I’m Rachel and I've been teaching for 18 years! I first taught English (TEFL) in Japan and Madrid and then taught French and Spanish in Surrey. I subsequently worked in a UK curriculum school in sunny Dubai. I have now relocated to the UK and have a gorgeous baby daughter!
I have a learning-centred approach and encourage my students to be active and reflective learners. I really enjoy the creative process of making PowerPoints and worksheets and hope you enjoy using them!
I’m Rachel and I've been teaching for 18 years! I first taught English (TEFL) in Japan and Madrid and then taught French and Spanish in Surrey. I subsequently worked in a UK curriculum school in sunny Dubai. I have now relocated to the UK and have a gorgeous baby daughter!
I have a learning-centred approach and encourage my students to be active and reflective learners. I really enjoy the creative process of making PowerPoints and worksheets and hope you enjoy using them!
Expressions:
Chez nous le problème c’est....
qu’il y a trop de pollution et
qu’il y a trop de circulation et
la pollution à cause des gaz d’échappement des voitures et
qu’il y a une nouvelle autoroute près de chez nous et
Qu’on construit des maisons tout près et
quand il pleut la rivière déborde.
il y a souvent des inondations.
il y a des papiers/ des ordures partout.
le bruit est affreux.
il n’y a pas beaucoup des transports en commun.
Battleships Game
Instructions
The students love this competitive and fun game!
I use this battleships game (which can also be used as a lotto grid) to help students to practise their pronunciation and to reinforce new vocabulary and grammatical structures.
Firstly I ask the students to work independently in pairs to translate the expressions.
The students then focus on pronunciation and decide the two easiest and two most difficult words to pronounce.
I then check the translations and drill pronunciation with the whole class before they play the game. The students secretly choose 5 squares on the top grid and then try to guess which 5 squares their partner has chosen, filling in the bottom grid with “hit” and “miss.” To choose a square say a phrase from the horizontal line and complete the sentence with a phrase from the vertical line. Where the 2 phrases meet up is the square you have chosen.
I use the English language sheet to further challenge the students: they should place this on top of the French version and then try to play the game saying the French phrases as far as possible from memory. I allow the really weak students to have the French version next to the English version so they have lots of support, stronger students are allowed a few “sneaky peaks” at the French version and the really strong students aim to refer back to the French version as little as possible. This really helps the students to memorise the vocabulary/structures!
During the game I circulate the classroom checking pronunciation. This is followed by whole class drilling of pronunciation mistakes.
Enjoy!
This PowerPoint consists of two slides to elicit the formation of the Imperfect Tense used to express what you used to do. The first PowerPoint slides instructs the students as follows:
All: match cards. On these cards what do we use the imperfect tense to express?
Most: What are the endings (you have to figure out some!): je, tu, il/elle/on, nous, vous, ils/elles.
Some: Can you figure out how to form the stem? (no chance!). Perfect Pronunciation Challenge and QFQs!
* QFQs = Quick Fire Questions where one student closes their eyes and the other quizes them in what is on the cards: English to French translations, French to English, formation etc. Tell them to come up with really challenging questions!
The second slide has the answers!
Matching Cards Expressions:
Expressions:
Quand j’étais jeune…
Je jouais au cache-cache dans le jardin.
Tu faisais du vélo sur le trottoir
Il ne faisait pas de devoirs.
Nous buvions de la limonade.
Je voulais être pilote.
Ils croyaient au Père Noël.
Je regardais des dessins animés et je lisais des BD.
They used to believe in Father Christmas.
I used to watch cartoons and read comics.
You used to cycle on the pavement.
He didn’t use to do any homework.
When I was young…
We used to drink lemonade.
I used to play hide-and-seek in the garden
I used to want to be a pilot.
You can also play pelmensim and slap the card.
Group Talk encourages the spontaneous use of the target language. Here the students use the phrases on the sheet to voice their opinions of the different professions as you show them on the PowerPoint.
