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thefrenchwhisperer

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(based on 198 reviews)

A few years ago, I retired from my position as head of Modern Languages, a bit fearful of the "R" word. But to date, it has been nothing but fun! Canadian law requires school-aged actors to study with a qualified teacher when they’re off-camera. Many of our young actors are in immersion French so I've found a happy little niche, teaching a few days a week as an on-set tutor and moving in inspiring and creative circles! Furthermore, I get to share resources here! Vive la retraite!

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A few years ago, I retired from my position as head of Modern Languages, a bit fearful of the "R" word. But to date, it has been nothing but fun! Canadian law requires school-aged actors to study with a qualified teacher when they’re off-camera. Many of our young actors are in immersion French so I've found a happy little niche, teaching a few days a week as an on-set tutor and moving in inspiring and creative circles! Furthermore, I get to share resources here! Vive la retraite!
French vocabulary:  La St-Valentin
CarlavCarlav

French vocabulary: La St-Valentin

(0)
Traditional Taboo® has always been a wonderful classroom tool. DIRE OU INTERDIRE?POUR LA SAINT-VALENTIN is a themed variation of the game that can be played in two very different ways. If your students are confident and articulate, have them play DIRE OU INTERDIRE? following traditional Taboo® rules. If, however, you have students who are uncomfortable giving clues, turn the rules upside down. Tell them to use some or all of the words beneath the pink and white banner in their descriptions! This topsy-turvy approach encourages and empowers everyone to participate. You won’t believe what a positive game-changer it is. This file includes 36 “Valentine” cards about friendship, relationships and love as well as a template for students to make their own DIRE OU INTERDIRE? deck.
OÙ SONT LES TRÉSORS CACHÉS? (les verbes réguliers en -RE)
CarlavCarlav

OÙ SONT LES TRÉSORS CACHÉS? (les verbes réguliers en -RE)

(0)
OÙ SONT LES TRÉSORS CACHÉS? works well as a full-class, teacher directed activity or as a small group game. After the fun of the oral treasure hunt, assign a handful of co-ordinates and, voilà, an instant written assignment that reinforces the correct spelling of the verb endings. You’ll find that even reluctant learners will be motivated to listen carefully and the promise of “treasure” tends to generate enthusiastic oral participation as well. My answer key is for le présent, le passé composé and le futur simple but the game can be played in virtually every verb tense. To see if this activity is right for your students, try the free, “Où sont les trésors cachés (les verbes ER): https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/o-sont-les-tr-sors-cach-s--les-verbes-er-6438862
French activity: La St-Valentin
CarlavCarlav

French activity: La St-Valentin

(0)
“OÙ SONT LES TRÉSORS CACHÉS? (La Saint-Valentin)” is a French verb conjugation game that will work well as a full-class, teacher-directed game and as a small-group activity. You’ll find that even reluctant learners will be motivated to listen carefully to hear which squares have already been “played” by their classmates. And the promise of “treasure” tends to generate enthusiastic oral participation as well. After the fun of the oral treasure hunt, you can assign co-ordinates to create an instant written assignment to reinforce the correct spelling of the verb endings. I’ve provided an answer key for le présent, le passé composé, le futur simple, le conditionnel présent & le plus-que parfait. However, the game can be played in all verb tenses. To be sure that “Où sont les trésors cachés? (La Saint-Valentin)” is right for your students, download the free resource, “Où sont les trésors cachés? (Les verbes ER): https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/o-sont-les-tr-sors-cach-s-les-verbes-er-6438862
OÙ SONT LES TRÉSORS CACHÉS? (3 separate  games and one composite game for ER, IR & RE verbs)
CarlavCarlav

OÙ SONT LES TRÉSORS CACHÉS? (3 separate games and one composite game for ER, IR & RE verbs)

4 Resources
I was really pleased when a young teacher in Italy (Italy!) suggested that I create separate OÙ SONT LES TRÉSORS CACHÉS? puzzles for the regular RE and IR verbs. Here they are, bundled along with the composite puzzle and the original free ER resource. OSLTC? (les verbes réguliers ER) OSLTC? (les verbes réguliers IR) OSLTC? (les verbes réguliers RE) OSLTC? (les verbes réguliers ER, IR & RE combined)
English Hallowe'en vocabulary: FOUND IT!
CarlavCarlav

English Hallowe'en vocabulary: FOUND IT!

