Jennifer Sigman

Approved by College Board in 2012

AP French Language and Culture Syllabu
Coure !vervie"
AP French Language and Culture is a college-level course intended for students in their fourth year of study of
French. The three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive and presentational) defined in the
tandards for Foreign Language Learning in the !"
st
Century are foundational to this course. Course #or$
provides students #ith opportunities to demonstrate their proficiency in each of the three modes in the
intermediate to pre-advanced range as descri%ed in the ACTFL Performance &uidelines for '-"! learners.
(hen communicating, students in the AP French Language and Culture course demonstrate an understanding
of the culture(s), incorporate interdisciplinary topics (connections), ma$e comparisons %et#een the native
language and the target language and %et#een cultures (comparisons), and use the target language in real-life
settings (communities). )*clusive use of French %y teacher and students for active communication is de rigueur
in the classroom. tudents #ill use several primary te*t%oo$s and other authentic materials and resources that
are in accordance #ith those suggested on the Collage +oard #e%site. tudents are e*pected to ta$e the AP
French Language and Culture e*am at the end of this course.
Coure #etail
AP French Language and Culture #ill concentrate on close reading and e*tensive discussions of te*ts #ith
particular attention given to stylistic analysis, character development, theme, structure, style and overall
interpretation. tudents #ill %e given comprehension -uestions, to %e completed outside of class, #hich #ill
ena%le guided discussion and te*tual analysis in class. The in-class discussions, #hich are solely in French,
encourage students to perform high-level thin$ing and te*tual analysis in the target language. Class discussions
ena%le students to closely analy.e $ey passages for style and grammar, as #ell as to discuss course themes and
their relevance to current issues. The discussions also provide a forum for students to ma$e comparisons
%et#een the Francophone #orld and their o#n. /pon completing the reading, analysis and discussion of te*ts,
students vie# adaptations of the literary #or$s. This encourages further cultural comparison and discussion.
Additionally, students are re-uired to identify point of vie#, audience and main ideas through oral and listening
comprehension.

Assessment of the students is done informally, on a daily %asis, through the students0 participation in class
discussions and their efforts to use French e*clusively. Formal assessment involves students #riting %oth
e*pository and persuasive compositions in French that demonstrate %oth their control of French grammar and
voca%ulary, as #ell as their competency in applying the techni-ues of literary analysis tudents are graded on
various non-literature #riting assignments that help them demonstrate the connections to the #or$ and culture
in the target language. tudents also practice the AP e*am format through multiple-choice reading and listening
comprehension -uestions, spea$ing prompts and essay #riting. AP e*am practice also serves as formal
assessment of student progress.
$ential %uetion
/nit ", Families and
Communities
(hat constitutes a family in different societies1
2o# do individuals contri%ute to the #ell-%eing of communities1
2o# do the roles that families and communities assume differ in societies around
the #orld1
2o# do children define friendship and love in relation to adults1
(hy do children thin$ differently a%out friendship and love1
/nit !, cience and
Technology
2o# do developments in science and technology affect our lives1
(hat factors have driven innovation and discovery in the fields of technology1
(hat roles do ethics play in scientific advancement1
2o# have the definitions of privacy and personal rights changed since the
development of 3e# 4edia1
/nit 5, Contemporary
Life
2o# do societies and individuals define -uality of life1
2o# is contemporary life influenced %y cultural products, practices and
perspectives1
(hat are the challenges of contemporary life1
/nit 6, Personal and
Pu%lic 7dentities
2o# are aspects of identity e*pressed in various situations1
2o# do language and culture influence identity1
2o# does one0s identity develop over time1
/nit 8, &lo%al
Challenges
(hat environmental, political and social issues propose challenges to societies
around the #orld1
(hat are the origins of those issues1
(hat are possi%le solutions to those pro%lems1
/nit 9, +eauty and
Aesthetics
2o# are perceptions of %eauty and creativity esta%lished1
2o# do ideals of %eauty and aesthetics influence daily life1
2o# do the arts %oth challenge and reflect cultural perspectives1
&eneral &uide to 'hematic (nit
(Note: Activities may include blogging, journaling, interactive exercises, oral and written presentations,
voice recording and the use of computer programs
'ime Cla )aterial and Activitie
10 September * +
!ctober
(nit 1 , Familie and Communitie
Conte-t, coming.of.age/ friendhip0love/ age and cla/ family tructure
tudy voca%ulary associated #ith family and relationships.
