Breaking the French Barrier Beginner 'A' Homeschool Package + Online Access

Breaking the French Barrier Middle School is a versatile, independent, homeschool-friendly French curriculum teaching vocabulary, grammar, and culture to middle and high school students. Students are required to have a consumable worktext and access to the online activities.

Levels A and B are a modification of the original Breaking the French Barrier Level 1 (Beginner) spread over two years with additional practice and review. At these beginner levels, students will learn the four language skills of speaking, listening, reading, and writing, with a healthy dose of culture and fun in every lesson!

The A and B option was created for students who prefer a more deliberate, comfortable pace in learning French. It can be used at the middle school level or in place of the original high school Beginner Level 1 which moves at a quicker pace (see below). Yes, each course can be used as a year of high school French credit. Whether you choose levels A and B or Level 1, completion of these courses will place a student into Level 2 (Intermediate).

Level A (Year 1 of 2) has 8 lessons beginning with the STEPS, a section designed to build some familiarity with the look and sounds of the language with greetings and other commonly used words prior to actual instruction. Every lesson highlights a new francophone (French speaking) part of the world and includes a pause halfway through to check for understanding. 259 pages

• Grammar includes present tense of regular verbs, interrogatives, present irregular verbs, articles, plural nouns, boot verbs, negatives, prepositions, possessive adjectives, direct and indirect object pronouns, and verbs using avoir in the passe compose.
• Vocabulary includes introductions, family, numbers, transportation, body, in town, food and drink, and sports. A helpful verb conjugation table in the back makes for a nice reference tool.

Level B (Year 2 of 2) begins with a lengthy review of vocabulary and grammar concepts from Level A. Every lesson highlights a new francophone (French speaking) part of the world and includes a pause halfway through to check for understanding. 253 pages

• Grammar includes irregular verbs, passe compose with etre, adverbs, reflexive verbs, immediate future, recent past, demonstrative adjectives, imperfect tense, choosing between the 2 past tenses, uses of de, agreement with the past participle, qui and que, prepositions with geographical nouns, future tense, using on and tout.
• Vocabulary includes clothes, weather, at home, at school, vacations, music, commands, and high tech.

Components:

• Student Edition with Online Access is now a full-color consumable workbook. Each student needs their own. This book automatically comes with your 12 months of online access. Also new are useful QR codes for a student to access pronunciation help from anywhere!
• Online Access includes 12 months of access to cultural videos, grammar exercises, and interactive vocabulary flashcards. This code is renewable 30 days from the end of your access for a reasonable fee. The narrative teaching style feels comfortable and engaging.
• Answer Key is essential for parents to check student work. It shows reduced student pages (4/pg) with answers filled in. A parent may choose to sit with their independent student while the student uses the answer key themselves. Looseleaf.
• Planning Guide offers a 4-day per week plan for the entire course. Follow it exactly or use it to get started and follow the pace of your student. The recommendation is about 40 minutes per day.
• Teacher Edition with Online Access is a full-size student edition with answers filled in. It is much easier to see when you are actively teaching a lesson. This is only available with 12 months of online access.
• Test Program includes 8 tests with answer keys. Tests include verb conjugations, fill in the blank, finding errors in sentences, and a short composition. Each test is 2 pages, front and back. Loose leaf.
• Vocabulary Quizzes require students to translate both ways FR>ENG and ENG>FR.
• Oasis is a laminated pocket guide with useful phrases and vocabulary.
• Homeschool Package is recommended, especially for students completing the courses for a high school credit. Package includes Student Edition, Online Access for 1-year, Test Program, Answer Key Booklet, Vocabulary Quizzes, Oasis Guide, and the Homeschool Pacing Guide, which now includes 1 semester of lesson planning.

Beginner Level is the original level 1. It starts with an introduction section called the Ten Steps. This provides a time for students to become familiar with the look and sounds of the language before they begin the actual lessons. In addition to vocabulary, students will learn to use the present tense, preterit, and imperfect verb tenses. This course moves at a quicker pace for the student who is enthusiastic about learning French and wants to grow their grammar and vocabulary in a school year. This one-year course is a solid high school credit. Follow up courses would be the Level 2 Intermediate and the Level 3 Advanced French.