What's included
16 live meetings
14 hrs 40 mins in-class hoursHomework
1 hour per week. As most parents do not speak French, no formal homework is assigned. Students should be encouraged to read and write independently and to practice any vocabulary and grammar they have been given in their notebooks or workbooks. We will have some verb tenses and vocabulary to take home and repeat for memory.Mastery Evaluation
Parents may always stay a few minutes after class and discuss progress. A written progress evaluation may be given at the end of class, on request.Grading
Parents may always stay for a few minutes after class and duicuss progress. Students will have notebooks and workbooks which parents can see. At the end of class, I highly recommend keeping these materials in a portfolio. This is useful for transferring to new classes and for homeschool documentation. This is an interactive class and assessment is continuous. Students may be given a certificate of completion on request.Class Experience
US Grade 2 - 5
Intermediate - Advanced Level
We have already completed Grade 1 Modules 1 to 6 and Grade 2 Units 1 to 5 and have learned to read almost anything in French. Students who have done Grade 1 and more than half of Grade 2 in other classes are very welcome to join. We have finished Ratus et ses Amis, the blue book, and we are part way through the new red book, Ratus Decouvre Les Livres. We will also use the workbook for this level; students who already have it can continue to use it, but since we are only doing selected questions others may make photocopies of selections or write in ther notebooks. . This red book is different; a large portion of the material is exccrpts from children's literature, taken from other sources. Students are learning to read independently any age/grade appropriate book. We use both print and cursive in the workbook and on paper -- students should have a notebook -- depending on the students' home schools; however most students are learning cursive by this point and we will practice it. We are now writing full sentences and short paragraphs. We will work on spelling as well. We will introduce some more formal grammar. I will provide material on screen and some to copy, adjusted to meet student needs. Students now can decode unrestricted French vocabulary so we will discuss vocabulary often, in interesting meaningful contexts. The class pace is always adjusted according to students' needs Please check in what exact lessons we are on before making co[ies or buying materials. Students who have been with me for some time are now excellent at decoding. Therefore we will now skip a number of exercises that review basic decoding and instead we will spend more time on grammar, pronunciation, nad vocabulary. We will also continue to work on comprehension continupusly. This is a highly structured, teacher-directed class. It is also highly interactive and communication based, in French. Students need to participate, to ask and to answer questions, to read sentences and words and paragraphs, to copy words and sentences, and to make up sentences on their own. We have more discussions as students are better able to express ideas in French. Students are actively encouraged to talk, and the teacher will help with vocabulary and phrasing as needed. In order to interact continuously, students must have a camera and microphone and keep them on. Please avoid changing backgrounds or appearance; expressions and eye movement are important clues to understanding and reading. Since we are conversing back and forth constantly, students should finish their snacks before class. We may use selected material from Les Superheros de l'Orthographe (Spelling Superheros) , Defis 100% Francais (French 100% Challenge) for grammar etc,, Toute Ma Deuxieme/Troisieme/Quatrieme Annee, and other appropriate material. In general we use materials that follow either the French or Quebec curriculum guidelines. We may also need some old-fashioned material to help students who need extra support; selections are available from classic texts including French the Easy Way, Le Francais Vivant, etc. We will concentrate on meaning of what we read, vocabulary development, pronunciation, spelling, use of French phonics to guide pronunciation and spelling, basic ideas of grammar such as sentences, subject and verb, singular and plural, past, present, and future, beginning conjugations of verbs, and masculine and feminine forms. We will do some exercises on nouns, verbs, masculine and feminine, and the conjugation of the present tense.. In particular the literary past, the passe simple, is used in the new book so we will work on it. Additional spelling and writing work will be filled in each week as time permits.
Learning Goals
Students will read, write, and speak at an appropriate level for Grade 2-3 first language, 3-4 immersion, in French. They will enjoy a wide variety of stories and do various reading, writing, drawing, and discussion activities around the story themes.
Students will develop spelling further and will develop elementary ideas of grammar. They will speak in sentences in French and use good child level vocabulary and structure to express their ideas.
Syllabus
16 Lessons
over 8 WeeksLesson 1:
Au feu les pompiers
Read the story, discuss vocabulary; non fiction, discuss jobs of firemen. Answer selected text questions in writing.
55 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
Au feu les pompiers continued
Go over material from story. Do selected questions in workbook. Grammar -- review nouns (les noms) common and proper.
