Laurel's Blog

basic reflexive verbs -- paper strips activity

2007-02-12T11:08:00.001-08:00

To help students learn how to conjugate reflexive verbs for a variety of verbs and subjects.

Hand each pair of students either (A) a selection of subjects - reflexive pronouns - verb endings or (B) a selection of verb roots.

| bronz | | amus | | lev | | bross .............. les dents | | baign |

| Je | | me | | e |

| Tu | | te | | es |

| Il | | se | | e |

| Elle | | se | | e |

| Nous | | nous | | ons |

| Vous | | vous | | ez |

| Ils | | se | | ent |

| Elles | | se | | ent |

| ne | | pas |
etc.

For control of error, give each pair the matching subject - reflexive pronoun - verb ending. That way the only variable in play is the order of the words.

Say a sentence in English, using a different sentence and verb each time, and ask the students with the corresponding verb root, subject, pronoun, and ending to come up and assemble the sentence. Ask the rest of the class if it is correct; if not, ask for "helpers" to come up and rearrange the words.

Once they seem to have mastered this first step, you can add in "ne .... pas" and infinitive verbs, i.e. "j'aime me bronzer" "elle va se lever a 11h"

This activity give students a chance to manipulate the language in a physical, active way that will help students who don't learn easily in literal, written-down ways to understand how to use reflexive verbs.

"ticket Out" - Do Now Activity

2006-12-12T20:13:00.000-08:00

From: D & M Blaz
To: FLTEACH@LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU
Date: Tue, 12 Dec 2006 18:14:07 -0500
Subject: Re: Bell ringer question ("ticket out of class" idea)
Well, mine can't leave the room until the bell rings...but they can't leave
until they say something to me... My classes are 34, 32 and 30.

As I said, they know that they WILL be responsible for the bellringer we do
at the beginning as part of or all of their Ticket Out...so generally they
are prepared when it's time (they also know the Ticket Outs are part of the
speaking on the unit test, too) and then you have to have an idea how long
the Ticket will take.
Mine generally just say a sentence or two AT MOST.
Today's were: Level III had to tell me something they were doing and what
interrupted it (preterit and imperfect)
Level II had to tell me something they've NEVER done before (passé compose
and ne...jamais)
Level I had to tell me a food or beverage and if it was delicious or gross
-- "Le café, c'est dégoutant!" (and not repeat what the person in front of
them had said, of course).
All of them had written several such phrases at the beginning of the block,
and then said them about midway through to several people sitting near them.
I'd say each kid could do that in ten seconds or less, times 32...so I
started it about 3 minutes before the bell.

They walk past my desk, and then wait by the door for the bell.

Deb

Games for positions and rooms in a house

2006-10-02T08:47:00.000-07:00

Get a doll house with several distinc rooms in it, preferably with furniture. With students, point to and say aloud the names of the rooms and the furniture.

Activity: Turn the house so students can't see inside. Hide a small object, such as a small stuffed animal. Students then guess where it is hidden.
Est-ce dans le salon? (teacher points) No, il n'est pas dans le salon.
Est-ce dans la salle de bain? (teacher points) Oui, il est dans la salle de bain. Mais ou dans la salle de bain?
Est-ce derriere la toilette? Est-ce dans le bain? Est-ce dans le placard? etc.

Paper dolls: activity for learning clothing vocabulary

2006-10-02T08:40:00.000-07:00

Several variations on the same concept

Each student/ group of students gets a paper doll and several clothing options... or alternatively, they could get blank outlines of the clothing and color each piece in however they like They "dress" the doll and then present their doll to the class, explaining what pieces of clothing it is wearing and the color and style of each garment.

Pairs of students could work on giving directions. One student has a picture of the dressed doll (or a real photo from a magazine, etc.) and gives the other student directions on how to dress the doll to match the original.

Technical problem: Having enough clothing pieces for each group to make the activity challenging, i.e. black pants and striped pants, a short skirt and a long skirt, etc.

Inspired by "Dress the bear", Curtain & Dahlberg p. 122

Strategy for learning personal characteristics

2006-10-01T13:09:00.000-07:00

Materials:

Photos/ Magazine pictures of well-known people: celebrities, personalities within the school or classroom, etc.

Cards with adjectives on them

“Floating” letters to add to cards to make gender/ number agree

The teacher starts by presenting the word bank of cards and taping them up on one side of the chalkboard as she presents each word. Each word is either acted out with a gesture or facial expression or it is matched up to one of the photos. Example: (In the target language) Ah, here is “short” (she crouches down). Short. Who is short? Let’s find a picture. Is Michael Jordan short? No. Is Tom Cruise short? Yes. What other words describe Tom Cruise? He is a brunette … etc.) Each word’s meaning is shown either by a physical action or by associating it with a well-known picture. As each word is discussed in relation to a picture, the two are taped side by side on the board.

Mis Cositas

2006-10-01T12:13:00.000-07:00

http://www.miscositas.com/

Lists of links with authentic L2 texts (and some stories) . ex.: the Tintin site! Such cool stuff... including some videos!

Discuss & Debate in L2

2006-09-23T09:05:00.000-07:00

Richard-Amato p. 113 mentions the importance of encouraging friendships and the finding of similarities in a classroom. Many sources discuss the value of having real, meaningful communication in the target language - immersion programs are praised because the focus is on content moreso than direct language instruction. So here's an activity idea in that vein.

Ask students where they stand on a controversial issue, a famous person, or a preference - i.e. - "Qui aime George Bush?" "Qui croit que la fumee devrait etre defendu en espaces publiques?" "Est-ce que les chiens ou les chats sont les meilleurs animaux domestiques?" Have students talk in small groups of like-minded students. Why do you think that way? What arguments would you give someone who felt differently? Next, have one small group of pro- students sit with a small group of con- students. Ask them to share their opinions and have a mini-debate.

Scaffolding: Write pertinent vocabulary and perhaps guiding questions on an overhead.

