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"Rather than teaching vocabulary out of context, I try to use storybooks to introduce new words in a stimulating way. For example, to introduce colours, I use the book Petit Poisson Blanc by Guido van Genechten (Petit Train), which introduces all the colours of the rainbow in a simple tale which children can understand with very little knowledge of French. The images reinforce the vocabulary – each page has pictures in the colour that is being introduced.
Once pupils are familiar with the sound of the words and can pronounce them fairly accurately, I use flashcards to display the new vocabulary so that older children can familiarise themselves with the written word. (Try Flashcards French from Research and Education Association, £9.95) When we re-read the book I cover the text, and the children can try and remember the various colours either orally or – with the older ones – by writing it down.
The Berlitz Kids language pack series also does a great storybook as part of its French pack – and it comes with its own CD (The Missing Cat, Berlitz, £15). It’s great for non-language specialists as there’s a translation on each page, plus a recording of the book on the CD. Different themes are covered in each chapter, and it provides a good story-based introduction to the language. The pack is also available in Spanish and German.
For older children (KS2 level, aged 7-11), oral skills often need reinforcing with written language work. I am not a huge fan of textbooks, but I find it is handy to have a bank of resources that can be used to consolidate the language that I’ve introduced through stories or games. I like C’est Francais by Kathy Williams (Brilliant Publications, £31.95; call 0845 1309200 for sales enquiries, and 01525 229720 for general information) which has some nice clear, photocopiable worksheets. There are some suggested lesson plans, too, although I tend not to follow these exactly, but rather tailor them to my needs. A cassette tape accompanies the book."
Ever thought about building your lesson around a special day in the calendar? We’ve rounded up some suggestions to get you started…
With a host of national and world days, religious occasions and anniversaries of events, there’s an amazing variety of subject matter out there. Take One World Week (OWW), for example – it runs from 17-24 October, and gives you a chance both to raise awareness and celebrate the diverse world we live in. For more details and information on the OWW Action Kit, visit:the One World Week website.
20 December sees the celebration of Universal Children’s Day, a great way to introduce ideas of what a child's needs and rights should be, and how these differ around the world. Take a look: at www.teachernet.gov.uk/teachingandlearning/assemblies, and search under ‘universal’ as a good starting point for ideas.
Then there’s Chinese New Year on 9 February 2005, a chance to introduce your pupils to the Year of the Rooster, and a fascinating culture. And for details on other international days, take a look at the Grid Club website. Time to pick up that diary!
"Music can really add to the international dimension of a classroom. I play music from around the world, and display the title and artist as well as the country of origin of the piece of music. As well as enjoying listening to a range of different music, this provides a chance for the children to immerse themselves in the spoken language.
Comptines à Chanter Volumes 1, 2 and 3 is a great series of books with accompanying CDs, all of which have songs in French. I like them because they each have so many songs – 27 per CD. Each book has the words and sheet music set out in an attractive format, too. I bought the books in France (try www.amazon.fr where they’re priced at h15 per volume).
They don’t come with English translations, but I think this can be useful – the children don’t need to know what all the words mean, and this way they can be proactive in translating all the new vocabulary. For non-language specialists, there are French CDs that do have English translations, which can be quite helpful. I like Chanter en Francais, published by La Jolie Ronde at £9.75"
"I love using puppets in my classroom. You can make creative use of them in so many situations, and they’re fun for many different ages. For example, I’ve got one that only speaks French – so children have to use the little French that they know if they want to communicate with “Henri l’Herisson!”. I find that this really encourages them to be creative with the language, and to try and think of different ways of getting a message across – including using actions.
Also, rather than having to talk directly to the teacher or to other children, they can speak to the puppet – this can feel less threatening, and they worry less about making mistakes.
Some teachers may think that puppets are only effective with younger children, but I’ve found that Year 5 and 6 pupils (children aged 9-11) enjoy them too. As they get more confident, they can become the puppet’s voice, with the others asking them questions."
"The website of the National Advisory Centre on Early Language Learning (www.nacell.org.uk) is a really excellent resource for anyone who is interested in how early language learning works. It has links to a wealth of online resources in a whole variety of languages, with a short review of the sites and a recommendation of the target audience, too, which saves time searching for suitable websites.
Among the site’s best features is a best practice guide – an excellent resource for teachers interested in introducing a modern foreign language to their classroom. You can download all sorts of other resources, too, including entire schemes of work. There’s even a ‘European Languages Portfolio’, a great pack for children to record their progression in language learning, and to encourage continuity in the secondary transfer. There’s also a separate area for teachers to post messages and where they can discuss classroom practice."
In the January 2005 issue of Learning World we will be looking at ICT partnerships and how these can enrich the international dimension in education. Do write in or e-mail us if you’ve been involved in British Council programmes related to this topic.
Our contact details are:
Learning World,
British Council,
10 Spring Gardens, London SW1A 2BN
e-mail learningworld@britishcouncil.org
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