Components of the Core Curriculum

The Common Essential Learnings in Core French

The Nature of the Common Essential Learnings

There are two ultimate goals involved in integrating the Common Essential Learnings into school subjects:

Although there are many similarities among the C.E.L.s, there are also significant differences. Some are closely linked to particular content, for example, Numeracy and Technological Literacy, while others are developed largely through the way classes are conducted and schools are run. Still others are a combination of both.

"The knowledge, skills, processes, attitudes and values contained in the C.E.L.s will be acquired through school subject matter matched with appropriate methods of instruction and a supportive school environment, but not through the direct teaching of any one C.E.L. in isolation from school subjects" (Saskatchewan Education, Understanding the Common Essential Learnings, 1988). Because subject areas are quite different from each other, the way the C.E.L.s are incorporated and the extent to which they are developed will vary considerably from one subject to another. Creativity in Science is different from creativity in Arts Education. There will be more opportunities for developing Numeracy in Geography than in English Language Arts.

The purpose of this section is to provide some detail about how and to what extent each C.E.L. can be developed in a Core French program. In the following pages the discussion of each C.E.L. will include:

The Nature of Core French as a School Subject

Learning a language as a young child involves mainly practice in meaningful contexts. At some point children begin to make generalizations about the language they hear and see, and form their own ideas about how the language functions. But they will not usually be able to articulate these rules until they begin formal study of the language in school. Even then, as a native speaker of the language, they will most often use particular structures or words instinctively without being able to say why they are correct.

The methodology of second language teaching in recent years has tended to imitate the natural process of language learning in children. Most language courses, especially at the secondary level, provide opportunities for both acquisition and learning, to use Krashen's terminology (Krashen, 1981).

The linguistic goal of the Core French program is to enable students to increase, within realistic limits, their ability to communicate effectively in French and to enable students to gain a better understanding of language and language learning in general. The subject matter, that is, what is taught and what is learned, is communicative competence in French at a level appropriate to the age of the students and the amount of time spent learning the language. This means not only knowing certain vocabulary and structures, but also being able to use them appropriately. With the communicative/ experiential approach, students use content drawn from real life experiences and add to their general knowledge as well as practising language elements.

When choosing content to study via the second language, teachers will ask themselves several questions:

Once these conditions have been met, the choice of content is arbitrary.

In addition to learning to use the language, students, especially older ones, benefit from time spent learning about the language as well as learning how to learn the language. They step outside the language, as it were, and examine it analytically, see how it works, relate it to other languages they know or other bodies of knowledge they have. Since this process can be quite abstract or complex, it will sometimes take place in English because the students may not have the linguistic competence to do it in French.

Figure 1 Elements of Core French as a subject

Personal and Social Values and Skills (PSVS)

This Common Essential Learning is one of the most important for Core French. Like the others, it has two aspects, one related to school learning and the other to life skills and values. In addition, as the name indicates, there are four elements to this C.E.L.. By taking each element separately, we can see more easily how Personal and Social Values and Skills can be developed in Core French.

It is important to emphasize the role of the teacher and the overall climate of the school in developing a respect for persons in the classroom. Personal and social values and skills will be developed in Core French in much the same way as in other subject areas through the kind of role model the teacher becomes and the kind of classroom environment he or she creates. (See Understanding the Common Essential Learnings pp. 43-46 for a more detailed discussion of this aspect.)

However, the study of French, as of any other second language, can play a privileged role in the development of cross cultural understandings. One of the main goals of the Core French program is to enable students to develop an understanding and an appreciation of the French language and culture. It has often been said that prejudice and discrimination are born of ignorance. For this reason, getting to know another group of people through the study of their language and culture can be a way of helping students to understand and accept differences, an important aspect of respect for the person.

Core French teachers should avoid presenting stereotypes of French speaking people, and should use authentic materials as much as possible and convey the idea that French is a real language used by real people. They should, of course, seize any opportunity for contact with native speakers.

In the same way that learning a second language often helps students better understand their own through a process of comparison and contrast, the opportunity to step outside one's own culture will help students to become more aware of their own values and how they are shaped by their culture. If they are never exposed to other ways of doing things, or other ways of looking at people and events, they will take their own cultural perspective for granted. Self-reflection and self-knowledge are supported by knowledge and understanding of the cultures and lifestyles of others.

In addition to choosing authentic documents and materials that are free of bias and stereotypes as far as possible, Core French teachers should give thought to their choice of content when integrating Personal and Social Values and Skills into their programs. Students who are using the language can listen to, read, write or talk about French and French culture. As with other C.E.L.s which require sophisticated linguistic skills, complex social issues will be beyond the communicative abilities of most Core French students. However, there are numerous topics relevant to modern life and of interest to students which could be dealt with in French.