Expressions on sheet include:
Je veux être = I want to be
Je ne veux pas être = I don’t want to be
Car/ parce que = because
Et = and
Mais = but
Je dois admettre que = I must admit that
On peut = You can
On ne peut pas = You can’t
Je veux = I want
Je ne veux pas = I don’t want to
voyager = to travel
parler une langue étrangère = to speak a foreign language
gagner beaucoup d’argent = to earn lots of money
J’adore = I love
J’aime = I like
les maths = maths
les langues = languages
le contact avec le public = having contact with the public
C’est = it is
Ce n’est pas = it isn’t
assez = quite
très = very
dure = difficult
facile = easy
Je suis = I am
Je ne suis pas = I am not
patient(e) = patient
gentil(le) = kind
To really enter into the spirit of a lively debate you may choose to also use my Group Talk Discussion Mat with expressions such as :
Attend! = Wait!
C’est ridicule! = That’s ridiculous!
Tu es fou/folle?! = Are you crazy?!
Ce n’est pas juste = It’s not fair!
Tu plaisantes? = You must be joking/ are you joking?
This PowerPoint focuses on what one used to do at primary school.
Qu’est-ce que tu faisais à l’école primaire?
Expressions taught:
Je dessinais.
Je chantais.
J’apprenais à lire/ écrire/ compter.
Je faisais du ski.
Je jouais au foot.
J’écoutais des histoires.
Je parlais avec des copains.
The first slide encourages the students to actively engage with the new vocabulary: working in teams, using their prior knowledge, knowledge of other languages and using a process of elimination to figure out the meanings. They then discuss the pronunciation (PPC = Perfect pronunciation Challenge). Stronger students then match the endings to the subject pronouns.
The next slides have the phrase and a picture. Use this to elicit the pronunciation, the English and to drill. The next section of slides are vrai- faux questions. Then there are "what's missing?" slides. The final slide has pictures of all the phrases. This can be used for a Beat the Teacher game, which the students love! The teacher points to a picture and says a word. If it is the correct word the students all repeat it. If its the wrong word the students must stay absolutely silent. If they do, they win 1 point. If not, the teacher gets 1 point. Most points wins!
Having familiarised the students with these key phrases slides 28 and 29 focus on eliciting the formation and the endings for all subject pronouns. Slide 31 looks at the irregular verb être and the final slide covers all the information taught. This can be printed out and stuck into student's books.
The use the role play.
Group Talk foster the spontaneous use of the target Language in the classroom. This sheet can be used in conjunction with my Group Talk Discussion Mat. This can also be used as a role play template.
Examples of questions/ sentences on the sheet:
Tu veux
voir un film?
jouer au foot?
visiter Futuroscope?
aller au café?
faire du vélo?
faire du skate?
Ce sera
très
assez
extrêmement
incroyablement
cool
intéressant
génial
chouette
Lundi/mardi/mercredi/jeud/ vendredi/samedi/dimanche
Matin/ après-midi/soir = morning/afternoon/evening
Je pense que = I think that
À mon avis = in my opinion
De plus = Furthermore
B
Bonne idée!
Chouette!
Je veux bien.
D’accord.
Bof.
Ça m’est égal.
Tu plaisantes!
Ça ne me dit rien.
Je n’ai pas envie.
The students pair up and one student asks a question. There are then 3 levels of challenge:
1. The student can answer using the expressions in the box (which you have translated and elicited the pronunciation of beforehand).
2. In addition the students use some of the words listed below the box to extend their answers.
3. In addition the students should try to come up with other spontaneous phrases.
Using the discussion mat with this allows them to build in additional responses e.g.
Attend! = Wait!
C’est ridicule! = That’s ridiculous!
Tu es fou/folle?! = Are you crazy?!
Ce n’est pas juste = It’s not fair!
Tu plaisantes? = You must be joking/ are you joking?
