My Class Website
AM STRAM GRAM
Am, stram, gram
Pic et pic et colégram
Bourre et bourre
Et ratatam
Am, stram, gram,
Pic dam!
COURSE DESCRIPTION (2010-11) Aliso Niguel High School, Aliso Viejo, CA
FRENCH I Mme Migrditchian
Bienvenus ! Welcome to French I! You will learn about French culture and customs this year, and you will be able to talk about yourself, your friends and family, and your hobbies in the present and simple past by the end of the school year. You will find how stimulating and fun it is to be able to say things in another language!
TEXT McDougall-Litell's Discovering French, Nouveau! Level 1 and the Activity Workbook.
The textbook should be covered throughout the year, and you will be financially responsible for a lost or damaged book. The school will supply you with a workbook and CD Tutor, both of which are free. You will be writing in the workbook for homework. Get used to bringing once a week, on the day I tell you, and to studying from it for unit tests. Your new CD-ROM is called "Take-home Tutor" and you are to install it onto your home computers. This will enable you to do practice tests and other interactive work with the computer.
QUIZZES AND TESTS
You will have a vocabulary test weekly, based on the vocabulary our class has used, so you need to keep your "Dictionnaire" updated, especially if you have been absent. At the end of each 6 weeks there is an Examen. Any student who cheats on a test will receive 0 (zero) for that test and a call home to his/her parent to discuss your problem.
HOMEWORK: ASSIMILATION OF LANGUAGE
You will have daily speaking or reading homework, and once a week writing homework. Before a Unit examen I recommend one hour of study at least. I will record homework completed, and these homework points will generate a grade which is sometimes 10-20%, enough to lower an A to a C and vice versa. Completing your work daily is extremely important in learning any language.
PARTICIPATION & PROJECTS : USE OF LANGUAGE
To know a language, you have to speak it, so there is an emphasis on participation in this class. We will be creating stories together, and many short activities will involve not only teacher question-and-answer, but also students questioning each other and responding, sometimes in game format. You will have listening activities, play games, create posters and skits, and memorize short poems.
Cultural Participation and Research Project: This "project" is really your interaction with French culture through a series of short activities, which you select from a list of over 100 ideas. You will need to do 60 points' worth of these activities per semester, with the Points page record to be turned in at the end of each semester.
ABSENCES
You will receive a monthly work calendar. USE IT! When you are absent one day, you have until the next day to make up missed work (for each day absent).
GRADING
Grades are determined strictly by points earned. Homework, tests, class participation and small projects are combined to produce a total score. (90-100 % =A, 80-89=B, 70-79=C, 60-69=D,
0-59=F). I do NOT round up semester grades. There is occasional extra credit on individual assignments, but it is YOUR DAILY EFFORT WHICH PAYS OFF IN GRADES!
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ALISO NIGUEL HIGH SCHOOL
New American & Blue Ribbon High School
28000 Wolverine Way
Aliso Viejo, CA 92656
September 8, 2010
Dear student and parent(s),
Welcome to your first year of French! Learning in itself is exciting, and learning a foreign language is like opening a window on the world-you will forever be glad you did! I look forward to our journey together this year.
Wonderful news ! I am going to be teaching a new method, called T.P.R.S., which is very inclusive and very interactive. Your student will be learning gestures as mnemonic devices for words. S/He will also begin to read (and write!) short stories very early, and will advance into speaking much faster than with the textbook-based approach. We will learn how to pronounce words and sounds the French way, so reading will not be such a challenge. Nevertheless, we will also be using the textbook as a supplement to the course. Along with the textbook, you will be getting your own free consumable workbook and CD Tutor. You will need to install the CD on your computer when you get it, and you will need to bring the workbook or text to class once a week, on the block day I tell you.
You will be making a list of vocabulary pages I furnish, called "Dictionnaire" . The result is that you will only need the following supplies for the whole year:
Supplies you will need to acquire by Monday, September 20th in order to succeed in this class are:
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A French pocket dictionary, thin enough to carry in your backpack every day. * * Pocket dictionaries can be had quite cheaply from www.ecampus.com (from $4 to $8), see: Larousse Pocket French Dictionary http://www.ecampus.com/bk_detail.asp?ISBN=2034207009 Harper Collins Pocket Dictionary http://www.ecampus.com/bk_detail.asp?ISBN=0060937513 Pocket Oxford Hachette French Dictionary http://www.ecampus.com/bk_detail.asp?ISBN=0198610718
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2 or more RED PENS, for correcting in class |
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1 small set of coloring pencils for individual or group projects. |
Looking forward to an enriching, energetic and fun year with you, I am
Yours Sincerely,
Maureen Migrditchian, French & English Instructor
a.k.a. "Madame Mig"
P.S. My email address, should you wish to contact me at any time, is
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Classroom Discipline Mrs. Migrditchian
Philosophy: I believe learning is fun, and knowledge is power. I believe all students have the
right to learn in a stimulating, safe environment. To provide this environment, I
maintain the following rules in my classroom.
Expected Behavior: Be prompt. (On time, in seat when bell rings)
Be prepared. (Have all necessary materials and homework)
Be respectful. (Of yourself and others)
Positive Consequences: Praise, recognition of effort.
A pleasant learning environment.
Better grades.
Negative Consequences:
1st occurrence- verbal reminder, set writing task as kinesthetic reminder.
2nd occurrence- larger set writing task, call to parents.
3rdoccurrence- Loss of good citizenship grade, and detention.
4th occurrence- Parent-teacher conference. Referral to vice principal.
Disruptive Behavior: Chronic disruption or defiance, along with any dangerous behavior will
be treated according to the school-wide discipline plan, and will be ad-
ministered by the vice principal.
TEXTS: Due to a change in state funding, CUSD can no longer afford class sets of books. This means the textbook which was issued to you is also the text you will need to use in class. Since this involves more wear and tear on the texts, I am requiring you to protect your textbook by covering it. Please use a heavy duty (grocery bag, purchased cloth cover, or free library issued) material to cover your text THIS WEEK. Write your name and French 1 on the cover, spine and on the inside in the box provided, so it can be readily returned to you if lost. I will check for this on Tuesday, Sept 21st/Wednesday, Sept 22nd.
-------------------------------------Please sign below and tear off here------------------(Classroom Discipline)---------
Period_______ Course___French 1________________ Date________________
I have read both this page and the Course Description, and Supplies Letter describing how my grade will be generated as well as what we will be studying throughout the year. I understood all 3 pages.
Student Name __________________________________________ Phone: ___________
Parent Signature ____________________________ Home/ Work phone: ___________
