1M1 Course overview

1 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 a lower intermediate level.

Reading

Reading will serve to develop your understanding of British/Irish/American literature and culture, as well as to strengthen your comprehension, analysis, and interpretation.

We will start with Irish author John Boyne's amazing novel about Germans and the Holocaust from the point of view of a young boy :TheBoy in the Striped Pyjamas ¹ The year is 1943. When Bruno returns home from school one day, he discovers that his family must move from their home to a new house far away, where there are no neighbours and nothing to do. A tall fence running alongside stretches as far as the eye can see and cuts him off from the strange people he can see in the distance. Bruno decides that there must be more to this desolate new place than meets the eye, so sets out to explore... The excellent 2008 film directed by Mark Herman is very truthful to the book and you will certainly shed a few tears over Bruno's moving story.

We will go on with TheGiver² by Lois Lowry. Imagine a society where nobody can see in colour - everything is monochromatic. Imagine a society where spouses are selected, children are assigned parents, names are predetermined, and jobs are selected for its citizens. In The Giver, these decisions are the responsibility of a committee of elders. You will not find hills or snow, either: hills make transportation difficult, and snow makes the growing season shorter. Everything is perfect. There is no hunger, poverty, or war. Lois Lowry portrays her idea of a utopian society.
The Giver is a fascinating, thought-provoking book about a fictional society. It will provide you with many opportunities to discuss major issues about the society portrayed in the Giver aw well as our society, discussions that will be held in class, in small groups, will fuel ideas for essay writing .

Writing Through a number of different writing assignments – from writings based on grammar topics to narratives and a descriptive essay in form of a “spy mission” you will practise your writing skills. You will also be writing about literature in many creative ways. You should expect to write once or twice a month , whether in quick exercises (summaries or notes taking ) or for a major class writing. Major essays may require outline and drafts at home but are assigned well in advance, so organize your work in order not to be overwhelmed with other homework.

While reading the novel mentioned above , I expect you to do the assignment that goes with it. Take every opportunity to express your writing skills during quick assignments I give you in class, which I am always willing to correct. At the end of a course, I may also collect writings done in class to assess them with a mark.

Grammar³

Grammar topics will be introduced in context then practised ,exercised and hopefully mastered in the Golden Grammar Book. You should expect to be assigned grammar exercises as homework every week. Most of the grammar exercises are self-corrected, so be sure to come to class with questions on matters that are unclear to you. Highlight or underline any sentence which you haven't understood while doing your exercises, I shall answer your questions.

Your first year of English in high school will cover basic tenses - those you know already (Present, Past, Present Perfect, simple and continuous forms) Imperatives, Participles, Interrogatives as well as Articles, Adjectives, Pronouns and Nouns. Summaries of every grammar chapter can be downloaded and printed from the English Bugnon Website under English BugnonGrammar4U⁴

Vocabulary⁵

In order to increase your proficiency in English for daily written and oral language, vocabularies will be studied by theme-related chapters which may lead to situation role-playing, listening activities or quick writing. Be ready to learn about two-three pages every week and have a final test on every one or two chapters. The average number of pages for a test should be around ten. Vocabulary tests might take the shape of listening tests as well. You must obtain 75% of the points to reach the average in vocabulary tests.

Use flashcards if you have trouble remembering difficult words. You will be able to review your vocabulary on the bus, during recess, ... or to group words according to the theme you are studying. Pay a special attention to phonetics, many tests will involve dictation/oral comprehension/expression as well.

Speaking

Major oral presentations in front of the class (at least one each semester, on English-speaking countries in the world and on bands or singers of your choice), in pairs or groups, will challenge your speaking skills.

Remember you are not allowed to read, only notes and keywords will be accepted. You will also be expected to present summaries/activities in connection with the books we read. While reading a book, all activities which involve sharing information with your classmates or presenting feedback on a chapter you have read, alone or in group, will give you opportunities to practise your oral expression. Always make the effort to ask your questions in English! It's rewarding.