I use this odd one out activity with my Year 12 and 13 students to check their knowledge of whether nouns are masculine or feminine based on their endings. This includes both regular nouns which follow patterns such as feminine nouns usually ending -tion and irregular nouns.
The first slide has 7 groups of 4 nouns from which the students have to identify the odd one out. Beyond the grammatical rules I also invite the students to think outside the box and come up with alternative answers!
Examples:
obstacle chômage combinaison fardeau
combinaison = fem
tension fonction philosophie collège
collège = masc
problème réflexion mystère rejet
réflexion = fem
This 9 slide PowerPoint elicits the use and formation of the Imperative and covers all the information required up to A level:
Formation.
Let's ***
Irregular Verbs.
Reflexives (including negatives).
Imperatives with object pronouns.
Use of the infinitive on instructions.
Expressions:
Finis ta boisson et
N’oublie pas de te laver les mains et
Allez tout droit et
Allons acheter des glaces et
Sois gentil(le) et
ne les touche pas !
ne te lève pas.
lève-toi.
apporte-le-moi.
réveille-toi.
*ouvrir ici.
Battleships Game
Instructions
The students love this competitive and fun game!
I use this battleships game (which can also be used as a lotto grid) to help students to practise their pronunciation and to reinforce new vocabulary and grammatical structures.
Firstly I ask the students to work independently in pairs to translate the expressions.
The students then focus on pronunciation and decide the two easiest and two most difficult words to pronounce.
I then check the translations and drill pronunciation with the whole class before they play the game. The students secretly choose 5 squares on the top grid and then try to guess which 5 squares their partner has chosen, filling in the bottom grid with “hit” and “miss.” To choose a square say a phrase from the horizontal line and complete the sentence with a phrase from the vertical line. Where the 2 phrases meet up is the square you have chosen.
I use the English language sheet to further challenge the students: they should place this on top of the French version and then try to play the game saying the French phrases as far as possible from memory. I allow the really weak students to have the French version next to the English version so they have lots of support, stronger students are allowed a few “sneaky peaks” at the French version and the really strong students aim to refer back to the French version as little as possible. This really helps the students to memorise the vocabulary/structures!
During the game I circulate the classroom checking pronunciation. This is followed by whole class drilling of pronunciation mistakes.
Enjoy!
These matching cards can be used to practise groupings of masculine and feminine nous.
For example:
FEM
Continents, countries & rivers.
matches with:
L’Asie, la Suisse, la Thamise (but not Le Mexique, Le Rhone).
FEM
Fruits & vegetables.
Matches with :
Une carotte, une betterave, une poire.
You may choose to have different levels of challenge. For example,
Level 1 = match the cards and discuss the pronunciation.
Level 2 = match the cards , discuss the pronunciation and then have quick fire questions whereby 1 student closes their eyes and their partner reads out the example cards and their partner must say the category from memory.
Level 3 = As Level 2 but the quick fire questions are more challenging with one student saying the category and their partner saying the examples.
Following checking you can play pelmenism.
This battleships game can also be used as a lotto grid.
Expressions:
Céline? Je l’ai vue et
Béatrice ? Je l’ai rencontrée et
Nabila ? Je l’ai invitée et
Mathilde? Je l’ai perdue et
Les devoirs de Lara ? Je les ai finis et
Le dîner d’Alice ? Je l’ai cuisiné et
je lui ai offert un cadeau.
je lui ai parlé.
je lui ai envoyé un texto.
je lui ai prêté de l’argent.
je lui ai écrit une lettre.
je lui ai conseillé de ne pas sortir.
je lui ai promis de l’aider.
Battleships Game
Instructions
The students love this competitive and fun game!
I use this battleships game (which can also be used as a lotto grid) to help students to practise their pronunciation and to reinforce new vocabulary and grammatical structures.
Firstly I ask the students to work independently in pairs to translate the expressions.
The students then focus on pronunciation and decide the two easiest and two most difficult words to pronounce.
