3 M
English focuses on developing strong reading and writing skills as
well as improving your oral English (listening and speaking) in
addition to mastering grammar and vocabulary at an upper intermediate
level.
Reading
Reading
is challenging and will serve to develop your understanding of
British
and American
literature and culture, as well as to strengthen your comprehension,
analysis, and interpretation. This year will focus on essay writing.
Literary topics
and issues will enable you to write essays in which you will show
your analytical skills.
We
will start with
The Kite Runner1,
(2003)
a novel by Afghan
born American author
Khaled
Hosseini
The
unforgettable, heartbreaking story of the unlikely friendship between
a wealthy boy and the son of his father’s servant, is a
beautifully crafted novel set in a country that is in the process of
being destroyed. It is about the power of reading, the price of
betrayal, and the possibility of redemption; and an exploration of
the power of fathers over sons—their love, their sacrifices, their
lies.
Speaking
Oral
expression is worth a good deal of the exam, therefore a strong
priority will be given to oral presentations to the class, grammar or
vocabulary topic-based role-plays or other research work. We will
spend most of our half-class periods analysing and commenting
newspaper and magazine articles, as well as literary extracts, either
individually, in pairs or in groups, debate-style
when appropriate .
These
practice exercises will prepare you for your
individual oral exam,
which will last 15 minutes (10 minutes presentation, 5 minutes
conversation with teacher/expert). You will be given 30 minutes
preparation. You will deal with an unknown text, similar to the ones
practised all year long, either a literary extract or a newspaper
article, it's up to you, but you must make up your mind a few weeks
before the exam.
Writing
Your
skills will be evaluated in all essays including passage analysis (
~half grammar/half contents) as well as in the proficiency of your
argumentative writing, which you will practice in relation with the
main issues the novels deal with. Of course most routine assignments
are also ways for you to master and improve your ability to compose
insightful, articulate and quality texts.
The
written literary exam
will consist of an essay based on topics chosen from the books we
will have read by June 2016.
You will be allowed to choose one topic out of two An average of 450-550 words is expected.
Take
every opportunity to express your writing skills during the regular
assignments I give you in parallel with the reading work.
Your
third year in high school will be mostly devoted to revisions, as we
have already covered most of the grammar topics you should master for
the -MCQ-word formation-sentence transformation - written grammar exam.
If there's anything you don’t understand, don’t hesitate to ask
questions, even elementary ones especially when revising
! I
will
always be ready to explain again.
Vocabulary4
Your
proficiency in English during the written as well as the oral
activities will rely greatly on you mastering the words of the
Bescherelle vocabulary book. On top of the final chapters to be
covered (33-50),
emphasis will be given on phrasal and irregular verbs - you can't
do without them, so be prepared !
Listening
Expect
quite a few listening exercises and tests , for instance from the
BBC, during this school year as a listening comprehension will be
included in your final exam. Your listening comprehension exam will
take place
in early June.
Watching films like “Shakespeare in Love” which will introduce
you to the Elizabethan era,, and Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet will challenge your listening and
understanding skills. Mind you, the oral comprehension exam will be
audio only.
Reading
Comprehension
will be tested in your final exam, on one or two unknown texts (~2000
words) on social issues, or a literary extract . It is worth 40% of
the written exam and is made up of True/False questions, titles to
give, short answers to provide, a,s.o, similar to the ones done in
class.
Tests
and marks
Vocabulary
tests will be grouped in a pack of 9 and their average multiplied
by 2 will give you 2 full marks, each one equivalent to any other
mark you will get in grammar, reading comprehension, ... . As you
will have at least one more test than the 9 required ones, you will
be allowed to leave out the worst mark at the end of the school
year,
provided
you have attended all tests. If you miss one vocabulary test, every
mark will count. If you miss more than one test, then you will have
to redo it in class, provided your excuse has been accepted as valid.
In
addition to the vocabulary tests mentioned above, expect about 2
tests in each skill (use of English/Grammar, reading comprehension,
writing, speaking and listening).
Internet.
Most
of major documents or assignments are to be found on my personal
website5
or on the English Department's6
for instance if you are looking for exams guidelines, a “séjour
linguistique” , an exchange program for next year, a gap year in
Australia or more general help (grammar exercises, on line listening
activities …). Besides you always have the opportunity to contact
me by e-maill7.
Teacher’s
word
Please
be sure to come to class prepared (which means with exercises done
and chapters read), with your notebooks, books, cell phones off and
an open mind.
If
you find yourself in trouble, academically or otherwise, please come
and see me sooner rather than later. Don't be afraid to ask for help.
I will make time to see you one-on-one.
I
hope this year will bring you a most fulfilling time and lead you
to successful exams!
Martine
Guignard
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