In French I, students will learn the fundamentals of French grammar and pronunciation in an atmosphere that encourages the development of listening skills and practical communication for negotiating everyday situations.  Immediate and complete immersion in the French language will maximize students’ daily exposure to French and encourage them to persevere, because it shows them on a daily basis that being able to communicate in French is an attainable goal.  Students will also gain an appreciation of French and francophone cultures.

French I students are laying the foundation for future proficiency in French and are working towards meeting state and national standards for Communication (to communicate in languages other than English), Cultures (to gain knowledge about and understanding of other cultures), Connections (to connect with other disciplines and acquire information), Comparisons (to develop insights into the nature of language and culture) and Communities (to participate in multilingual communities).

In French I, the student will begin to master the grammar and pronunciation of French, becoming more accurate and understandable.  He or she will learn basic set phrases: simple descriptions, simple narration in the present tense, low-level conversation.  He or she will understand most of the teacher’s speech and be able to interpret very short texts and answer questions about them, including advertising, stories, dialogues, cartoons, recipes, etc.  Students are regularly evaluated on their ability to understand, speak, write and read French through quizzes on grammar and written comprehension, dictations, direct questioning and occasional reports using internet research.