Blytheville High School offers French I, II, III, and IV. (Availability of French IV is determined on a year-to-year basis.)
Who can enroll in French classes?
FRENCH I: Entering Freshman with a "B" or higher in 8th grade English, minimum 6th grade reading level and/or recommendation by his/her 8th grade Literacy teacher Entering Sophomores or Juniors with a "C" or better in English or a "B" or better in Spanish (with Spanish teacher's recommendation)
FRENCH II: Sophomores, Juniors, or Seniors who have successfully attained a "B" average or higher in French I - OR - Successfully attained a "C" average in French I and received recommendation from his/her French teacher (Students who have lower than a "C" average in one or both semesters of French I must retake French I before advancing to French II.)
*FRENCH III: Juniors or Seniors who have successfully attained a "B" average or better in French II - AND - Must be recommended for French III by his/her French teacher
*FRENCH IV: Seniors who have successfully attained a "B" average or better in French III - AND - Must be recommended for French IV by his/her French teacher (Students CANNOT enroll in two different levels of French in the same school year.) A students who is a native speaker of French and/or demonstrates exceeding performance in both written and spoken French beyond what is expected of a French I or II student due to transferring from an immersion school or living abroad, may be enrolled in a higher level of French at the discretion of the teacher.
In French I, students are introduced to the French-speaking world and it's people. They will learn multiple common words and phrases, use numbers, colors, weather, and other vocabulary along with present tense verb conjugation and sentence construction in a variety of cultural and linguistic lessons. A special projects will be required during each 9-week period, and students will wrap up the year with a look at French children's literature including well-known songs, poems, and short stories.
In French II, students build upon the foundation that was laid in the previous year. Students begin exploring multiple verb tenses as well as greatly increasing their vocabulary, listening, and reading skills through individual and group projects. This is the most challenging year of study because of the amount of material covered in a limited amount of time. Students will explore the literary works of Marcel Pagnol as well as film adaptions of his writing. As students develop their skills to read authentic French selections extensively, they will conclude the year with a final free-writing project entirely in French.
In French III,the focus shifts from "learning French" to "using French." Emphasis is placed on polishing pronunciations as students embark on a more advanced study of French grammar through cultural lessons and projects about French art, literature, and cinema.
In French IV,students will put their French language skills to the test, by advancing their understanding of the French language through a year-long study of French history beginning with the Gauls (pre-France) and extending through present day. Special projects will include a study of WWII and the Holocaust in France and Europe, as well as an exploration of the history and cultures of francophone North America and Africa. Completion of French IV should prepare students for college-level French exams and coursework.