Course Description
"The AP French Language and Culture course engages students in an exploration of culture in both contemporary and historical contexts.
The course develops students’ awareness and appreciation of products, both tangible (e.g., tools, books, music) and intangible (e.g., laws, conventions, institutions); practices (patterns of social interactions within a culture); and perspectives (values, attitudes, and assumptions that underlie both practices and products)." COLLEGE BOARD, 2011
In conjunction with the afore-mentioned quote, students will hone their reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills and will refine their grammatical competency. The themes covered throughout the year include: Global Challenges, Science and Technology, Contemporary Life, Personal and Public Identities, Families and Communities, Beauty and Aesthetics. The class is conducted entirely in French.
Students enrolled in AP French are encouraged to register for the national AP French Language and Culture exam in May, potentially for college credit.
*French 4 Honors and AP French students are sometimes grouped in one class and, for this reason, the units are rotated on a 2-year cycle. The specific resources are chosen based on the skill level of the students to whom they are assigned, allowing for differentiated instruction.
The units of study can last anywhere from 20 to 35 instructional days and can be taught in any sequence.
Core Curriculum Content Standards
World Languages (2002)
COMMUNICATION in a Target Language (CONTENT STANDARDS)
STAGE 4
- Know enhanced vocabulary and idiomatic expressions used in complex oral and written communications.(12.1.S4.B)
- Recognize enhanced vocabulary used in complex listening and reading selections.(12.1.S4.C)
- Know and analyze simple, compound and complex sentence structures in order to communicate and comprehend current, past and upcoming events.(12.1.S4.D)
The Role of CULTURE in World Language Acquisition (CONTENT STANDARDS)
STAGE 4
- Analyze unfamiliar products, customs and institutions of the target culture.(12.3.S4.A)
- Analyze the misconceptions that occur in cross-cultural situations.(12.3.S4.B)
- Analyze perspectives, beliefs and assumptions evident in the target culture and other cultures.(12.3.S4.C)
Standards for Foreign Language Learning (1996)
Grades K-12
- Communication - Communicate in languages other than English(FOR_LANG.K-12.1)
- Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions(FOR_LANG.K-12.1.1)
- Students understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics(FOR_LANG.K-12.1.2)
- Students present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics.(FOR_LANG.K-12.1.3)
- Cultures - Gain knowledge and understanding of other cultures(FOR_LANG.K-12.2)
- Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the culture studied(FOR_LANG.K-12.2.1)
- Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the products and perspectives of the culture studied(FOR_LANG.K-12.2.2)
- Connections - Connect with other disciplines and acquire information(FOR_LANG.K-12.3)
- Students reinforce and further their knowledge of other disciplines through the foreign language(FOR_LANG.K-12.3.1)
- Students acquire information and recognize the distinctive viewpoints that are only available through the foreign language and its cultures(FOR_LANG.K-12.3.2)
- Comparisons - Develop insight into the nature of language and culture(FOR_LANG.K-12.4)
- Students demonstrate understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and their own(FOR_LANG.K-12.4.1)
- Students demonstrate understanding of the concept of culture through comparisons of the cultures studied and their own.(FOR_LANG.K-12.4.2)
- Communities - Participate in multilingual communities at home & around the world(FOR_LANG.K-12.5)
- Students use the language both within and beyond the school setting(FOR_LANG.K-12.5.1)
- Students show evidence of becoming life-long learners by using the language for personal enjoyment and enrichment.(FOR_LANG.K-12.5.2)
Units
Unit #1 - LES DÉFIS MONDIAUX (Global Challenges)
Unit #2 - LA SCIENCE ET LA TECHNOLOGIE (Science and Technology)
Unit #3 - LA VIE CONTEMPORAINE (Contemporary Life)
Unit #4 - LA QUETE DE SOI (Personal and Public Identities)
Unit #5 - LA FAMILLE ET LA COMMUNAUTÉ (Families and Communities)
Unit #6 - L'ESTHÉTIQUE (Beauty and Aesthetics)
Course Resources
AP French Language and Culture, Workshop Handbook and Resources 2012-2013, College Board
Allons au-delà! La langue et les cultures du monde francophone, Pearson, 2012, Richard Ladd
AP French, Preparing for the Language and Culture Examination, Pearson 2012, Richard Ladd
Imaginez!, Le français sans frontières, Vista Higher Learning 2012, Cherie Mitschke
FACE-À-FACE, Conversation et rédaction, Vista Higher Learning 2011, Françoise Ghillebaert
