Keep Fit French: kinesthetic reading dance activity

Keep Fit French
French ‘read and dance’. A fun and original kinesthetic reading activity.
Devised by Jon Meier in 2012.

In response to popular demand, I’ve finally uploaded this resource after running it for a few years with pupils at various schools and on MFL staff training workshops.

Create a folder called Keep Fit French. Make sure you download both the Powerpoint and the background music file. Put both files in the folder.

For the best collective experience you ideally need a group of about 8 to 20 people.
Target group: 9-12 year olds and/or youthful French teachers.

Test the Powerpoint – the music should play automatically from slide 5.
If you can’t hear it, check your volume settings.
*If the music is still not playing, see instructions at the bottom of this box.

Everyone needs to be standing to do this. Spread out.
Run the Powerpoint . Music should play automatically from slide 5 onwards.
Read the phrase to yourself, and take one step in the direction of the correct picture.
A step can be forwards, backwards, left, right or diagonally.
Then step back to your starting position.
Simple. Always remember to step back to your starting position
The entire dance takes about 4 minutes.

We’ve run this as an annual y7 pre-Christmas dance-off contest. Would also be good as a lunchtime fitness activity or ‘Sports Relief’ language event.
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*If the music does not play:
Look at slide 5, check that the music file has been correctly inserted.
Check the filename and pathname. It depends where you have put the folder.
You may need to help Powerpoint to find the music file or you could reinsert it.
Ensure that the sound is set to ‘start automatically’ and ‘play across slides’