IB French SL and HL Course Syllabus

School: John A. Ferguson Sr. High School

Tel: 305-408-2700
Instructor: Claudel Fredling
E-mail: csfredling@dadeschools.net

I. Course Description: IB French B is a language acquisition course developed at two levels—

standard level (SL) and higher level (HL)—for students with some background in the target language.
While acquiring a language, students will explore the culture(s) connected to it. The focus of these
courses is language acquisition and intercultural understanding. The class is conducted entirely in
Spanish and requires the student to be an independent and highly motivated learner

Course Objectives: At the end of this course students are expected to demonstrate the ability to:

 communicate clearly and effectively in a range of situations

 understand and use accurately oral and written forms of the language that are commonly
encountered in a range of situations
 understand and use a range of vocabulary in common usage
 select a register that is generally appropriate to the situation
 organize and express ideas with general clarity and some fluency
 structure arguments in a generally clear, coherent and convincing way
 understand and respond appropriately to written and spoken material of average difficulty
 assess some subtleties of the language in a range of forms, styles, and registers
 show an awareness of and sensitivity to, some elements of the cultures related to the language
studied.
 understand and analyze works of literature written in the target language of study (specially HL
students)

III. Course Outline: The language B syllabus approaches the learning of language through meaning.
Through the study of the core and the options at SL and HL, plus two literary works at HL, students
build the necessary skills to reach the assessment objectives of the language B course through the
expansion of their receptive, productive and interactive skills.
These are the topics we will cover:
Core:
Communication and Media
How people interact, transmit and gather data for the purposes of information and entertainment.
Possible topics: Bias in media, censorship, internet, social networks, press, radio and television.
Global Issues
Current matters and future scenarios that have an impact at a regional, national and/or international
level, bearing in mind that they need to be addressed from the perspective of the target language’s
culture(s). Possible topics: Globalization, migration (rural–urban, or international), racism, prejudice,
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discrimination and poverty.
Social Relationships
How people interrelate and behave—as members of a community, individually and in groups / Possible
topics: celebrations, social and religious events, language and cultural identity, or self-identity,
multilingualism, nationalism, patriotism, relationships (friendship, work, family.

Options:

Cultural Diversity
The ethnic, gender, racial, ideological and socio-economic varieties within a community of the target
language / possible topics: how culture is learned beliefs, values and norms, culinary heritage,
intercultural assimilation, inter-linguistic influence, language diversity, migration, population diversity,
subcultures, verbal and non-verbal communication.

Customs and traditions

Social and/or traditional structures, social behaviors and stances, and taboos versus what are socially
acceptable / possible topics: Cultural Fusion and Religion

Literary Works – This course will cover (but not limited to) the following literary texts:

1) NOVEL:
Le Petit Prince / ST-EXUPERY

2) POEMS

“La Cigale et la Fourmi” / La Fontaine

IV. Resources:

- IB French B (course companion) OXFORD

- Tresors du Temps GLENCOE
-AP French Preparation PEARSON
-Reprise GLENCOE
-French dictionary or French/English dictionary
- Various Internet resources: articles, music, videos, etc.
- Newspapers in French from different French-speaking countries
- Various short stories, plays, poems and movies

V. Class Assessments: Assessments will be designed to prepare the students for the IB oral and written
production and will
include but are not limited to the following activities and exercises:
a. Test and quizzes that will prepare the students for future IB examinations.
b. Communicative activities- debates, group or individual presentations, interviews with teacher,
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 interviews with other students, role play, newscasts.
c. Audio and Visual Activities- songs, movies, documentaries, news bulletins, commercials and
exercises of grammar and vocabulary.

VI. IB Assessments: At the culmination of the IB program, students will be required to take various
assessments as per IBO.

SPEAKING PART: Internally assessed by the teacher and externally moderated by the IB. (30% of
final grade).
A. Interactive oral activity: 10% of your final grade. (October - November).
This consist of three classroom activities based on the core and assessed by the teacher; it could be a
debate, a play etc.
B. Individual oral: 20% of your final grade. (February)

