French 1 Syllabus

 
Issaquah High School
French 1
Instructor: Véronique Silverman         Silvermanv@issaquah.wednet.edu
Period 1 and 2:  Portable 3.
Please read the World Languages policies (academic integrity, grading scale, absences, use of technology)  here: World Language Policies
                                          Required textbook and materials

• required: a planner for the academic year.
• required: 1”  3 ring binder with 5 dividers and lined paper.
• required: 1 notebook.
• D’Accord textbook (or e-book). Class set in the classroom.
• 1 whiteboard marker
• 3 hole punch (to keep at home in a handy place). Value Village often has them for cheap.
• optional: a teeny tiny umbrella for rainy days and travel to and from the main building.

Recommended material

French apps: WordReference.com  ; Duolingo.com ; Quizlet.com; Linguee.com

Course Description

The goal of this course is to develop the four essential language skills of speaking, reading, writing and listening comprehension. The course will use a variety of media and material and will be based on the D’Accord 1 textbook. Students will constantly use and recycle skills and material. They will deepen their knowledge of French and Francophone culture and increase their communication skills. As they increase in fluency, they should feel very comfortable using their newly acquired skills in and outside the classroom. The focus of the class is on interpersonal, presentational and interpretive  communication.
In the fall of 2109, ISD will be field-testing 2 new textbooks and online platforms for French 1: Entre Cultures and Bien Dit. All necessary material  (textbooks, workbooks, website logins) will be provided by Madame Silverman. This will help us choose the new curriculum starting in the fall of 2020.
Thank you for your support!

Additional Learning Opportunities

Students are encouraged to share with the class their favorite (and appropriate!) French songs, movies and websites.
Learning outside the classroom is strongly encouraged and expected. Students should listen to Francophone music, watch Disney movies in French, etc…

Course Expectations.

The key to success in language learning is to immerse yourself in the language as much as you can. Study an additional 15-20 minutes daily after completion of homework. Review notes, make flashcards, graphic organizers and vocabulary lists or listen to Francophone music. Seek out tutoring and extra help. Review the vocabulary daily.
The online homework must be completed daily as assigned. 

Participation and class activities.

Because speaking and listening are essential to language learning, participation in class is an essential part of the course. Perfection is not required but participation is! Students will be graded on their individual participation. We will have frequent activities in which you will be expected to SPEAK French to your partner, your group or the whole class. 

Homework.

There will be homework nearly every class day. Homework is due at the beginning of class, and stamped daily. Any homework completed in class will not be accepted. Homework assigned on the D’Accord website or other online platforms is due at midnight (11:59pm) the day before class. For example, if there is online homework that must be turned in on Friday morning, it must be completed the day before (Thursday) before 11:59pm. Students will  also keep a homework log in their notebook and this log will be collected prior to each grading period or on a regular basis.
The online homework must be completed daily as assigned. 
HOMEWORK IS GRADED FOR ACCURACY AND IS PART OF THE OVERALL GRADE.

Grading.

Quizzes and orals (presentational, interpretive and interpersonal communication)       25%
Unit tests (presentational & interpretive communication)      30%
Class activities / interpersonal communication   20%
Homework                    15%
Final Exam                   10%

Classroom expectations.

Everyone deserves a chance to learn and students shall show courtesy to everyone in the classroom. Students will respect each other and their environment.
Students shall come prepared to class with appropriate material: paper and pencil, etc.
Food and drink are NOT accepted in the classroom (water is OK).
Students shall help maintain a neat and orderly classroom.
Students will remain in their seats unless asked to move about for a class activity (this means don’t get up to sharpen your pencil during a presentation).
Students will also remain seated until the dismissal bell rings (don’t start packing up early).
Cell phones are NOT allowed in the classroom. They will be confiscated immediately and turned in to an administrator. Cell phones will be used in class  ONLY for educational purposes (Quizlet, etc) and at the teacher s’ discretion.
No hats and no chewing gum in class.
                                                Absences and test/ quiz/oral make ups.
It is the responsibility of the student to contact me to arrange a time and day for the make up test/quiz/oral IF THEY HAVE AN EXCUSED ABSENCE.  I will not contact the student to arrange a time and day. When students are absent on the day of a test/ quiz/ oral, they will immediately get a 0 in the grade book for that particular assessment. The 0 will be converted to a grade as soon as they take the assessment and it is graded. Students have one day to make up work for every day that they are absent, according to school and district policy. 
I will contact parents of students who are chronically absent for quizzes, tests and  orals.
Students who miss a test/ quiz/ oral and are UNEXCUSED will not be able to make it up and will receive a 0.

