Big Ideas
Big Ideas
Language learning is a lifelong process.
With increased proficiency in French, we can discuss and justify opinions with nuance and clarity.
Sharing our feelings, opinions, and beliefs in French enhances our identity as French speakers.
Appreciation of Francophone cultures allows us to understand and explore global issues with greater awareness.
Exploring diverse forms of cultural expression
represent the experience of the people from whose culture they are drawn; for example, customs, folklore, language use, traditions, ways of celebrating, and creative works (e.g., architecture, dance, filmmaking, musical composition, painting, poetry and prose, sculpture, theatre)
promotes a greater understanding and appreciation of cultures worldwide.
Becoming more proficient in French allows us to explore diverse opportunities
for example, educational, personal, professional, social, and travel opportunities
.
Content
Learning Standards
Content
commonly used vocabulary and sentence structures for communication in past, present, and future
for example, J’ai étudié pour mon test hier soir; Il faisait des sports quand il était jeune; Elles étaient parties avant la fête; Elles ne sont pas à l’école aujourd’hui; Nous allons regarder un film demain; Je ferai mes devoirs en rentrant chez moi; Voudriez-vous manger au restaurant à midi?; Je ne veux pas que tu partes en voyage
time frames:- questionsincluding using open-ended questions to elicit a deeper level of response (e.g., Pourquoi as-tu choisi ce film?; Le français, comment est-il similaire à l’anglais?)
- sequencesusing appropriate verb tenses and expressions of time (e.g., premièrement, en premier, tout d’abord, au début, pour commencer, deuxièmement, après, de plus, ensuite, puis, par la suite, troisièmement, finalement, dernièrement, en dernier lieu, enfin, pour conclure, pour terminer, après 30 minutes, une heure plus tard, à partir de ce moment, auparavant, à l’époque, autrefois, désormais, sous peu, tout de suite)of events
- doubts, wishes, possibilities, and hypothetical situationsfor example, Je ne pense pas que…; Je doute que…; J’espère que…; J’aimerais…; Il est possible que…
- explanations of needs, emotions, and opinionsfor example, J’ai besoin de…; Il faut que…; Je suis triste que…; Je suis ravi que…; Je ne crois pas que…; Je ne pense pas que…
register and language etiquette
- elements of formal versus informal speech and writing (e.g., cela versus ça; que l’on versus qu’on; c’est pourquoi versus c’est la raison pour laquelle)
- etiquette, such as addressing people they have not met as Monsieur or Madame + surname/title (e.g., Monsieur le Directeur)
- use of topic-specific jargon, abbreviations, and txt spk (e.g., mdr = mort de rire [LOL]; @+ = à plus tard; cad = c’est-à-dire; bp de = beaucoup de; qqn = quelqu’un; qqch = quelque chose)
idiomatic expressions
for example:
from across la francophonie
- expressions using avoir, faire, être (e.g., avoir besoin de, faire beau, être d’accord)
- expressions from l’argot (e.g., jaser for bavarder)
- other expressions (e.g., coûter les yeux de la tête, c’est dommage, un coup de foudre)
ethics of cultural appropriation
use of a cultural motif, theme, “voice,” image, knowledge, story, song, or drama, shared without permission or without appropriate context or in a way that may misrepresent the real experience of the people from whose culture it is drawn
and plagiarism
Curricular Competency
Learning Standards
Curricular Competency
Thinking and communicating
Explore and interpret a wide variety of texts
“Text” refers to all forms of oral, written, visual, and digital communication, including authentic or adapted texts (e.g., advertisements, articles, biographies, blogs, brochures, cartoons, charts, conversations, diagrams, emails, essays, films, forms, graphs, indigenous oral histories, instructions, interviews, invitations, letters, narratives, news reports, novels, nursery rhymes, online profiles, paintings, photographs, picture books, poems, presentations, songs, speeches, stories, surveys, text messages).
Recognize different purposes
for example, to convince, inform, entertain
, degrees of formality, and perspectivesA text can reflect the author’s personal point of view, which may include bias.
in a variety of texts
Use a range of strategies to support communication
- include strategies to comprehend and express meaning
- will vary depending on the context and the individual student
- for example, interpreting body language; listening to intonation and expression; paraphrasing, reformulating, reiterating, and repeating; substituting words; using cognates, context, images, parts of speech, prior knowledge, reference tools, similar words in first language, and text features
Derive and negotiate meaning in a wide variety of contexts
for example, contexts differing in terms of audience, purpose, setting, formal versus informal
Respond personally
for example, provide personal reactions, interpretations, opinions
to a variety of texts
Make word choices
for example, nuances of different verb forms (e.g., J’avais peur versus J’ai eu peur), pronouns (on versus nous), word placement within a sentence (e.g., ma propre chambre versus ma chambre propre), words with close but not identical meanings (e.g., les chaussures versus les souliers; retourner versus revenir; sortir versus partir)
and adjust register to express intended meaning
Adjust speech and writing to reflect different purposes
Engage in meaningful conversations
virtual, online, and/or face-to-face; with peers, teachers, and members of the wider community
on avariety of topics of interestpersonal, local, regional, national, or global topics of interest, such as current events, matters of public debate, political issues, social trends, and diverse ranges of lifestyles and relationships
, both orally and in writing
Express themselves
includes using a variety of tenses, moods, vocabulary, and appropriate structures
effectively, with increasing fluency and accuracy, both orally and in writing
Evaluate and respond to the opinions of others
Narrate
using a variety of expressions of time and transitional words to show logical progression using past, present, and future time frames
storiesStories are narrative texts that can be oral, written, or visual. Stories can be simple or complex and may be derived from real or imagined experiences. They can be used to seek and impart knowledge, entertain, share history, and strengthen a sense of identity. Examples are indigenous oral histories, personal stories, skits, series of pictures, songs, student-created stories.
, both orally and in writing
Personal and social awareness
Explore regional variations
for example, accents, idiomatic expressions, slang, other vocabulary
in French
Explore cultural expression in diverse communities
Francophone, indigenous, and other communities
Explore connections between language and culture
as expressed through, for example, regional dialects, historical origins of words, idiomatic expressions, and creative works (e.g., architecture, dance, filmmaking, musical composition, painting, poetry and prose, sculpture, theatre)
Recognize that language and culture have been influenced by the interactions of First Peoples and Francophone communities
for example:
in Canada
- the Michif language, which includes First Nations and French vocabulary and structures and expresses a distinctive Métis culture
- Chinook Jargon, which was used for trading along the West Coast
- the fact that First Peoples writers in Quebec, such as those from the Innu Nation, have used the French language through prose and poetry
to bring attention to the negative effects of colonization on their families and communities
Engage
through, for example, blogs, classroom and school visits (including virtual/online visits), clubs, concerts, courses, exchanges, festivals, films, pen-pal letters, magazines, newspapers, plays, social media and other online resources, stores/restaurants with service in French
in experiences with Francophone communities and people
Identify and explore personal, educational, and professional opportunities requiring proficiency in French
Identify and explore opportunities to continue language acquisition
for example, clubs, meet-ups, online resources, personal connections, travel, volunteering
beyond graduation