(0)
FOUND IT! is a game inspired by Spot it™ or Dobble™. There is always one matching expression on any two cards. FOUND IT! encourages students to concentrate, to read attentively and to pronounce the thematic vocabulary carefully. This deck comprises 31 cards with 6 expressions or pictures per card. Here is the vocabulary featured in FOUND IT! (The Hallowe’en deck): autumn leaves bat black cat broom cauldron cemetery coffin danger devil disguise frightened ghost goosebumps hat haunted house horror film jack o’lantern makeup mask owl party scar scarecrow scream shiver spider sweets toilet paper trick or treat vampire witch
Pâques (jeu tarsia / triangle puzzle)
CarlavCarlav

Pâques (jeu tarsia / triangle puzzle)

(0)
Sur les bords de chaque triangle, on trouve soit le début, soit la fin d’un énoncé au sujet de Pâques. Vos étudiants doivent les jumeller afin de reconstituer les 25 énoncés et la tête du lapin de Pâque. Cette activité coopérative encouragera vos étudiants à se focaliser et à s’entraider pour trouver des faits comme . . . • Un jeune lapin est un lapereau. • Dans le film, HOP, le fils du Lapin de Pâques veut devenir batteur dans un groupe de rock. • Que cherches-tu dans le jardin à Pâques? Des oeufs au chocolat! • Le lis de Pâques est une fleur blanche. • La fée des dents & le lapin de Pâques sont des personnages imaginaires. Déchiffre ce message: 7 1 9 ! C’est un oeuf! Students have to match the sentence fragments printed on the edges of the triangles to reconstitute the 25 statements about Easter and to “sculpt” the Easter Bunny’s head. Although designed as a co-operative activity, it will also work well as an enrichment task for individual students. Suitable for francophone, immersion, and advanced core French students. To be sure that this activity is right for your students, download the free "futur simple triangle puzzle at: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-6450469
LA RENTRÉE (1  PUZZLE VAUT 1000 MOTS)
CarlavCarlav

LA RENTRÉE (1 PUZZLE VAUT 1000 MOTS)

(1)
Imprimez et découpez ces puzzles pour que les petits puissent les reconstruire. Par l’effet d’osmose, ils apprendront à lire et écrire les mots illustrés tout en jouant. Le premier dossier comprend les puzzles en lettres minuscules; le deuxième comprend les puzzles en lettres majuscules . Engage your pupils with reading (and writing) through play by printing and cutting out these puzzles for them to solve.
L'écrivaine, Francine Christophe, raconte un petit miracle vécu à Bergen-Belsen
CarlavCarlav

L'écrivaine, Francine Christophe, raconte un petit miracle vécu à Bergen-Belsen

(1)
I stumbled across this extraordinarily moving and hopeful clip yesterday and feel that it deserves a wider audience. In clear, careful and beautifully articulated French, author Francine Christophe recounts a little miracle that was born of an act of kindness in Bergen-Belsen. I’ve done very little other than to put together a transcript of the story, with a link to a second, related clip and a bibliography of Christophe’s work. I’ve also included a link to a version of the clip with English subtitles for any of your anglophone colleagues who may be looking for something for their history classes or Remembrance Day.
L' Oeuf de Pâques (Crespi): a crazy, mixed-up review activity
CarlavCarlav

L' Oeuf de Pâques (Crespi): a crazy, mixed-up review activity

(1)
If you’ve been working on Henri Crespi’s "L’Oeuf de Pâques" and you’re looking for a hands-on, collaborative alternative to paper and pen review questions, try this activity. The original text and an audio version of the story are available online here: http://web2.gyldendal.no/contact/flash/chap9/ecoute4.swf BTW, I usually distribute chocolate Easter eggs before we read the story . . .
Mots coupés (Halloween) 2.0
CarlavCarlav

Mots coupés (Halloween) 2.0

(1)
In this virtual race, players have to reconstitute and recopy words that have been broken down into syllables and scattered over the game grid. Students may play individually or in pairs. The words in this puzzle are: 1 horreur (f.) 2 chaudron (m.) 3 grimoire (m.) 4 squelette (m.) 5 fantôme (m.) 6 hanté 7 sorcier (m.) 8 zombie (m.) 9 citrouille (f.) 10 cercueil (m.) 11 balai (m.) 12 souris (f.) L’intrus: peur
Message magique: devinette de Noël
CarlavCarlav

Message magique: devinette de Noël

(1)
These magic message riddles will serve as instant Christmas cards for your students if you print them on card stock. The riddles resemble QR codes until you raise them to eye level and read the “magical messages” from bottom - indicated by a red number - to top. There are four cards to the page. Decades ago, these things took me forever and a day to draw by hand. But then I could legitimately challenge my students to draw a message of their own. Nowadays, I use the computer so they just take forever. However, I’ve lost the moral authority to launch my drawing challenge. But the “wow” moment when a student actually sees the message still makes it worthwhile.
A Magic message to motivate your students: IT’S ALWAYS TOO EARLY TO QUIT.
CarlavCarlav

A Magic message to motivate your students: IT’S ALWAYS TOO EARLY TO QUIT.