French News for Kids site

2006-09-01T08:36:00.000-07:00

http://www.lesclesjunior.com/

song for remembering subject pronouns

2006-06-02T02:34:00.000-07:00

Date: Thu, 1 Jun 2006 12:14:52 -0700
From: sarah LaComb <sarahllacomb@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: French mnemonic needed

There is a song set to the Mickey Mouse club song

Je is I
Tu is you
Il-he elle is she
on means one
and vous can mean you all
vous means you formal
nous is we
and vous can mean you all
Ils is they Elles is they (have the boys sing Ils and the girls Elles)
Ils is they Elle is they
Maybe this helps
Sarah

Teaching vocabulary

2006-05-12T05:53:00.000-07:00

http://people.bu.edu/jpettigr/Artilces_and_Presentations/Vocabulary.htm

VI. Fun & games

1. Act out/pantomime
Give students cards with instructions like the ones below. Have them perform the actions without speaking. The other students try to guess the word or expression the student is pantomiming.
Open the door fearfully.
Walk across the room cautiously.

french music websites for listening comprehension

2006-04-15T00:43:00.001-07:00

Try these music web sites: (Quebecois)

http://www.danybedar.com/main.jsp

http://www.tntproductions.ca/danny/

http://www.isabelleboulay.com/

http://www.audiogram.com/index.php

http://pages.infinit.net/prodld/luce_acceuil.htm

http://www.locolocass.net/nouvelles/content/view/27/43/

http://mesaieux.qc.ca

http://www.qim.com/liens/index.html

http://www.nicolaciccone.com/

http://www.cowboysfringants.com/

http://www.francedamour.com/

http://www.boomdesjardins.com/index.html

http://www.zone3.ca/deschamps/index.htm

http://www.audiogram.com/index.php

http://pages.infinit.net/prodld/luce_acceuil.htm

ttp://www.locolocass.net/nouvelles/content/view/27/43/=

french music websites for listening comprehension

2006-04-15T00:43:00.000-07:00

Date: Fri, 14 Apr 2006 10:07:15 -0400
From: =?windows-1252?Q?David_Graham?= <davidg8809@AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: any ideas for listening comprehension?
Try these music web sites:
Chanteurs/Chanteuses Qu=E9b=E9cois(es) : Quelques Sites WebDanny Bedar: http://www.danybedar.com/main.jsp

Danny Boudreau (Nouveau Brunswick) : http://www.tntproductions.ca/danny/

Isabelle Boulay: http://www.isabelleboulay.com/

Nicola Ciccone: http://www.nicolaciccone.com/

Les Cowboys Fringants (rap): http://www.cowboysfringants.com/

France D'Amour: http://www.francedamour.com/

Boom Des jardins: http://www.boomdesjardins.com/index.html

Martin Deschamps (interesting): http://www.zone3.ca/deschamps/index.htm

Disques Audiogram, les: http://www.audiogram.com/index.php

Luce Dufaut: http://pages.infinit.net/prodld/luce_acceuil.htm

Loco Locass (rap) http://www.locolocass.net/nouvelles/content/view/27/43/

Mes Aieux (folk contemporain): http://mesaieux.qc.ca

Quebec Info Musique: http://www.qim.com/liens/index.html

Spectacle Dracula: http://www.zone3.ca/dracula/Les Trois Accords (loud): http://www.lestroisaccords.com/large.htmlEmissions de T\u003dE9l\u003dE9visionGala de l\u003d92ADISQ (Quebec Music Awards)\u003d2030- octobre, 2005, de 19h30 \u003dE0 23h30, T\u003dE9l\u003dE9vision de Radio Canada, Ch\u003dannel 5\u003d20sur Charter Cable \u003dE0 Plattsburghhttp://www.adisq.com/doc/index.htmlLa Fureur : les samedis \u003dE018h30T\u003dE9l\u003dE9vision de Radio Canada, Channel 5 sur Charter C\u003dE2ble \u003dE0 Plattsb\u003durgh\u003d20http://www.radio-canada.ca/television/la_fureur/For all FLTEACH information see: http://www.cortland.edu/flteach/------------------------------Date: Fri, 14 Apr 2006 13:51:29 -0400From: Nicole O Harby <tnoneal@VALDOSTA.EDU>Subject: Re: clothing vocabularyI lived in Merida, Mexico for 5 months and my friends from there always\u003d20called it a playera. In the dictionary it means T-shirt, but since the\u003d20people who lived in Mexico call it that then I suppose you could use\u003d20"la playera." I am sure that there may be words that other people use\u003d20as well.N. HarbyGeorgiaMaureen Stavrou wrote:",1]
);
//-->
http://www.richardseguin.com/Spectacle Dracula: http://www.zone3.ca/dracula/Les Trois Accords (loud): http://www.lestroisaccords.com/large.htmlEmissions de T=E9l=E9visionGala de l=92ADISQ (Quebec Music Awards)=2030- octobre, 2005, de 19h30 =E0 23h30, T=E9l=E9vision de Radio Canada, Ch=annel 5=20sur Charter Cable =E0 Plattsburghhttp://www.adisq.com/doc/index.htmlLa Fureur : les samedis =E018h30T=E9l=E9vision de Radio Canada, Channel 5 sur Charter C=E2ble =E0 Plattsb=urgh=20http://www.radio-canada.ca/television/la_fureur/For all FLTEACH information see: http://www.cortland.edu/flteach/

keeping students in target language

2006-02-02T23:36:00.000-08:00

Date: Thu, 2 Feb 2006 18:14:38 EST
From: Beth Damascus Pjlp26bj@AOL.COM
Subject: Re: Keeping students in the target language
I made up a chart to keep track of class progress. (This is for upper levels, but it could probably work for first and second year students too.) The chart is in ladder form. I have it labeled "Dia 1" "Dia 2", etc. Next to each day there is a blank space. Next to that is a phrase of encouragement such as "Buen trabajo como clase" "Sigue tratando", etc. The first day of class, I explain to my students that the class is a small "community" and everyone's cooperation in a community is important. Our "community's" purpose is to improve our language skills, in particular - the oral/aural skills. SO, for every day that nobody speaks anything other than Spanish, a rung on the ladder will be filled in. If ANYBODY speaks English (unless I give them permission to do so), then we start all over again. There are "prizes" at every five day increment. I asked the students what they would like as prizes (of course I knew ahead of time pretty much what they would say!).... after 5 days, they get a "no homework day". After 10 days - still undecided. After 15 days - a class party! My Spanish IV students have REALLY bought into this! They are so proud of themselves! On days when there is a test that takes up the entire period, I do not count because we, obviously, have not been holding much conversation in class. Anyway, my students reached there first 5 days on Monday, but decided that they would like to have the "no homework" day tomorrrow. I don't have a problem with this at all! I also use a "peso" system to keep track of individual participation and "pagames" for students who are speaking English. So far I have not had to collect an "pagames" because the students know that it is not only their INDIVIDUAL grade which is affected, but the entire class (the chart!). Hope this makes sense. For first and second year classes (I haven't done this yet with them), perhaps you could tweek it to how many minutes in class Spanish is used. The ultimate goal would be the entire class period!
-Beth D

