French is one of Canada's two official.....................ot   Learn French at Dasmesh!
French is one of Canada's two official languages. It is the mother tongue of one Canadian in four. Learning French gives students the ability to discover new ideas and new thoughts, to look at things from a different perspective and to communicate with more people. Equally important, learning French, and learning it early, will be a definite plus for any child growing up in Canada. Dasmesh Punjabi School values French as an integral part of Canadian heritage and history. For the first time since its inception, DPS is offering instruction in French, right from kindergarten to the Grade 7 level. The Core French language program at Dasmesh Punjabi School is an introductory course for students from Kindergarten through to Grade 7. The Grade 5 to 7 French course follows the BC Ministry of Education curriculum guide. The Kindergarten to grade 4 course is designed internally by the French teacher and is based on the Canadian French (non-immersion) curriculum. Students will supplement their French studies with use of the Rosetta Stone French software in the school computer lab.
The following are some examples of questions taken from lessons at various grade levels:
 French at the Kindergarten level at Dasmesh:
Students will be introduced to French. They will learn vocabulary including basic introductions, colors, numbers, alphabets, etc. as they begin building their vocabulary. Students will develop comprehension which will be verified through verbal questions/answers. Pictures and games will help students to more quickly learn the basic vocabulary of the French language. Example: A series of pictures or flash cards are displayed and students must correctly choose the correct picture for the French word which is spoken by teacher. Furthermore, students are asked to describe the image in the picture using adjectives and vocabulary learned in class. (Example using Animal and Color vocabulary) Teacher shows a picture of a duck to the students and students say the French name of the animal: Students reply: Le canard (duck) When asked to be more specific, they reply: Le canard blanc et jaune (the yellow and white duck) The teacher then asks Oui ou Non questions (Yes or No questions) about the picture: “Can a canard fly?”, “Can a canard swim?”, “Is the canard brun?”, etc.  
French at the Grade 1 to 3 level at Dasmesh:
Students learn how to describe the weather, what sports they like, their personality, their likes/dislike and more, in addition to the basics taught at the Kindergarten level. Basic language structure and grammar is taught and students do written assignments and activities as they practice writing in French.
French pronunciation is taught in class and students are encouraged to develop their French speaking ability. Examples : WEATHER: Describe the weather today It fait chaud It is hot It is snowing Il neige PERSONALITY: Describe yourself - Describe your personality Je suis poli et amical I am polite and friendly Je suis fort et sportif I am strong and athletic Students also do some introductory dictation exercises. They listen to a sentence or sentences in French spoken by the teacher, and translate what was said to English. This listening practice is essential for students to begin communicating verbally in French.  
INTERMEDIATE FRENCH PROGRAM:
Students in the Intermediate French Program (Grades 4 to 7) learn quite a variety of French vocabulary related to the topics of Weather, Food, Sports, Personality, adjectives and more, including several new verbs (to study, to have dinner, to watch a show, to speak to someone, etc.) as well as the most important French verbs taught in Core French (aller = to go, avoir = to have, ętre = to be, etc.) and the use of pronouns. There are QUIZZES, TESTS AND EXAMS throughout each term which help students retain what they learn throughout the course.  French at the Grade 4 and 5 level at Dasmesh: Students will have increased written work in class to practice French grammar and to learn the language structure. Students will incorporate vocabulary from different units into complete sentences. Example 1: Speaking Practice Teacher asks: Can you tell me your name, where you are from, your two favourite sports in French? Student replies: Je m'appelle (student's name). Je suis d'Abbotsford. J'aime jouer au hockey et au basket. Certain themes and projects will be used in class to encourage students to express themselves in written work and in speaking in front of the class. Example 2: Assignment Pick one of the following categories and, using classroom vocabulary, create a poster, a written report or a presentation (oral) for class: a) French culture b) French food c) etc... French at the Grade 6 and 7 level at Dasmesh: Students will have increased written work in class to practice French grammar and learn the language structure.
Example: Insert the correct form of the verb ALLER ("to go") in the blanks: La fille ____________ au parc. (The correct verb form is “va”) Pierre et Helene _______________ a l’ecole. (The correct verb form is “vont”) Written work will require more planning than in previous grades as the assignments increase in length and incorporate class vocabulary, verbs and various verb tenses. Students will begin forming the introduction, body and conclusion, as well as answering the questions Who? What? When? Where? and Why? in their writing to further develop their ability to write logical, cohesive written reports and short essays.
Example of written work: Describe yourself, your Personality, and your interests in Sports and Food in two paragraphs.
Students will practice listening to a spoken text and be able to respond to it verbally. This develops their conversational skills. Students will continue to practice reading French texts and completing comprehension exercises (Reading short texts and answering questions about the text). At the Grade 6 and 7 level, some unfamiliar topics may be introduced. Text read in class will be broken down into different parts which will be revised as a class in order to ensure students understand the content. Students will practice listening to a spoken text and be able to respond to it verbally. This develops their conversational skills.
Example 1 of class assignment: Describe which season you like and why you like it. Use the verbs ALLER, AVOIR and ETRE in your response.
Written works are graded on how well the student understood the assignment topic, how clearly their ideas are expressed, what details are included, how relevant the information is to the assignment topic, and the variety of vocabulary used, among other things.
Example 2 of class assignment: Summarize (in English) the information in a given French text and briefly explain the main point of the text. (Example: What is the message being conveyed in this text?). Scanning for pertinent information in French texts in order to respond to comprehension questions.
Depending on the class schedule, more complex listening practice would include listening to real, taped conversations between native French speakers to determine the subject of the conversation and to answer questions regarding the conversation. In-class writing assignments will be used to help students to learn how to quickly develop their thoughts on a topic, arrange those thoughts, and create a short, cohesive composition.
FOR ALL GRADE LEVELS:
Students will have access to the Rosetta Stone software in the school language computer labs. This software can be used to supplement the student's French studies by providing students with independent practice and review to develop reading, writing, and listening skills.   
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