I then check the translations and drill pronunciation with the whole class before they play the game. The students secretly choose 5 squares on the top grid and then try to guess which 5 squares their partner has chosen, filling in the bottom grid with “hit” and “miss.” To choose a square say a phrase from the horizontal line and complete the sentence with a phrase from the vertical line. Where the 2 phrases meet up is the square you have chosen.
I use the English language sheet to further challenge the students: they should place this on top of the French version and then try to play the game saying the French phrases as far as possible from memory. I allow the really weak students to have the French version next to the English version so they have lots of support, stronger students are allowed a few “sneaky peaks” at the French version and the really strong students aim to refer back to the French version as little as possible. This really helps the students to memorise the vocabulary/structures!
During the game I circulate the classroom checking pronunciation. This is followed by whole class drilling of pronunciation mistakes.
Enjoy!
This simple 5 slide PowerPoint elicits the formation of the Conditional Perfect Tense.
My students found this a challenging 15 minute warmer activity to test their knowledge of the conditional perfect tense. I gave out mini-whiteboards and gave them 20 seconds to choose the correct answer.
Choisissez la bonne phrase au conditionnel passé
A. J’aurais fini
B. J’aurait fini
C. J’aurais finie
D. J’aurai fini
Enjoy!
The first slide has 7 sentences which the students must unjumble. They could do this in teams or individually. The second slide has the answers. This is really challenging and lasts around 10-15 minutes - enjoy!
The task is differentiated as follows:
Tout le monde: Écrivez les phrases dans le bon ordre.
La majorité: Traduisez les phrases en anglais.
Quelques personnes: Écrivez les phrases au passé composé.
Examples:
Li rai ne ecasAl
Il ira en Alsace
Uosv rzeef ed al aneplch à eovil
Vous ferez de la planche à voile
Llee renm’vera nu MSS
Elle m’enverra un SMS
* Please note I do not include the Perfect Tense answers in the PowerPoint - I discuss these with the students.
I use these English - French matching cards to revise key conjunctions which take the Subjunctive.
Expressions on cards:
Pour que/ afin que/ de façon que/ de manière que/ de sorte que
À moins que…ne
À condition que/ Pourvu que
Avant que…ne
En attendant que/ jusqu’à ce que
Bien que/ quoique
Non que
Ce n’est pas que
De crainte que…ne…
De peur que…ne…
Sans que
You may choose to have different levels of challenge. For example,
Level 1 = match the cards and discuss the pronunciation.
Level 2 = match the cards , discuss the pronunciation and then have quick fire questions from French to English, whereby 1 student closes their eyes and their partner reads out the French cards which the student must translate into English from memory.
Level 3 = As Level 2 but the quick fire questions are from English to French.
Following checking there are 2 fun games to play, either pelmenism or slap the card.
I use these English - French dominoes to revise expressions of emotion and the subjunctive.
Expressions:
Je suis surpris qu’elle ne fasse qu'un minimum de travail en ce moment.
1. My mother is very happy that you have settled well into your new house.
Ma mère est très contente que vous soyez si bien installé dans votre nouvelle maison.
We are happy that the weather is fine today.
Nous sommes heureux qu’il fasse beau aujourd’hui.
I am afraid that she isn’t happy.
J'ai peur qu'elle ne soit pas contente.
He is sorry that you didn’t pass the exam.
Il est désolé que tu n'aies pas réussi à l'examen.
I am sorry that we are not going to France this year.
Je regrette que nous n'allions pas en France cette année.
They are afraid that the situation is getting worse.
Ils craignent que la situation s'empire.
Are you sad that the neighbours have to move?
Es-tu triste que les voisins doivent déménager?
It’s a shame that she didn’t say anything to you.
C’est dommage qu’elle ne t’ait rien dit
I would rather that we go to Spain this summer.
Je préfère que nous allions en Espagne cet été.
He is glad that you can come and visit us.
Il aime que tu puisses venir nous rendre visite.