games for free time in class

2006-01-25T02:36:00.000-08:00

Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2006 06:41:31 -0800From: "Marcy St.John" mestjohn@YAHOO.COM
Subject: What to do when you finish early
Word train:
The teacher writes any target language word on the board, and then the game goes around the room as students must say a word that begins with the last letter of the previous word. On the board the teacher writes the words and hooks them together w/ hyphens, making a very long 'word train'. [Add a caboose word, something new, that could become a bonus question onthe next quiz.]
Letter list:
Students pair w/ a neighbor [or you can create more random groupings, if there's time], and one student is designated the 'scribe'. The teacher chooses a letter of the alphabet [I pulled one at random from my alphabet flashcards; in any case, avoid Q, X, K, etc.!]. The students have 2 minutes [or whatever period of time the teacher states] to list words they know in the target language that begin with that letter. No books, dictionaries, etc. No proper nouns. At the end of the 2 minutes, the scribe puts down her/his pen and picks up a pencil, or any different writing utensil. [This keeps the groups from adding words beyond the 2 minutes.] Going around the room, a'speaker' from each group calls out a word from the group's list. The scribes from the other groups must cross it off their list, if they have it. The calling continues until one group remains with a word not yet called and crossed out. [If time runs out, the students in the remaining groups put their names on their lists and circle their unused words. The teacher collects these lists and announces the winning group the next day.] Bonus points to the winners and to the runners-up.
Categories: The teacher calls out a category in the target language ['comestibles'/things to eat] and the students say words from that category. [The teacher can jot them on the board or not.] The results can be hilarious, arguable, whatever! This game can also be played like the list game above.
Psychology:
[Takes a bit more time]. Students are paired and sit facing each other. Each has paper and pencil. The teacher names a category: 'couleur'/color. The students try to psych each other out and write down, with their hand covering their writing, the same answer as their partner. After 15 seconds, the teacher calls out 'Vérifiez'/Check, and each pair that gave identical answers gets a point. [The student pairs keep their own scores--I never gave bonus points for this game. We did it just for fun.] Other categories: name a French-speaking country, flower, Canadian province, day of the week, vehicle, etc.]

chercher un metier

2006-01-15T00:16:00.000-08:00

Another activity is a survey based on the "Materiales" from the Education Office of the Spanish Embassy. Students take a survey on which factors matter most to them in a job/carrer, rating them on a 1-5 scale. They get together in groups to discuss similarities and differences, then turn them in. A couple of days later after the results are tabulated, further conversations develop along the lines of: Are you typical or different? What differences do you notice between responses of guys and girls? What surprises are there for you? Why did students mark things the way they did? And so on.

My favorite activity involves examining want-ads from different target language countries. I select a sample from newspapers from about five or six different countries. I label the ads with letters. Students examine each ad on a grid for the various elements that one might expect to find in a job ad. I also include aspects which would not be legal to include in ads in the US but are commonly found in other countries which have different notions of what is or is not fair in hiring. For examples, ads can easily be found in newspapers in Spanish speaking countries which ask for a photo, specify an age range, direct themselves to women or men only, request a preferred marital status, etc. This helps reinforce vocabulary for application, resume, interview, salary, benefits, etc. It also give a "teachable moment" for hiring standards in our country (kids don't know that certain questions are illegal to ask in job interviews or to put on job applications). We also examine the American cultural perspective of fairness and discrimination compared to other countries in which the employer's right to hire whomever he wishes is more paramount. If you don't have a collection of newspapers hanging around, online want-ads might be usable as well.This is also a good unit to introduce business letter formats in the target country. There are lots of online job finding sites with examples of business letters, resumes, and job hunting tips that can be the basis of reading comprehension and writing activities.
I do this unit toward the end of level III. I find that this is a great unit to help students recognize that they are making the transition from learning the language to using the language as a tool for learning new things.
Bill Heller
Perry HS
Perry, NY 14530

Lesson plan for _en ville_

2005-12-21T06:13:00.000-08:00

Date: Tue, 20 Dec 2005 13:57:38 -0500
From: Theresa Perez tperez6305@COMCAST.NET
Subject: Re: prepositions of location
I just LOVED this idea, and so did my Spanish 1 (high school) students! Thank you! Since we use Ven conmigo here, and the prepositions of location are presented with places around town, I had the kids create el centro by drawing posters for homework of different buildings we learned yesterday. I posted them around the room (close to the floor boards) and played your game (I invested in a r/c car because I thought it'd be a great activity!) It's hard to get them excited this time of year for anything, but they really got into this, and their retention and pronunciation of the prepositions was awesome by the end of the block... what an awesome idea that was!Theresa

Imperfect vs. Preterite - pneumonic device

2005-12-20T06:06:00.000-08:00

Date: Mon, 19 Dec 2005 19:17:26 -0600
From: Lisa Hagemeier lhagemeier@HARLAN.K12.IA.US
Subject: Re: Imperfect v. Preterite
PWATER
Physical descrip
weather
age
time
emotion
reoccurring actions

Difference between en and dans (FLTEACH)

2005-12-05T12:19:00.000-08:00

Date: Mon, 5 Dec 2005 01:03:52 -0500From: Barbara Long Subject: Re: French Grammar question---the difference between "en" and "dans"Generally "en" is within a certain period of time Ex. Je peux faire cela en trois heures (in 3 hours' time)"dans" is by the end of a certain amount of time.ex: Il aura fini dans 3 heures (3 hours from now)Manuel de composition Française 2e éd. Pierre limouzy et J. Bourgeacq p. 208And in Harperès Grammar of French, p. 307: with units of time, en indicates the period needed to accomplish an action (I use the idea within) and dans indicates the period at the end of which an action will take place (I use the idea of after)Ex. Vers 1930, on a construit des paquebots pouvant traverser l'Atlantique en huit jours. Dépêchons-nous! L'avion part dans quelques minutes.I particularly like the Harperès book because my students use it as reference as it is written in English with examples in French. They take it with them when they do their study abroad as well. Hope this helpsBarbara Longbplong@adelphia.net (home)blong@bridgewater.edu (school)

organization, assignment turn-in policies (FLTEACH)

2005-12-05T12:08:00.000-08:00

From: "Lisa Sragovicz" profesora@DSLEXTREME.COM

To: FLTEACH@LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU

Sent: Sunday, December 04, 2005 3:18 PM

Subject: Re: Advice = Hold students accountable>

Hi there,>

As mentioned, there is wonderful advice for new teachers on the archives! It helped me immensely last year! As for me, I say you have to think like a teenager. They want to know if each activity will be graded and how... They want to know if there is a possibility of doing it late, or doing half of it, or maybe the homework completing itself! For me it has been helpful to give the students as much responsibility as possible. Especially in terms of homework and compositions. It helps me stay organized and it helps them learn responsibility.> I understand this might be too heavy-handed at your school, but it works at mine. Many kids at my urban school, have a "low academic literacy." And so they must learn how to be responsible students. Before I implemented this system, I had students hiding in the bathroom, on the day compositions were due. Then I had to wait three days to check the computer to see if they had an excused absence or not! We don't use readmit slips, so I was in a pickle every time I had a big project due. I have had a couple of parents complain to the office about my policies, but luckily, I was completely supported by my administration. You must check the vibe of your own school and department... However, most teachers will agree that if you start off strict, you can > always lighten up!

