Liam Jin
Course Overview​​​​
The school runs French courses for both native speakers and those new to the language, covering grades 8-12. The French classes have different levels, starting from beginner classes that focus on basic language skills, and moving to higher level ones where students will dive deeper into the language and culture. Students will become bilingual and gain effective communication skills in French. They practice grammar, reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Instead of just memorizing rules, they work on real usage like understanding spoken words, forming sentences, reading texts, writing paragraphs, and having a conversation. They pick up skills for talking, chatting, texting, or catching lyrics or videos meaning in everyday moments. They will also start seeing what life is like in French speaking places and appreciate French cultures. Classes keep them busy with engaging activities and projects, such as group work, presentations, games, acting, and creative writing assignments. These make learning enjoyable. Students usually have fun while getting better step by step. By the end of the course, students can actually use French on their own, with no stress.
About French Language
"French is a Romance language of the Indo-European family. Like all other Romance languages, it descended from the Vulgar Latin of the Roman Empire. French evolved from Northern Old Gallo-Romance, a descendant of the Latin spoken in Northern Gaul. French is an official language in 26 countries, as well as one of the most geographically widespread languages in the world, with speakers in about 50 countries. It is estimated to have about 310 million speakers, of which about 74 million are native speakers; it is spoken as a first language in France, Canada (Quebec), Belgium (Wallonia and the Brussels-Capital Region), western Switzerland (Romandy region), parts of Luxembourg, and Monaco."
French classroom
Content
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Grade 8
​In grade 8, many students are beginners. The course introduces the basics of French. They focus on alphabet and basic pronunciations, numbers, greetings, simple verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, and place. They then use what they've learned to do speaking, writing, and listening in French.
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Grade 9
​Students continue to build their foundations of French. They learn verbs in different tenses, expand their vocabulary with more adjectives and prepositions, and practice subject-verb agreement and pronominal verbs. Evaluation is similar to grade 8, but the work is more challenging and expectations are higher.
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Grade 10
​Grade 10 is the final year of senior high school. The course becomes more advanced and difficult to prepare students for the following years of French learning. The most notable difference is that quizzes and tests are worth more. Quizzes now count for 45% of the grade and the final exam counts for 25%, compared to 20% in grades 8 and 9. Criteria in general grammar is increased and lengthened.
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Grades 11 and 12
Grades 11 and 12 are often taught as a joint class. At this level, students will work alone most of the time while they explore opportunities at their own pace. They are expected to already know basic self-introduction, conversations, writing, and reading. Since grammar plays a big role here, they will continue to hone their French language skills like pronouns, repositions, tenses, and more. Practice happens group discussions, either with peers or natives. Activities include watching movies, listening to songs, and reading stories, so that they connect deeply with French culture.
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Major projects include script-writing, which students will be put into a skit. They will act out stories and scenes, like a marketing presentation. They will try out skills learned during classes. One that really stands out is going to a French restaurant. The class will have to talk, give directions, and share thoughts only using French. Other assignments might be checking song words, beat, or melody to understand them better.
Student Interview (Tiger)
What made you study French?
I am interested in French because it is the secondary language of Canada.
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What was the highest score you had on an assignment, quiz, or test?
My final mark was 90%.
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What was the most difficult part of the course?
All parts are difficult, especially assignments, but I enjoy challenging myself.
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What was the most enjoyable part of the course?
I like to watch French movies, which helps me learn French.
Why do you think studying French is important?
It's one of the most used languages across the world.
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Will you continue learning French throughout high school and university or college?
Yes.
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If you could change one thing about the French 10 curriculum, what would it be?
I would have liked it more if the order of the contents changed. I think French Curriculum should be similar to the English Curriculum.
Students' projects
French Club Interview
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What group of people is French Club intended for?
French Club welcomes people of all skill levels, including beginners.
What is the purpose of French Club?
Our goal is to promote the diversity of francophone culture and language.
​How will French Club be of any support to students learning French?
In French Club, students will be participating in discussions, presentations, and games.
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What kind of games does French Club host?
Jeopardy, Kahoot, and movie nights.
Teacher Interview (Ms Chen)
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What career opportunities can students expect to get by taking French?
​Taking French offers students many career advantages, especially in Canada, where both English and French are official languages. Students can find many government jobs, such as engineering, healthcare field, environmentalism, public transit, airports, post office. It looks good on resume to have someone being bilingual.
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What does a usual French lesson look like in your class?​​​
​A typical French lesson begins with teaching grammar content at the start of class. They take part in fun class activities. During these activities, they only speak French in class for a specific amount of time to get people comfortable with the language using specific themes. Worksheet are also provided so that the teacher can support students if needed.
What do you find most interesting about French?
​We enjoy being exposed to a new culture that’s still in Canada. Being able to master a completely new language with a new set of grammar rules, and different pronunciation than what was in the English language is rewarding.
What do your students struggle most with?​ What do they understand easily?
Students often struggle with grammar, since it is very different from English and is used often. They find vocabulary easier to understand, especially if the words are similar to that of English words. Certain verb tenses and future tense that connect to English are also easily understood.
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​​​Are there any French learning techniques you recommend students take? If there are, what are they? And how effective is each technique for your students?​​​​​​​​​​​​​
I recommend students to spend time to engage with French content outside of class. This may involve using language learning apps such as Duolingo, watching a variety of French dubbed or subbed movies, TV shows, books, and French songs. French journaling and practicing speaking with a friend are also helpful methods. Duolingo is particularly effective as it provides daily reminders, allows you to join lessons with friends, and is easily accessible as long as you have internet.
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Why does Canada speak both English and French? Why isn't French widely spoken in other places besides Europe and Canada?
Historical colonizers/both English and French settlers came to Canada (French came first but English won the most control). English language became prevalent all over the world. French is also spoken in concentrated parts of Africa after the French settlers came hundreds of years ago and had spread it around.
Conclusion
The school offers French courses for all skill levels of students in grades 8-12. They help students become bilingual and develop strong communication skills in French. Students not only practice grammar, reading, writing, listening, and speaking in French but also acquire an understanding and appreciation of French cultures. Students do worksheets, engaging activities and projects in class, which make things fun and interesting. Once the courses wrap up, students are ready to use and communicate confidently in French in their daily lives. There is a French club where students participate in discussions, presentations, and games. Its goal is to promote the diversity of francophone culture and language.
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​Learning French has many benefits. French has about 310 million speakers and is one of the most widely used languages in the world. It can open doors to new school and career opportunities, travel, culture, and a stronger brain.
· Many schools and universities value students who know another language. Being bilingual will give you access to more job opportunities. ​You can find many government jobs, such as engineering, healthcare field, environmentalism, public transit, airports, and post office.
· Being able to speak French will allow you to travel with greater confidence. When you visit French speaking places, you can read signs, order food, and talk to locals.
· You can enjoy French movies, music, books, and art.
· Learning a new language strengthens your brain. It improves your memory, problem solving skills, attention, and creativity.