Using Facebook to Prepare for the AP Persuasive Essay Milton Alan Turner, NBCTSaint Ignatius High Schoolmturner@ignatius.edu http://faculty.Ignatius.edu/turner/

• Introduction to AP French Language & Culture Exam• AP Central Website• Free-Response Section Tasks

• 2013 French Persuasive Essay• Persuasive Essay Rubric• Authentic Resources

• French-language Media Web Sites• French-Language Media Apps for smartphones/tablets

• AP French Language & Culture Facebook Group

Overview

http://apcentral.collegeboard.com •Course Description•Planning Guide•Teacher Community•Free-Response Questions•Scoring Samples and Commentary

AP Central

“The AP course provides students with opportunities to demonstrate their proficiency in each of the three modes in the Intermediate to Pre-Advanced range.”

Overarching Premise“When communicating, students in the AP French Language and Culture course demonstrate an understanding of the culture(s), incorporate interdisciplinary topics (Connections), make comparisons between the native language and the target language and between cultures (Comparisons), and use the target language in real-life settings (Communities).”

AP French Language & Culture Course and Exam Description Effective Fall 2011

AP French Language & Culture Exam

Les défis mondiauxLa vie contemporaineLa quête de soiLa famille et la communautéLa science et la technologieL’esthétique

AP Cultural Themes

Section# of

Questions

% of Final Score

Time

Section I: Multiple Choice 95 minute

sPart A Interpretive Communication:

Print Texts30

questions

50%

40 minute

s

Part B

Interpretative Communication: Print and Audio Texts (combined)

35 question

s

55 minute

sInterpretative Communication: Audio Texts

Section II: Free-Response 85 minute

sTask 1 Interpersonal Writing: E-mail

reply 1 prompt

50%

15 minute

sTask 2 Presentational Writing:

Persuasive Essay 1 prompt

55 minute

sTask 3 Interpersonal Speaking:

Conversation 5 prompts

5 minute

sTask 4 Presentational Speaking:

Cultural Comparison 1 prompt

7 minute

s

AP French Language & Culture Exam Format

• Students must write a persuasive essay on a given topic clearly indicating their own viewpoint and defending it thoroughly

• The essay topic is based on three sources1. Printed article2. Printed graph/chart/map3. Audio source (podcast/interview)

• Students have 6 minutes to read the print sources (article and graph) and 6 minutes to hear the audio source twice

• Students have 40 minutes to write the essay

Task 2: Persuasive Essay

• Holistic scoring (“Alan’s shoulders”)• Task oriented• Progressive

• integrates vs. summarizes information• Number of sources referenced• effective vs. suitable vs. unsuitable information

• Multiple ways to successfully use sources• 2012 Scoring samples and commentary available at http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/members/exam/exam_information/4559.html

Task 2: Persuasive Essay Scoring Rubric

• Regular exposure to authentic resources from Day 1 Level 1• Web sites• Podcasts• Apps• Social media

• Le Grand Concours• Practice Tests

•Course and Exam Description•Practice Test (AP Audit)

Preparation Suggestions

• My AP French Language & Culture Web Sitehttp://faculty.ignatius.edu/turner/apfrenchlang.htm

• French-language Media on Facebook• Le français avec TV5MONDE- https://www.facebook.com/tv5mondelanguefrancaise

• Le Monde- https://www.facebook.com/lemonde.fr • Les Observateurs de France 24- https://www.facebook.com/FRANCE24.Observateurs

• TV5 Monde- https://www.facebook.com/tv5mondeofficiel • La Presse (Canada)- https://www.facebook.com/LaPresseFB

• Canoë.ca- portail francophone- https://www.facebook.com/canoe-francais

• Le Point- https://www.facebook.com/lepoint.fr • L'Express- https://www.facebook.com/LExpress • Agence France Presse- https://www.facebook.com/AFPfra • Libération- https://www.facebook.com/Liberation

Authentic Resources

• French-language Media on Facebook (continued)• RTL Info (Belgique)- https://www.facebook.com/RTLInfo • RTL (France)- https://www.facebook.com/RTL • TF1 News- https://www.facebook.com/TF1News • France Info- https://www.facebook.com/France.Info • Le Figaro- https://www.facebook.com/lefigaro • Le Nouvel Observateur- https://www.facebook.com/lenouvelobservateur

• Smartphone Apps

Authentic Resources

1. Almost all students are on Facebook anyway.2. Facebook is available on multiple platforms

(smartphones, tablets), not just computers. Students can easily access resources on the go.

3. Facebook supports audio and video well. Students can find and access audio and video from French-language media sites to practice their interpretive listening as well as reading skills.

4. Students can "like" and then the articles will show up in their news feeds. The students don't really have to go hunting for articles, articles are pushed to them. Any articles in their news feeds can be easily shared with the group.

5. If the students find articles on their own, most sites have a Facebook button for sharing articles.  Too cumbersome to cut and paste links into a Haiku LMS discussion board and the chances of making a mistake were too great.

Why Use Facebook?

•Facebook Grouphttps://www.facebook.com/groups/apfrenchlang/

•From Facebook home page, select “Create Group”•Name your group•List at least one member•Privacy (Open, Closed, or Private)

Creating Facebook Groups

•Membership approval (admin or any member)•Group address•Group Description•File with AP Themes

•Posting Permissions/Post Approval

Creating Facebook Groups

Presentational Writing

Lowest Fourth Second Fourth Third Fourth Highest Fourth0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

54%

46%

0% 0%0%

59%

35%

6%

2012 2013

•Group size•Member limits•Sharing media sites•Verification•Suggestions•Q&A

Facebook Group Considerations