You now have your schedule, list of students and are classroom ready. It’s time to start lesson planning and not only decide what you’re going to teach, but how you are going to teach it. Easier said than done! Let’s take a deep breath and start figuring out where you should begin teaching French.
Covering the basics
Often, as a kid, I felt as if I wasn’t understanding the basics and before I knew it we were already moving on to a more complex concept. I think that might be why as a teacher, I spend a lot of time covering the basics: Frequently-used vocabulary, key verbs, basic sentences, and pronunciation.
To learn a new language, it’s important to review the same concept multiple times. In a way, it is the same thing as learning how to play an instrument. Practice is fundamental.
“Studies have shown that repetition is a key factor in language learning. In particular, spaced repetition is an evidence-based learning technique that is commonly used in language courses. In its simplest form, spaced repetition can be performed with flashcards, where the learner tests their knowledge with repeated practice of the same deck. This popular practice strategy has helped many students to acquire new vocabulary and knowledge.” -Rosetta Stone
My point here isn’t to tell you to use flashcards in your classroom, even though they can be useful. What I truly think is that the more we use a concept, the more we are going to remember it. That’s why repetition is key. You want your students to have solid foundations they can then build on.
Here is my Beginner French Bundle! A you need for a year worth of Beginner French Resources.
Take the fear out of conversation
Speaking another language can be very intimidating. Often, French has the reputation of being difficult to learn. There are a lot of sounds that English speakers aren’t used to making, the gender of nouns must be memorized, the grammar is a nightmare. Well, to be honest, any beginner would feel awkward and completely panicked trying to produce any speech in French.
There is one thing that I always do with my students; I tell them that they probably have noticed my accent in English, (of course I have a thick French accent haha), I add that even with my accent, they are able to understand me. I also tell them that there are still some words that I have trouble pronouncing (I hate the “th” sound and can’t make the distinction between “warm” and “worm”). By doing this, I want to make it clear that the goal isn’t to speak French like a native speaker. The goal is to try to make yourself understood and to try to do your best and improve each time. It’s okay to laugh at yourself and it’s okay to not know how to pronounce something.
In my opinion, the best way to create a fun and low pressure setting to promote speaking French is to play games. Here are a couple of ideas:
Don’t show and don’t tell
This variation on show and tell helps students share more about themselves while practicing speaking! This activity works best during distance learning but can be adapted for the classroom. To play, I ask students to go get something in their house and hide it from the rest of the class. We take turns asking questions in French and try to guess what the object is. I love this game because it’s easy and doesn’t require any prep. It’s also a fun way to learn more about your students and practice unique vocabulary terms.
Would you rather
Project two images for students. Ask them which they would rather do. Allow students to share what they prefer to do and then tell why. It’s fun to hear the reasoning behind students’ answers. This is a great way to review the previous vocabulary too. Incorporate food vocabulary, season vocabulary, etc. For example, would you rather have an eternal summer or an eternal winter?
My bundle includes all my French Would You Rather Games (100 questions total). This game is comprehensible enough for French 1 students to understand and participate, but able to be leveled up for French 2 & 3 students by having them justify or explain their choices!
Vary the tools
I have very vivid memories of me sitting (sleeping) in the classroom reading my Spanish textbook or doing conjugation worksheets for hours. That’s what my Spanish class in France was like in the 90s. I’m pretty sure this is, unfortunately, how it still is in many French schools. If I’m being totally honest, I don’t understand it. There are so many tools and materials available nowadays. Why should students be stuck with the one workbook?
Kids have different ways of learning, so offering different tools is exposing them to different practices, which is vital. If your goal is to teach French they can speak, (duh!!!) and use it in the real world outside the classroom;
you definitely want to offer them a wide variety of support. Resources such as movies, music, games, worksheets, interactive posters, digital task cards, the list is endless!
Reading magazines can also be a fabulous tool for kids who are learning French or already bilingual. This is because they are colorful, with short stories, comics, games and crafts, etc. so it makes them easy to grab and read. It is a fantastic way to access the country’s popular culture
. Here is a list of 7 French-language magazines for all ages and levels.
Bring French culture into the classroom
Bringing French culture into the classroom is a must do. Students need to understand what learning French can do for them and where it can take them. I strongly feel it is part of my job to expose my kiddos to different Francophone cultural elements. Here again, you have plenty of options.
Podcast
During the pandemic, I was desperately looking for a podcast for my beginner students. A podcast to pick their curiosity and learn a bit of French through cultural exposure. I simply couldn’t find one. That’s how, French with Elise podcast was born! Check it out here.
Interactive posters
What better way to help your students learn more about French culture and Paris than by creating an interactive poster with their group? These posters depicting well-known French monuments allow students to conduct research about the monument’s creation, what it’s famous for, and any other significant details about its appearance or use. Students then transfer this information onto their poster and use their creativity to bring these French monuments to life on poster paper.
French traditions
Learning about French traditions and holidays is always a lot of fun! What is the Poisson d’Avril? What do French people eat for La Chandeleur? Is Mardi Gras celebrated in other parts of the world?