My Classroom
To start off the year, hold a discussion with your students about why they think that learning another language is important. Make sure to talk about how learning other languages can benefit your students (for example: future employment, understanding other cultures, building knowledge, communicating with others, etc.). Following the discussion, make sure to assess what your students already know about French and what they want to learn using a KWL chart.
Learning the French alphabet is always fun! Have a sing along with your students to practice “l’alphabet en francais.” Located below is a version of the french alphabet on Youtube:
Here is a handout for pronunciation of each letter of the French alphabet:
Attached below are Alphabet Bingo Cards that I designed to use with my students when practicing “l’alphabet.” Candy incentives for winners are always a crowd pleaser if you are into handing out occasional treats :). Just make sure to have candy incentives for participation too:
Using oral speaking skills is important when learning a new language. To build on vocabulary and communication skills, students should be learning simple phrases and expressions to use regularly in the classroom. I created the following “comment-ça va?” PowerPoint and recorded audio into the file. All that you have to do is click the play button and listen to the pronunciation with your students. Having your students repeat back each word is a fantastic way to get them practicing oral speaking skills! This PowerPoint is the first in a series of PowerPoints that I created to assist in teaching different concepts learned throughout the grade four program of studies:
I have attached an iMovie script that are centered around “Comment cç va?” responses. Many students enjoy using technology, so iMovies are a great outlet for integrating technology abilities with language learning skills. I always allow my students to use different features within iMovie like templates, props, sounds, etc. to encourage creativity when producing their videos:
Attach is a generic French presentation rubric that I created to assess student performances in French:
Located below is a PowerPoint presentation with simple “est-ce que je peux” expressions to use in French with your students:
Attached below is a mini poster with useful classroom expressions and cutouts to create a larger poster to post on the wall of your classroom:
An activity that you can do with students is to have them dramatize different “est-ce que je peux” scenarios and have other members of the class try to guess what they are doing by responding in French. For example: one student acts out getting a drink of water and other members of the class try to guess “est-ce que je peux boire de l’eau?”
Once students are familiar with “est-ce que expressions,” teach them how to ask politely. For example: “est-ce que je peux aller aux toilettes s’il vous plaît? Merci.” A PowerPoint that I created is attached below to help you teach these expressions to your students:
The following video intertwines two different concepts (comment-ca va and la politesse) in a fun and flashy video by alain le lait:
One way to help your students remember “la politesse” is to have them create songs. I have posted a Garageband examplar with a variety of sounds and effects. The student in this examplar stuck to the vocabulary learned in the previous PowerPoint. The only guideline that I have given my students in the past is to use all of the politeness expressions that we learned. Students can incorporate English translations, past expressions learned and effects/ sounds from Garageband into their songs. If you have not used Garageband before, or feel uncomfortable using Garageband, students can record themselves using any software, with or without instruments. Or, you can choose not to use recording software and students can present their songs in front of the class:
La-Politesse.mp4Below is another PowerPoint that I created to assist in learning and teaching students about classroom supplies and items. Make sure to point out that different items are masculin (for example: un crayon) or feminin (for example: un(e) gomme):
The following document contains the names of classroom item in French that can be laminated and posted around the classroom to correspond with classrooms items:
Another activity that you can do with your students is the “Que-ce que c’est?” game. For this game, the teacher shows the class a classroom item (for example: a pencil) and asks: “Que-ce que c’est?” Students must respond in French “c’est un crayon.”To practice oral language skills students should always respond with “c’est un/ une…” This is a good opening or closing activity to lessons.
Guidelines for creating a classroom items advertisement and an example poster are attached below. To create the advertisement, students begin by including a title (les instruments de la classe). Secondly, they pick at least five classroom items (ex: crayons, stylos, tailles-crayons). Next, they write an amount for each item that they are trying to sell (ex: dix crayons, trois stylos, un tailles-crayon). Note: students need to put an “s” at the end of each set of classroom items to make it plural, except ciseaux because it is already plural. Lastly, students write coût next to the classroom item (coût means costs) and then show a dollar amount. Note: The $ sign goes after the dollar amount in French:
Attach is a generic French presentation rubric that I created to assess student posters in French: