Les Conversations: Describing

Learning Resource Type

Classroom Resource

Subject Area

World Languages

Grade(s)

7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Overview

This resource provides 21 separate video clips of French speakers, each of which illustrates how to use descriptions in conversation. Students use interpretive listening skills to identify main ideas and examine how descriptions enhance conversation through these authentic resources. The videos were prepared for intermediate and advanced level learners but could be used with novice learners as a way to introduce them to authentic language. Each video clip provides a French-language transcript and links to grammar reviews and activities for the concepts that are heard in the clip. The concepts covered include an introduction to adjectives; introduction to negations, gender, introduction to nouns, irregular adjectives, number - singular and plural, participles as adjectives, present tense, and relative pronouns.

World Languages (2017) Grade(s): 07-12 - World Languages

WL17.WL.L2.2

Interpret what is heard, read, or viewed on familiar topics using the past tense.

UP:WL17.WL.L2.2

Knowledge

Students know: how to:
  • interpret audio and visual documents in the target language
  • identify key information and details from the target language materials
  • explain how the target language is connected to other content areas through geography, history, etc.
  • recognize basic products of the target language culture.

Skills

Novice High Level
Students are able to:
  • identify the key idea presented by a speaker or published work on a familiar topic.
  • differentiate between questions and statements.
  • gather basic information from graphs, charts and pictures.
  • rely on background knowledge to aid in comprehension of difficult or new words.
  • recognize characters and punctuation marks that are unique to the target language.
Intermediate Low Level
Students are able to:
  • identify patterns in the contruction of past tense verbs and how this impacts meaning of texts.
  • how to recognize and use descriptors in basic conversations
  • restate key information.
  • use cognates to assist in comprehension of target language materials.

Understanding

Students understand that:
Novice High Level
  • effective communication requires knowing how when and why to say what to whom.
  • the purpose of language study is to communicate so one can understand others and be understood.
  • other understandings will depend on the theme being taught.
Students understand that:
Intermediate Low Level
  • effective communication requires knowing how when and why to say what to whom.
  • the purpose of language study is to communicate so one can understand others and be understood.
  • other understandings will depend on the theme being taught.
World Languages (2017) Grade(s): 07-12 - World Languages

WL17.WL.L2.4

Identify perspectives through practices of the target cultures.

UP:WL17.WL.L2.4

Knowledge

Students know:
  • how to appropriately greet and address a variety of people within the target culture.
  • how to explain why specific holidays, celebrations and events are important to the target language culture.

Skills

Novice High Level
Students are able to:
  • address others in a culturally appropriate manner.
  • identify practices associated with specific target language culture events such as celebrations and holidays.
  • identify practices associated with the student's own events, celebrations, and holidays.
  • investigate the relationship between cultural practices and perspectives.
Intermediate Low Level
Students are able to:
  • address others in a culturally appropriate manner.
  • dentify and explain practices associated with specific target language culture events, celebrations, and holidays.
  • identify and explain practices associated with the student's own events, celebrations, and holidays.
  • investigate the relationship between cultural practices and perspectives.

Understanding

Students understand that:
    an ability to communicate in another language fosters a better.
  • understanding of my own language and culture.
  • custom and tradition vary within a culture, as well as between cultures.
  • similarities and differences in the practices of another culture often stem from the perspective of that culture.
  • other understandings will vary according to theme taught.
World Languages (2017) Grade(s): 07-12 - World Languages

WL17.WL.L2.8

Compare characteristics of the target language and the native language.

UP:WL17.WL.L2.8

Knowledge

Students know:
  • how to recognize similarities among root words in order to aid comprehension in the target language.
  • which pronouns and verb forms to use in formal and informal situations.
  • how to politely ask for assistance or information.
  • how to greet and thank someone formally and informally.
  • that word order varies across langauges and may differ from their native language.
  • that some expressions (ex.
    • idomatic expressions) may not translate literally from language to language.

Skills

Novice High Level
Students are able to:
  • use the alphabet or writing system to express ideas.
  • use diacritical markings to clarify meaning when writing.
  • identify appropriate situations in which to use formal and informal structures.
  • memorize common idomatic expressions.
  • match words from the target language to similarly structured words in the native language.
Intermediate Low Level
Students are able to:
  • identify which situations would require formal or informal forms of language.
  • use correct word order when writing and speaking about dates and descriptions.
  • recognize and use very common idomatic expressions.
  • match words from the target language to similarly structured words in the native language.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • languages can show formality and informality in ways different from their native language.
  • cognates and false cognates exist between languages.
  • not every word or phrase has an equivalent translation in another language.
  • word order often differs between languages.
  • by learning another language one can better understand how the native language works.
  • other understandings will depend on theme taught.
World Languages (2017) Grade(s): 07-12 - World Languages

WL17.WL.L3.2

Interpret what is heard, read, or viewed on familiar topics in a variety of time frames.

