Description
French 2 Course Overview
This class is approved by the NCAA.
Learning smarter, not harder! After 20+ years of teaching French classes in a traditional format, I am now teaching this online French 2 course by blending that with a different approach called the reading & storytelling approach (TPRS) to learning a foreign language. Research & scholarly studies reveal that students learn to speak and use the languages faster, and better, with this approach – it equips every learner, from the gifted student to the dyslexic. Success – and fun!
Grammar & Conversation
While your student will speak and converse a lot, this is more than a conversational language class. Grammar is included through meaning and repetition and small doses of concentrated material as the student acquires language because he or she understands what is being said. In the second year, the grammar we use goes a bit deeper and gets a bit more complex – your student will be using present tenses, past tenses, future, conditional, subjunctive and imperative. As with the first year, these will begin with meaning first.
Students will be speaking, understanding, and reading the language from the first week – growing in ability quickly. Grammar is taught every class through meaning and application.
I just took the university placement test, and I tested out of their college requirement! But I'm planning on continuing and going to study abroad in a country that speaks the language.
Benefits of Foreign Language Study
There are many benefits to foreign language study, from the academic to the business world, to the understanding of our own language. All of this is true – and it is required for entrance to many colleges. However, languages are meant for communication – and communicating the most important thing of all, the love and Truth of God, is our highest and greatest purpose with language. With language, we build relationships – through those relationships, we gain the “ear” of others to share the Truth of the Gospel.
Thank you for being one of my favorite teachers! I will always cherish this class and your teaching. The amount of French I have learned in the past 2 years is amazing. I couldn’t have made the dream of learning and speaking French possible without you!
Planning for the Class
In this French 2 class, we begin this journey through fun, and the ability to use the language as we learn it. I can scarcely wait to begin! Students should plan on 30-40 minutes of work each day, four days per week (plus the live class on a 5th day). This work at home is foundational to achievement.
We will work through our text and read one to three novels completely in French, depending on class achievement. This course uses a lot of “out of the text” material, so we will move through our text very slowly, adding other core learning materials through the year. We may not finish all 24 lessons this year, and would continue into French 3. Scripture memory will always be included, as well as praise songs, hymns, contemporary music, culture, foods and games.
“Marji McIlvaine is wonderful! My daughter took 3 years of French from her and loved every minute! She has now graduated and tested out of the first 2 years of college French. Highly recommend!”
French 2 Materials
1) Excelerate French, Book 1: This book covers at least two years of French in this class because we move through it slowly and use many other resources. The language is rich and complex, and not really separated by grade level or dumbed down, so it works very well this way. We do much more French than is found in the text.
Excelerate French textbook cannot be purchased yet because it is in the publishing process. The instructor will provide (free) pdf’s of the lessons (Beta Version) for families to compile into a notebook-textbook, until the book is published. Then you will be asked to purchase (approximately $25) the texts.
If you would like to check out the method, the curriculum is streaming for families to use to work through the lessons alone. The Excelerate website can flesh out the method for you, and this is part of what we do, blended with other resources.
2) French Novels: We will read 1-3 novels entirely in French, increasing the complexity and challenge from last year. Parents will purchase these – titles and links will be provided at the beginning of August to families enrolled in the course.
Parents: Please contact me (instructor) if you know your student has dyslexic/learning issues. I believe those students can find success through this approach, but it will help me to know. I also have back-up resources to recommend.
Prerequisites:
- French 1, grade B or better (discuss with instructor for exceptions).
- Important: If you are entering the class from another course system, please contact the instructor for a small placement assessment. We want to be sure this is the best fit for you!
- French 2 Placement Test [PDF]
Société Honoraire de Français
At the end of French 2 (and of course beyond), high-achieving students are eligible for selection and induction into the Société Honoraire de Français, a national French Honor Society. We are currently one of the only homeschool-based chapters in the country, and excited to offer this honor to our students! Every year a student is a member, the SHF documents it with a certificate.