(0)
These message cards are just little ice-breakers. They look a bit like QR codes until you raise them to eye level and read the “magical messages” from bottom (indicated by a number) to top.  Decades ago, these things took me forever and a day to draw by hand. But then I could legitimately challenge my students to draw a message of their own. Nowadays, I use the computer so they just take forever. However, I’ve lost the moral authority to launch my drawing challenge. But the “wow” moment when a student actually sees the message still makes it worthwhile. If you print your magical messages on card stock you can also use them as little reward records. Once my students accumulate ten stickers or stamps on the back of their magic message card, they redeem the card for a small treat or a bonus point on a future test.
Message magique pour motiver: VOULOIR, C’EST POUVOIR!
CarlavCarlav

Message magique pour motiver: VOULOIR, C’EST POUVOIR!

(0)
These message cards are just little ice-breakers. They look a bit like QR codes until you raise them to eye level and read the “magical messages” from bottom (indicated by a number) to top.  Decades ago, these things took me forever and a day to draw by hand. But then I could legitimately challenge my students to draw a message of their own. Nowadays, I use the computer so they just take forever. However, I’ve lost the moral authority to launch my drawing challenge. But the “wow” moment when a student actually sees the message still makes it worthwhile. If you print your magical messages on card stock you can also use them as little reward records. Once my students accumulate ten stickers or stamps on the back of their magic message card, they redeem the card for a small treat or a bonus point on a future test.
BACK TO SCHOOL (A PUZZLE’S  WORTH A  THOUSAND WORDS)
CarlavCarlav

BACK TO SCHOOL (A PUZZLE’S WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS)

(0)
Engage your pupils in reading (and writing) through play by printing and cutting out these puzzles for them to solve. There are separate files for puzzles in upper and lower case letters. I'm working on puzzle sets on other themes and would appreciate your feedback.
LES LÉGUMES (1 puzzle vaut 1000 mots)
CarlavCarlav

LES LÉGUMES (1 puzzle vaut 1000 mots)

(0)
Imprimez et découpez ces puzzles pour que vos élèves puissent les reconstruire. Par l’effet d’osmose, les enfants apprendront à lire et écrire le mot illustré tout en jouant. Engage your pupils with reading (and writing) through play by  printing and cutting out these puzzles for them to solve. Le premier dossier comprend les puzzles en lettres minuscules;  le deuxième comprend les puzzles en lettres majuscules . le poivron le broccoli les pois le maïs la carotte le céleri la tomate (Même si, en effet, la tomate est un fruit!)
VEGETABLES (A puzzle's worth a thousand words)
CarlavCarlav

VEGETABLES (A puzzle's worth a thousand words)

(1)
Engage your pupils in reading (and writing) through play by  printing and cutting out these simple puzzles for them to solve. There are separate files for puzzles in upper and lower case letters. pepper broccoli peas corn carrot celery tomato (even though it’s actually a fruit)
JOYEUSE RENTRÉE! (une activité brise-glace rien que pour le plaisir)
CarlavCarlav

JOYEUSE RENTRÉE! (une activité brise-glace rien que pour le plaisir)

(1)
These message cards look a bit like QR codes until you raise them to eye level and read the “magical messages” from bottom - indicated by a number - to top.  Decades ago, these things took me forever and a day to draw by hand. But then I could legitimately challenge my students to draw a message of their own. Nowadays I use the computer so they just take forever. However, I’ve lost the moral authority to launch the drawing challenge. But the “wow” moment when a student actually sees the message still makes it worthwhile. P.S. Print the messages on card stock if you’d like to use them as little reward records. Once my students accumulate ten stickers or stamps, they redeem the card for a small treat or a bonus point on a future test.
LES FRUITS (1 puzzle vaut 1000 mots)
CarlavCarlav

LES FRUITS (1 puzzle vaut 1000 mots)

(0)
Imprimez et découpez ces puzzles pour que vos élèves puissent les reconstruire. Par l’effet d’osmose, les enfants apprendront à lire et écrire le mot illustré tout en jouant. Engage your pupils with reading (and writing) through play by  printing and cutting out these puzzles for them to solve. Le premier dossier comprend les puzzles en lettres minuscules;  le deuxième comprend les puzzles en lettres majuscules.
FRUIT (A puzzle's worth a 1000 words)
CarlavCarlav

FRUIT (A puzzle's worth a 1000 words)

(0)
Engage your pupils in reading (and writing) through play by printing and cutting out these simple puzzles for them to solve. There are separate files for puzzles in upper and lower case letters.