:iscuss !e petit prince (t. )*up;ry)
Compare<contrast friendship<love of children and adults.
=ead, discuss and react in #riting and spea$ing to an article from > 7nternet Actuel ?
(!es p"res changent.
=ead, discuss and react in #riting to #es enfants adopt$s %ui s&adaptent bien
(=adioCanada).
Participate in a de%ate a%out the changing roles of families.
'eep an interactive @ournal noting linguistic differences %et#een French and )nglish
&rammar revie# , noun gender A articles, present, indicative, passive, recent past,
pretirate, simple past, imperfect, pluperfect tenses A agreement in the past tense.
(rite pieces incorporating a%ove grammar and addressing families and communities.
AP )*am practice
1 !ctober * 2
2ovember
(nit 2 , Science and 'echnology
Conte-t , ethical 3uetion/ intellectual property/ the 2e" )edia/ ocial impact of
technology
tudy voca%ulary associated #ith technology and social net#or$ing.
=ead and discuss e*cerpt from Anna &avalda0s > Be voudrais -ue -uel-u0un m0attend
-uel-ue part ? and the use of cell phones and other means of communicating #ith
people.
=ead e*cerpts from > La d;claration des droits de l0homme et du citoyen ? (=ousseau)
and compare<contrast to the /.. Constitution.
Participate in a de%ate a%out the changing role of privacy and rights #ith the rise of the
7nternet.
Listening activity on social impacts of technology on generation C and the millenials.
=ead, discuss and complete oral and #ritten activities for > La fin des livres ? (=o%ida
and /.anne).
(rite a %log entry addressing ho# the use of social net#or$ing is changing the #orld
and react to others0 posts.
&rammar revie# , near future, future, future past, conditional, conditional past,
su%@unctive tenses A conditional phrases A su%@unctive agreement.
AP )*am practice
+ 2ovember * 21
#ecember
(nit 4 , Contemporary Life
Conte-t , houing and helter/ rite of paage
tudy voca%ulary associated #ith schools, learning, su%@ects, housing<homelessness
and rites of passage, #ar and political ideologies.
Presentational spea$ing activity , research and present information a%out the 7slamic
=evolution in 7ran.
=ead, discuss and react in #riting and spea$ing to 'ers$polis (atrapi).
Participate in a de%ate a%out the differences %et#een gro#ing up in the /.. and 7ran.
=ead, discuss and react in #riting to (ol)swagen *lues (Poulin).
+ased on (ol)swagen *lues and other te*ts, #or$ in groups to create a presentation
a%out the history of the French in the /nited tates.
=ead, discuss and react in #riting to > Dui sont les :F 1 ? (Allons au-delE)
Add to linguistic @ournal re , linguistic differences.
&rammar revie# , complimentary pronouns, accentuated pronouns, possesive and
demonstrative pronouns.
AP )*am practice
5inter Brea6
22 #ecember * 7
January
=ead +iffe )iffe demain (&uFne) (first part)
8 January * 1
February
(nit 9 , Peronal and Public :dentitie
Conte-t , multiculturalim
tudy voca%ulary associated #ith immigration.
Analy.e, discuss and participate in interactive activities a%out French coloni.ation and
contemporary immigration, and the > dilemma of the veil. ?
Gie# e*cerpts concerning > multicultralism ? from 'aris je t&aime.
