Toronto
Catholic
District
School
Board
Kevin Kobus
Director of Education
Oliver Carroll
Chair of the Board
Reprint 2005
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS / REMERCIEMENTS
The Program Services Department would like to express its gratitude and
appreciation to the individuals who contributed advice and suggestions during the
preparation of this material.
Authors:
Joanne Famiglietti, Core French Teacher, St. Anselm
Sandra Loberto, Core French Teacher, St. Gerard Majella
Typing:
Louise Robichaud
June 1999
Colleen French, Superintendent of Education, Program Services
Jean-François Côté, Coordinator, French as a Second Language
Français cadre.Expectations 1- 3
2
CORE FRENCH AT THE PRIMARY LEVELS
The ability to communicate in French is a valuable skill because French is one of Canada's
official languages and is widely used around the world. The Toronto Catholic District School
Board offers French from grade 1 to grade 8.
In the Primary years children are most receptive to and benefit from early second language
acquisition. Second language learning enhances cognitive development. Therefore, the
T.C.D.S.B. offers French in grades 1 to 8. This document provides expectations for grades 1, 2,
and 3 for all its elementary schools. It also provides achievement levels for these grades.
Students receive 60 hours of Core French instruction per year and will have accumulated 180
hours of French instruction by the end of grade 3. In grade 1 and 2, French oral language
communication skills are developed and reinforced through communicative activities.
In grade 3, in addition to oral communication skills, reading and writing skills are introduced.
Beginning in grade 4, the Core French program is based on the expectations outlined in the
Ontario Curriculum: French as a Second Language: Core French policy document Grades 4 - 8,
1998.
The assessment and evaluation of students performance in grades 1, 2 and 3 will be based on the
achievement levels outlined in this document, based on a modified version of the French as a
Second Language: Core French Grades 4 - 8 Policy Document.
Français cadre.Expectations 1- 3
3
Grade 1
Oral Communication (only)
Overall Expectations
By the end of grade 1 students will:



repeat vocabulary using very simple sentences
listen and repeat words and simple sentences
recognize visually known vocabulary
Specific Expectations
Oral Communication
By the end of grade 1 students will:





follow a limited number of basic classroom instructions (e.g., regardez, écoutez, répétez)
repeat very simple questions and answers following a model (e.g., qu'est-ce que c'est? c'est
un cheval)
use visual and verbal cues to understand global meaning (e.g., tone of voice, facial
expressions, gestures)
use a few conventions of oral language (e.g. pronunciation, intonation)
respond briefly to simple rehearsed oral texts (e.g., songs, games)
Grammar Language Conventions and Vocabulary
Students should develop and apply the language knowledge outlined below through
communicative activities in oral communication only.
Vocabulary





greetings (e.g., bonjour, au revoir)
day of the week (lundi, mardi, mercredi, jeudi, vendredi)
numbers 1 to 30
basic vocabulary based on units taught (e.g., c'est un garçon, c'est une fille, Madame,
Monsieur)
very basic vocabulary of cultural and religions themes (e.g., Noël, Pâques)
Français cadre.Expectations 1- 3
4
Grade 2
Oral Communication (only)
Overall Expectations
By the end of grade 2 students will:




talk about familiar topics using limited and simple vocabulary
listen to short, very simple and familiar texts and respond to very simple questions
identify and use familiar vocabulary following a model
identify and use simple vocabulary and language conventions appropriate for this grade level.
Specific Expectations
Oral Communication
By the end of grade 2 students will:





follow very simple basic classroom instructions (e.g., levez-vous, ouvre la fenêtre)
ask and respond to very simple questions (e.g., quelle est la date? quel temps fait-il? qu'estce que c'est?)
use very limited conventions of oral language (e.g., pronunciation, intonation) to speak in
rehearsed contexts
respond briefly to familiar oral texts (e.g., answer short very simple questions, do actions to
the words of a song or dialogue)
give a very simple rehearsed oral presentation based on learned vocabulary (e.g., comptines,
simple learned dialogues)
Grammar Language Conventions and Vocabulary
Students should develop and apply the language knowledge outlined below through
communicative activities in oral communication only.
Vocabulary




basic vocabulary based on units taught (c'est / ce sont - ce n'est pas / ce ne sont pas - voilà - il
y a)
numbers 1 to 50
some limited interrogative constructions (où - où est - qu'est-ce que c'est?)
basic vocabulary of cultural and religious themes (e.g., Noël, Pâques, la Ste-Catherine)
Français cadre.Expectations 1- 3
5
Grade 3
Oral Communication, Reading and Writing
Overall Expectations
By the end of grade 3 students will:





