AP French Language
Syllabus
Course Overview
Primary Textbooks: Trésors du Temps, Schaum's Outline French
Grammar, 4th ed.
(C2)
Supplementary Texts: AP Guide to the French Language Examination with CD's, Bravo, Triangle,3rd ed. with tapes, Amsco Troisième
Livre, Amsco Cours Supèrieur
Other resources and materials: Released AP Exams, different sources
of reading materials such as newspapers, magazines (Le Monde,
Journal Français), internet articles, short stories, poetry, plays, CD's
from various sources (Champs-Élysées, music CD's, Bravo, Trésor
du Temps), tapes of native speakers. Visual resources: French DVD's
and videos.
(C7, C4)
The students and I speak French almost exclusively throughout the
course in order to better their use and comprehension of the language.
Listening exercises from different sources of recordings of native
speakers enhances student auditory skills. Through analysis and interpretation of a variety of written articles and literary pieces, with the
use of learned grammar and structures, the students learn how to produce complex writing to convey meaning and mood in an organized
manner. Students practice and improve their speaking skills by
creating and performing skits and short dialogues, as well as, making
recordings using the AP guide.
(C 1, 3, 4, 6)
Course Objectives
Students will:
 expand vocabulary and idiomatic expressions to converse at
more fluent level in French.
 develop listening skills from a variety of resources to become
more adept at understanding different native speakers form
different francophone countries.
 write a variety of paragraphs, journals, and essays on creative
topics in a clear, organized manner, with reasonable control
of grammar and vocabulary.
C2 -The course
provides students with
a learning experience
equivalent to that of a
third-year college
course in French
language. Instructional
materials, activities,
assignments, and
assessment are
appropriate to this
level.
C7-The course
provides frequent
opportunities for
students to integrate
the four language
skills through the use
of authentic materials
C4-Instructional
materials include
authentic written texts
that develop students'
reading abilities.
C1-The teacher uses
French almost
exclusively in class
and encourages
students to do
likewise.
C3-Instructional
materials include a
variety of authentic
audio and /or video
recordings that
develop students'
listening abilities.
C6-The course provides
instruction and frequent
opportunities to write a
variety of compositions
in French.
C5-The course provides
the students with regular
opportunities to develop
their speaking skills in a
variety of settings, types
of discourse, and topics
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

read advanced level materials from newspapers, magazines, literature, poetry, the
internet, and novels and be able to
determine main ideas
and events from these readings.
communicate entirely in French with a reasonable amount of fluency,
few grammatical errors, using a broad range of vocabulary.
Course Planner
Week 1-3
Grammar: Review of core present tense verbs and depuis, pendant
il y a ( Trésor du Temps, ch. 1, Schaum's, ch 5)
Listening/Speaking: Listen to dialogues from Bravo CD. Create
short dialogue with partner and present to the class,
entirely in French. (Bravo, Ch. 1)
(C 3, 5)
Reading: Read history of the beginnings of France, provinces,
departments, and pre-historic art. (T du T ch 1) (C4)
Writing: Write a letter to a classmate about yourself
(C6)
Assessment: Test on core present tense verbs, write a letter to a
classmate, dialogues, vocabulary quiz
Week 4-6
Grammar: Regular and Irregular Present Tense Verbs, plus -oir verbs;
Imperative, Prepositions, Adverbs (T du T, ch 2, Schaum's,
ch 5)
Listening/speaking: Bravo Ch 2 dialogues CD, Triangle - picture
sequence recording, DVD "Les Choristes"
(C 3, 5)
Reading: Article from "Le Journal Français"; "Asterix" bandes
déssinées, "Le Vase de Soissons", "De Bello Gallico"
(T du T), vocabulary and idioms
(C4)
Writing: Review AP Guide to French Language Exam guidelines
and grading rubric for writing essays. Essay on punishment
and rewards using video"Les Choristes" and "De Bello Gallico",
Journal entries
(T du T )
(C6)
Assessment: Test on Present Tense verbs, essay, vocabulary/idiom test,
cassette recording
Week 7-10
Grammar: Review all Past Tenses and Imperative (T du T, ch 3,
Schaum's, ch 5)
Listening/Speaking: Listen to Bravo CD dialogues, Interviews with
peers, Triangle - picture sequence recording C3,5)
Reading: Charlemagne, excerpt of "La Chanson de Roland", article
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from "Le Journal Français", vocabulary and idioms (C4)
Writing: Essay on Love and War, Journal entries
(C6)