=ead and discuss +iffe )iffe demain (&uFne) and !e racisme expli%u$ a ma fille (Ta@ar
+en Belloun).
ong (duscission and activities) , ,a -rance . moi (:iam0s).
Complete any listening and 7nternet activities from /ept 0ours sur la 'lan"te that
correspond to immigration and multiculturalism.
(rite a %log entry comparing and contrasting the conception of pu%lic identity in
French and francophone countries #ith that in the /nited tates and react to others0
posts.
=ead, discuss and react in #riting to > La =;pu%li-ue, ses sym%oles et ses em%lFmes ?
(Allons au-delE).
(riting pieces incorporating a%ove grammar and addressing multiculturalism.
&rammar revie# , interrogative adver%s A interrogative ad@ectives A interrogative
pronouns A relative pronouns A use of relative and demonstrative pronouns.
AP e*am practice
11 February * 22
)arch
(nit + , &lobal Challenge
Conte-t , environment
tudy voca%ulary associated #ith nature and environment.
=ead and discuss !&homme %ui plantait des arbres (&iono).
Gie# and discuss film that accompanies this te*t.
Calculate your car%on footprint and discuss ho# to improve it
(http,<<###.futurenergia.org<##<fr<pu%<futurenergia<chats<car%onHimprint.htm)
ong (discussion and activities) , Aux arbres citoyens (Cannic$ 3oah)
=ead, discuss and react in #riting to an article from > 7nternet Actuel ? (!&homme le
plus grand ennemi de la plan"te1
Complete any listening and 7nternet activities from /ept 0ours sur la 'lan"te that
correspond to the environment.
=ead, discuss and react in #riting to >4ineurs et vaccin;s ? (Allons au-delE).
(riting pieces incorporating grammar and addressing glo%al challenges.
&rammar revie# , negation A restrictive<nonrestrictive e*pressions A ad@ectives A
adver%s A comparative and superlative.
AP e*am practice
2+ )arch * 27
April
(nit 7, Beauty and Aethetic
Conte-t , literature/ viual art
=ead, discuss and react in #riting to 2uis 3los (artre).
Participate in a discussion comparing the follo#ing -uotes , > 2ell is other people ?
(arte) and > People #ho need peopleI are the luc$iest people on earth. ? (treisand).
tudy voca%ulary associated #ith visual art.
7nteractive presentation of art movements in France and discussion.
2ands-on art activity #ith !a 3hambre . Arles (Gan &ogh)
Analysis and discussion of 4lympia (4anet) and<or !a 5rande 0atte (eurat).
Performance-%ased oral assessment, incorporating paintaings and music , > Fana
d0art ?.
=ead, discuss and react in #riting to > Comment (ant-FJ fut sauv; ? (Courcenar).
=ead, discuss and complete activities for an article from > 7nternet Actuel ? associated
#ith art.
Complete any listening and 7nternet activities from /ept 0ours sur la 'lan"te that
correspond to art, %eauty and aesthetics.
Add to interactive @ournal re , linguistic differences.
&rammar revie# , prepositions A con@unctions A infinitives A present participle and
gerund A indirect discourse.
AP e*am practice
2;April * 14 )ay AP $-am Preparation
T#o practice e*ams in class
1+ )ay * 41 )ay Final Pro<ect
10.14 June Final $-am
Coure )aterial
Primary te-tboo6 for grammar revie" and elected thematic reading
2er%st, 2enry Lynn, Linda Cregg 3ielsen and 2ale turges 77. 6ne fois pour toutes: 6ne revision des
structures essentielles de la langue fran7aise. Pearson, !KKL. (7+3, MNL-K"559""!59)
Ladd, =ichard. Allons au8del.: !a langue et les cultures du monde -rancophone. Pearson, !K"!.
(7+3, MNL-K"55"NM85L)
Ladd, =ichard. A' -rench: 'reparing for the !anguage and 3ulture 9xamination. Pearson, !K"!.
