French Class Syllabus
Madame Plas
Welcome
Bienvenue à la classe de français! Welcome to French class! Throughout this
class, you will learn about France and the French language. You will get a chance
to explore another culture and expand your understanding of the world!
French 1: This year you will begin your study of French language and culture.
You will be expected to listen, speak, read and write in French and most
importantly, always participate!
French 3: This year we revise and build on previous knowledge of French
language and culture and prepare you for your first full-length French novel, Le
Petit Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Primarily French will be spoken in this
class, with occasional clarification in English.
French 5: In this class you will work towards an advanced level proficiency of
French. You will read and write extensively and prepare for daily class discussions
on French news, culture, and literature. Only French will be spoken in the
classroom.
Supplies
For this class you will need the following on a daily basis:







1.5 inch binder
5 dividers
Notebook paper
Pencil or pen
Textbook or current book you’re reading for class
Cahier (Journal) (French 3 and French 5 Only)
French-English dictionary
Textbook:


Online Work
Le Français Depart-Arrivée Third Edition , John Rassias, Jacqueline de la
Chapelle Skubly, Heinle&Heinle 1992 ISBN 0-8384-3726-5
Cahier d'exercices ecrits et de laboratoire: Le Français Depart-Arrivee Third
Edition (Workbook), John Rassias, Jacqueline de la Chappelle Skubly, Heinle &
Heinle, 1992, 0-8384-3729-X
Our class will have both a classroom and online component. We will use EDU20,
an education management system (also called a class portal) that will give you
access to our class material both on and off campus. You must check your school
email account and our class portal every day (I will do the same). You will learn
how to do this during our first week of class. You will always be able to access a
current copy of the syllabus, homework assignments, lessons and other class
materials from the portal. Be sure your laptop computer, has wireless internet access
and audio/video recording capability (or an external webcam) and is available bring
to class or certain predetermined days. The online part of the class may be a little
different than what you are used to, but by the time you leave for fall camps, you
will be comfortable with it and you will find it very helpful in keeping up with your
academics while you are on the road.
Online Work, cont’d
Written assignments may be submitted via email for full credit before the class in
which they are due; please bring a printed copy to class as well since we often
review homework in class. Collaboration and use of outside sources is encouraged,
however all source/references must be noted on written assignments including web
sources and help from other French speakers. This includes the use of online
dictionaries and translators. Failure to do this is considered cheating.
Binder Sections
Your binder will be checked often to make sure it is well organized. This will be an
ongoing part of your participation grade. Your binder must contain the following
sections:
1. “Vocabulaire” (Vocabulary): This section will be for any vocabulary sheets
you receive or create. You will need to keep this for the ENTIRE YEAR!
2. “Les Notes” (Notes): Place your notebook paper here for the notes that you will
take during class time. Also, you will put any note sheets I give you in
this section. All your notes must be dated each day! You will need to
keep these notes for the ENTIRE YEAR!
3. “Les Devoirs” (Classwork/Homework): You will need to keep your classwork
and homework in this section. Any activities we do in class, such as
starter activities or group work, will be kept in this section. All work must
be dated each day and kept until the end of the grading period.
4. “Les Examens” (Tests/Quizzes) : In this section, you will keep any and all
quizzes and tests. You will need to keep these until the end of the grading
period, when select pieces will be transferred to a portfolio.
5. “La Section Culturelle” (Culture Section) : From time to time I will give you
cultural handouts that we will discuss in class or base projects on. Please
keep any song lyrics, poems, articles, etc. in here for the ENTIRE YEAR!
Les Règles (rules)
We will be creating a French class contract together. For now there are two
principles I would like us to follow:
1. Le Respect – pour vous-mêmes, pour les autres, pour vos environs (Respect
for yourself, others and your surroundings)
2. Participez et amusez-vous dans cette classe ! (Participate and enjoy yourself in
this class!)
Assignments /Homework
Each assignment and quiz is worth a predefined number of points for the
participation, reading, writing, speaking or listening section of your grade (see
grading system below). Late assignments receive partial credit. Some assignments
will have a minimum acceptable standard; you will be required to redo these
assignments until they meet or exceed the minimum.
To learn a new language, it is important to use what you are taught! Homework that
is not collected will not be graded, but rather credit will be given based on your
effort for that assignment. Homework that is collected will be graded for accuracy,
effort, and completeness. (see rubric)
Absences/Travel
You (not your coach) are responsible to let me know in person and by email well in
advance of missing class for training, racing and personal travel. Using the class
portal, you will be able to keep up with many of your assignments while you travel.
Due dates for submission are the same if you travel unless you have a prior
(written) agreement with me
Note: If you are absent the day of a quiz or test, you will be expected to take the
quiz or test within the week you return to school. (For certain circumstances, there
will be exceptions if you speak to me ahead of time)
Participation Grade
Each day you will have the opportunity to obtain participation points for being
actively involved in class. You must try to use as much French as possible every
day in class to practice what you have learned. Failure to show respectful behavior
will also result in the loss of participation points.
*You must be on time and prepared for class to receive full points for the day.
Grading
Your practice in reading, writing, listening, speaking
in French and your participation in class all build
towards your proficiency in French. Therefore, each
is weighed equally for your term grade.