Assessment: Test on Past tenses, interviews, essay, vocabulary/idioms
test, cassette recording
Week 11-13
Grammar: Object Pronouns and their uses, (T du T, ch 4, Schaum's,
ch 8)
Listening/Speaking: Listen to Bravo CD, Champs-Elysées CD,
Triangle - picture sequence recording, present skit to class
(C3, 5)
Reading: Read excerpt of "The Farce of Maître Pathelin", Triangle reading section with multiple choice questions (C4)
Writing: Write Skit similar to "The Farce of Maître Pathelin",
Journal entries
(C6)
Assessment: Test on Object Pronouns, Test vocabulary/ idioms, Skit
presentation which is video-taped for evaluation by peers
and teacher, cassette recording
Week 14-16
Grammar: Future and Conditional Tenses (T du T, ch 5, Schaum's,
ch 5)
Listening/Speaking: AP Guide Listening / Speaking exercises, cassette
recording, "Champs-Elysées" CD, Songs, "Jean de Florette"
DVD
(C3, 5)
Reading: Excerpt from "Pantagruel" by Rabelais, article from "Le
Journal Français", Poems by Jacques, Prévert, Triangle
readings with multiple choice questions
(C4)
Writing: Essay - your life in 10, 20 years, Journal entries (C6)
Assessment: Test Future and Conditional, Test on vocabulary/ idioms,
Essay, cassette recording
Week 17-18
(C7)
AP Practice Test # 1 - Listening, Reading, Writing,
Speaking
Analysis of results with discussion for each section
Focus on areas of need for improvement, going over each
section in detail
Week 19-21
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Grammar: Subjunctive Mood - Present, Past, Si-Clauses, (T du T,
ch 6, Schaum's, ch 5)
Listening/Speaking: A P Guide cassette recording and listening
activities, Songs, "Champs-Elysées"CD, view "Manon de
la Source" DVD
(C3, 5)
Reading: Read "L'Ecole des Femmes" by Molière, AP Guide Reading
section with multiple choice questions, Articles from "Le
Monde" newspaper
(C4)
Writing: AP Guide essay
(C6)
Assessment: Test Subjunctive, Test vocabulary/ idioms, Essay,
cassette recording
Week 22-24
Grammar: Reflexive verbs (T du T, ch 7, Schaum's, ch 5), Verb and
grammar fill-ins AP
Listening/ Speaking: AP Guide cassette recording/ listening activities,
songs, Champs-Elysées CD
(C3, 5)
Reading: Read excerpt of "Candide ou l'Optimisme" by Voltaire, AP
Guide reading with multiple choice questions, web article
from "Le Monde" newspaper
(C4)
Writing: Essay from AP Guide Essay topics or reflection on Voltaire's
statement,"Il faut cultiver son jardin."
(C6)
Assessment: Test Reflexives, Test vocabulary/idioms, Essay, cassette
recording
Week 25
(C7)
AP Practice Test # 2 - Reading, Writing, Speaking, Listening
Analysis of results with discussion
Focus on areas of greatest need for improvement
Week 26-27
Grammar: Adjectives and Present Participles (T du T, ch 8, Schaum's)
Listening/Speaking: AP Guide Cassette Recordings, songs, ChampsElysées CD
(C3, 5)
Reading: Web article about current events in France, Last Letter by
MarieAntoinette, before being beheaded by the guillotine (C4)
Writing: Verb/grammar fill-ins from AP Guide, AP Guide essay,
Journal (what would your last letter be -based on Marie
Antoinette's letter)
(C6)
Assessment: Test Adjectives, Test vocabulary/idioms, essay, cassette
recording
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Week 28-30
Grammar: Pronouns Lequel, qui, celui, dont (T du T, ch 9, Schaum's)
Listening/speaking: AP Guide Cassette recording, Songs, ChampsElysées CD, AP Guide listening and dialogues (C3, 5)
Reading: Excerpt from "Théâtre de l'Absurde" by Ionesco, "Pour faire
le portrait d'un oiseau" by Jacques Prévert, (T du T, ch 12) (C4)
Writing: Write a skit similar to Ionesco's absurd play
(C6)
Assessment: Test on Pronouns, Cassette recording, Skit
Week 31-32
Grammar: Active/ Passive voice, Infinitive ( T du T, ch 11, Schaum's)
Listening/Speaking: A P Guide cassette recording, Champs-Elysées CD,
songs, A P Guide listening and dialogues
(C3, 5)
Reading: Read "Le Lac" by Lamartine, read "Le Pont Mirabeau" by
Apollinaire, read web article about French current events (C4)
Writing: AP Guide essay, Journal -write a poem, A P Guide fill-ins (C6)
Assessment: Test on passive/active voice, test vocabulary/idioms,
cassette recording, essay, poem
Week 33-34 (C7)
A P Test - 1st week in May
Do AP Review for all areas of test with portions of AP
Guide and former AP Exams - reading, writing, listening,
speaking
Review organization and rubric for essay writing
Do vocabulary drills, listening, rejoinders, grammar
Take AP Test
Week 35-36 (to the end of the school year)
The weeks after the exam will be spent viewing selected
French films with discussions and reviews. The students will also
create skits, do oral reports, research projects and presentations.
They will also read selected literary pieces and current events
on the web.
