The French program is one of intense immersion; students are taught to listen, speak, read, and then write, in ways similar to how they learn their mother tongue.

During the first two years students are taught the fundamentals of grammar and acquire essential vocabulary for basic conversation. Important aspects of French culture are discussed as well. After students complete the second year, literature is introduced, and France and the francophone world are studied in greater depth.

After completing three years of French, students become eligible to select from a variety of seminars. Literary analysis, sociological interpretations of French society, essay writing, idiomatic usage, conversation and fine points of grammar and style are integral parts of all these classes; end-of-year independent projects are often required. To supplement formal study in all classes, teachers show movies during the year and schedule occasional trips to French plays, films, and restaurants.

New material is first learned orally, and then in written form, with students exercising their skills in original compositions at the end of each lesson. Activities such as skits, fashion shows, and cooking allow the students to use what they have learned in fun and exciting ways. Multimedia activities using film, music, and the internet are used to enhance the learning process. The goals of this course are to have students master the basic syntax of the language and to build the confidence and skills needed to hold an interesting conversation.

Using the communicative approach of French I, students master vocabulary pertaining to everyday situations and the precise use of the majority of the verb tenses. The use of pronouns is studied in detail. In addition to oral and written exercises, skits and activities, students write more elaborate and creative essays, applying new vocabulary and structures. In the second semester students read their first novel, Rêves Amers by Maryse Condé. As in French I, multimedia activities are used to strengthen vocabulary and listening skills. 

In this course, students transition from acquiring language skills to applying these skills to the study of the literatures and civilizations of francophone countries. The second semester is dedicated to French-speaking countries and regions elsewhere in the world. Cultures are explored through a variety of readings and multimedia resources, such as Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt’s novel Monsieur Ibrahim et les Fleurs du Coran and the movies Indochine and Au Reviour les Enfants. Communicative competence continues to be improved by enriching skills in all areas involved in language learning: oral comprehension and expression, grammar, idiomatic vocabulary, reading, writing, and creative usage of the language. Students are actively prepared to take the French SAT Subject Test by the end of this course. This course has been designated an Honors course by the University of California.

Typically, two different seminars are offered. Both have been designated as Advanced Placement classes. These classes are organized in such a manner as to strengthen speaking, listening, writing, and reading skills, as well as to interpret the specific topic under study. Students prepare for the Advanced Placement French Language Examination but are not required to take it. Past offerings have included: The Short Story, Women in French Literature, Comic Masterpieces, Advanced Conversation and Composition, Twentieth-Century Theater, and Contemporary French Society.

Fall 2012 Seminar:

France: Unity in Diversity?

How does France strive to maintain a cohesive country while, at the same time, becoming an ever-more diverse society? How is France both similar and different in this respect from the United States? Various aspects of French society (for example, the relationship between the people and their government, the immigrant situation, minorities and their different challenges, the school system and how it does/does not address the needs of youth, and the approach to universal health care) will be explored in order to provide students with a thorough understanding of this diverse country and an appreciation for the fact that there is not just one way to create and sustain a modern society. Sources of information will include a civilization reader, many films (Entre les murs, La Vie est un long fleuve tranquille, La Haine, la Bataille d’Algiers), a grammar review text, a novel (Kiffe Kiffe Demain, written by a young girl of Algerian descent growing up in a housing project), daily news broadcasts from French television, the internet, French radio, articles from the press, and popular songs. Activities include discussions, presentations, essays, quizzes, and tests. Each student will do an independent project at the end of the second semester on a topic of his or her choice that deals with an aspect of French society today. Each topic must have a listening/speaking component and a literary research component and will be presented to the class in place of a final examination. All students prepare for the Advanced Placement French Language Examination.