Rencontres Alignment Guide
Methuen Public Schools
World Language Curriculum Guide
French Unit 1
Massachusetts World Languages Curriculum Alignment Guide
Unit Overview • Planning for High Proficiency & Culturally Responsive Instruction
Unit #/Title
Unit 1: Rencontres
(Meeting People)
Length of Unit
4 - 6 Weeks
(Quarter 1)
Proficiency Target(s)
Novice-Low / Mid
(ACTFL Standards)
Theme(s) / Topic(s)
AP Theme: Personal and Public Identities. Topics include formal/informal greetings, sharing personal details (name, age, origin, pronouns), expressing basic feelings, and identifying pluricentric global identities across Francophone communities.
Vision of a Graduate (VoG) Competencies (Methuen Public Schools)
Effective Communicators
Master oral and written self-introductions. Practice active listening with diverse global speakers and adapt registers appropriately.
Self-Aware Navigators
Reflect on personal and linguistic identities; explore goals for language acquisition and practice confident public expression.
Intentional Collaborators
Value diversity and inclusion by listening to and respecting cultural customs, body language, and non-binary pronouns (*iel*).
Centering Student Diversity
This unit deliberately de-centers a purely Eurocentric (Parisian) worldview. By introducing authentic, regional French variations and local cultural realities (Senegal, Quebec, Haiti, and France) on Day 1, we validate multi-ethnic students' identities. Instruction respects and scaffolds regional accents, provides inclusive non-binary language resources (such as *iel*), and frames linguistic diversity as an intellectual and communal asset.
Essential Question(s)
- How do the ways we greet each other and introduce ourselves reflect our personal and cultural identities?
- How do language choices (e.g., tu vs. vous, or inclusive pronouns) shape relationships and establish mutual respect?
- What does it mean to be a member of a global, multi-continental, pluricentric French-speaking community?
Unit Goals / Objectives
Interpretive: Identify greetings, names, origins, ages, and pronouns in short audio recordings and texts representing Senegal, France, Quebec, and Haiti.
Interpersonal: Swap essential biographical data, inquire about well-being, and negotiate meaning using highly predictable formulaic language and respectful physical gestures.
Presentational: Write or record basic, prepared introductions of oneself or a peer for a global digital forum directory.
Intercultural: Analyze and compare physical greeting protocols (e.g., la bise, Wolof-French ritualized greetings, and the firm North American handshake) to identify underlying community values.
Created by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, 2022 Page 1 of 8
Methuen Public Schools
World Language Curriculum Guide
Global Francophone
Culturally Relevant Authentic Resources
West Africa (Senegal):
Videos showing ritual Wolof-French greetings in Dakar (asking about health, family, and home) emphasizing Teranga (the spirit of hospitality) and physical postures (e.g., lowering eyes as a sign of deep respect for elders).
Europe (France):
Vlogs and infographics of "la bise" greeting rules in various regions of France, illustrating geographic variants of how many kisses are exchanged, coupled with authentic email exchanges showing the strict division of tu vs. vous.
North America (Quebec, Canada):
Short, high-interest youth audio clips from Hydro-Québec and educational networks highlighting bilingual realities and specific local introductory slang ("Allo! C'est le fun de te rencontrer!").
Caribbean (Haiti):
Authentic photo collages and audio files from Haitian radio shows introducing young artists. Demonstrates Haitian French and Haitian Creole parallels in welcoming community members with warmth and rhythmic physical gestures.
Additional Notes
*Pacing Guidance:* Spend 1 week on each region (Senegal, France, Quebec, Haiti) to model, compare, and practice specific greeting linguistic structures, maximizing target language exposure (90%+ target language) using highly visual inputs. Include explicit mini-lessons on the history of French as a global language, introducing it through a respectful historical lens.
