French
FRENCH 11/12
The French 11 and French 12 classes are often taught jointly, especially at Palmer. At an advanced level, students work independently most of the time and will have the opportunity to explore on their own. However, students will always have teachers and their fellow classmates to seek support from. The general prerequisite for the course is French 10, but students with a higher ability in the French language can also be referred to it by teachers.
Since French 11/12 is an advanced course, students are expected to already know basic self-introduction and conversational skills, writing, and reading. Being a grammar-heavy course, students will continue to hone their French language skills and improve on the uses of pronouns, repositions, tenses, and more by engaging in conversations and group discussions with peers and natives. Students also consume immersive media, including movies, songs, and stories to be fully exposed and absorbed in French culture and language.
Major projects in the course include a skit-making project where students will also write their own scripts. In the skit, students act out stories and scenes in a drama-like manner while having the opportunity to utilize the skills learnt in class. For example, there are skits where students have to act out ordering at a restaurant, and students have to order food, have conversations, and describe the scenes entirely in French. Other assignments include analyzing songs by diving deep into its lyrics, rhythm, and tune, similar to poetry analyses in English Literature.
French
COURSES
About French
Students are expected to gain a huge amount of career choices by taking French, mainly Canadian government jobs such as engineering, healthcare, and transport. Moreover, a second language will also be beneficial on a student's resume when they apply for a job.
The most interesting aspect of French is how one can be in touch of another culture that is also part of Canada, and being able to master a language whose nuances are different from English which we typically see daily. It also has a historical significance of French colonizers settling in Canada, bringing the language with them. French is also spoken in concentrated parts of Africa as a result of colonization.
French lessons usually include content on grammar, French class activities, and worksheets that the teacher can provide help on if needed on a typical day. Most students struggle with grammar since it is quite different from the structure in English. Vocabulary and certain verb tenses are also similar to English, so students might have an easier time learning those aspects. They are encouraged to set up a set time to engage with French content outside of class, which can range from Duolingo to watching French subbed or dubbed TV shows and movies.
Courses & Clubs
In Grade 8, students learn the alphabet, counting, and basic pronunciations and structures. They learn how to hold basic conversation and greetings, as well as simple adjectives, prepositions, and grammar.
Gr. 9 takes the learning from Gr. 8 further and continues to work on the basics, as well as learning more vocabulary, verbs in different tenses, subject agreements, and pronominal verbs.
In Gr. 10, the course starts to get more advanced to prepare for senior course content in Gr. 11 and 12. The most notable difference in Gr. 10 is that tests will now weigh more, with the finals weighing 25% of a student's overall grade.
French Club is a club in Palmer that promotes the diversity of francophone culture as well as French language. French Club aims to improve the French of students by various discussions, presentations, and games. It might also host activities that include jeopardy, Kahoot, and movie nights where students can discuss with their peers. This club is also welcoming and open for beginners who are just starting to learn French.
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