Course Description
See Reviews of Instructor Sally Barstow
Note: There are three sections of French 1. Two (Sections 2 and 3) are taught by Sally Barstow, and Section 1 is taught by Megan Newman. They are the same class, using the same materials, just at different times.
This live, online French 1 class is taught by Sally Barstow (Sections 2 and 3) and Megan Newman (Section 1). French at Aim Academy is one of our top-selling departments.
Studying a new language is an exciting prospect. It’s like breaking a code and then learning how to use it to speak to people who may be different from ourselves. Having a second language opens up new opportunities in life as well as develops areas of the brain that will help students in other fields. Whatever the reason for learning a language, the benefits will be numerous.
This course is designed to help students explore the mysteries of the French language. Thematic units will be built around interactive communication, speaking, and writing presentations, as well as activities in reading and listening interpretation. While the textbook provides a structure for the class as well as a resource for the students, many other tools are incorporated to provide a broad experience for the students.
The class sizes are limited to 12 in order to allow for optimal communication within the classroom as well as teacher oversight on assignments. Mrs. Barstow and Mrs. Newman believe that students are successful when they are comfortable and at ease in the classroom setting. They therefore make every effort to work with students at their level of comfort, working with them until they are ready to go to the next level.
Face-to-face time in our live class is limited to one hour per week; therefore, the weekly assignments are designed to keep students actively engaged with French during the week. Interactive videos, audio recordings, and other authentic French resources are used to accomplish this. Activities to develop accuracy in pronunciation and learn grammatical structures of the language are incorporated into the lessons and assignments. The course is rounded out by exploring the vast contributions the French and francophone countries have made in history, art, literature, and culture and why it is spoken as a major language on every continent in the world.
Course Structure
The class is structured around the weekly live meeting. Students can anticipate having about 3-4 hours of homework each week. Five weekly assignments are posted that build on what was presented in class, and prepare the student for the upcoming meeting. It is imperative that students submit their assignments on a timely basis to be prepared for the live class. In class, students can anticipate needing to ask and answer questions based on the weekly assignments. Language structure is provided to guide the interaction in class. The units last 3-4 weeks with an assessment project/test at the end of each unit.
Who should enroll?
This class is for students in grades 8-12. Younger students by permission of the instructor.
Technology/Other Requirements
- A quiet environment for live class (i.e. not in a noisy area like a coffee shop)
- High speed, broadband Internet
- Sound card and microphone (for live sessions)
- Streaming video capabilities to watch recorded lectures
- A scanner is helpful for turning in assignments
Evaluation and Feedback
Weekly assignments receive the complete score, unless major corrections are needed. If students do their work, including the corrections, they will get a perfect score for their weekly assignments. For the assessments, more details are taken into consideration. If a student is working well and within their abilities, high marks are given.
Most weekly homework is graded the week it is turned in. Unit projects sometimes take longer, patience is given when students have technical difficulties (which often show up with the bigger projects). Feedback and corrections are given in French on the assignments. Mrs. Barstow’s goal is to make herself available to students during the week should they have trouble with any assignments.
Communication
Parents are encouraged to reach out to the teacher whenever they have concerns or questions. They can anticipate a note from her should their student get several weeks behind in their work. Parents are included as ‘observers’ of their students account and as such are able to follow their students grades and overall progress in the class. Whenever communication is made with a student about their work, the parent will be included in the email. Progress reports are sent out at the end of December, with the final grade coming in May once the final test has been graded.
Sarah Roman –
French I was the first French class I’ve ever taken, and it did a great job of introducing me to the language! It was one of my favorite classes this past year! Not only was it not too easy or too difficult, but it was also so much fun! Mrs. Barstow is really a wonderful teacher, and I’m so glad I got to learn French with her!
Juliana –
I wanted to let you know how much I loved your class this year!!! I started out thinking (well, knowing) that I have no bilingual skills whatsoever, and originally chose to do French simply because I hated Spanish. But while learning in your class, I have truly grown to love understanding the language! Your class is so much fun and you break down the material well enough for people like me to learn from. 😉 I appreciated and enjoyed all the presentations you had us do, and learned a lot from the assignments! Thank you so much for being such an engaging and patient teacher, and changing my mind about languages in general; I am really looking forward to taking French ll with you next year!
Gina E. –
My daughter took French I with Mme. Barstow and she loved it. Mme. Barstow is very professional, organized, responsive, and her classes are very entertaining and engaging. She takes the time to find educational and entertaining videos in French and to give detailed and specific feedback for each assignment. My daughter enjoyed the live classes very much since Mme. Barstow gives every student the opportunity to participate and practice speaking French. My daughter feels confident about starting a conversation and is looking forward to the next levels of French.
Rebecca May (verified owner) –
My daughter has taken French classes with Sally Barstow for the past two years. Ms. Barstow taught vocabulary and grammar as well as information about French-speaking countries and French culture. My daughter always looked forward to her classes, and she enjoyed the assignments and projects. Ms. Barstow also gave the students lots of opportunities and encouragement to speak in French, and this has helped my daughter to become confident conversing in French.
Diane Auclair (verified owner) –
Madame Barstow has made learning French a fun experience for my daughter, with enough challenge and difficulty, creative assignments, and enjoyable conversation in class. The one-hour weekly class fits our schedule, and the assignments do not overwhelm. My daughter looks forward to class each week, and to taking higher level French next year.
Diane Harvey (verified owner) –
My son has immensely enjoyed Sally Barstow’s French I class. Mrs. Barstow is very warm and encouraging of the students, and she creates a class atmosphere that helps even the most hesitant student to feel confident in using the language. She makes excellent use of various tools in assisting the students with gaining greater proficiency in speaking the language and learning the French culture. My son has many excellent teachers this year in both online and co-op classes, but he regards Mrs. Barstow as one of his favorites. I highly recommend her!
Jennifer Goebel (verified owner) –
My daughter was looking for a basic online high school French class – not too easy, but not something so time-consuming that it took time away from other subjects. Sally’s class has been a very good fit. There is an hour of instruction each week and usually 4-5 homework assignments to complete before the next session. She is patient and kind as the students learn the language. My daughter will be taking French 2 from her next year!
Lynnette F. –
“My son and daughter have taken French classes with Sally Barstow for three years. Sally, certainly has the knowledge and the ability to teach French on a professional level and keep her students interested.
As a result of taking Sally’s French class, my children are able communicate in French by speaking, writing and reading. It had been a rewarding experience for our family.” Lynnette F., Fredericksburg, VA
Dorothy S. –
“In my search for a French teacher for my daughter, we were blessed to find Mrs. Barstow. She was well known and highly recommended in the home school network. My daughter loved her class and learned so much during her time with Mrs. Barstow. She made learning the language fun by engaging the students in conversation, and giving the students an opportunity to showcase what they had learned during the Christmas and end of year celebrations. During these celebrations students would prepare skits and present them to the parents. The students were encouraged to try French cuisine and prepared dishes to share with family and friends. We are so grateful to have had the opportunity to be blessed by Mrs. Barstow’s love for the French language and culture which was so evident in her teaching. “ Dorothy S., Fredericksburg, VA