SL: The student is shown TWO previously unseen photographs, with a title or caption, selected by the
teacher. The student CHOOSES ONE of the photographs. Each photograph is related to different topics
studied in class but based on the options.
HL: The student is shown a previously unseen photograph (ONLY ONE photograph), with a title or
caption, selected by the teacher. The photograph is related to a different topic studied in class but based
on the options.
Preparation time (15 minutes): The student prepares a presentation based on the photograph. He or she
may write brief annotations (up to 10) in a small flash card.
Part 1 – Presentation (3-4 minutes): The student describes the photograph and relates it to the topic
and the target culture(s).
Part 2 – Discussion (5-6 minutes): A discussion with the teacher based on the presentation follows.
Discussion based on a topic from the other option studied may be introduced if that contributes to the
interaction.
WRITING PART: externally moderated by the IB (70% of final grade)
C. Writing Assignment: Receptive and written productive skills (3 – 4 hours) – 20% of final
grade. (two consecutive classes in January)
SL: An intertextual reading of 3 texts, followed by a written exercise of 300-400 words and a 100 word
rationale. Dictionaries and reference materials allowed.
HL: Creative writing of 500–600 words plus a 150-word rationale, based on one of the literary texts
read. Dictionaries and reference materials allowed.
D. Paper 1 (1 ½ hour) - 25% of final grade. (May)
SL: Text-handling exercises on four written texts, based on the core.
HL: Text-handling exercises on five written texts, based on the core.
E. Paper 2: Written productive skills (1 ½ hour) – 25% of final grade. (May)
SL: One writing exercise of 250-400 words. Students are given a choice of 5 possible topics or kinds of
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 writing based on the options, to choose one of them.
HL: Two compulsory writing exercises.
Section A: One task of 250–400 words, based on the options, to be selected from a choice of five.
Section B: Response of 150–250 words to a stimulus text, based on the core.
VII. Attendance and Tardiness / Make-up Work:
Attendance is absolutely vital in learning a foreign language. This class will be highly participatory and
absences may really hurt a student’s learning. When returning to class after an absence, you must
present me with an excuse slip. If you know of an absence ahead of time, please check with me and
find out what you will miss. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain information on any work they
missed while absent (from the teacher, the class page in the internet or from another student). One-day
extensions are given for each day missed. Missed tests must be made up within a week of the student’s
absence. It is the student’s responsibility to arrange a time to make up class assignments, tests, and
quizzes in a timely manner.
VIII. Students’ Conduct: Students should..

- familiarize themselves with and to adhere to the Miami Dade County Public Schools Student Code of
Conduct. All school policies (including dress code, cell phones, etc…) will be enforced in this
course.
- follow the guides of the school and the teacher with the understanding that all instructions are given
for the benefit of the individual student and the learning community as a whole. Any successful
learning experience requires mutual respect on behalf of the student and the instructor. The
instructor, as well as the fellow students, should not be subjected to any student’s behavior that is in
any way disruptive, rude, or challenging to the instructor’s authority in the classroom.
- Always be on time and prepare for the class with paper, pens, pencils and any other materials required
by the teacher (construction paper, highlighters, etc.).
- Keep your binder organized and in good condition – it will be graded for organization and content.

- PLAGIARISM: You will write reports and essays in French that may require research. Plagiarism
will not be tolerated in this class and will be reported to the IB Coordinator.

Examples of plagiarism in French class:

* Using the on-line dictionaries/translators to translate your documents.
* Printing off a document in French and turning it in as your own work.
* Pasting material into your document and turning it in as your own work.
* Having a native speaker or other person write the paper for you.

IX. Teacher’s Responsibilities: The teacher should...

- Design lesson with all king of learning styles in mind

- Maintain a positive and safe learning environment
- Uphold state, district, and school policies
- Objectively assess student progress
- Contact parents/guardians concerning student progress
- Help students in need of individual assistance

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X. Concerns, problems, teacher conferences: Students requiring special accommodations should
meet with me so that we can discuss how to meet your needs in this course. If you have any problems
or concerns, please speak with me about them. If a resolution to your concerns can not be reached, a
parent/counselor or IB coordinator/teacher conference can then be set up.

XI. Course Timeline

September/October Unit 1- Global Challenges: Environment

(25 days) • Study vocabulary associated with nature and environment.
• Read and discuss L’Homme qui plantait les arbres (Giono).
• View and discuss film that accompanies this text.
• Calculate your carbon footprint and discuss how to improve it.
(http://www.futurenergia.org/ww/fr/pub/futurenergia/chats/carbon_imprint.htm).
• Song (discussion and activities): Aux Arbres Citoyens (Yannick Noah).
• Read, discuss and react in writing to article from “Internet Actuel” (L’homme
le plus grand ennemi de la planète).
• Complete any listening and Internet activities from Sept Jours sur la Planète
that correspond to the environment.
• Grammar review: nouns, articles, present tense and imperatives.
• Writing pieces incorporating above grammar and addressing