1. I type a homework calendar monthly. If a student is absent on Monday, he/she must turn in the homework for Monday and Tuesday upon return. There is no grace period. (Unless a student is in the hospital...or something drastic has happened...) I also require that the parents sign the first calendar in September, so that they can help me "encourage their students" to do homework.

2. I NEVER accept compositions late. I write on the calendar, "if you are sick, send your composition to school without you." This works because students had advance notice of the deadline on the homework calendar.

3. Students have one week to schedule their own make-up exam. They must realize they missed a test. (Can you say, check the calendar?) Then they must sign up on the test make-up sign-up sheet. I offer tutoring and make-up tests every week Mondays and Tuesdays after school and > Wednesdays at lunch. Students know where and when to find me. If they do > not make up their test after a week, the score becomes a 0.

4. I encourage students to make a buddy in class and exchange phone numbers. Hopefully they will call this buddy if they get confused with the homework... I do not accept homework unless it is 100% complete and on-time. I give only credit or noncredit for homework. There is no half credit option.

5. I always try to be very clear with what is expected. For exams, I provide a study guide to take home, and a practice quiz to score and grade in class. I find that most of my students need to learn how to study, and what to study. As the year progresses, I involve the students in writing > their own practice quizzes.

6. For compositions and projects, I provide a scoring rubric. I try to provide a sample of an "A" composition, and explain the grading in detail. Then, I also have students score each other's rough drafts using my rubric.

7. Any student who packs up their bag before the bell rings is my rotten egg. I have all of my students on the look-out for the "juevo podrido." The students tattle on each other, so nobody ever packs up early, because they don't want to be the last one out of the room. I got this tip from an FL TEACHER and it's a great one.

8. Try to love your students and enjoy their company. They know if you are interested in your lives. Go to sporting events, plays, and concerts when you have time. I am very strict, but it doesn't hurt my rapport with the students. I explain the reasons for each of my policies and enforce them consistently. Bond your class together when possible. Celebrate birthdays, post their pictures, do whatever works with your style... My students often ask me to teach their other teachers how to be more organized. Ha ha! My students generally like the calendars and the rubrics and the study guides. Go figure! Anyway, I find that if students know exactly what is expected of them, and are held 100% accountable, they will rise to the occasion.

Suerte!

-Lisa

Revised lesson plan

2005-12-02T13:38:00.000-08:00

Lesson: Using the past tense in French

Objectives:
This lesson plan fulfills some of the objectives set forth by the Virginia SOL's:

Person-to-Person Communication
FI.1 The student will exchange simple spoken and written information in French.
[...]
3. Ask questions and provide responses based on self and familiar material, such as family members, personal belongings, school and leisure activities, time, and weather.

FI.2 The student will demonstrate skills necessary to sustain brief oral and written exchanges in French using familiar phrases and sentences.
1. Initiate, participate in, and close a brief oral or written exchange in French with emphasis on the present time.

More specifically, students will learn to use the past tense.
They will learn the difference between regular avoir and être verbs .
They will learn how to make verbs agree with their subject.

Assessment:
Students will be given a written check-up quiz.
Students will complete and turn in an in-class activity.

Tech-hi lesson plan:
Materials:
Smartboard
Powerpoint presentation
Video clips, queued at starting points

1. Review conjugations of avoir and être.
2. Introduce basic structure of regular verbs in the passé composé with the aid of a Powerpoint presentation. Display the Powerpoint on the Smartboard, fill in blanks/ charts by writing in answers. Students should write these down in their notes for practice.
3. Once students have seen the basics, let students come up and fill in some simple forms of the verbs on the Smartboard to get them up and moving and to make sure that they are staying involved in the lesson.
4. Continue with Powerpoint and talk about verbs conjugated with être. Explain the difference between the two types of verbs (direct object/ transitive verbs vs. intransitive verbs). Also show students how to make the verbs agree with their subject.
5. Use what they’ve learned: First give students a list of useful verbs and phrases that will be helpful in this activity. Show a few short video clips on the Smartboard (will make it easier to stop and start at the right clips) and ask students to describe what the people in the clips have just done. Could use well-known movie scenes to draw students’ attention. Example: “L’homme est entré dans la cuisine, il a pris un café, et il a lu son journal. Ensuite, il est parti.” (The man entered the kitchen, he had a coffee, and he read his newspaper. Then, he left.) Students should write down a few sentences and then be asked to read them aloud. Students will turn in their sentences to have them corrected for a participation grade.

Tech-lo learning activities:
Materials:Chalk board
Handouts
Newspapers and magazines
1. Review conjugations of avoir and être.
2. Introduce basic structure of the passé composé. Give many examples. Go over the past participle forms of regular verbs.
3. Ask students to turn to each other and say what they did the past weekend.
4. Part 2: talk about verbs conjugated with être. Explain the difference between the two types of verbs ( direct object verbs vs. intransitive verbs). Also show students how to make the verbs agree with their subject.
5. Show pictures from newspapers or magazines and ask students to tell what happened in each picture. First give students a list of useful verbs and phrases that will be helpful in this activity, then have students write down their sentences. The students will read a sentence to the class and turn them in to be corrected for a participation grade.
6. Game: have students form two teams. One student from each team at a time goes to the chalkboard; I say a subject and the infinitive form of a verb and students must race to write the past tense form on the board.

Reaction to "Gallery Walk"

2005-11-14T15:39:00.000-08:00

I was really impressed with the layout of Andrew's website - very visually appealing and clean. From the other sites that I looked at, it seems like all of us have kept everything pretty honed down - it's mostly just class links and our assignments. I would like to make my website have a little bit more meat to it and clean things up a bit. I could certainly use some work on the design.

Notes 11/14

2005-11-14T14:39:00.000-08:00

www.primaryaccess.org -- opportunity to create digital projects/ movie using a selection of photos. can work from wherever you are.
-- as opposed to working with windows movie maker - takes more time, more likely to crash, need to be at home with a bunch of files saved on your computer.

TappedIn chat:
good idea from harrison: check-in time with an online chat room where teacher would be available to answer questions, chat with students
- good opportunity for kids who might not speak out loud in class
- could be cool to bring in a virtual guest speaker ... or in a french class, could have a conversation with students in a francophone country, like penpals but more interactive and immediate...
- can send transcripts: good for keeping kids on task if they know their comments/ private chats will be saved and sent to the teacher. also, good for filling in someone who couldn't be there.
- think of ways to bring this into an academic curriculum in a constructive manner?

