Picture your kid's response to the question, "How was school today?". My guess is that the answer is "Fine" and you're hard pressed to get any more information out of them. Now picture that same kid getting up in front of their peers and speaking a language they've only just begun to learn. Well, that is exactly what happens in French class; it isn't always easy, but it is a lot of fun. The goal of this class is to create an environment where students feel safe enough to try something new, to make mistakes and to take risks. Once we have created that environment as a class, we let the fun begin. We create plays, we debate, we role-play, we listen to music, we play games, we laugh and most importantly, we communicate.
"The primary focus of the Core French Program is communication. Throughout the Program, students use French to establish and maintain relationships, to share ideas and opinions, and to be actively involved in a variety of learning experiences. Students are given the opportunity to express, extend, clarify and reflect on their thoughts, ideas and experiences. The curriculum builds students’ awareness of the language skills, strategies and processes they use to learn French, thereby enhancing the learning of these skills, strategies and processes in their own language. One of the organizing principles of the general curriculum outcomes of the Core French Program is communication and all the curriculum and specific grade level outcomes contribute to this learning" (Department of Education 2010).
For a complete look at the curricular outcomes associated with French 2200, visit http://www.ed.gov.nl.ca/edu/k12/curriculum/guides/corefrench/index.html#seniorhigh.
The Newfoundland and Labrador Government, Department of Education. Core French: Senior High, A Curriculum Guide. Retrieved from : http://www.ed.gov.nl.ca/edu/k12/curriculum/guides/corefrench/index.html#seniorhigh.