October/November Unit 2- Families and Communities

(25 days) • Study vocabulary associated with family and relationships.
• Read and discuss Aux Champs (Guy de Maupassant).
• Compare and contrast today’s family structures with those of
the 19th century.
• Read, discuss and react in writing to an article from “Internet
Actuel” (Les Pères changent).
• Participate in a debate about the changing roles of families.
• Complete any listening and Internet activities from Sept Jours
sur la Planète that correspond to the family.
• Keep an interactive journal noting linguistic differences between
French and English.
• Grammar review: past tenses; prepositions; conjunctions.
• Writing pieces incorporating above grammar and addressing
families and communities.
December/January Unit 3-Personal and Public Identities: Multiculturalism
(22 days) • Study vocabulary associated with immigration.
• Analyze, discuss and participate in interactive activities about
French colonization and contemporary immigration, and the
dilemma of the veil.
• View excerpts concerning “multiculturalism” from Paris je
t’aime and Entre les murs.
• Read and discuss excerpts from Kiffe Kiffe Demain (Faiza Guene)
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 and Le Racisme expliqué à ma fille (Tajar Ben Jelloun).
• Song (discussion and activities): Ma France à moi (Diam’s).
• Complete any listening and Internet activities from Sept
Jours sur la Planète that correspond to immigration and
multiculturalism.
• Grammar review: subjunctive; relative pronouns.
• Write a blog entry comparing and contrasting the conception of
public identity in French and francophone countries with that in
the United States / react to others’ posts.
• Writing pieces incorporating above grammar and addressing
multiculturalism.
February Unit 4- Beauty and Aesthetics
(12 days) Study vocabulary associated with visual art.
• Interactive presentation of art movements in France and
discussion.
• Hands-on art activity with La Chambre à Arles (Van Gogh).
• Analysis and discussion of Olympia (Manet) and/or La Grande
Jatte (Seurat).
• Performance-based oral assessment, incorporating paintings
and music: “Fana d’art.”
• Read, discuss and complete activities for an article from
“Internet Actuel” associated with art.
• Complete any listening and Internet activities from Sept Jours
sur la Planète that correspond to art, beauty and aesthetics.
• Add to their interactive journal re: linguistic differences.
• Grammar review: Descriptive adjectives and adjective
agreement; possessives and demonstratives.
March Unit 5- Science and Technology
(14 days) • Study vocabulary associated with technology and social
networking.
• Read and discuss excerpt from Anna Gavalda’s “Je voudrais que
quelqu’un m’attende quelque part” and the use of cell phones
and other means of communicating with people.
• Listening activity on sending “textos and SMS.”
• Read, discuss and complete oral and written activities for
Solitude Numérique (Didier Daeninckx) (in Imaginez textbook).
• Write a blog entry addressing how the use of social networking
is changing the world, and react to others’ posts.
• Grammar review: Si clauses and associated tenses.
March/April Unit 6- Contemporary Life: Education
(20 days) • Study vocabulary associated with schools, learning and
subjects.
• Read, discuss and react in writing to excerpts from Chagrin
d’Ecole (Daniel Pennac).
• Read, discuss and react in writing to excerpts from L’Enfant Noir
(Camara Laye).
• Based on above and other shorter texts about educational
issues, work in groups to create a presentation that explores
different aspects of the French school system.
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 • Complete any listening and Internet activities from Sept
Jours sur la Planète that correspond to education and other
contemporary issues in the francophone world.
• Add to their linguistic journal re: linguistic differences.
• General grammar review before AP exam
May-June Selected topics in contemporary francophone culture and
(approx. 4 weeks literature: inquiry-based learning.
• Projects on above presented in various formats: written, oral,
and with various technology tools.

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 Contract

Dear parents/ guardians:

In order to make this school year an educational, but very exciting and enjoyable one, your support will
be greatly appreciated. Please read and discuss the information contained in this syllabus with your
child, sign it, and return it to class by tomorrow. Please also take the time to fill out the following
information.

If you should need any further information and/or have any questions, please email me at
csfredling@dadeschools.net. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Sincerely,

Claudel Fredling

I, _____________________________________ have read and understood the rules and

(Name of parent or guardian)

regulations for Mr. Fredling class and agree to them.

Parent or guardian signature: _______________________ Date:__________

Preferred method of contact:

Telephone: ___________________________________

Email: _______________________________________

I, _____________________________________ have read and understood the rules and

(Name of student)

regulations for Mr. Fredling class and agree to follow them.

Student signature: _______________________ Per: __________

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