55 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
Les apres-midi de Ratus
Read and discuss story. Go over vocabulary. Answer selected text questions in writing, full sentences. Review andmake note of French gendered nouns M or F.
55 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
Les apres-midi de Ratus continued
Go over material from story. Do selected workbook exercises. Go over grammatical gender of French nouns and do work from various texts.
55 mins online live lesson
Other Details
Parental Guidance
We discuss wide ranging topics. As students become more able to express themselves, they will say many different things. Openness and tolerance are encouraged. Negative comments about other people are not permitted period and any student who behaves in this way will be removed to a different room. If sensitive topics come up, at this age I will always refer back to parents.
We may read a few extracts from kids' Wikipedia or other resources in French. Again, all efforts will be made to keep things age and grade appropriate.
Parents are asked to remind students not to give out details such as exact birthdays or addresses. We do sometimes talk about home cities/states and climates and time zones, which are interesting and necessary, but nothing that can identify a specific location or person.
Please note that French has grammatical gender. All nouns are male or female, no exception A table is female and a shoe is male. A frog is female and a fish is male. This goes back historically to Latin over two thousand years ago and is not easy to change. The Academie Francaise sets the rules and we have to follow them.
Pre-Requisites
This course is the sixth and final of the second year in the Ratus the Greem Rat program. Students read at the level of Grade 2-3 in France; immersion Grade 3-4. Most of the reading is excerpts from children's literature.
Supply List
Text: Ratus Decouvre les Livres, Hatier. The updated version which has fine yellow stripes over the red is preferred. The original version with plain red is perfectly good; these are only a few small differences. Workbook: Ratus Decouvre Les Livres, cahier. These are available online from many sources, used on ebay, new from Renaud Bray. (order as soon as possible since delivery is slow.) I do not work for Amazon or make any money from them; here are the links to see the books Newer version text, preferred: https://www.amazon.com/d%C3%83%C2%A9couvre-livres-manuel-elementaire-052397/dp/2218020092/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1PBDZBV7U84D4&keywords=ratus+decouvre+les+livres&qid=1652911267&sprefix=ratus+decouvre+les+livres%2Caps%2C84&sr=8-3 Older version text, still good: https://www.amazon.com/Ratus-d%C3%A9couvre-livres-methode-lecture/dp/2218035804/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1PBDZBV7U84D4&keywords=ratus+decouvre+les+livres&qid=1652911391&sprefix=ratus+decouvre+les+livres%2Caps%2C84&sr=8-2 Workbook https://www.amazon.com/Ratus-d%C3%A9couvre-livres-Cahier-lecture/dp/2218035820/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1PBDZBV7U84D4&keywords=ratus+decouvre+les+livres&qid=1652911391&sprefix=ratus+decouvre+les+livres%2Caps%2C84&sr=8-1 Other materials will be provided online as needed. Parents may be requested to make copies for some extra practice. I will give these out several days in advance of use, usually a chapter at a time. I recommend using a three hole punch and saving these copies in a three prong (duotang style) folder; theyu don't get lost and go right in the portfolio. Learners will also need a notebook and pen. Gel pens are best for smooth writing, Please avoid pencil which is messy, invisible, and slow. We have colouring exercises in the workbook so students should have coloured pencils or markers. Please make sure they always come with their writing materials. The notebook is an important record of progress so let's all try to keep it going. Students need a comfortable chair, with a footrest for short legs if possible, and desk space to write. Camera and microphone are necessary for language interaction.
Teacher expertise and credentials
2 Teaching Certificates
Non-US Teaching Certificate in Secondary Education
Non-US Teaching Certificate in Foreign Language
4 Degrees
Master's Degree in Education from Tufts University
Bachelor's Degree in Foreign Language from Bishop's University, Canada (second copy for double major)
Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics from Bishop's University, Canada
Bachelor's Degree in Science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
I speak French fluently and have lived in Montreal and area for a long time. I've taught and tutored a large number of students to read in French, using high-quality well-known materials that are aligned with the science of reading.
I have a BSc, a BA in Honours Math and a double major in Languages and Linguistics, and an MA in Education. I taught in French first-language schools for four years, and have taught a number of classes in French as a second language. I also have extensive experience in teaching and tutoring reading in both English and French, and all of my reading students have succeeded in learning to read fluently.
Reviews
Live Group Course
$280
for 16 classes2x per week, 8 weeks
55 min
Completed by 1 learner
Live video meetings
Ages: 7-11
1-5 learners per class