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Teaching Strategies
Listening / Speaking activities: (C1, 3, 5)
The class is conducted in French to enhance the students' listening
and communicative skills. If I see the students outside of class, I also
speak to them in French. (C1) The students are exposed to other
French speakers through a variety of resources. The first few minutes
of class the students listen to music/CD with a handout to fill
in the missing words they hear. This activity sharpens their ability to
better distinguish specific words in the language. I will often choose
words specific to the vocabulary we have studied or the grammar
currently being taught, as a review. The same process is used with
Champs-Elysées CD segments. I also give them comprehension
questions to go along with the CD listening activities. The book, Bravo,
is used for variety, to give the students some exposure to some dialogues
and manors of speaking in casual conversation. They then create similar
dialogues themselves to present to the class. Using Triangle, the
students begin listening to portions of oral passages and questions with
responses. Then I progress to the longer dialogues, when the students
become more confident. After Triangle, I do the same with the AP French
Guide. Then I use listening and speaking portions of the AP
Exam for practice. The students begin recording their own tapes with
the Triangle picture sequences, with questions, bi-weekly and progress to
the AP French Guide's picture sequence and the actual AP Exams on a
weekly basis.
C1-The teacher uses
French almost
exclusively in class
and encourages
students to do
likewise.
Another speaking/listening activity which is motivating and productive
for the students is having them create skits to perform in class, which I
videotape and play back for them to evaluate and critique. The skits
can be situational, a commercial, a newscast, or a short play, for example.
They are able to see their strong points and improve on their weak points,
all the while enjoying what they are doing and learning. It is important that
the students have an active role in their learning to develop a strong desire
to learn the language well. Along with skits, I have them engage in debates
and interviews. Occasionally they read a poem out loud or an
excerpt from a literary piece or play. I vary the activities in order to keep
their interest, as well as expose them to many different speakers and styles.
As the students progress, they are taught the finer points of intonation,
fluency, and phonetics.
C3-Instructional
materials include
a variety of
authentic audio
and /or video
recordings that
develop students'
listening abilities.
C5-The course
provides the
students with
regular
opportunities to
develop their
speaking skills in
a variety of
settings, types of
discourse, and
topics
To further enhance the students' listening, I have them view DVD's that
accompany the text (Bravo, Tresor du Temps) They also view movies such
as, Jean de Florette, Manon de la Source, Les Choristes, etc.
The students do activities and worksheets accompanying the videos
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to test and accentuate listening and comprehension.
Reading:
(C4)
A variety of reading selections are used to build the reading and
comprehension skills of the students in the advanced placement
classroom. The students begin by reading historical and literary
excerpts in Tresor du Temps along with dialogues from Bravo.
This is coupled with a grammar and structure review throughout
the course. The students then progress to the readings in Triangle
and the AP Guide reading sections with multiple choice questions.
Throughout the year, the the class reads several short stories, poems,
literary excerpts and plays, such as, "L'Ecole des femmes", "Candide",
poems by Jacques Prévert and Apollinaire. Several times per month
the students also read articles from "Le Journal Français", "Le Monde",
and Internet articles, in order to be aware of current events in France
and francophone countries. These readings also expose them to many
idiomatic expressions and journalistic writing.
C4-Instructional
materials include
authentic written
texts that develop
students' reading
abilities.
Writing: (C6)
In the AP class, students begin writing journals and responses related to
C6-The course
readings they have done and grammar they have reviewed. They begin
provides
instruction and
by writing a journal entry once or twice a week, sometimes with a prompt
frequent
and other times a topic of their choosing. This allows them to write freely,
opportunities to
creating their own sentences. I then progress to having them write a letter
write a variety of
and comprehension questions for articles read. For each unit, or three week compositions in
French.
period, the students are given a prompt related to what they have read and
studied, as well as the grammar reviewed. They then brainstorm in groups
or as a class to prepare for writing the essay. The students will then write a
rough draft to be turned by the end of the week. I then grade the rough
draft, based on the AP Test scoring guide for the AP Writing section,
indicating errors to be corrected with a code,. This is reviewed with the students
prior to writing their essay. The essay is then returned to the students at the
beginning of the next week with a correction sheet on which they write down
their most frequent mistakes. They keep the error sheet for subsequent essays
in order to be aware of recurring mistakes, which allows them to improve their
writing more efficiently. I also have the students choose a classmate and peer
edit their essays. The students then make corrections and write a final
copy of the essay, to be turned in at the end of the second week. The
third month into the course I begin doing an occasional 40-minute,
timed, essay in class, without the use of dictionaries or resources, and
no prior knowledge of the prompt.
As the course develops and their skills improve, I begin giving the
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students essay prompts from Triangle, The AP French Language
Exam Guide, and the AP French Language Exams. The students write
an occasional poem, skit, letter, debate or commercial to add variety to
the course and make them aware of and develop different forms of
writing. Students are guided and encouraged to use different idiomatic
expressions, a variety of vocabulary, and different grammar forms in
their writing, throughout the course.
Web sites:
www.lemonde.fr
www.parole.net
www.frenchteachers.org
www.worldlanguages.glencoe.com
www.apcentral.collegeboard.com/member
www.kvhs.org (AP online exam review)
Primary Textbooks:
Lenard, Yvone, Tresor du Temps, New York: Glencoe, McGraw-Hill, 2005
Muyskens, Haarlos, Vialet, Briere, Bravo!, 5th Ed., Boston: Thompson Heinle, 2005
Crocker, Mary E. Coffman, Schaum's Outline, French Grammar, 4th Ed., New York:
McGraw-Hill, 1999
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