talk about very familiar topics, using very simple rehearsed phrases and sentences
listen to short, very simple oral texts and respond to simple questions
read a variety of very simple materials up to 50 words, containing repetitive learned
vocabulary and demonstrate a global understanding
write very simple sentences following a model
identify some language conventions appropriate for this grade level
Specific Expectations
Oral Communications
By the end of grade 3 students will:







follow simple basic classroom instructions
ask very simple questions following a model
use visual and verbal cues to understand oral texts (e.g., gestures, facial expressions, tone of
voice)
use limited conventions of oral language (e.g., pronunciation, intonation) to speak in familiar
contexts
respond briefly to oral texts (e.g., answer short, simple questions; act out the words of a song)
give a simple oral presentation, following a specific model (e.g., identification of family
members and themselves, and simple songs with actions
make very simple revision to oral language in form and content (e.g., correct use of
pronunciation, gender) using constant feedback from the teacher
Reading
By the end of grade 3 students will:




read aloud very simple, familiar material using correct pronunciation and intonation
read up to five simple and familiar passages (e.g., dialogues, song lyrics)
read and respond to familiar, simple written material (e.g., select the correct answer, fill in
the missing word, draw a picture)
use all available cues (e.g., pictures) to determine meaning
Français cadre.Expectations 1- 3
6
Writing




copy and write very simple words and phrases and very simple short sentences and questions
using simple basic limited vocabulary and very simple language structures (e.g., c'est une
bicyclette. C'est une règle. Ce n'est pas une règle)
write a simple response to a visual cue (e.g., picture - word recognition)
use and write familiar vocabulary appropriate for this grade level
write simple vocabulary pertaining to religions and cultural themes appropriate to the grade
level
Grammar, Language Conventions and Vocabulary
Students should develop and apply the language knowledge outlined below through
communicative activities in all three strands.
Nouns and Pronouns




words and expressions used to identify nouns (e.g., c'est, ce sont, voilà)
pronoun subjects (e.g., je, j', tu, il, elle)
use the indefinite article for gender (e.g., un, une)
addition of S to form the plural of nouns (e.g., un enfant/des enfants) using the indefinite
article "des"
Verbs

introduction of être and avoir in the present tense with a singular pronoun or noun and some
very specific ER verbs (e.g., porter)
Adjectives

addition of E to form the feminine of simple, regular adjectives (e.g., vert/verte)
Prepositions

prepositions of place (e.g., sur, sous, devant, derrière)
Interrogative Constructions


questions with rising intonation (e.g., c'est un crayon? c'est une craie?)
questions words (e.g., comment, qui, où, qu'est-ce que c'est?)
Français cadre.Expectations 1- 3
7
Vocabulary



simple vocabulary (classroom objects, clothing, family, animals)
simple words from units of study
word banks of identical cognates (e.g., une girafe/giraffe)
Spelling and Grammar rules and Strategies





use of capital letters to begin a French sentence
use of a period to end of French sentence
je before a vowel becomes j' (e.g., j'ai 10 ans)
recognize that sentence patterns are different in French than in English (e.g., c'est une auto
rouge)
use of basic spelling patterns to recognize certain combinations of letters make a specific
sound (e.g., ch is sh, au/eau is o)
Français cadre.Expectations 1- 3
8
Knowledge/Skills
Communication
Comprehension
Organization of
ideas
Application of
language
knowledge
(spelling,
grammar,
vocabulary)
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
The student communicates:

only with
extensive teacher
support, in highly
structures
situations

with constant
teacher support,
in structured
situations

with frequent
teacher support in
structures and
open-ended
situations

with occasional
teacher support,
in structures and
open-ended
situations

very limited
forms, structures,
and vocabulary

using limited
forms, structures,
and vocabulary

using some basic
forms, structures,
and vocabulary

using most all
basic forms,
structures, and
vocabulary
of some of the
main ideas and
details

most of the main
ideas and details
The student demonstrates understanding:

of a very few of
the main ideas
and details in
highly structured
situations

of few of the main 
ideas and details
in structured
situations

relying mostly on
non-verbal cues

using some verbal
cues, but relying
on non-verbal
cues

using some verbal
cues, and a some
non-verbal cues

using most verbal
cues and a very
few non-verbal
cues
The student organizes:

only with
extensive teacher
support

with constant
teacher support

with frequent
teacher support

with occasional
teacher support

by copying from a
model

by using a model
and making minor
changes to it

by creating new
forms or making
some changes and
additions to a
model

by creating new
forms or making
significant
changes and
additions to a
model
The student applies language knowledge:

with constant
major errors

with frequent
errors

with occasional
errors

with few errors

using few or none
of the required
elements

using some of the
required elements

using most of the
required elements

using most all of
the required
elements
Français cadre.Expectations 1- 3
9