Listening and understanding

During classes, I speak English only so your listening skills will be constantly challenged. We will watch films in connection with the novels we read in their original version. You can practice at home watching most TV series in English. Going to our language laboratory will also enable you to practice your interactive communication skills. Watching and listening to the latest news on the BBC (radio or TV) will be part of the curriculum. If you have trouble understanding what I say, you are most welcome to ask me to repeat, I will do so. I am ready to find alternatives to let my explanations sink into your mind - other words, gestures, drawings, ... - but bear in mind French should be avoided as much as possible. However, as soon as the bell rings, feel free to come to my desk and ask for extra explanations, then we may chat in French.

Website

Most of the material which I hand out to students can be found on my website⁶, allowing students to access a document even if they have been absent or if it happens to be lost . Plenty of useful information is waiting for you either on my personal website on the English Department's for instance if you are looking for a "séjour linguistique", an exchange program or more general help (excellent on line dictionary, extra-exercises on line, listening activities,... ) or on Google Drive.You always have the opportunity to contact me by e-mail7

Tests and marks

Vocabulary tests will be grouped and their average (decimal, unrounded) multiplied by 3 will give you 3 full marks , each one equivalent to any other mark you will get in grammar, reading comprehension, ... .You will have an extra vocabulary test so you will be allowed to leave out the worst mark if you have attended all tests at the end of the school year. ln addition to the vocabulary tests mentioned above, expect 2 tests at least in each skill (reading comprehension, writing, speaking and listening) plus 3-4 tests in Use of English(=grammar). All the tests weigh the same , except vocabulary tests (keep your marks updated!).

In case of absence or illness, it is each student's responsibility to inquire about the material received or the assignments due.

Teacher’s word

Please be sure to come to class prepared (which means ready for tests , exercises done or chapters read), with all the necessary equipment for each lesson. I hand out a lot of photocopies, make an effort to organize them into files so as to find them easily when needed. Switch off your cell phones and open your mind.

Finally, if you find yourself in trouble, academically or otherwise, please come and see me sooner rather than later so we can work together to find a way to get you back on track. Don't be afraid to ask for help. I will make time to see you one-on-one. I hope this will be a good year for you in English

Martine Guignard

1John Boyne: The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, Random House, 2006

2 Lois Lowry : The Giver, HarperCollins 2014

3 T.Spencer:The Golden Grammar Book, fourth edition, 2014

4 www.gymnasedubugnon.ch/enggybn/file

5. Bescherelle anglais: le vocabulaire, edition Hatier, juin 2008

6. http://mguignardwebsite.blogspot.ch

7. my email: martine.guignardschneider@vd.educanet2.ch PW google drive ; English2

2M Course Overview

2M English focuses on developing analytical reading and writing, improving your listening and speaking skills plus mastering grammar and vocabulary at an 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.

Our first book, called Of Mice and Men¹ by John Steinbeck is set in the California of the thirties, when people had to cope with the Great Depression .Through Lennie and George’s friendship your heart will beat at the same pace as those two “drifters” (wandering poor men). Getting familiar with the historical background of a novel is always an asset and enables you to gain a better insight on the author’s work and life. A journal writing will sum up your work on this classic American novel. Study guide online .






We will go on with The Great Gatsby ¹brought to a new fame thanks to Baz Luhrmann's latest film, yet still a classic of American literature of the 20's. Fitzgerald portrays a young and mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby and his quixotic passion for the beautiful Daisy Buchanan. Considered to be Francis Scott Fitzgerald's masterpiece, “The Great Gatsby explores themes of decadence, idealism, resistance to change, social upheaval, and excess, creating a portrait of the Jazz Age that has been described as a cautionary tale regarding the American Dream” .cf wikipedia

Time permitting, we may end up with a third book, The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls but the choice is still open. “Things usually work out in the end." "What if they don't?"

"That just means you haven't come to the end yet.”

The Glass Castle is a 2005 memoir by Jeannette Walls. The book recounts Walls' and her siblings' unconventional, poverty-stricken upbringing at the hands of their deeply dysfunctional parents.

Writing

Through a number of different writing assignments-from narrative, compare/contrast to argumentative and literary essays -you will practise your writing skills. You will also be writing about literature in many creative ways. You should expect to write once every two weeks or every month, whether in a quick feedback exercise or for a major class essay.

