NYSTCE French (121) study plan
NYSTCE French (121) · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Language and Linguistics
Map the phoneme inventory of French (oral vowels, nasal vowels, glides, consonants) and mark English-missing contrasts such as /y/ vs /u/ and nasal vowels
Transcribe 40 words and 10 short phrases in IPA from audio you record yourself reading a word list aloud
Diagnose your own pronunciation by recording 5 minutes of speech and flagging three systematic errors (e.g., liaison, mute e, rhythm)
Build a personal glossary of 60 grammatical terms in French (mode, temps, aspect, accord, subordonnée) with one example each
Your checkpoint
A one-page IPA contrast chart plus a self-diagnosis table listing 3 recurring pronunciation errors with a correction drill for each
Language and Linguistics
Conjugate 60 high-frequency verbs across présent, passé composé, imparfait, futur simple, and conditionnel présent, checking agreement of past participles with avoir/être
Classify and drill the subjunctive triggers (volonté, émotion, doute, conjonctions) by writing 25 original sentences
Analyze 10 complex sentences by labeling clauses (principale, relative, circonstancielle, complétive) and identifying the connector used
Contrast French and English syntax in 8 error-prone structures (object pronouns, negation scope, adjective placement, question formation)
Your checkpoint
A 40-item self-made grammar quiz with answer key and a written explanation of each distractor
Interpretive Listening and Reading
Complete 6 timed interpretive-reading sets (news articles, literary excerpts, informational texts) under 12 minutes each and annotate the cue words that signal main idea vs. detail
Practice 4 listening tasks using authentic audio (radio interview, podcast, announcement, dialogue) and take structured notes on who/what/when/why
Identify and log 30 discourse markers and their functions (concession, cause, consequence, sequencing) from the texts you read
Build a strategy checklist for inference items (tone, author purpose, implied meaning) and apply it to 15 practice items
Your checkpoint
An error log of 20 missed interpretive items, each tagged by cause (vocabulary, inference, speed, syntax) with the corrected reasoning written out
Interpretive Listening and Reading & Culture, Literature, and Cross-Cultural Connections
Read two short Francophone literary excerpts (prose and poetry) and write a 150-word summary of each in French without dictionary lookup on first pass
Listen to 3 authentic recordings at natural speed and summarize each orally in 60 seconds
Identify the register (soutenu, courant, familier) in 10 short audio or written samples and justify the choice with 2 features each
Compile 25 idioms and fixed expressions encountered in the authentic materials, with context sentence and meaning
Your checkpoint
Two 150-word French summaries plus a 25-entry idiom log with context sentences
Interpersonal and Presentational Communication
Record 5 three-minute monologues on varied prompts (personal experience, opinion, cultural comparison) and self-assess fluency, accuracy, and vocabulary range against a rubric
Write 3 presentational texts of 200 words in different genres (formal email, persuasive paragraph, descriptive narrative) and revise each once for grammar and register
Role-play 6 interpersonal scenarios aloud (asking for clarification, negotiating, expressing disagreement politely) and script the key functional phrases
Practice 20 circumlocution drills: describe a word you do not know in French without using it
Your checkpoint
A recorded 3-minute opinion monologue plus a self-scored rubric and a list of 15 repaired errors with corrections
Culture, Literature, and Cross-Cultural Connections
Build a timeline of major periods in French literature (Moyen Âge through contemporary) with 2 representative authors and one characteristic work per period
Summarize the plot, themes, and style of 4 canonical works you have read, in French, in 100 words each
Map key cultural practices and products of 3 Francophone regions outside France (e.g., Québec, Sénégal, Maghreb) and note one comparison point with France for each
Prepare 10 comparison statements in French using appropriate structures (alors que, tandis que, contrairement à) about cultural differences
Your checkpoint
A literary timeline one-pager with 8 periods, 16 authors, and 16 works, plus 4 French plot summaries
Language Acquisition, Instruction, and Assessment
Compare 5 major second-language acquisition theories (input hypothesis, interaction hypothesis, output hypothesis, sociocultural theory, skill acquisition) and state one classroom implication of each
Design 2 lesson activities aligned to ACTFL proficiency levels and justify the level target in writing
Write 4 assessment items of different types (selected response, constructed response, performance task, integrated skills) and label the proficiency level each measures
Analyze 3 sample learner errors and classify them as interlingual, intralingual, or developmental, with a corrective feedback plan
Your checkpoint
A 2-page instructional mini-unit outline with objectives, activities, and an aligned assessment plan, written in English with French examples
Language and Linguistics & Interpretive Listening and Reading & Interpersonal and Presentational Communication & Culture, Literature, and Cross-Cultural Connections & Language Acquisition, Instruction, and Assessment
Take 2 full-length timed practice tests and score each by domain to identify remaining weak areas
Review the error logs from weeks 3, 5, and 7 and re-do every missed item type until correct
Deliver 2 timed presentational writing samples (200 words, 25 minutes) and 2 timed speaking samples (3 minutes) under exam conditions
Recite the literary timeline and cultural comparison points from memory in a 10-minute self-quiz
Your checkpoint
A domain-by-domain score report from the two practice tests with a prioritized list of the 5 remaining weaknesses and a targeted review action for each
Milestones
Week 2: Score at least 85% on your self-made 40-item grammar quiz and correctly label clauses in 8 of 10 complex sentences
Week 4: Complete 6 timed reading sets and 4 listening tasks with an error log showing fewer than 8 inference-related misses
Week 6: Reproduce the 8-period literary timeline from memory with at least 14 of 16 authors correct and deliver all 4 French plot summaries
Week 8: Achieve at least 75% overall on both full-length practice tests with no single domain below 65%, and complete all scheduled speaking and writing samples under time