Professional Learning Goals

• Increased student talk time in the FSL classroom
• Increased student proficiency and confidence in French oral communication
• Motivated FSL learners by engaging theme in self-assessment and goal-setting
• Created a resource collection/database for our personal use (websites with audio/video examples of French speakers related to the CEFR levels)
• Raised awareness of the DELF

Activities and Resources

Training: DELF Correcteur Training

Resources Used:

• TV5 Monde: http://apprendre.tv5monde.com/
• Francolab: http://francolab.ca/
• Idello: https://www.idello.org/en
• Curriculum.org: http://www.curriculum.org/fsl/en/
• A Framework for FSL in Ontario Schools: http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/amenagement/frameworkFLS.pdf
• CEFR: http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/linguistic/source/framework_FR.pdf
• The Revised Ontario FSL Curriculum: http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/fsl18-2013curr.pdf

Activities (With Students):

• Listening to short video/audio clips of French speakers (native and non-native, variety of dialects)
• Identifying characteristics of the CEFR levels
• Self-assessing using “Je peux (I can)” statements
• Reading opinion articles and writing a response that includes a student opinion
• Developing next steps/goal-setting

Unexpected Challenges

The challenges that we encountered were mainly related to time! It was more difficult than we anticipated to take planning days off together.

Additionally, I moved to a new position with the school board during the month of February, which meant that I was no longer in the same school.

However, these challenges did not dampen the enthusiasm of our students!

Enhancing Student Learning and Development

As we attempt to increase the number of students studying FSL until graduation, we are learning that confidence is of the utmost importance. We live in a community that is isolated from French culture, French languages and French experiences. Our aim has been to bring French culture and experience to our students through the use of technology, multimedia and an action-oriented approach. With an increase of exposure to Francophone culture and dialects, our students will cultivate the confidence needed to continue with their learning in French long after graduating from Grade 8, both in the education system and in the world.

Sharing

Our project has been shared at a professional development day with three schools in our community.

The presentation included the steps we took to increase student talk time and create opportunities for students to listen to French speakers from around the world.

Finally, the presentation focused on specific ways to assess oral communication in the FSL classroom.

Project Evaluation

Prior to beginning our project, we asked the students to complete a survey (Google Form). This survey asked the students about their levels of confidence in speaking and listening (in French). It also asked them what strategies they use when speaking and listening in French. The survey was re-administered at the end of the project. The following is a summary of the results:

• A number of students who felt comfortable expressing themselves in French only in front of their teacher now find it easier to speak French in front of a variety of groups (e.g., classmates, younger students, a Francophone, etc.)
• Students who reported “say it in English” as a strategy to help them communicate in French class now identify alternative strategies they use when communicating their thoughts in French (e.g., “use simpler words” to express their thinking)
• Students who formerly expressed that they were only able to comprehend their own teacher speak in French now report that they are confident in their ability to listen to and understand “classmates, movies and video clips and sound clips,” too
• Students identified additional strategies for listening and speaking in French after the project concluded (e.g., using visuals, facial expressions, simple vocabulary for complex ideas, etc.)
• Some students who previously identified that they felt more confident speaking in French than listening now report that they are “equally as confident in both.” This indicates increased confidence in listening skills.
• Students who previously listed paper tools (e.g., dictionaries) as a listening strategy now identify “asking for clarification” as a more suitable strategy
• A student who previously refused to participate or give presentations in front of the class now indicates that she is comfortable speaking in French both with her teacher and her classmates