Grade 8:  W r i t i n g
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1022003_24535_0.png New Structures
In grade eight, we build on what we did in grade seven.  This year we focus on more complex grammatical structures.  
  • We learn a new verb tense called "imparfait".  It is a past tense, but it is not interchangeable with the passé-composé.  Each of these past tenses is used at different times for different situations.  The challenge here is not knowing how to conjugate verbes in the imperfect tense, but knowing when to choose it in relation to passé-composé.  
  • We also study direct and indirect objects.  This is a little bit complicated, but when students begin to incorporate this structure into their speaking and writing, the quality of their French improves dramatically.  They go from a very basic and simple French to a much more sophisticated and natural level of communication.  
290803_95932_6.png On-Demand Writing
You will remember that last year we spent a long time working on one writing piece, with lots of time for editing and revising and improving and modifying our work.  In grade eight, we continue to focus on these skills, but we also work on writing attentively every time that we write.  Some of the pieces that the students will write this year will be on-demand writing activities.  This means that they will come into the classroom and write for a period on a given topic.  They will have a choice of topics which are usually based on a movie that we have watched in class.  They will know the topics ahead of time, so they can prepare their thoughts and look up new words that they may not know.  When they come into the classroom, they will write "from scratch", without referring to any notes or rough copies they may have worked on.  This process helps students internalize their written French so that they become less dependent on resources like the dictionaries and verb books and are encouraged to learn by heart the things they are learning.  


Role of Technology
We will be learning how to use technology to help us learn to write better and more interesting pieces in French.  It is important to clarify that we do not use technology to do the writing for us.  Some students have the habit of misusing tools like Google Translate and Bon Patron and others.  Technology can assist us in refining our writing skills, but it can also become a crutch that prevents us from developing as we should.  

This year we will focus on appropriate use of websites such as bonpatron.com and translate.google.com


290803_95555_3.png Two or Three Pieces per Term


Students in my classroom will be evaluated on 2 or 3 major writing pieces per term.  When I say that they are "major" I do not mean long.  It is important for me that students write concisely and accurately .  In fact, writing long pieces in a second language promotes writing whose quality is weakened, both grammatically and thematically.  It is difficult to sustain a refined quality of writing in a second language.  Students will write often for all their subjects in French, whether it be a Geography project, a History reflection or Math Journal entry.  These activities will not usually be evaluated for writing skills, but they are often an accurate reflection of students real-life writing skill.   Students will be encouraged this year to write deliberately and attentively in every assignment.


290803_95808_5.png Evaluation

Students in Monsieur Stuart's class are evaluated for several criteria on their major writing pieces.  The most important sections are the three in the middle:  Grammar and Spelling, Vocabulary, Organization and Content.  The first and last sections (Writing Process and Use of Resources) are also important, but they serve more as an indication as to why the other marks are as they are.  If a student does not follow the writing process carefully, or is not adept at editing or the use of resources such as dictionaries and verb books, then the grammar, spelling, vocabulary and organization of the writing will be poor. 

We will be creating success criteria for Grade Seven French Immersion early in the school year.  I will post the success criteria here when we are ready.
  • Log into your engrade.com account to track your progress in French Writing and see comments and suggestions related specifically to your writing.



  Resources
Dictionary:  It is useful for students to have a French-English dictionary.   I would suggest that the students do not purchase a small dictionary.  Whereas a small dictionary may be useful to check up on spelling and gender of common words, it will not likely provide much in the way of specific vocabulary or idiomatic expressions that we often use in grade seven French Immersion.  


Verb book:  The Bescherelle is the most famous verb book.  It is very good, but is also complicated to use.  There are others that are simpler to use such as 501 French Verbs fully conjugated.  I like this resource because it provides many useful tools such as English definitions, similar verbs, expressions that include the verb in question as well as a number of other useful resources.

Websites:  Click on the followings links to go to useful webpages that will help students refine their writing skills.

  290803_102208_7.png  Suggestions   


Students who struggle with writing in French are not unusual.  Even Francophones find it difficult to master the grammatical rules of the language.  Here are few suggestions to help students improve.  
  1. Keep a simple journal.  Write a few sentences every day.  Once a week show it to Monsieur Stuart who can go over the writing, provide some feedback, make corrections and give mini lessons.
  2. Read often.  Reading short texts attentively helps students gain a better 'eye' for what French should look like.  See the reading page of this website for more suggestions on reading. 
  3. Read attentively.  Reading slowly, paying attention to the grammatical structure of the sentences helps refine our intuitive sense of correct and incorrect French. Take the time to look up unfamiliar words.  It is better to read fewer pages carefully then skimming through many pages only getting the general idea of what is happening.
  4. Drill exercises:  Although these can be quite boring, they do enable children to practise the skills that they need to refine.  I have a number of resources available.  One I like to recommend is Panorama.  It provides old fashioned review activities on just about every point of grammar possible.
  5. Watch movies with French subtitles on so that you can see what people are saying.  NOTE:  For most movies, the subtitles are not exactly the same as the spoken French.
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