Standards Summary (Page 1 of 2)
Focused Massachusetts World Language Content Standards (Novice Low)
| Standard Category | Novice Low Content Standards & Functions |
|---|
| 1. Interpretive | NL.1.a: Recognize traits of multiple cultures and communities. |
| NL.1.b: Identify words, phrases, and basic information in highly visual context. | |
| 2. Interpersonal | NL.2.a: Respond to culturally diverse interlocutors, products, practices, and ideas. |
| NL.2.b: Respond to a few simple, highly practiced questions about personal identity. | |
| 3. Presentational | NL.3.a: Demonstrate awareness and basic understanding of themselves and their audience. |
| NL.3.b: Provide simple, basic, prepared info in culturally appropriate ways. | |
| 4. Intercultural | NL.4.a: Refer to typical products and practices of an audience's or interlocutor's culture. |
| NL.4.b: Use appropriate highly practiced gestures and behaviors during interactions. | |
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Methuen Public Schools
World Language Curriculum Guide
Framework Alignment
Standards Summary (Page 2 of 2)
Advanced / Novice Mid World Language Content Standards Focused or Introduced
| Standard Category | Novice Mid & Broad Curricular Alignment Standards |
|---|
| 1. Interpretive | NM.1.b: Identify some basic facts from authentic texts (such as French forum profile cards or introductory email messages). |
| 2. Interpersonal | NM.2.b: Respond to questions by providing basic information about themselves. |
| NM.2.c: Ask highly predictable, formulaic questions. | |
| 3. Presentational | NM.3.b: Provide simple, basic, prepared information in culturally appropriate ways. |
| 4. Intercultural | NM.4.b: Use appropriate rehearsed gestures and behaviors to connect with target speakers. |
| 5. Cultures | NM.5.b: Recognize and identify factors that contribute to individual and cultural identities across global Francophone domains. |
| 6. Comparisons | NM.6.a.1: Identify similarities and differences in products, practices, and perspectives. |
| NM.6.b.1: Identify cognates in welcoming texts (différence, salutation). | |
| 7. Connections | NM.7.a: Incorporate interdisciplinary vocabulary (geography, history, sociology). |
| 8. Communities | NM.8.b.2: Interact with speakers of the target language to build relationships (virtual forums, local linguistic communities, or simulation activities). |
Curriculum Alignment Note
The standards selected explicitly align with Methuen's commitment to cultivating global citizenship and personal growth. Standard 5 (Cultures) and Standard 6 (Comparisons) serve as critical vehicles for achieving the district’s Vision of a Graduate Competencies by directly engaging students in cultural empathy and self-reflection on their heritage, community traditions, and social contexts.
Created by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, 2022 Page 3 of 8
Methuen Public Schools
World Language Curriculum Guide
SEL & Social Justice
Social and Emotional Well-being
Since Unit 1 requires kids to speak a brand new language, we prioritize lower student anxiety (reducing the "affective filter"). Strategies include:
- Daily low-stakes cooperative ice-breakers to build peer relationships and strong classroom community connections.
- Emphasizing progress and communicative comprehensibility over grammatical perfection to build student self-confidence.
- Reflecting on individual stress levels during oral speaking tasks, providing breathing exercises, and utilizing peer cheerleading circles.
Social Justice
The curriculum systematically tackles language prestige and inclusivity by:
- Framing French as a global lingua franca of equal value, ensuring that West African (Senegal) and Caribbean (Haiti) varieties share identical academic weight with European French.
- Providing clear tools on non-binary gender-neutral subject pronouns (like *iel*) and writing markers (like dots: ami·e·s) so that all students feel seen.
- Directly exploring the history of colonialism that spread French globally, promoting historical thinking and critical cultural awareness.
Additional Massachusetts Standards
Aligns closely with the Massachusetts Social Studies Framework (Human Geography, migration, and the historical spread of languages) and the ELA Framework (conventions of dialogue, active listening, and analyzing spoken/written communicative registers).
Summative Assessment
How will students demonstrate they have met unit goals/objectives?
