TCMS Policy for French Online Translation
Addendum to TMCS Academic Honesty Policy found in your planner
... It is imperative that students understand the importance of assuming the responsibility for their own work assigned by the teacher. The transition to middle school can be, and often is, accompanied by the pressure to succeed in many new and sometimes confusing ways. Academic honesty is facing these pressures and developing productive habits that fall within the guidelines of both society and TCMS. Violations of academic honesty include, but are not restricted to, cheating, plagiarizing and stealing academic material.
The use of online translators for the purpose of completing projects or compositions assigned by the foreign language teacher is considered a violation of the TCMS academic honesty policy and is strictly forbidden.
What is Internet translator abuse?
Some students are misusing online translation websites and they may not be aware that this goes against the spirit of meaningful learning. Typing English text to obtain a translation to French is not a reflection of the student’s knowledge. Teachers do recognize online translator abuse.
Typing English sentences into Internet translation sites is not allowed on school assignments for these reasons:
1. It's cheating. You are not showing what you've learned. By not using the vocabulary and structures taught in your textbook chapters, you are not practicing the material that is required.
2. Sometimes the translator’s word spelling and word order are wrong. They are not 100% reliable.
3. Often the translator gives words, expressions and verb tenses that you have not yet learned. This leads to language that you do not understand.
How can students use the Internet translation site?
Use the Internet translator THE SAME WAY that you would use a paper dictionary. For example, type "the dog." You can learn the gender and spelling which is “le chien.”
*** Never type in whole text - you can't do that in a paper dictionary. ***
Mrs. Mashewske's Consequences for translator abuse:
First time : Warning. No credit for that part of the assignment. You will be allowed to redo the sentences for credit.
Second time : Teacher completes an academic honesty form (goes in student file) and gives it to administration. Teacher notifies parent.
Third time : Severe consequence to be determined by the teacher and administration. Parent notified again.
Read this for more reasons why you should not whole-heartedly believe the phrases from the computer French translation sites:
http://french.about.com/library/bl-onlinetranslators.htm?nl=1