Vocabulary⁴

In order to increase your proficiency in English for daily written and oral language, vocabularies will be studied by theme-related chapters and will be practised through role plays, listening activities or little games . Be ready to learn about two new pages every week and have a final quiz (oral or written, sometimes a listening task) after every chapter or every two chapters if they are short.

Remember that you must get about 75 % of the points in a vocabulary test to reach the average.


Grammar5
We shall go on introducing grammar topics in context - with material created by the team of English teachers at the Bugnon , newspaper articles, games and role plays in class or short writing exercises. Yet most of the job is the one you do on your own (or in pairs) when you practise exercises in class or as homework. We shall try to use our time very efficiently during our grammar period so as not to overload you with tasks at home, but learning by heart also plays a major part in mastering the basic rules of our dear English grammar. Remember you may download and print summaries of every chapter of the GGB plus all tenses, on the English department website6 under Grammar English Bugnon Grammar4U

We will practise vocabulary and grammar in a vivid and active way in our brand-new language laboratory.

Speaking
Knowing your vocabulary is a good thing, but being able to come up with the exact word you need is better.
While reading a book, all activities which involve sharing information with your classmates or presenting a feedback on a chapter you have read, alone or in group, will give you opportunities to practise your oral expression. Make a special effort to ask your questions in English!
Listening and understanding
During classes, I speak English only so your listening skills will be challenged almost every day.
Watching and listening to the latest news on the BBC (radio or TV) will be part of the curriculum, as other listening tasks I might ask you to do, in connection with vocabulary/grammar or with films.
Website7
In case of absence or illness, it is each student's responsibility to inquire about the material received or the assignments due.
Tests and marks

Vocabulary tests will be grouped in a pack of 9 and their average multiplied by 3 will give you 3 full marks, each one equivalent to any other mark you will get in grammar, reading comprehension, ... . As you might have one more test than the 9 required ones, you will be allowed to leave out the worst mark if you have attended all tests at the end of the school year. If you miss one vocabulary test, every mark will count then. If you miss more than one test, you will have the opportunity to do one more vocabulary test provided your excuse has been accepted. If it is not the case, you will get a 1. In addition to vocabulary tests, expect about 3 major tests in each skill (use of English, reading comprehension, writing , speaking and listening).
Final Advice
Please be sure to come to class prepared (i.e. with exercises done and chapters read), with your grammar vocabulary/reading books on specific days. Major assignments such as oral presentations or essays are given way ahead of time, so I will not tolerate students who cannot produce the required task on due date.
I hope we will go on working in a stimulating and serious, yet pleasant, atmosphere which will lead you to do your best in my English classes.

Martine Guignard

Remember that you can access most documents I have handed out to the class here

1 John Steinbeck: Of Mice and Men, Penguin Classics; 2014

2  The Great Gatsby, wordsworth classics 2001

4 Bescherelle anglais: le vocabulaire, edition Hatier, juin 2008 www. bescherelle.com

5 T.Spencer:The Golden Grammar Book, fourth edition, 2014

6 http://www.gymnasedubugnon.ch/enggybn/file/

7 http://mguignardwebsite.blogspot.ch

  my email: martine.guignardschneider@vd.educanet2.ch

3 C1 Course Overview

3 C 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 intermediate level.

Reading

Reading is challenging and will serve to develop your understanding of British/ American/Worldwide literature and culture, as well as to strengthen your analysis, and interpretation skills. This year will focus on specific topics and will enable you to write essays in which you will show your analytical and creative writing ability.

We will start  with Of Mice and Men1 by John Steinbeck. This story is set in the California of the thirties, when people had to cope with the Great Depression .Through Lennie and George’s friendship your heart will beat at the same pace as those two “drifters” (wandering poor men). Getting familiar with the historical background of a novel is always an asset and enables you to gain a better insight on the author’s work and life. This research work will be followed by an oral presentation to your classmates. You will be asked to share your reactions tp the novel in a journal writing. Study guide online 