Reaction to videos from 11/7

2005-11-14T14:04:00.000-08:00

I can see some possibilities for integrating video into a curriculum. However, I don't know if it would be worthwhile to pay the fee for the service. You would really have to hunt and pick through all of the search options in order to find something useful. I did really like the way the videos were divided into chapters, however.
I love the ideas that we've discussed for getting kids involved in creating content. It is an interesting debate over whether it's our place to create more opportunities for kids to be on computers, but I think that it's a worthwhile activity. Kids will be using technology anyway, in school or out, and I feel that any way we can harness their enthusiasm and direct it toward learning activities is valuable. Doing these creative technology activities changes the lesson plan from an "I will talk at you and you will learn things" approach and gives kids an opportunity to take what they have learned and manipulate it on their own in ways that hopefully are more productive and valuable for them.

Notes 11/7

2005-11-07T14:10:00.000-08:00

Work on movie!
Steps:
Reserve camera
Get tape
Write a more detailed outline of lesson plan - learn it!!
Put together simple Powerpoint slides
Get examples of movie clips

unitedstreaming.com - video database -or- could make more focused videos yourself, could have students make videos with guidance

student content on the internet - esp. blogs

blog --> response to video content; revised "to do" list

Lesson plan

2005-11-06T10:42:00.000-08:00

Notes for lesson plan:
Add in:
- quickly review forms of avoir and être
- give examples of student responses before you set them loose
- give a list of verbs, phrases, vocab words that they may need (a bit of scaffolding) ... thanks matt! this also adds a bit of "control of error" to the process ...

Lesson: Using the past tense in French
Objectives: Students will learn to use the past tense. They will learn the difference between regular avoir and être verbs . They will learn how to make verbs agree with their subject.
Assessment: Students will be given a written check-up quiz. Students will complete and turn in an in-class activity.

Tech-hi lesson plan:

Materials:

Smartboard

Powerpoint presentation

Video clips, queued at starting points

1. Review conjugations of avoir and être.
2. Introduce basic structure of regular verbs in the passé composé with the aid of a Powerpoint presentation. Display the Powerpoint on the Smartboard, fill in blanks/ charts by writing in answers.
3. Once students have seen the basics, let students come up and fill in some simple forms of the verbs on the Smartboard to get them up and moving and to make sure that they are staying involved in the lesson.
4. Continue with Powerpoint and talk about verbs conjugated with être. Explain the difference between the two types of verbs (direct object/ transitive verbs vs. intransitive verbs). Also show students how to make the verbs agree with their subject.
5. Use what they’ve learned: First give students a list of useful verbs and phrases that will be helpful in this activity. Show a few short video clips on the Smartboard (will make it easier to stop and start at the right clips) and ask students to describe what the people in the clips have just done. Could use well-known movie scenes to draw students’ attention. Example: “L’homme est entré dans la cuisine, il a pris un café, et il a lu son journal. Ensuite, il est parti.” (The man entered the kitchen, he had a coffee, and he read his newspaper. Then, he left.) Students should write down a few sentences and then be asked to read them aloud. Students will turn in their sentences to have them corrected for a participation grade.

Tech-lo learning activities:
Materials:
Chalk board
Handouts
Newspapers and magazines

1. Review conjugations of avoir and être.
2. Introduction - introduce basic structure of the passé composé. Give many examples. Go over the past participle forms of regular verbs.
3. Ask students to turn to each other and say what they did the past weekend.
4. Part 2: talk about verbs conjugated with être. Explain the difference between the two types of verbs ( direct object verbs vs. intransitive verbs). Also show students how to make the verbs agree with their subject.
5. Show pictures from newspapers or magazines and ask students to tell what happened in each picture. First give students a list of useful verbs and phrases that will be helpful in this activity, then have students write down their sentences. The students will read a sentence to the class and turn them in to be corrected for a participation grade.
6. Game: have students form two teams. One student from each team at a time goes to the chalkboard; I say a subject and the infinitive form of a verb and students must race to write the past tense form on the board.

merlot.org - french materials

2005-11-01T15:31:00.000-08:00

http://www.merlot.org/artifact/BrowseArtifacts.po?catcode=363&browsecat=362

j'aime surtout ceci:
http://www.polarfle.com/indexbis.htm

French rhymes and poems

2005-11-01T15:23:00.000-08:00

http://momes.net/comptines/content.html

things left to do this semester

2005-10-31T22:21:00.000-08:00

... the ever-expanding list.

PLAY:
Write up lines. Memorize.
Line-by-line interpretations.
Write back-story.
Make dress (over Thanksgiving?)

STUDY ABROAD:
DONE Confirm dates.
Get list of all the forms that need to be selected.
DONE Get plane ticket.
Go to Wachovia - Euros, credit card, travelers checks (?)
Get VISA.
DONE Book hotel.
Pack ...

EDLF345:
fix lesson plan.
film movie.
submit.
tech autobiography- update.
finish web portfolio.

EDLF501:
Read chapters 9, 11, 12, 13, 14
DONE! Group activity (grrrrr.)
DONE! Read articles for research paper; take notes.
DONE! Write & edit paper.

FREN445:
Finish Proust.
DONE! Come up with group presentation idea.
DONE! Group presentation.
Final paper.

PHYS105:
Problem sets.
Term Paper (again, grrr.)
Reread chapters on heat, ice, lightbulbs.

ITAL:
Attivita culturale.

XMAS:
Start shopping.
Make Mom's coat?
Dress for Mariel?
Jewelry for trunk show at bead store?
Claddagh ring for Jake

OTHER:
Make muffins.
Bake a pie.
Be nice to Jake.
Don't be stressed.
Read a book.

Notes 10/31

2005-10-31T14:07:00.000-08:00

mmmm candy.

20 minute video ... pending!
everything must be posted on website by Dec. 16 (Friday).
no etips!

Shooting videos!
1. Shoot
Two options: tapes (analog) or mini-DB tapes (digital)
--> mini-DB's are probably easier since they are compatible with Curry equipment
2. Transfer
Work from the tape
(or use a firewire)
3. Edit
Windows movie maker/ pinnacle on PC
iMovie, Final Cut on Mac
4. Save
.wmv or .mpeg
.mpg4
5. Burn to CD

Tips:
get a tripod
run a quick test before you start
remove and LABEL tape
- can also go to Clemons digital lab, but then must use higher quality tapes
- can buy tapes at bookstore
curry.edschool.virginia.edu/admin/eto/reservations.html
thomas hammond
tch5e
243-7788

to reserve a room: go to university registrar link - the SOURCE

question: do we need to create the powerpoint/internet activities/etc. that we've included in our lesson plans?

for this week:
to do list: how do i get started on this video? what do i need? set some deadlines...