Tardies.

Attendance will be taken each class period.  Students who are not in their seats when the bell rings will be marked late/tardy.  Students who arrive to class less than 10 minutes late will be marked late.  Students who are more than 10 minutes late will be marked tardy.  Students are expected to remain in class for the entirety of the period.  If a student leaves class, without a pass, and is gone for more than 10 minutes they will be marked tardy. Students who are marked late/tardy will not be able to make up any assignments or activities that were completed during their absence unless their tardy is excused through the Attendance office. Students who are late more than 5 times to class will be assigned a Nest detention with me.  Students who are late to class 10 times in a semester or tardy 5 times in a semester will be assigned the consequences and interventions outlined in the student handbook.
All rules in the Issaquah High School Discipline Policy and student handbook are in effect daily in this class.
                                                   Academic honesty and cheating.
 

Academic honesty, cheating, use of online translators.

Academic honesty: all assignments are INDIVIDUAL unless otherwise noted.  PLEASE REFER  TO THE  WORLD LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT POLICY FOR ACADEMIC INTEGRITY POLICY (use of online translators, etc).Use of online translators such as Google Translate is considered cheating, because Google Translate and other online translators do the work, not the student.

• Cheating – Intentional deception or the use of unauthorized materials in the preparation or completion of any school assignment, assessment, examination or project, or in the conduct of any school-related activity is prohibited, along with the aiding and abetting of such behavior by others.
• Students caught cheating on a quiz or test or using an online translator and passing the work for their own will receive a 0  for that assignment and will not be able to retake it or resubmit their work.
• Academic Integrity/Honesty Regulation–Academic integrity speaks to a student’s commitment and responsibility to pursue scholarship honestly. It respects the concept that learning is the primary purpose of education, secondary to grades and credits. Academic dishonesty is defined as any action or attended action that may result in creating an unfair academic advantage for oneself or an unfair academic advantage or disadvantage for any other student. A student shall not attempt to earn credit or receive a grade for coursework (tests, quizzes, assignments, projects, essays) in a manner other than defined as acceptable by each instructor.

Bathroom.

Students must sign in and out every time they go to the bathroom, as we need to know where students are in case of an emergency.
Student will turn in their phones to the teacher before being allowed to go to the bathroom. Students are expected to go to the bathroom and return to class within 4 minutes. If they must be gone for longer, they are expected to let me know ( without going into TMI.)
While I do not limit the number of times a student goes to the bathroom during the semester, “frequent flyers” or student who go to the bathroom every day or so will be referred to the nurse, and parents will be contacted.

Grade bumps

There will be NO grade bumps for Semester 1 or 2, but I will drop the lowest quiz score.
updated: 9/03/2019
Addendum to syllabus:
 
Because you are learning a language, there are specific protocols that must be followed.
Social skills and body language are extremely important.
They convey engagement, interest, and the desire to learn and improve.
So…

1. Look at your partner(s) and make eye contact.
2. Turn your body towards your partner(s).
3. Sit up straight, shoulders up.
4. No hoods! No earbuds! Let’s face it, we know you are listening to music under there, which is really rude during class and disrespectful to your partners and your teachers.
5. No gum. In France, and many other countries in the world, chewing gum around people is rude.
6. No eating during partner/ group interaction: eating and talking at the same time is rude too.
7. Do not go to the bathroom during conversation activities. Who is your partner going to talk to?
8. No hats. In France, and many other countries in the world, wearing a hat/ baseball hat INDOORS is rude.
9. Do not put your head down on your desk. It shows lack of engagement on your part. Also studies have shown that if you act tired, whether you are tired or not, you will become tired. Mind over body!
10. Do not fall asleep in class. This is not kindergarten. Do you need coffee or tea? A glass of water, fresh air?
11. DO NOT use personal technology devices: phones, Apple watch, … unless I give specific permission. This is a NO PHONE ZONE, so if you are using your phone in class, it is rude and disrespectful.

1^st offence: I will remind you to put it away.
2^nd offence: I will take it away. Pick it up from at the end of the day. You don’t want to miss the bus, right?!
3^rd offence: I will give it to an administrator- when I have time to walk to the main building…which is not very often.
12. Leave no trace. Pick up after yourself, because that is what we do. It shows respect for your environment (classroom, school) and people around you (classmates, teachers, custodians).
 
All French 1 students read a copy of the addendum and signed a hard copy.
Updated 10/ 26/19