Bonjour!
Have you ever wanted to learn a new language?
Excited to immerse in different cultures?
Want a lifelike experience of daily life in France?
For all these reasons, the LJMS French department is for you! At LJMS, we have many students who want to learn French for many reasons. Why do you want to learn French? Have you always been amazed by the amount of accents? Have you always wanted to travel and stay in France and communicate with locals? Just wanted to speak in a rich and romantic language? LJMS takes all these reasons and provides a fun yet enriching French language course where students both learn and embrace the French lifestyle.
In middle school, students get introduced to the first and most exciting level of French, where students begin to immerse themselves in French greetings, pronouns, and beginning vocabulary on daily objects around them. However, it’s not just the French language students learn to speak. Students learn how to read French books, visit French cities, and understand key French historical events and famous French figures. Mdme. Marteeny, French language teacher at LJMS, is a very welcoming and accommodating instructor who is willing to give extra help for students who may not get a difficult concept the first time around.
Mdme. Marteeny has some advice for students who are looking to take French at LJMS:
“Why should students learn a foreign language?”
“The benefits of learning a foreign language are unimaginable. When you learn a foreign language, not only are you able to communicate with locals of that country who don’t speak English, but learning a new language opens a wide array of possibilities for travel and exploration. In general, scientists have proven that it’s excellent for brain development by opening different lobes triggered by linguistics. Essentially, learning another language also helps with English phonics and grammar understanding for word decomposition.”
“How are LJ’s language programs different than other schools?”
“Well, in terms of content, we teach the same things as other schools. Language Level One is what is taught at all schools for all languages, and at LJMS, it is no different. What’s different about our programs is really the teachers. I truly believe Level One of a language should be enjoyable. It should excite students to go further in their language studies by providing a learning environment where students can excel and understand the different nuances and accents of words. If you learn French at LJMS, everyday won’t be a party, but I promise that it will be fun. That, I feel, is something that many teachers lack and is unique to LJMS.”
“Why is French such a unique language?”
“I feel French is a unique language because it’s just so universal. It’s the universal language for business, the Olympics, and even FIFA! There are many empire organizations worldwide that run on French! French is spread out among the world in so many countries, unlike Spanish which is spoken by many people in few countries. Though there are many other reasons, one of the main assets of learning French is the sheer number of situations where you can use it to make yourself stand out from others.”
For students who already are proficient at French, they can schedule with their counselor to take the World Language Credit Equivalency Exam to demonstrate their ability to write and read in their language to earn either one, two, or three high school credits for their diploma. This is just for students who have already learned French and don’t want to take a full year consisting of material they already know.
However, for those who don’t know French, the LJMS French class is the perfect way to indulge, learn, and experience the French lifestyle from a mere classroom with Mdme. Marteeny.
Schedule with your counselor to take French as an elective today!
Related Stories:
https://www.fcps.edu/academics/high/world-languages/french
https://www.fcps.edu/academics/academic-overview/world-languages
https://www.fcps.edu/academics/high/world-languages/credit-exam-world-languages
Take Action:
Contact Mdme. Marteeny, French teacher at LJMS, for more questions on the program:
