French

This page is run by Irina Anatolievna Galunova Teacher of the French language Deputy Headmistress

French

On all levels international contacts and co-operation is growing alongside the political integration of Russia in the broad European area which sets the School the task of putting the idea of pluralism into practice, meaning that school education is commensurate with such levels and under which pupils have the option of studying not just one but two foreign languages.

In recent years the number of foreign languages being learnt has grown along with the interest in the French language, the language of literature and art, fashion and diplomacy, an international language of mathematics and the postal service; the interest in France and its people and its connection with older cultural tradition has grown too.

Learning French as a second foreign language in the Linguistics school takes place from Years 8 to 11 and the curriculum is based on 2 academic hours a week.

The practical result of studying a second foreign language is achieved through communicative oriented learning which involves problem solving tasks connected with the education, upbringing and personal development of the pupil.

The strategic aims of learning remain:

1. the educational aim of possessing particular skills in the four language areas: speaking, reading, writing and listening. The level of these skills should be sufficient not only from a practical viewpoint (communication on the whole), but as a foundation for the further development in the language as a means of personality development and having professional skills and their overall improvement;
2. The cognitive aim is twofold: a.) an awareness of the facts of the influence of French culture and b.) an awareness of the system and structure of the French language;
3. The developmental aim is the use of language as a unique trainer for skills development;
4. The teaching aim is the acquisition of the basic values comprising the moral basis of a spiritual personality. Is not language education an appropriate means of instilling respect for another language, culture and people?
    

In our School studying French as a second foreign language at the middle and senior tiers is based on the “France: langue et culture” coursebook set. One of the tasks of this course is to facilitate pupils’ entry into the world of the French language and French culture, so, they learn the language through the country’s culture and the culture through the country’s language.

The selection of content of materials takes into account the necessity and adequacy of the learning aims and outcomes while taking into account too the specific needs and interests of adolescents and the correlation of their experience in learning their first foreign language.

By far the most effective method of learning a second foreign language is through using authentic materials. Authentic materials is understood as those which come from the communicative practice of native speakers and reflect natural situations in everyday communication and are models of real life speech.

Coursebook materials meet the requirement of basic secondary education. The main principle is the interrelated complete study of the four key skills areas: reading, speaking, listening and writing.

It is well-known that the effectiveness of learning a second foreign language depends on the ability of the teacher to use a variety of new teaching techniques. Among these techniques I consider the most effective to be learning in co-operation with an individual and differential approach to learning at different levels. Through using the aforementioned techniques the issues of personally oriented learning can be resolved.

Visual materials, audio materials, presentations and reading materials are carefully selected with the aim of fully reaching the learning aims and outcomes of real language knowledge set at breakthrough level. The acquisition of knowledge is a fundamental basis for further learning of French. One example that may serve to illustrate this point is the fact that some Linguistics school’s leavers continue their education in France. 

printable version