Welcome to Madame Mariel's website! Click on French I or French II & III to see assignments.
Dear Parents and Students,
Bienvenue! Welcome to French I, II and III! In class this year, students will learn skills to speak, understand, read and write simple French for real-life communication. In addition, students will learn about the French culture (customs, food, lifestyle, etc.) as well as the cultures of the countries in which French is the official language. There are more than 25 of them! I use an innovative software program called Fluenz French, which is unique among the myriad of language-learning software on the market today. According to the Fluenz web site:
The Fluenz French program takes you step-by-step through the language, showing you how it works through explanations rather than forcing you to simply match pictures and words as if you were a child. And because the culture of the language is critical to understanding, the Fluenz tutor provides context and anecdotes that make the process meaningful. Learning languages isn't easy, and those programs that claim to offer an "easy" and "natural" solution simply aren't being honest. But by acknowledging the challenge, clearly explaining how French works, and providing helpful strategies and tips, the Fluenz French tutors guide the student steadily and confidently towards greater fluency.
If you would like to learn more about this software and to see a demo of how it works, please visit www.Fluenz.com. In addition to using Fluenz as a teaching tool for all three levels, I will be using the textbook, Bienvenue, Glencoe French, for French I, and French in Action, the award-winning PBS French language program for French II and III. Students will also learn dialogs and participate in skits paired with a partner or in small groups, listen to French songs and translate them into English, watch French feature films and documentaries, and read French text appropriate for their level.
Students will be taught how to stretch beyond what they previously thought possible in terms of speaking and comprehending the language. I give very little homework. However, I give a lot of classwork and I expect that all classwork will be completed on time. If not, students are responsible for completing it at home. Please make sure that your child comes to school every day prepared and ready to learn! Very consistent class attendance and completion of in-class work as well as homework are vital for the success of learning a foreign language, since skills are learned in a cumulative way.
I look forward to getting more personally acquainted with you and your child this year. Please let me know if there is any particular way I can better serve him/her. In order to maintain teacher-parent communication, I kindly ask you and your child to sign the “contract slip” he/she received today and make sure it is returned to me at our next class session as this will be counted as the first homework assignment. There is a short list of supplies that I require for this class. (Please see Rules and Expectations sheet for the supply list.) If you have any questions, you may contact me by e-mail [email protected] or you may call the school and leave a message. I will return your call as quickly as possible. My syllabus, assignments and a wealth of resources will be posted on my web site.
Sincerely,
Madame Kathleen Mariel