Integrated Performance Assessment (IPA) Context:
"Le Forum Mondial des Jeunes Francophones" (The Global Francophone Youth Forum)
Students act as delegate attendees at an international conference of French-speaking youth. In order to successfully participate, they must complete three connected tasks:
1. Interpretive Reading
Read four authentic forum delegate profiles and complete an analysis sheet.
2. Interpersonal Oral
Engage in a spontaneous dialogue with another peer delegate to introduce yourself.
3. Presentational Writing
Compose a complete delegate profile or record a welcome greeting for the forum directory.
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Methuen Public Schools
World Language Curriculum Guide
IPA Task Details
| Communicative Mode | Description of Task(s) | Differentiation for Equity | Embedded Standards |
|---|
| Interpretive | "Meet the Delegates": Read profiles of four youth from Montreal, Dakar, Port-au-Prince, and Lyon. Identify name, age, preferred pronouns, feelings, and cultural greeting customs. | Visual match icons, vocabulary glossaries, simple sentence structures, read-aloud option. | NL.1.a, NL.1.b, NM.1.b, Cultures 5.a |
| Interpersonal | "Live Chat Mixer": Spontaneous, paired conversation (3 mins). Meet a delegate from another country. Swap names, age, origins, feelings, and ask 2 predictable questions. | Visual cue cards, choice of partners, peer support strategies, structured speaking scaffolds. | NL.2.a, NL.2.b, NM.2.b, NM.2.c |
| Presentational | "Welcome Message": Write a blog profile card (30-40 words) or record a 1-minute video greeting. Introduce yourself, state age, origin, and select preferred cultural greeting styles. | Choice of medium (written vs. spoken/recorded), sentence frames, visual word banks. | NL.3.a, NL.3.b, NM.3.b, NM.5.b |
| Intercultural | "Cultural Reflections": Complete a brief visual comparison sheet mapping greeting gestures (la bise vs. Wolof handshakes) and contrast with American customs. | Reflection in English or L1 is acceptable; drawing options, visual matching. | NL.4.a, NL.4.b, NM.4.b, Comparisons 6.a |
Avoiding Biases
Eliminate bias by ensuring the virtual forum setting requires zero student travel background or wealth. Every character represented in materials has a balanced, modern, and positive lifestyle profile.
Scoring Tools and Methods
Analytical rubrics based directly on ACTFL Performance Descriptors (Exceeds, Meets, Approaches Expectations). Grades reflect message delivery over mechanics.
Feedback Tools and Methods
"Glow & Grow" visual feedback forms detailing one primary conversational victory and one targeted growth objective, combined with student self-evaluation logs.
Created by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, 2022 Page 5 of 8
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World Language Curriculum Guide
Instruction Plan
Instruction (Page 1 of 2)
Key Learning Activities, Formative Assessments, and Culturally Relevant Resources
| Communicative Mode | Key Learning Activities & Formative Assessments | Culturally Relevant Resources | Embedded Standards |
|---|
| Interpretive | Listen to audio greetings from Senegal, France, Quebec; identify names and origins. Complete visual sorting activities mapping greeting audio to photo arrays. | Youth audio interviews from hydroquebec.ca and Senegalese public television. | NL.1.b, NM.1.b, NM.5.b |
| Interpersonal | "Speed-Dating Mixer": Students swap personal cards, practicing different registers (tu vs. vous). Peer-to-peer formatives check correct gestures. | Dialogue scripts from Senegalese primary schools; "la bise" video map of France. | NL.2.b, NM.2.b, NL.4.b |
| Presentational | Design custom ID badges detailing fictitious global identities. Conduct video self-recording greetings with custom virtual maps. | Global identity templates, modern youth blogging layouts. | NL.3.b, NM.3.b, NL.4.a |
| Intercultural | Analyze greetings across France and Senegal. Formative Venn diagrams contrast tactile versus spoken customs, tracing values like personal boundaries and respect. | Infographics highlighting Wolof traditions of extensive conversational circles. | NL.4.a, NL.4.b, Comparisons 6.a |
Toolbox (Functional Language Structures) Target Level: Novice-Low/Mid
Key Language Functions
- Greeting formally/informally
- Exchanging personal names
- Inquiring about origins
- Stating age and pronouns
- Bidding farewell respectfully
Grammatical Structures
- Subject Pronouns (je, tu, il, elle, iel, nous, vous, ils, elles)
- Present of être (to be) & avoir (to have)
- Possessive Adjectives (mon, ton, son)
- Basic Adjective Agreement
Essential Vocabulary
- Bonjour, Salut, Allo
- Comment t'appelles-tu?