Notes for lesson plan:
Add in:
- quickly review forms of avoir and etre
- give examples of student responses before you set them loose
- give a list of verbs, phrases, vocab words that they may need (a bit of scaffolding) ... thanks matt! this also adds a bit of "control of error" to the process ...

Lesson plans: two version

2005-10-30T19:04:00.000-08:00

Notes for lesson plan: Add in: - quickly review forms of avoir and etre - give examples of student responses before you set them loose - give a list of verbs, phrases, vocab words that they may need (a bit of scaffolding) ... thanks matt! this also adds a bit of "control of error" to the process ...

Lesson: Using the past tense in French

Objectives:
Students will learn to use the past tense.
They will learn the difference between regular avoir and etre verbs .
They will learn how to make verbs agree with their subject.

Assessment:
Students will be given a written check-up quiz.
Students will complete and turn in an in-class activity.

Tech-hi lesson plan:
1. Introduce basic structure of regular verbs in the passé composé with the aid of a Powerpoint presentation. Display the Powerpoint on a Smartboard, fill in blanks/ charts by writing in answers.
2. Once students have seen the basics, let students come up and fill in some simple forms of the verbs on the Smartboard to get them up and moving and to make sure that they are staying involved in the lesson.
3. Continue with Powerpoint and talk about verbs conjugated with être. Explain the difference between the two types of verbs (direct object/ transitive verbs vs. intransitive verbs). Also show students how to make the verbs agree with their subject.
4. Use what they’ve learned: Show a few short video clips on the Smartboard (will make it easier to stop and start at the right clips) and ask students to describe what the people in the clips have just done. Could use well-known movie scenes to draw students’ attention. Example: “L’homme est entré dans la cuisine, il a pris un café, et il a lu son journal. Ensuite, il est parti.” (The man entered the kitchen, he had a coffee, and he read his newspaper. Then, he left.) Students should write down a few sentences and then be asked to read them aloud. Students will turn in their sentences to have them corrected for a participation grade.

Tech-lo learning activities:
1. Introduction - introduce basic structure of the passé composé. Give many examples. Go over the past participle forms of regular verbs.
2. Ask students to turn to each other and say what they did the past weekend.
3. Part 2: talk about verbs conjugated with etre. Explain the difference between the two types of verbs ( direct object verbs vs. intransitive verbs). Also show students how to make the verbs agree with their subject.
4. Show pictures from newspapers or magazines and ask students to tell what happened in each picture. Have students write down their sentences and turn them in to be corrected for a participation grade.
5. Game: have students form two teams. One student from each team at a time goes to the chalkboard; I say a subject and the infinitive form of a verb and students must race to write the past tense form on the board.

activity idea from Gianfranco

2005-10-30T10:30:00.000-08:00

– Play “The Price is Right” using a Powerpoint to display the pictures. Students will guess the price of several items, using the large numbers that they have just learned.
– Using the items from the previous game, students will form small group and write ads for these products.

a cool verb activity with francis cabrel...

2005-10-26T20:14:00.000-07:00

http://platea.pntic.mec.es/~cvera/hotpot/cabrel1.htm

and other activities on the index ...
http://platea.pntic.mec.es/~cvera/hotpot/exos/index.htm

Follow-ups

2005-10-24T15:31:00.000-07:00

http://lektor.net/
--> Can create on-line books
Features:
- can click on word and see explanation
- teachers can identify tasks, ask discussion questions, etc.
- there are no english manuals ..... but they do have french!
- interesting way to create a report

http://del.icio.us/
- can post links ... this way, they aren't just on your computer
- can add tags (search terms), descriptions
- if you give out username and password, everyone can add bookmarks!

Lesson plan brainstorm

2005-10-24T15:17:00.000-07:00

Lesson: Past tense
Objectives:
Students will learn to use the past tense.
- They will learn the difference between regular avoir and etre verbs
- They will learn how to make verbs agree with their subject

Assessment:
Students will be given a written check-up quiz.
Students will complete and turn in an in-class activity.

Learning activities:
1. Introduction - introduce basic structure of the passe compose. Give many examples. Go over the past participle forms of regular verbs.
2. Turn to partner and describe what you did this weekend.
3. Part 2: talk about verbs conjugated with etre. Explain the difference between the two types of verbs ( direct object verbs vs. transitive verbs)
4. Internet activity:

to be continued...

Notes for October 24

2005-10-24T14:17:00.000-07:00

New verb: Lesson planning
--> will write two versions of one lesson plan (Assignment #10)
--> will eventually *do* this lesson plan and videotape it, burn it to a CD, and bring it in. (#11)
--> break up video into short pieces and comment on each section (#12)

Why do we make lesson plans?
- get your thoughts going
- have a back-up plan so everything goes smoothly
- have a goal/ target in mind, i.e. curriculum, and fit all of those goals into one class period
- have some sort of assessment/ activity
- check-up: is there a reason why i'm teaching this? is it worthwhile and productive for the students?
- do you have ALL the necessary materials?
- admins require them
- prevent blanking... gives you something to look at, get back on track
- having lesson plan helps in the event that you have to have a sub -- still use class time efficiently

"aligned instruction" / backwards design method
- write your objectives, decide how you'll assess, [missed the end...]
- it's backward because: you start by naming the goal, the place where you want to end up, before you begin anything else. you design the assessment first, then teach --> learning activities
(SOLs...... very backwards. teaching to the test, dictates all instruction.)
- you may not hit all your objectives, but you know what you were trying to hit.
- studies show... when teacher says from the beginning what the goal is, students simply perform better.
ex. writing a paper: from the top down, start at the beginning and write all the way through
.... but lacks organization.
(but good for a rough draft!)
- back to last class: action --> reflection/ assessment --> make changes --> back to the action
- skill! --> being able to break things down into their component parts

Link #4: id. desired results --> determine acceptable evidence --> plan learning experiences and instruction
Wiggins & McTigh --> doesn't matter where you start, what order you go in, so long as you final design is coherent (can jump around a lot.)