(7+3, MNL-K"55"N85NK)
Lynch, Geroni-ue. #rawing 3onversations in -rench. G+ Pu%lications, !KK5.
Supplementary reading te-t and e-cerpt
+egag, A.ou.. !e gone du 3ha:ba. Oditions du euil, !KK8.
+en Balloun, Ta@ar. !e racisme expli%u$e . ma fille. Allons au-delE.
&uFne, Fai.a. +iffe )iffe demain. 2achette, !KKN.
Poulin, Bac-ues. (ol)swagen *lues. +a%el, "MM9.
=ousseau, Bean-Bac-ues. #u contrat social. &ale )CCP, !K"K.
de t. )*up;ry, Antoine. !e 'etit 'rince. 2arcourt, !KK".
atrapi, 4ar@ane. 'ers$polis. French and )uropean Pu%lications, 7nc., !KKN.
artre, Bean-Paul. 2uis 3los. &allimard, !KKK.
Articles from Le 4onde, France-Am;ri-ue and other French and francophone @ournals and maga.ines
(online sites and hard copies %rought %ac$ %y students and teacher).
Articles from 7nternet Actuel, http,<<###.vanin-methodes.%e<cmsHmaster<arcades<default.asp1
catidQ"LLRsumidQL6LR(e%page7dQ"NK8
Litening Practice
:ialogues and re@oinder sections of AP French, Preapring for the Language and Culture )*amination
TG8 ne#s program, /ept 0ours sur la 'lan"te
Authentic videos do#nload from 7nternet from various sites including,
http,<<###.nf%.ca<animation<o%@anim<fr<films<inde*.php
French podcast sites, http,<<###.dailyfrenchpod.com and
http,<<onethinginfrenchaday.pod%ean.com<a%out<
ound files from other 7nternet sources including A%outFrench.com and CouTu%e.com
ongs including those found in TG8 #ith fiches p$dagogi%ues and others %y current francophone
singers, including 'yo, Corneille, +ene%ar, C;line :ion, Francis Ca%rel, :iam0s.
'eaching Strategie
A total immersion in French environment lays the ground#or$ for the four s$ills (listening, spea$ing, reading
and #riting) that are em%edded in #ee$ly activities. The emphasis of our class is on communication as #e try
to reach higher levels of proficiency in French. tudents are e*pected to #or$ individually, #ith partners and in
small groups. They receive a sylla%us on the first day of the unit that outlines the activities in class, descri%es
home#or$ and lists scheduled assessments (daily, #ee$ly and summative). (hile activities vary from #ee$ to
#ee$, certain assignments and assessments are scheduled regularly, usually every #ee$ or t#o. These include
thematic voca%ulary -ui..es and in-class redactions that are evaluated using the AP French Language ru%ric.
(e #ill utili.e our in-class Slanguage la%T at least t#o times per unit for formal oral assessment. tudents
receive an informal oral grade at least t#ice per #ee$ %ased on the -uality of their participation as #e discuss
home#or$, readings or respond to -uestions. ince 7 choose students at random, students need to prepare
ans#ers in a rather e*temporaneous fashion. 7 #ill provide each student a note #ith their oral assessment grade
(UV, U, or U-) for conversation in class.
'o reach higher level of proficiency in litening,
Pur class is completely conducted in French and students use only French #ith one another and me #ithin the
classroom and in the halls. )very fe# #ee$s, 7 play a French thematically-%ased song and students complete
textes . trous. Throughout the year, students complete a formal assignment that involves vie#ing<listening to
the ne#s or /ept 0ours sur la 'lan"te and filling out a sheet on one reportage. After the students have
completed the spea$ing tas$s during la% sessions, they are e*pected to e*plore French podcasts and ans#er
-uestions.
