French Grammar - October 2011

During the month of October, we will be studying the reflexive verbs. In French, these are called "Les verbes pronominaux".
Students will been given 4 resources to help them master this verb tense:

1. A Visual Instructional Plan (V.I.P.) that decribes the necessary steps to conjugate this verb tense.
2. A handout with different examples (the morning routine verbs VS the nightly routine verbs).
3. A PowerPoint document explaining the different reflexive verbs.
4. A song on reflexive verbs called "Ma routine" to be sung to the song "We Will Rock You" by Queen.

These verbs will be firstly practised orally. Afterwards, we will study these verbs when reading different texts (song, letters, etc.) and finally, the students will be asked to produce a comic strip as their final writing assignment. The software we will be using for the comic strip is called Bitstrips. Feel free to explore their Web site : http://www.bitstrip.com/

Here's a link that your child and yourself may want to visit in order to study the reflexive
verbs.

http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/rgshiwyc/school/curric/French/Reflexverbs/ReflexIndex.htm

TFO - Ontario's French Language Television Network

You don't have to speak French to help your child learn it!
TFO has tools to help you! Please visit the following links :

http://www2.tfo.org/education/immersion
http://www2.tfo.org/education/Content/PDF/Parent%20Brochure%20EN.pdf

Some Useful Internet Web Sites

- www.edu.gov.on.ca (Ontario Ministry of Education) 


- www.cpf.ca (Canadian Parents for French - Canada)

- www.cpfont.on.ca (Canadian Parents for French – Ontario)

- www.frenchtipsandbits.blogspot.com (Mme Lebrun’s web page)

- www.french-future.org (French for the Future)

- www.verb2verbe.com (To practise French verbs)

- www.jump-gate.com/languages/french/french1.html (Pronunciation Guidelines)

- www.languageguide.org/french (French Pictorial Vocabulary Guide)

- www.wordreference.com (Translation Dictionary)

- www.librairieducentre.com (French language bookstore located in Ottawa)

- www.cyberpresse.ca/le-droit/ (Le Droit – Ottawa - French Online Newspaper)

- www.expressottawa.ca (L’Express – Ottawa – French Online Newspaper)

- http://rainbowschools.ca/programs/French/Toolbox/FI_TOC.php (Essential Homework Helper for parents & students)

- http://www.myhamilton.ca/articles/french-immersion-homework-help-resources (French Immersion Homework Help Resources)

- http://www.cpf.bc.ca/site3/index.php/students/homework-help (Homework Help)

- www.culturefrancophone.ca (Arts, Culture & Fun Stuff)

How to Type French Accents - International Keyboard Layout OR ALT codes

This year, your child will take part in a number of technology integrated activities. Unfortunately, he or she will not be able to avoid "les fameux accents"! It is essential to put accents in their proper places - an incorrect or missing accent is a spelling mistake just as an incorrect or missing letter would be. Many homophones exist in the French language. They can be distinguished from each other by the accents. Here are a few examples :

un cure - a cure              mais - but                    ou - or
un curé - a priest            maïs - corn                  où - where

Now you can see how a sentence like the one below can be easily avoided :
Hier, j'ai mangé du mais pour souper. (Yesterday, I ate some but for supper.) ;)

There are two ways to type accents on a PC.

A. You can use the international keyboard, which requires a simple control panel configuration - there is no keyboard to purchase or software to download. In order to use one of these alternate keyboard layouts, you need to add it to Windows. Once you've done this, you can either set it as your default keyboard, or use alt plus shift to toggle between two or more layouts. The way to do this is slightly different for each operating system.


Windows Vista
1.Open your Control Panel
2.If in Classic View, click Control Panel Home in upper-left corner
3.Under Clock, Language, and Region, click Change keyboards or other input methods
4.Click Change keyboards
5.Click Add
6.Scroll down to the layout you want to add*
7.If you don't see a list including the keyboard you want, click + to expand
8.Choose your layout
9.Click OK in each dialog window.