Two versions:
Dream tech version (tech-hi)
Reasonable tech version (tech-lo)
--> same content

http://www.ubdexchange.org/resources/templates/2-PageTemplate.pdf
http://www.ubdexchange.org/resources/templates/6-PageTemplate.pdf

FLTEACH: ne ... pas

2005-10-23T21:13:00.000-07:00

Date: Sun, 23 Oct 2005 18:53:12 -0500
From: M & D Blaz blazm@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: french negation

The day we learn negation, I tell mine to think of and write down seven things they don't do, as homework. I tell them to try to think of things they don't do that many classmates actually do. I give examples, (in the TL) such as I don't eat hamburgers, I don't watchhorror movies,I don't play football... They have to use words they already know, or, with permission, ones they ask me for (I only give permission for easy-to-recognize cognates).
The next day I give everyone a stack of poker chips. (You could use anything. The chips just make a cool"plonk" noise in the bowl.... and I got a big container of them at a garage sale.) We sit in a circle, and take turns saying one of our sentences, passing a big bowl. Example: I say, "I don't eat hamburgers," and pass the bowl. The person next to me says if he/she does or doesn't eat hamburgers, and if they do,they put a chip in the bowl. Everyone else says if they do or don't do that.... I trust them to tell the truth; classmates will "out" someone who doesn't, in most cases. The object is to hold onto your chips the longest. Winners are whoever runs out of chips first ("consolation prize for the most experienced") and last (if we play that long:I watch the 'natives' for signs of restlessness and call the game over at the end of that round.) It doesn't take too long, is fairly high-interest (and communicative)... rarely do we use more than two of the seven written, and I have them hand in their sentences. This also works when you learn "never".
Deb Blaz

Hi all,> does anyone have an fun ways of teaching ne...pas in french? I> teach 6th grade, first year french.

Feedback

2005-10-23T10:46:00.000-07:00

I really like the idea of creating opportunities for formative feedback. I've had many experiences with teachers where the assessment came only at the end of the project, and if you didn't just happen to have produced what the teachers wanted to see, you were in trouble. This particular in-class exercise using peer feedback wasn't terribly helpful to me in my group because none of us has a finished product. We had rough draft versions of the scripts and videos, but because they were only at the half-way mark we didn't have very many useful comments. However, I can see the activity being very productive in a setting where a significant piece of the project is already finished, or in a brainstorming setting. Say you're in an English class and you're preparing to write a paper; peer feedback could be used in a group setting to discuss outlines for papers and theses. If students took the activity seriously, they could help each other to evaluate their ideas and to shape and hone them into a strong paper.

Notes for Oct. 17

2005-10-17T14:01:00.000-07:00

ASSESS
also: measure, evaluate, grade, judge, give feedback, critique, remark,
--> each has implications... so we have many different words, use them to talk around the subject.

have an experience --> reflect on it --> guides your next action --> that becomes your next experience (Jesuit idea)
teacher gives assessment, guides reflection --> helps shape next step, hopefully for the better
Another look: Cognition --> Meta-cognition (thinking about thinking)

Goals of assessment: are students learning skills and concepts like we want them to? also communicates to teachers: diagnostic - is their method of teaching working for teacher?
Egocentric fallacy of teaching : what I'm saying makes perfect sense to me, everyone hears it like I think it's being heard, and thus should understand it ... is definitely not the case.

Do we need grades? --> most students need a motivator
- if student knows sthg is worth a lot of points, know it is important to master it, even if they aren't intrinsically motivated to do so

How do we assess?
Tests, written comments, verbal comments (tone, body language, etc) - it's not just numbers!!

When?
Before instruction - Pretests "to test prior knowledge" ... but can make students feel stupid if they don't know the info
During instruction - Formative - can make changes where necessary (before it's too late!)*
After - Summative - usually more heavily emphasized
* esp. in technology activities --> essential to have formative assessments/ check-up points

Other techniques:
Self-assessment
Peer review - experiences can vary a lot

Other Feedback:
Ppt comments
Microsoft Word comments
also, Wiki comments
Anonymous feedback?
Set up a dummy account? Look for a hosting feature?

Goal: teach a better version of your class every year.

Assignments:
Personal blog about feedback/ Assessment
Finish digital media project
Post rough cut and refined cut to website.

Digital movie idea

2005-10-17T09:34:00.000-07:00

Same train of thought, slightly reoriented. My short movie will be about my experience with theater, the things I have gained from it, and its importance in my life. I will use lots of pictures of past shows that I have either performed in or for which I've done scenic work or costumes.

Title
Show cast photos from YCTIWY, SOTL- Macbeth, VM's - There's something irresistible about the theater. Maybe it's the camaraderie that comes from being in a cast or a crew and having a sense of common purpose.
Maybe it's the make-believe.
Show photos of tech work & rehearsals - Putting together the stage, painting dunes, dressing actors; then scenes from the play on the finished set. - Maybe it's the sense of accomplishment that you have when all of the pieces come together and there actually is a play at the end of it all.
Show photos of hanging out (Bob in throne) - Or maybe it's just the - shall we say, eccentric array of people who gravitate towards the theater. More than likely, it's a combination of them all.
My own experience with theater has been somewhat limited, but I've loved it - every minute. I've had the chance to be an actor and a techie. I've been in the limelight and taken a final bow, but I've also helped put together sets, sewed costumes, and put the finishing touches on painted scenery during the final dress rehearsal.
Show photos ... - Working with theater is a hard job. You learn to live without sleep at times. You stretch yourself farther than you would have thought you could. You exhaust yourself physically, emotionally, and creatively for just two or three performances. But at the end, it's worth it a hundred times over.

Short movie -- brainstorming

2005-10-15T20:05:00.000-07:00

Since I have a pile of pictures on my computer from past theater experiences, I think I'll use some of them to put together a brief synapsis of a play. If I can get some of the missing photos from Reidel, I'll do one of SOTL's productions, either Macbeth or Hamlet. I can just put them in order, make transitions, add some music, and add in my own running commentary. ("This is the part where Shakespeare kills of most of the remaining characters ... oh wait, that part is in all of his tragedies.") I'm not sure if we're supposed to generate new images or not, but if we're allowed to use what we already have, I think that this would be a cool short movie.

Online activites

2005-09-25T14:14:00.000-07:00

I can see a lot of potential in the Library of Congress website. It's hard to see how I would be able to use it in a foreign language curriculum, especially at the beginning levels, but the extensive list of primary sources, photographs, and collections on various topics make it a great jumping off point for some guided research. I found links to a page called "Poetry 180 - A poem a day for American high schools" which gives just that, to a collection of American folk music, webcasts of library events and speakers.... all in all, an incredibly diverse array of topics that could definitely enrich a classroom or specific lessons.