We are surprised that he didn’t visit us.
Nous sommes surpris qu’il ne soit pas venu nous rendre visite.
I am surprised that she is only doing a minimum amount of work at the moment.
You may choose to have different levels of challenge and games as listed above for the matching cards.
I always break down the subjunctive into more manageable chunks when I teach it and this short PowerPoint introduces the subjunctive following expressions giving orders.
Expressions:
Commander que/ donner l’ordre que/ ordonner que = to order that
Le roi ordonne que nous partions en vacances!
Demander que = to ask someone to do something.
Ma mère demande que je fasse la vaisselle.
Exiger que = to demand that
Le maire exige qu’il y ait plus de pistes cyclables.
Tenir à ce que = to insist that
Je tiens à ce que tu manges un autre gâteau!
Interdire que = to forbid that
La sorcière interdit que tu boives la potion magique!
The first slides have the phrase and a picture. Use this to elicit the pronunciation, the English and to drill.
The final slide has pictures of all the phrases. This can be used for a Beat the Teacher game, which the students love! The teacher points to a picture and says a word. If it is the correct word the students all repeat it. If its the wrong word the students must stay absolutely silent. If they do, they win 1 point. If not, the teacher gets 1 point. Most points wins!
Battleships Game/ Lotto Grid:
Expressions:
Le directeur a ordonné que/ qu’
La loi interdit que/ qu’
Ils veulent éviter que/ qu’
Je souhaite que/ qu’
Elle aime mieux que/ qu’
tout le monde se rassemble dans la cour.
on boive l’alcool dans la rue.
on donne de l’argent aux institutions caritatives.
les élèves fassent de la voile.
nous ayons sommeil.
elles aillent au septième arrondissement.
Battleships Game
Instructions
Firstly I ask the students to work independently in pairs to translate the expressions and discuss the pronunciation.
I then check the translations and drill pronunciation with the whole class before they play the game. The students secretly choose 5 squares on the top grid and then try to guess which 5 squares their partner has chosen, filling in the bottom grid with “hit” and “miss.” To choose a square say a phrase from the horizontal line and complete the sentence with a phrase from the vertical line. Where the 2 phrases meet up is the square you have chosen.
I use the English language sheet to further challenge the students: they should place this on top of the French version and then try to play the game saying the French phrases as far as possible from memory. I allow the really weak students to have the French version next to the English version so they have lots of support, stronger students are allowed a few “sneaky peaks” at the French version and the really strong students aim to refer back to the French version as little as possible.
I created this 23 page French - English vocabulary booklet to support my students in their studies of the play Cyrano De Bergerac. It was a real labour of love and took hours and hours to create. I hope you find it useful!
Examples:
Acte 1
L’action = the setting
Un hangar = shed, hangar
Jeu de paume = real tennis * Real tennis is the original racquet sport from which the modern game of lawn tennis, or tennis, is descended. It is also known as jeu de paume in France, "court tennis" in the United States.
Jeu de paume in the 17th century.
Représentations = theatrical performances.
Embelli = made prettier, beautified
Aménagé = converted, equipped
Carré = square
En biais = sideways
Premier plan = the foreground
Le fond = far end
Dernier plan = background
Faire angle avec= at an angle with
La scène = the stage
Pan coupé = piece, trail, side, flap, section, cut away
Encombré = congested, cluttered.
Coulisses = behind the scenes, in the wings
Banquettes = upholstered benches
Tapisseries = wallpaper, tapestries
S’écarter = to move apart
Manteau d’Arlequin = Le manteau d'Arlequin est un trompe-l'œil imitant des rideaux ouverts sur les côtés. Un manteau d'arlequin encadre la scène de théâtre et permet d'augmenter ou de diminuer la taille de la scène visible en déplaçant les panneaux sur lesquels on a peint les draperies.