'o reach higher level of proficiency in pea6ing,
ince French is de rigueur in our classroom, 7 li$e to thin$ that this s$ill is developed daily. Pral participation
is e*pected in class discussions, communicative games, de%ates, @o$e telling and partner activities. tudents use
our language la% several times per unit #here they digitally record spea$ing tas$s %ased on thematic prompts
created %y teacher or ta$en from past AP e*ams and from #rawing 3onversations in -rench. Their responses
are evaluated using the AP spea$ing ru%ric. 7 also use a site li$e Ca%la so that students can participate in online
chats #ith partners in francophone countries.
'o reach higher level of proficiency in reading,
Te*ts are dra#n from a variety of authentic sources including francophone literature representing different
genres, francophone ne#spapers and maga.ines from the 7nternet. tudents are also assigned the short e*cerpts
#ith multiple-choice -uestions from released AP e*ams. They are e*pected to support and @ustify their
opinions %y referencing the te*t. tudents typically receive participation points for this $ind of activity.
:epending on the type of reading involved, assessments vary. For e*ample, getting the gist is the most
important criteria associated #ith reading maga.ine and ne#spaper articles. 7n more intensive reading
assignments, students need to understand linguistic as #ell as semantic detail and play closer attention to
analysis of the te*t. ometimes follo#-up e*ercises include dict$es from the te*t, true<false statements,
discussion of theme, implications, relationships of ideas and the te*t to students0 o#n $no#ledge and
e*perience. This discussion is often follo#ed %y a short #riting assignment. The reading process is taught at
the %eginning of the year using !ecture sans torture from =enee (hite0s 9n d&autres termes1
'o reach higher level of proficiency in "riting,
tudents have #riting tas$s assigned to them at least t#o times per #ee$ for home#or$. Pften these involve
ans#ering -uestions %ased on a literary reading assignment or #riting a short reaction to a theme treated in a
reading. For maga.ine or ne#spaper articles, they complete a form that addresses the id$e central, four
pertinent voca%ulary #ords that they need to define in French and a personal reaction to the te*t. Pnce or t#ice
per unit students #rite a response to a -uestion posed my #e%site. They see my model ans#er and they are
e*pected to read #hat the previous student SauthorT has #ritten and use certain e*pressions and structures #hen
they respond. The most challenging #riting assignment involves the in-class composition of at least !KK #ords
once every ! to ! W #ee$s. 7 try to find topics from former AP tests that align #ith the particular unit of study.
7n the first semester, students may use dictionaries during the last half of class. To#ard mid-4arch, they do not
use dictionaries. 7 include a Schec$ listT to ma$e them a#are of particular structures 7 #ant to see and, al#ays,
expressions sp$ciales. These include the essential transition e*pressions, etc. for the redaction. They receive
t#o grades, the first one is %ased on the AP ru%ric and the second is %ased on their Sre#riteT. 7n an ideal
situation, 7 %elieve that individual conferencing is the %est feed%ac$ %ut #hen this is not possi%le, 7 share #ith
students the erreurs les plus fragrantes and e*pect that they #ill avoid these in future pieces. (e also loo$ at
ShighT, SmidT and Slo#T samples of compositions that are availa%le on the AP #e%site. The students use the
ru%ric to assess these.
'o reach higher level of proficiency in technology,
tudents react to prompts using personal voice recorders. Pne of the most useful tools for my students is my
#e%site. 4y AP students are e*pected to loo$ at it regularly either to complete assignments or to find
presentations, #e%sites, sound files and videos dealing #ith literature, current events, voca%ulary, grammar and
culture. Please visit it at http,<<chiartsfrenchap.#ordpress.com.
!ther trategie,
7 meet regularly #ith the teachers in our French department to discuss alignment of our curriculum to AP
standards. (e discuss #ays to incorporate authentic francophone te*ts, videos, podcasts, etc. into our classes at
all levels. 7 also meet regularly #ith a group of French AP teachers in my area to discuss teaching strategies
and find ideas for unit lessons. Lastly, 7 participate regularly in the AP French Language and Culture Teacher
Community to get ideas and chat #ith other AP French teachers.