistic expressions and other components of the French culture.

Benchmarks

Basic Level

1. Knows various age-appropriate cultural activities practiced in French culture (e.g. games, songs, celebrations, storytelling).

2. Knows simple patterns of behavior and interaction in various settings in the French culture and how these patterns compare to those in one’s native culture.

3. Knows familiar utilitarian forms of the French culture (e.g. toys, dress, currency) and how they compare to those in one’s native culture.

4. Knows professions that require proficiency in the language.

5. Knows distinctive contributions made by the people in French culture.

6. Knows basic geographical aspects of countries where the French language is spoken (e.g. major cities, climates, mountains and rivers).

Standard # 5

The student will be able to understand that different languages use different patterns to communicate and applies this knowledge to the French and native languages.

Benchmarks

Basic Level

1. Knows words that have been borrowed from one language to another and how this word borrowing developed.

2. Understands that an idea may be expressed in multiple ways in the French language.

3. Understands that languages have critical sound distinctions that convey meaning.

4. Draws conclusions about the relationship among languages (e.g. based on cognates and idioms)