Grade 8- Communicating

PRESCRIBED LEARNING OUTCOMES

It is expected that students will:

• ask for information, permission, and clarification
• share information about activities and interests
• participate in familiar activities (real or simulated)
• classify events as past, present, or future
• derive meaning in new language situations

SUGGESTED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

Grade 8 students use French as a tool for communicating about everyday topics they enjoy talking about, such as themselves, their friends, and favourite activities. In order for students to experience success, they must be provided with a safe environment for language risk-taking and multiple opportunities to practise and develop the language in new and interesting contexts and in different groupings-pairs, small and large groups, and individually.

• In pairs, have students role-play making plans for the weekend with their friends. They should include activities both partners like to do, referring to places, times, and people, and including any new expressions or ideas used
  in class.
• In groups, have students create a game show with real or imaginary contestants. This show should use simple questions and answers. Imaginary prizes and theme music might add to the atmosphere. In the questions and answers, students should include activities the contestants like to do, places they like to visit, people they admire, and any new expressions learned in class.
• Have students find out the birthdays of three classmates, then exchange information about celebrating their birthdays (e.g., Avec qui? Où? Qu'est-ce que tu aimes faire?)
• Have students bring into class objects that are representative of their elementary school years (e.g., sports-day ribbons, art projects, photos, special objects). In small groups, they explain why the objects were important. Encourage them to share information about their objects in French.
• Provide students with a skeleton letter to adapt by adding information about themselves or about themselves as imaginary or famous characters of their choice. In their letters they can use familiar questions already practised to receive information. These letters could be distributed within the class, e-mailed, or sent to an exchange class. Before sending the letters, have students carefully check their language structures and spelling by using reference materials and by consulting with partners and the teacher.

SUGGESTED ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES

In Grade 8, writing is added to the group of skills assessed. Writing is the easiest form of communication to assess because it can be collected and analysed; however, it should not be overemphasized at the expense of oral skills. As students develop oral and written skills, errors are a natural and predictable part of language development, and provide valuable information to both learner and teacher. When students understand the role of errors, they are able to make confident decisions about when to take risks, and when to edit carefully for accuracy.

• Use a class list to record observations of students' oral interactions as they engage in class and small-group tasks. Observing three to four students per period during oral activities will provide useful information for ongoing oral assessment. Alert students to the specific criteria or features that will be recorded. Possible criteria include noting the extent to which students:
  • volunteer useful questions and information
  • use and practise recently acquired vocabulary or structures
  • make their messages understandable and appropriate
  • support meaning with gestures, intonation, and body language
  • persevere in French when they cannot understand or be understood at first (e.g., repeating, rephrasing, attempting to self-correct, using gestures)
  • take risks to include interesting information or language
  • support and encourage other students when they speak in and listen to French
• Assess students' penpal letters before they are sent. Criteria might include:
  • contains complete sentences which convey information about themselves or their chosen character
  • uses questions and other language structures practised in class
  • shows evidence of self-correction
  • errors do not interfere seriously with the message
    

RECOMMENDED LEARNING RESOURCES

 Print Materials

• "Le magazine" Anthology Series
• Stoddart Colour Visual Dictionary French-English
  

 Multimedia

• Acti-Vie 3
• Entre amis Series, Level 1
• J'arrive vite et bien
• Savoir faire: Passages 1

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Maintained by: International Languages Coordinator
Last Modified: February 2002

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