March 19, 1981
HIGH LIFE
Page 7
French I-V
'^Parlez-Vous Francais?^
By Leslie Berkelhammer
Parlez vous francais? (Do
you speak French?)
If you do, you are one of 80
million persons who speak
French as their native lang
uage and millions more who
use it as a second language.
The French Department,
instructed by Mrs. Anne
Oakley and Mme. S. Devin-
ant, is renowned throughout
the state. In keeping with
veirious students’ back-
groimds, all ability levels,
I-V, are offered.
“In French I,’’ says Oak
ley, Foreign Language De
partment chairperson, “per
haps the most important
thing is giving the student a
feeling for French culture.”
Fundamental vocabulary.
grammar, and word pronun
ciation are quickly absorbed
in order to make speaking
easier and more natural. The
listening and speaking skills
learned the first year are
built upon in French H, and
reading selections are also
emphasized. This is the most
demanding level. In it, all
necessary structure is learn
ed. Increasing reading abil
ity, vocabulary, and some
writing are also incorporated
into the curriculum.
Taking two years of a
language fulfills most col
lege admission require
ments. However, Oakley
says, “If you quit after two
years, in my mind, you have
nothing, really nothing ....
It’s like taking two years of
French Oub students from Grimsley, Smith, Dudley, and
Page view the movie “Le Medicin Malgre LuV' by Moliere,
spoken entirely in French. Sixty-one people, 32 from GHS,
attended the February 24 meeting at the Palmer Plaza
Lnbrcan^jiKevmCwr^erdei^hot^
SWENSHfS
WE HAVE
CLIFFS
NOTES
Cliffs Notes answer your
questions about literature
as you study and review.
More than 200 titles
available for novels, plays
and poems — see our
Cliffs Notes display:
Boc3k Stor«
Friendly Center — Four Seasons — Carolina Circle
piano and saying, ‘I’m ready
to play Gamegie Hall!’ --
can’t do that.”
After learning the basics
of the language, French HI,
IV, and V offer the time for
the student to assimilate the
knowledge and use it.
French HI concentrates on
selections from literature.
and cultural discussions.
French IV and V, carrying
honors credit, are “the cru
cial years for pulling all the
things together that you’ve
learned since seventh,
eighth grade,” says Oakley.
Students work on grammar
“trouble spots” and listen
ing comprehension. They
also prepare for college
placement and achievement
tests.
* * *
Why take French? Besides
being one of the leading
romance languages, it is also
the language of diplomacy.
For translation purposes,
French is precise with less
chance of misinterpretation
them in other languages.
In the next 10 years,
Grimsley French students
may well use the skills they
are learning now ~ in bus
iness, travel, education, or
perhaps government work.
‘Habla Espanol?’
By Lisa Von Aspem
Spanish, taught by Mr.
Henry Whitaker and Mr.
Richard Whittemore, em-oUs
approximately 285 Grimsley
students. Most of these stu
dents are in the second or
third level; however, level
one and more advanced
levels are eiIso taught.
Vocabulary, basic gram
mar, and idioms are taught
in Spanish I and 11; and in
the third, fourth, and fifth
levels, literature beginning
with the twentieth century
and progressing into classi
cal literature, with reviews of
grammar, are learned. All
classes see productions such
as “El Cid” and other
famous Spanish classics.
The Spanish Department
recommends that a student
take as much Spanish as
possible for it offers three
major advantages. Not only
do two years of a foreign
language have to be taken in
order to fulfill admission
requirements for most col
leges and universities, but
by enroUing in Spanish
courses in high school, a
student fairs better at the
college level.
More Spanish speaking
people are entering the
United States each year, and
many language authorities
feel that Spanish may soon
become a second United
States language.
According to Whitaker,
“We’re trying to promote
five years of Spanish here.
We want people who start to
continue through their senior
year. ’ ’
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