We will go on with Daniel Keyes' Flowers for Algernon2 a classic story of a mentally disabled man whose experimental quest for intelligence mirrors that of Algernon, an extraordinary lab mouse. In poignant diary entries, Charlie tells how a brain operation increases his IQ and changes his life. As the experimental procedure takes effect, Charlie's intelligence expands until it surpasses that of the doctors who engineered his metamorphosis. The experiment seems to be a scientific breakthrough of paramount importance--until Algernon begins his sudden, unexpected deterioration. Will the same happen to Charlie? An American classic that inspired the award-winning movie “Charly”.( wikipedia)

Writing

Your skills will be evaluated in several compositions including passage analysis as well as creative writing. Of course most routine assignments are also ways for you to master and improve your ability to compose insightful, articulate and quality texts. Your literary written exam will consist of a creative writing based on one of the two books we will have read by June 2014 You will be allowed to choose one topic out of two. This part is worth 40% of the written exam. Take every opportunity to express your writing skills during the regular assignments I give you in parallel with the reading work.  

Speaking    Remember to ask your questions in English !

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, , 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) for which you will be given 30 minutes preparation. You will deal with an unknown newspaper article, similar to the ones practised all year long.

Grammar³

After having finished studying a few more grammar topics (articles, nouns, adjectives and adverbs, comparisons, relative clauses), we are going to spend quite a lot of time reviewing grammar for the exams, starting with tenses at the beginning of the school year. We shall devote the weeks between Easter vacation and end of May to do former exam papers so as to be ready for Use of English , a multiple-choice questions exam.

If at some point you don’t understand a grammar topic, don’t hesitate to ask questions, even elementary ones, especially when reviewing ! Your questions may enlighten the rest of the class as well.

Summaries of every chapter of the Grammar Book can be downloaded and printed from the English Bugnon website under EnglishBugnon Grammar 4U⁴

Vocabulary⁵

Your proficiency in English during the written as well as the oral activities and exams 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 irregular verbs and phrasal verbs - you can't do without them, so be prepared !

Listening

During classes, I shall speak English only so your listening skills will be challenged almost every day. We will watch Gary Sinise's Of Mice and Men with John Malkovitch. You will be looking forward to watching this masterpiece.

Watching and listening to the latest news on the BBC (radio or TV) will be part of the curriculum. Expect many listening exercises and 3 major listening tests during the school year, as this will prepare you for the Oral Comprehension Exam, to be held on June 3rd 2016. 

Our language laboratory will provide you with more  opportunities to practise your oral English.

Reading Comprehension will be tested in your final exam, on an unknown text (~1000 words) on social issues. 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, unrounded,(e.g:4.72+4.72+4.72) multiplied by 3 will give you 3 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 if you have attended all tests at the end of the school year. 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. If you want to have your vocabulary test anyway, do it straight when you come back to class.

In addition to the vocabulary tests mentioned above, expect about 2-3 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 website⁶  on Google Drive on the English Department's7 for instance if you are looking for the 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-mail8.  

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

1 John Steinbeck: Of Mice and Men, Reclam Universal, Stuttgart, 2008

2 Daniel Keyes: Flowers for Algernon, Harcourt edition 2004

3 . Oxford Practice Grammar, BASIC, with answers, 2006

4 http://bugnon.educanet2.ch/mganglais/.ws_gen/index.htm

5 Bescherelle anglais: le vocabulaire, edition Hatier, juin 2008 

6 http://mguignardwebsite.blogspot.ch

7 http://www.gymnasedubugnon.ch/enggybn/file

8 martine.guignardschneider@vd.educanet2.ch
or Click on Documents to find them on google drive  PW English2

3M2 Course Overview

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 advanced level.

Reading

Reading is challenging and will serve to develop your understanding of British&American literature and culture, as well as to strengthen your comprehension, analysis, and interpretation. This year will focus on essay writing. Topics and issues from the studied works will enable you to write essays in which you will show your analytical skills.

We will start with TheTortilla Curtain¹, (1995) a novel by U.S. author T.C. Boyle about middle-class values, illegal immigration, xenophobia, poverty, and environmental destruction. Of the fifteen novels Boyle has written so far,The Tortilla Curtain has turned out to be his most successful one.