UP:WL17.WL.L3.2

Knowledge

Students know:
  • the target language vocabulary for specific purposes including:
    • question words.
    • dates, times.
    • schedules.
    • travel (airport).
    • accepting/rejecting an invitaiton.
    • likes & dislikes.
    • compliments.
    • descriptive words.
    • messages for greeting cards.
    • services being offered on a variety of sitionations.
    • interests and daily routines.
    • sports.
    • jobs.
    • weather.
  • vocabulary related to travel, (customs forms, hotel registrations, information on ID.
  • and can use verbs in a variety of time frames.

Skills

Intermediate Low Level
Students are able to:
  • understand and determine types of listening sources
  • understand location and time of an event.
  • understand announcements (arrival/departure info, due dates, time and date of messages).
  • understand questions and statements about daily routines, interests, scheudles)
  • understand what is asked for on a form or application.
  • understand basic information in a variety of contexts (weather forcasts, job postings, biographical data).
Intermediate Mid Level
Students are able to:
  • understand the main idea and details of advertisements and announcements and messages.
  • understand the main idea and details of literary and non-literary texts.
  • understand questions asked for surveys questionaires and forms across a variety of contexts.
  • understand basic information given in ads, labels, brochures, erc across a variety of contexts
  • understand the who, what, where, when, why & how of literary & non-literary texts.

Understanding

Intermediate-Low Level Students understand that:
  • effective communication requires knowing how when and why to say what to whom.
  • the purpose of language study is to communicate so one can understand others and be understood.
  • other understandings will depend on the theme being taught.
World Languages (2017) Grade(s): 07-12 - World Languages

WL17.WL.L3.4

Investigate perspectives through practices of the target cultures.

UP:WL17.WL.L3.4

Knowledge

Students know:
  • a variety of the target language specific vocabulary.
  • verb conjugations in a variety of time frames.
  • to incorporate background knowledge of cultural events studied in earlier levels.

Skills

Intermediate Low Level
Students are able to:
  • address others in a culturally appropriate manner.
  • identify and explain practices associated with specific target language culture events, celebrations, and holidays.
  • identify and explain practices associated with the student's own events, celebrations, and holidays.
  • investigate the relationship between cultural practices and perspectives.
Intermediate Mid Level
Students are able to:
  • identify how a culture's beliefs and ideas are demonstrated by how they interact with one another.
  • communicate with one another in culturally appropriate ways in a variety of familiar contexts.
  • investigate, analyze and reflect on the relationship of cultural products to perspectives.
  • investigate, analyze and reflect on the relationship of cultural practices to perspectives.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • language and culture are inextricably linked together.
  • a culture's perspectives will be reflected in their practices and products.
  • an ability to communicate in another language fosters a better.
  • understanding of my own language and culture.
  • custom and tradition vary within a culture, as well as between cultures.
  • other understandings will vary according to theme being taught.
World Languages (2017) Grade(s): 07-12 - World Languages

WL17.WL.L3.8

Compare characteristics of the target language and the native language in a variety of time frames.

UP:WL17.WL.L3.8

Knowledge

Students know:
  • a variety of the target language specific vocabulary.
  • verb conjugations in a variety of time frames.
  • both high frequency and other common idiomatic expressions from earlier levels.
  • cognates and false cognates.
  • when to use formal and informal langauge in the target culture.
  • uses of various time frames.

Skills

Intermediate Low Level
Students are able to:
  • identify which situations would require formal or informal forms of language.
  • use correct word order when writing and speaking about dates and descriptions.
  • recognize and use very common idomatic expressions.
  • match words from the target language to similarly structured words in the native language.
Intermediate Mid Level
Students are able to:
  • identify and use a variety of target language vocabulary.
  • use correct word order when writing and speaking about dates and descriptions.
  • communicate in present, past, future, etc..
  • use idiomatic expressions to convey thoughts in culturally appropriate ways.
  • compare and connect language similarities and differences using cognates and false cognates.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • culture and language are inextricably linked together.
  • structures and writing systems of the target language and English have similarities and differences.
  • different linguistic structures communicate different meanings.
  • by learning another language one can better understand how the native language works.
  • other understandings will depend on theme taught.
World Languages (2017) Grade(s): 07-12 - World Languages

WL17.WL.L4.2

Interpret, restate, and react to what is heard, read, or viewed on familiar and new topics.

