Upper French classes unite in one period

This year the already combined class of French 4 and 5 Advanced Placement (AP) that has been offered at school has had to adjust to having yet more students in it: Now the class also includes French 3 students.

This combined class solution boosts numbers and will allow the advanced French program to continue.

According to French teacher Elaine Haggerty, who is teaching the combined class, it will have two distinct levels: the 4 and 5 AP levels and the level 3 group.  The curricula will be adjusted to combine the 4 and 5 AP level into one AP level with the intent that all students in that group to take the AP French Language test in May.

“Having two groups in one classroom at the same time isn't ideal, but we dealt with it last year and the students will do their best this year as well,” Haggerty said.

French 4 and 5 AP students now learn the same material, since both classes have similar curriculum. But she said that the difficult  part of this change is teaching the French 3 students as well. While these students are still learning grammar, 4 and 5 AP students are aiming for fluency in the language.

Despite the obstacles that come with the new class arrangement, Haggerty sees benefits to a combined class, which includes the use of pair work between levels. This way, she said, the French 3 students get a glimpse of the work they can expect next year.

Senior Anya Herne, who is in French 5 AP, said that the French 5 students have been helping the French 3 students because the French 5 workbook has not arrived yet.

Additionally, due to the combined levels, native French speakers are mixed with non-native speakers.

“One the one hand, it is a bit stressful because you’re forced to realize there’s this massive gap between your own French abilities,” Herne said. “However, I personally want to become fluent one day, and having native speakers reminds me that I have a long way to go, which is in a way a good thing.”

Herne admits that the combined class has its benefits, as the 5 AP students get to practice their French with more people, but she sometimes gets frustrated at the lack of progress in the class.

There are currently 97 students enrolled in the French program, with 66 in French 1 and 2 and 31 enrolled in the combined class, which meets during seventh period. Haggerty believes the students will be able to adapt to the change.

“The [combined] French class is bigger than I expected,” said Herne. “There are a lot of kids I don’t know because they are a lot younger.”

Furthermore, with school ending late on odd class days, many students who are in this class have conflicts with sports. The schedule’s 3:45 release time often causes several absences in the class due to practices or games.

Herne, a golf player, said it makes her schedule more difficult to manage. Her practices start at 3:30, 15 minutes before school ends and as a result, has made her miss many class activities. Having to do so, she said has “ticked her off” because she is missing a part of a language class and it interferes with her long-term goal. But, she said that Haggerty is understanding. Having to struggle with it now, Herne said that she is looking forward to post-season.

“I just keep reminding myself that the golf season is only eight weeks long, and that after the season ends, I have the rest of the year to catch up on French,” Herne said.

Despite all the challenges this year, Haggerty hopes that students will be able to keep the French program alive for years to come.

“Everyone wants to keep the French program going, so we are doing what we need to until the program grows enough to have a separate period for each level,” Haggerty said.