Introducing Shakespeare with Shakespeare in Love : watch the trailer 

We will go on with Shakespeare's Macbeth² : by way of introduction, we will study some of the most famous Shakespearian sonnets so that you get familiar with his language. The tragedy of Macbeth will allow you to practice close text analysis and spot figures of speech by the scores. Acting out several scenes of Macbeth will guarantee us more than our share of fun in class. The edition chosen, No Fear Shakespeare, gives you the complete text of Macbeth on the left-hand page, side-by-side with an easy-to-understand translation on the right. Polanski's excellent film will highlight the power of this masterpiece.

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 2015. You will be allowed to choose one topic out of two and will dispose of 2 1/2 hours to do it. A minimum of 500 words is expected.

Take every opportunity to express your writing skills during the regular assignments I give you in parallel with the reading work.

Grammar³

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 written grammar exam. ( MCQ).

If there's anything you don’t understand, don’t hesitate to ask questions, even elementary ones especially when revising ! I'll 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 Rosa Parks' story, “Shakespeare in Love” which will introduce you to the Elizabethan era, and R. Polanski’s “Macbeth” in their original version 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 text (~2000 words) on social issues. 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 3 will give you 3 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 2-3 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

1T.C. Boyle: The Tortilla Curtain, Bloomsbury Publishing PLC , 1996

2 No Fear Shakespeare: Macbeth, April 2003

3 T.Spencer: The Golden Grammar Book, third edition (2004)

4 Bescherelle anglais: le vocabulaire, edition Hatier, juin 2008 www. bescherelle.com

5 http://mguignardwebsite.blogspot.ch    click on Documents to access  important files 

6 www.gymnasedubugnon.ch/enggybn/file

3M8 Course Overview

3 M 8 Course Overview

 3M 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 advanced level.

Reading

Reading is challenging and will serve to develop your understanding of British&American literature and culture, as well as to strengthen your comprehension, analysis, and interpretation. This year will focus on essay writing. Topics and issues from the studied works will enable you to write essays in which you will show your analytical skills.

We will start with The Bluest Eye¹ by Nobel Prize African-American writer Toni Morrison, one among the first black women to teach at University in America in the 70's. In this brilliant novel, a favourite of mine, Toni Morrison questions the ideal of beauty through the story of two black families, whose fates are intertwined in the most subtle jigsaw-like narrative, the puzzle is yours to solve. This work will enable you to do some research work on the background of the US just after WWII and address the major social and racial issues of these times. The film “Rosa Parks' story” will introduce you to the context of the Civil Rights Movement in the US.

Introducing Shakespeare with Shakespeare in Love : watch the trailer 

We will go on with Shakespeare's Macbeth² : by way of introduction, we will study some of the most famous Shakespearian sonnets so that you get familiar with his language. The tragedy of Macbeth will allow you to practice close text analysis and spot figures of speech by the scores. Acting out several scenes of Macbeth will guarantee us more than our share of fun in class. The edition chosen, No Fear Shakespeare, gives you the complete text of Macbeth on the left-hand page, side-by-side with an easy-to-understand translation on the right. Polanski's excellent film will highlight the power of this masterpiece.

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 2015. You will be allowed to choose one topic out of two and will dispose of 2 1/2 hours to do it. A minimum of 500 words is expected.

Take every opportunity to express your writing skills during the regular assignments I give you in parallel with the reading work.

Grammar³

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 written grammar exam. ( MCQ).

If there's anything you don’t understand, don’t hesitate to ask questions, even elementary ones especially when revising ! I'll 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 Rosa Parks' story, “Shakespeare in Love” which will introduce you to the Elizabethan era, and R. Polanski’s “Macbeth” in their original version 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 text (~2000 words) on social issues. 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 3 will give you 3 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 2-3 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

1 Toni Morrison: The Bluest Eye, Vintage Books, 2007

2 No Fear Shakespeare: Macbeth, April 2003

3 T.Spencer: The Golden Grammar Book, third edition (2004)

4 Bescherelle anglais: le vocabulaire, edition Hatier, juin 2008 www. bescherelle.com

5 http://mguignardwebsite.blogspot.ch    click on Documents to access  important files 

6 www.gymnasedubugnon.ch/enggybn/file

7 martine.guignardschneider@vd.educanet2.ch