Rubrics
Assessment, Participation,
20% Reading on HW/CW /Quizzes/Tests
Speaking and Writing
20% Writing on HW/CW/Quizzes/Tests/Projects
Rubrics are attached.
20% Listening on HW/CW/Quizzes/Tests
20% Speaking on HW/CW/Quizzes/Tests/Projects
20% Participation in Class, Group and Partner work
French Assessment Rubric
Tests
Quizzes
Projects
Homework*
Exceeds
expectations
Meets
expectations
Partially meets
expectations
95%-100%
85%-94%
75%-84%
In progress
towards
meeting
expectations
65%-74%
(E) = 95%
(M) = 85%
(P)=75%
(I) = 65%
Lacks evidence
of meeting
expectations
Incomplete
50%-64%
0%
(INC) = 0%
*When you complete all HW assignments for the quarter with an (E), you receive a 100%
for HW. HW corrections can be done to move up one degree on the above rubric.
French Participation Rubric
Attitude
Materials
Listening
Speaking
Communication
(only during
stories)
Always - 20
Sometimes - 15
Seldom - 10
Never - 0
- Helps other students
learn
- Encourages and praises
others
- Puts forth extra effort
and good sportsmanship
- Brings binder to class
every day
- Organizes binder with
vocabulary, notes, class
work, graded work,
culture
- Copies and completes
the daily “Starter”
- Pays attention
- Follows directions
- Listens when others talk
(instead of talking)
- Answers all questions
- Contributes new ideas or
details to
stories/discussions
- Volunteers for speaking
- Does all the gestures
- Responds with emotion
during stories
- Acts in the stories
- Helps other students
learn
- Encourages and praises
others
- Puts forth extra effort
and good sportsmanship
- Brings binder to class
every day
- Organizes binder with
vocabulary, notes, class
work, graded work,
culture
- Copies and completes
the daily “Starter”
- Pays attention
- Follows directions
- Listens when others talk
(instead of talking)
- Answers all questions
- Contributes new ideas or
details to
stories/discussions
- Volunteers for speaking
- Does all the gestures
- Responds with emotion
during stories
- Acts in the stories
- Helps other students learn
- Encourages and praises
others
- Puts forth extra effort and
good sportsmanship
- Helps other students
learn
- Encourages and praises
others
- Puts forth extra effort
and good sportsmanship
- Brings binder to class
every day
- Organizes binder with
vocabulary, notes, class
work, graded work,
culture
- Copies and completes
the daily “Starter”
- Pays attention
- Follows directions
- Listens when others talk
(instead of talking)
- Answers all questions
- Contributes new ideas or
details to
stories/discussions
- Volunteers for speaking
- Does all the gestures
- Responds with emotion
during stories
- Acts in the stories
- Brings binder to class
every day
- Organizes binder with
vocabulary, notes, class
work, graded work, culture
- Copies and completes the
daily “Starter”
- Pays attention
- Follows directions
- Listens when others talk
(instead of talking)
- Answers all questions
- Contributes new ideas or
details to stories/discussions
- Volunteers for speaking
- Does all the gestures
- Responds with emotion
during stories
- Acts in the stories
French Writing Rubric
Dimension
Purpose/Task
Vocabulary
Structure/
Conventions
Word Count
2.5
Accomplishes the task;
includes many details
that are clearly
connected to the
development of the
task, but there may be
minor irrelevancies.
Includes a wide variety
of vocabulary that
expands the topic, but
there may be minor
inaccuracies.
Demonstrates a high
degree of control of
structure/conventions:
• subject-verb
agreement
• noun-adjective
agreement
• correct word order
• spelling
Errors do not hinder
overall comprehensibility
of the passage.
Uses ______ or more
comprehensible words
in French that contribute
to the development of
the task.
2.0
1.5
1.0
Accomplishes the task;
includes some details
that are generally
connected to the
development of the
task, but there may be
some irrelevancies.
Includes a variety of
vocabulary related to
the topic.
Accomplishes the task;
includes few details,
some of which may be
only loosely connected
to the task. There are
many irrelevancies.
Attempts to accomplish
the task; makes some
reference to it but
provides few or no
supporting details.
Includes basic vocabulary;
some vocabulary
may be inaccurate or
unrelated to the topic.
Demonstrates some
control of
structure/conventions:
• subject-verb
agreement
• noun-adjective
agreement
• correct word order
• spelling
Errors do not hinder
overall comprehensibility
of the passage.
Uses 1-5 fewer
comprehensible words than
required in French that
contribute to the
development of the task.
Demonstrates
Some control of
structure/conventions:
• subject-verb
agreement
• noun-adjective
agreement
• correct word order
• spelling
Errors do hinder overall
comprehensibility of
the passage.
Uses 6-10 fewer
comprehensible words than
required in French that
contribute
to the development of the
task.
Includes limited
vocabulary and/or most
vocabulary is inaccurate
or unrelated to the
topic.
Demonstrates
little control of
structure/conventions:
Errors impede overall
comprehensibility of
the passage.
Uses 10+ fewer
comprehensible words
than required in French
that contribute
to the development of the
task.