- Je m'appelle..., Enchanté·e
- J'ai... ans / Je suis de...
- Ça va? / Au revoir, À bientôt
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World Language Curriculum Guide
Instructional Equity
Instruction (Page 2 of 2)
Core Practices, Equitable Supports, and Integrated Learning Strategies
Social and Emotional Well-Being
Integrate regular wellness moments during long classes. Guide students through language-learning self-assessments so they recognize and validate their progress. Utilize paired partnerships where students swap affirming feedback to nurture an empathetic learning climate.
Social Justice
Directly dissect historical forces (imperialism, exploration) that spread French. Introduce students to local languages like Creole or Wolof alongside French to honor bilingual speakers. Frame all cultures with high esteem and reject colonial constructs of language superiority.
Differentiation for Equity
Provide multi-tiered scaffolds: Tier 1 (sentence frames, illustrated dictionaries), Tier 2 (flexible audio speeds, visual pairing cards), Tier 3 (alternative presentation media). Honor students' diverse learning modalities.
Technology Integration
Utilize interactive digital maps (Google Earth, Padlet) to chart global speakers. Implement accessible online recording tools (Flip, Vocaroo) for asynchronous speaking options that give students multiple chances to produce their best language.
Core Practices Aligned in Instruction
✓
Target Language Comprehensibility Maintain 90%+ target language with extensive contextual gestures and visual anchors.
✓
Authentic Resources Integrate authentic texts, podcasts, and video snippets representing diverse voices from day one.
✓
Oral Interpersonal Tasks Incorporate low-stakes daily target language conversation loops with diverse peers.
✓
Backward Design Drive day-to-day lesson delivery and materials directly from the unit's IPA criteria.
✓
Teach Grammar in Context Embed grammar instruction inside communicative actions; no isolated paradigm memorization.
✓
Provide Oral Feedback Nurture student communicative output via constructive, meaning-focused feedback.
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World Language Curriculum Guide
Post-Unit Reflections
Reflection and Analysis
Continuous Improvement and Curriculum Evaluation
Centering Student Diversity
Verify that student demographics are represented by reviewing the cultural backgrounds and profile selections of characters used throughout classroom materials. Ensure that Eurocentric models are balanced with respectful West African, Canadian, and Caribbean representations.
Strengths
Integrates multi-modal, immersive material on global Francophonie early. Connects academic concepts to MPS's Vision of a Graduate values (Effective Communicators, Self-Aware Navigators). Features a cohesive IPA with excellent scaffolding.
Areas for Improvement
Allocate additional instructional days for novice-low learners to master the distinction between tu and vous. Scaffold speaking challenges carefully to ensure all students can complete tasks with confidence.
| Unit Component | Alignment Notes | Aligned? |
|---|
| Summative Assessment | Directly targets Interpretive, Interpersonal, Presentational, and Intercultural communication objectives under the state framework. | |
| ✓ Fully Aligned | | |
|
| Key Learning Activities | Consistently scaffolds the foundational structures (subject pronouns, basic verbs) needed to succeed on the IPA. |
✓ Fully Aligned
|
Next Steps
Transition seamlessly into Unit 2: "Ma Famille, Ma Communauté" (My Family & My Community) which builds directly on these identity blocks by introducing possessive structures, immediate relationships, and personal values.
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