VA SOL's for French I (from VDOE)

2005-09-19T14:40:00.000-07:00

French I

Course Description

Level I French focuses on the development of students’ communicative competence in French and their understanding of the culture(s) of francophone countries. Communicative competence is divided into three strands: speaking and writing as an interactive process in which students learn to communicate with another French speaker; reading and listening as a receptive process in which comprehension of French texts is developed; and speaking and writing in a presentational context in which students are focused on the organization of thoughts and awareness of their audience in delivering information. In Level I French classes, students learn to communicate in real-life contexts about topics that are meaningful to them. In order to develop the three areas of communicative competence, students are encouraged to use the French language as much as possible. Rather than isolating grammar in a separate strand, it is integrated into instruction according to the vocabulary and structures needed in the various situations in which students are required to function. Through the language learning process, students develop an understanding of how their own language is structured and how their own culture has unique aspects. An important component of French classes is the use of the French language beyond the classroom in order to apply knowledge of the language in the real world. In many cases, this is accomplished through the integration of technology into the classroom. Technology is an important tool in accessing authentic information in French and in providing students the opportunity to interact with native speakers of French.

Person-to-Person Communication

FI.1 The student will exchange simple spoken and written information in French.
1. Use basic greetings, farewells, and expressions of courtesy both orally and in writing.
2. Express likes and dislikes, requests, descriptions, and directions.
3. Ask questions and provide responses based on self and familiar material, such as family members, personal belongings, school and leisure activities, time, and weather.

FI.2 The student will demonstrate skills necessary to sustain brief oral and written exchanges in French using familiar phrases and sentences.
1. Initiate, participate in, and close a brief oral or written exchange in French with emphasis on the present time.
2. Use formal and informal forms of address in familiar situations in French.
3. Use gestures and simple paraphrasing to convey and comprehend messages.

Listening and Reading for Understanding

FI.3 The student will understand simple spoken and written French based on familiar topics that are presented through a variety of media.
1. Identify the main ideas and some details when reading and listening in French.
2. Comprehend simple, culturally authentic announcements, messages, and advertisements that use familiar vocabulary and grammatical structures in French.
3. Understand simple instructions in French, such as classroom procedures or basic computer terminology.

FI.4 The student will use verbal and non-verbal cues to understand simple spoken and written messages in French.
1. Differentiate among statements, questions, and exclamations.
2. Use basic gestures, body language, and intonation to clarify the message.

Oral and Written Presentation

FI.5 The student will present orally and in writing information in French that contains a variety of familiar vocabulary, phrases, and structural patterns.
1. Present in French information gathered from informal conversations, class presentations, interviews, readings, and/or a variety of media sources.
2. Describe in French basic familiar information, such as self, family members and others, events, interests, school, recreational activities, and personal belongings with emphasis on control of the present tense.
3. Demonstrate increasing attention to accuracy in intonation and pronunciation in French especially when presenting prepared material orally.
4. Demonstrate increasing attention to accuracy in word order, punctuation, accents and other diacritical marks, and spelling when writing in French.

FI.6 The student will present rehearsed material in French, including brief narratives, monologues, dialogues, poetry, and/or songs.
1. Use appropriate verbal and nonverbal techniques, such as voice inflection, gestures, and facial expression.
2. Communicate ideas in an organized manner using appropriate visual and/or technological support.

Cultural Perspectives, Practices, and Products

FI.7 The student will develop an awareness of perspectives, practices, and products of francophone cultures.
1. Identify some viewpoints of francophone cultures, such as those relating to time, education, transportation, and the role of family members.
2. Identify some customs and traditions of francophone cultures, such as greetings, celebrations, holiday practices, and forms of address that demonstrate politeness.
3. Identify some historical and contemporary individuals associated with important events from francophone cultures.
4. Identify some products of francophone cultures, such as natural and manufactured items, creative and fine arts, recreation and pastimes, dwellings, language, and symbols.

FI.8 The student will recognize that perspectives, practices and products of francophone cultures are interrelated.
1. Recognize that francophone cultures are shaped by viewpoints, customs/traditions, and products of speakers of French.
2. Identify major cities and geographical features and why they are significant in francophone cultures.

Making Connections through Language

FI.9 The student will recognize how information acquired in the study of French and information acquired in other subjects reinforce one another.
1. Identify examples of vocabulary, phrases, proverbs, and symbols from the French language that are used in other subjects.
2. Relate content from other subject areas to topics discussed in the French class, such as current events from francophone countries or the influence of French-speaking explorers and settlers on various regions of the United States.

Cultural and Linguistic Comparisons

FI.10 The student will demonstrate an understanding of the significance of culture through comparisons between francophone cultures and the cultures of the United States.
1. Compare patterns of behavior and interaction in the United States with those of francophone societies.
2. Demonstrate an awareness that social practices and personal interactions differ among cultures.
3. Demonstrate an awareness of unique elements of the student’s own culture.

FI.11 The student will compare basic elements of the French language to the English language.
1. Recognize differences in sound systems, writing systems, cognates, gender, and level-appropriate idioms.
2. Recognize basic sound distinctions and intonation patterns and their effect on communicating meaning.

Communication across Communities

FI.12 The student will identify situations in which French language skills and cultural knowledge may be applied beyond the classroom setting for recreational, educational, and occupational purposes.
1. Identify examples of the French language and the cultures of francophone countries that are evident in and through media, entertainment, and technology.
2. Identify resources, such as individuals and organizations accessible through the community or the Internet, that provide basic cultural information about the francophone world.

French links

2005-09-19T14:31:00.000-07:00

http://education.guardian.co.uk/netclass/schools/modernlanguages/links/0,5607,79837,00.html
Great links to cultural activities, e-texts of French works, teacher resources, etc.

http://www.bonjourdefrance.com/
Cool stuff - games, exercises, etc. Look at the idiomatic expression page

http://www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/Instruction/Language/
VA Dept of Education - Languages

Dictionaries:
http://www.logos.it/language/translations_en.html
http://www.granddictionnaire.ca/btml/fra/r_motclef/index1024_1.asp

Powerpoint

2005-09-19T14:20:00.000-07:00

I haven't found a set of standards yet for teaching French comparable to the VA SOL's. My preliminary idea is to take a pretty simple lesson - i.e. conjugating verbs or using vocabulary - and make an interactive Powerpoint that uses the skills in that lesson and incorporates them into a game that would interest students.
This could include giving a written passage from a French newspaper or magazine and asking reading comprehension questions, showing pictures from popular tv shows and asking students to describe what is happening in the pictures, etc. It would make students take what they had learned and apply it to build their own sentences.
This would be a review activity to reinforce things that we had already learned.

Strike that, reverse it. See the post on VA SOLs for French I.

hello, blogger...

2005-09-12T14:27:00.000-07:00

It's Blo-og! Blo-og! It's big, it's heavy, it's wood ....
It's Blo-og! Blo-og! It's better than bad, it's good!
(Thanks, Ren & Stimpy...)