Windows XP
1.Open your Control Panel (via Start menu or My Computer)
2.Double-click Regional and Language Options
3.Click Languages
4.Click Details
5.Click Add
6.Under "Input Language" pick the language you want to add*
7.Under "Keyboard layout/IME" make your selection
8.Click OK in each dialog window.


Windows 95, 98, ME, NT
1.Open your Control Panel (via Start menu or My Computer)
2.Double-click Keyboard
3.Click Language
4.Click Properties, Settings, or Details (whichever you see)
5.Click Add
6.Pick the layout you want to add*
7.Click OK in each dialog window.


Windows 2000
1.Open your Control Panel (via Start menu or My Computer)
2.Double-click Keyboard
3.Click Input Locales
4.Click Change
5.Click Add
6.Pick the layout you want to add*
7.Click OK in each dialog window.


B. You can use the accented characters with ALT codes, which use the ALT key and a 3 or 4 digit code. However, ALT codes only work with the numeric keypad, NOT the row of numbers across the top of your keyboard. So they won't work on a laptop unless you hit number lock to activate the number pad "built into" the right-side of your keyboard, which might be tricky because then the letters won't work. Bottom line, if you're using a laptop, use the different keyboard setting instead of the ALT codes.



To type accents with ALT codes, hold down the ALT key, then on the numeric keypad type the three or four digits listed here. When you release the ALT key, the character will appear.


a with "accent grave"
à ALT + 133 À ALT + 0192
a with "accent circonflexe"
â ALT + 131 Â ALT + 0194
a with "tréma"
ä ALT + 132 Ä ALT + 142
c with "cédille"
ç ALT + 135 Ç ALT + 128
e with "accent aïgu"
é ALT + 130 É ALT + 144
e with "accent grave"
è ALT + 138 È ALT + 0200
e with "accent circonflexe"
ê ALT + 136 Ê ALT + 0202
e with "tréma"
ë ALT + 137 Ë ALT + 0203
i with "accent circonflexe"
î ALT + 140 Î ALT + 0206
i with "tréma"
ï ALT + 139 Ï ALT + 0207
o with "accent circonflexe"
ô ALT + 147 Ô ALT + 0212
u with "accent grave"
ù ALT + 151 Ù ALT + 0217
u with "accent circonflexe"
û ALT + 150 Û ALT + 0219
u with "tréma"
ü ALT + 129 Ü ALT + 154
French quotation marks
« ALT + 174 » ALT + 175

Links to Grade 6 Curriculum Programs

Ontario Ministry of Education :

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/

French As a Second Language :

- French Immersion, Grades 1-8
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/fsl.html

Science and Technology (2007) :
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/scientec.html

Social Studies (2004) :
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/sstudies.html

Health and Physical Education (2010)
* The Ministry asks that teachers follow the 1998 curriculum when teaching the Growth and Development component
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/health.html

Arts (2009) :
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/arts.html

Welcome back to school! C'est la rentrée!

Bonjour!

Welcome back to school! I hope you had a wonderful summer with your families and would like to welcome you to Grade 6 French Immersion! My name is Mlle Sarah Lebrun and I am your child’s French teacher this year. The Grade 6 French Immersion class is located in room 176.



This year, your child will be learning the following provincial curriculum programs in French: Language (Oral Communication, Reading, Writing), Science and Technology, Social Studies, Drama and Dance, Music and Health and Physical Education. Specific resources and expectations will be available to you during our Meet The Teacher / Curriculum Night. It will be held on Tuesday, September 20 at 6:30 pm.


I am looking forward to sharing in an exciting and rewarding year with you and your child. It is my hope that each student will strive for his/her highest potential. It is also my belief that we are working together as partners in the education of your child. As partners, we should both be fully aware of your child’s progress. During this school year, I will be sending work and assignments home and ask that you sign this as an acknowledgement that you have seen it. Please feel free to comment on your child’s work and to contact me at the school anytime. I am generally available from 8:15 to 8:30 or from 3:30 to 4:30.

Au plaisir de vous rencontrer!
 
Mlle Sarah Lebrun