UP:WL17.WL.L4.2

Knowledge

Students know:
  • the target language vocabulary for specific topics.
  • how to communicate in a variety of tenses and moods.

Skills

Intermediate Mid Level
Students are able to:
  • understand basic information from advertisments and announcements, audio or print.
  • understand the main idea(s) of voice messages and videos
  • understand basic statements and questions in an interview.
  • understand questions in a survey or questionnaire.
  • understand information in a variety of print formats (ex: brochures, magazines, labels, etc.).
  • understand information in interpersonal communication.
  • understand main ideas, supporting details, themes, settings, characters and plot lines in literary texts.
Intermediate High Level
Students are able to:
  • understand basic information from advertisments and announcements, audio or print.
  • understand interpersonal exchanges, spoken or in print.
  • understand information in a variety of print formats (ex: brochures, magazines, labels, etc.).
  • understand main ideas, supporting details, themes, settings, characters and plot lines in literary texts.

Understanding

Students understand that:
Intermediate Mid Level
  • effective communication requires knowing how when and why to say what to whom.
  • the purpose of language study is to communicate so one can understand others and be understood.
  • other understandings will depend on the theme being taught.
Intermediate High:
  • effective communication requires knowing how when and why to say what to whom.
  • the purpose of language study is to communicate so one can understand others and be understood.
  • other understandings will depend on the theme being taught.
World Languages (2017) Grade(s): 07-12 - World Languages

WL17.WL.L4.4

Investigate perspectives through practices of the target cultures.

UP:WL17.WL.L4.4

Knowledge

Students know:
  • how to communicate in a variety of tenses and moods.
  • the target language vocabulary for specific purposes.
  • background knowledge of the target culture.

Skills

Intermediate Mid Level
Students are able to:
  • identify how a culture's beliefs and ideas are demonstrated by how they interact with one another.
  • communicate with one another in culturally appropriate ways in a variety of familiar contexts.
  • investigate, analyze and reflect on the relationship of cultural products to perspectives.
  • investigate, analyze and reflect on the relationship of cultural practices to perspectives.
Intermediate High Level
Students are able to:
  • interact appropriately in various contexts with members of the target culture.
  • investigate, analyze and reflect on the relationship of cultural products to perspectives.
  • investigate, analyze and reflect on the relationship of cultural practices to perspectives.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • language and culture are extricalble linked.
  • an ability to communicate in another language fosters a better.
  • understanding of my own language and culture.
  • custom and tradition vary within a culture, as well as between cultures.
  • other understandings will vary according to theme being taught.
World Languages (2017) Grade(s): 07-12 - World Languages

WL17.WL.L4.8

Compare characteristics of the target language and the native language in a variety of time frames and moods.

UP:WL17.WL.L4.8

Knowledge

Students know:
  • common idiomatic expressions in the target language.
  • formal and informal forms of address and language.
  • the target language vocabulary for specific purposes.
  • how to communicate in a variety of tenses and moods.

Skills

Intermediate Mid Level
Students are able to:
  • identify and use a variety of target language vocabulary.
  • use correct word order when writing and speaking about dates and descriptions.
  • communicate in present, past, future, etc..
  • use idiomatic expressions to convey thoughts in culturally appropriate ways.
  • compare and connect language similarities and differences using cognates and false cognates.
    • Intermediate High Level
    Students are able to:
    • differentiate between when to use formal and informal register.
    • recognize and understand idiomatic expressions in listening and reading.
    • use idiomatic expressions appropriately in speaking and writing.
    • communicate in the target language in a variety of time frames and moods.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • formal and informal registers of language are indicative of the practices and perspectives of the target culture.
  • by learning another language one can better understand how the native language works.
    • other understandings will depend on theme taught.

CR Resource Type

Audio/Video

Resource Provider

Coerll University of Texas at Austin

License Type

Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike

Resource Provider other

Coerll University of Texas at Austin
https://cmaj.coerll.utexas.edu/cmaj2/function/describing/

Custom License Type (URL)

https://creativecommons.org/licenses

Accessibility

Text Resources: Content is organized under headings and subheadings
Video resources: includes closed captioning or subtitles

Approved Date

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