Les armes royales = the royal coat of arms
L’estrade = rostrum, platform
Une rampe de chandelles = candles as footlights
Les latérales = lateral, side
Galeries = galleries
Les loges = boxes/ balconies in a theatre.
Le parterre = the stalls (ground floor seats)
Les gradins = raised, tiered stands
Le buffet = sideboard
Un petit lustre = a small candelabra
Verre de cristal = crystal goblets
Assiettes de gâteaux = plates of sweetmeats.
Un lustre = chandelier
Fleuris = with flowers
Des flacons = small bottles/ flasks
S’entrebaîlle = ajar/ half-open
Un battant = second door
Clorise = the Goddess of War
Scène 1 EXTRACT
Le portier = doorman, also goalkeeper, la distributrice = seller, un tumulte = chaos, uproar, brusquement =abruptly, suddenly, chevau-léger de la maison du roi = his majesty’s cavalry, mousquetaire = musketeer, fleuret = foil (kind of sword) for fencing, Flanquin = the name of a character, un pourpoint = a doublet, dés = dice, coquin = kid, rascal scallywag, chandelle = candle, coller = stick/attach, une bouquetière = a flower-seller,
There are 5 sets of matching cards; one for each Act.
I use these cards as a warmer whereby students have to match the quotations with the correct characters to help the students to memorise key quotations for their essays and to remember the plot of the play.
Examples from Act 1:
J’entre gratis.
= Un cavalier.
J’ai soustrait à mon maître un peu de luminaire.
= Un laquais.
Jour de Dieu !
Et penser dans une salle pareille
Qu’on joua du Rotrou, mon fils.
= Le bourgeois.
Act 2 examples:
Examples:
Ciel! Mes livres vénérés! Les vers de mes amis! Déchirés! Démembrés!
= Ragueneau
Quelle heure est-il?
= Cyrano
Qu’avez-vous à la main?
= Lise
Ouverts à coups d’épée, huit malandrins sanglants illustraient les pavés.
= Deuxième poète
You may choose to have different levels of challenge. For example,
Level 1 = match the cards and discuss the pronunciation.
Level 2 = match the cards , discuss the pronunciation and then have quick fire questions from French to English, whereby 1 student closes their eyes and their partner reads out the quotation cards and the student must say the character from memory.
Level 3 = As Level 2 but the quick fire questions are to say the quotation.
Following checking there are 2 fun games to play, either pelmenism or a game I learnt in Japan called Karuta. In Karuta the students put the names cards to one side and spread out the quotation cards in front of them. I then say the character and the students compete to touch the correct quotation card first. Whoever touches it first wins the card. The student with the most cards at the end of the game wins. The game can of course be played the other way around. The students love this game!
Warmer: Cyrano and Roxane quotations: students divide into 2 columns: Cyrano and Roxane and then divide into Acts:
Examples of quotations:
Un pauvre garçon qui jusqu’ici m’aima
Timidement, de loin, sans oser le dire.
Je me suis donc battu, madame, et c’est tant mieux,
Non pour mon vilain nez, mais pour vos beaux yeux.
Il est fier, noble, jeune, intrépide, beau…
Votre vengeance envers Cyrano, c’est peut-être
De l’exposer au feu qu’il adore (...)
Un homme comme lui de la faire enrager:
Vous voulez le punir? Privez-le de danger.
Le bonheur né de mon sacrifice.
This one slide odd-one-out warmer activity checks student's knowledge of the conjunctions which do and do not take the subjunctive. I give the students mini-whiteboards to record their answers on. They must write down the conjunction which does not take the subjunctive e.g. from a choice of:
bien que quoique pour que parce que
I use these English - French matching cards to revise key conjunctions which take the Subjunctive.
Expressions on cards:
Pour que/ afin que/ de façon que/ de manière que/ de sorte que
À moins que…ne
À condition que/ Pourvu que
Avant que…ne
En attendant que/ jusqu’à ce que
Bien que/ quoique
Non que
Ce n’est pas que
De crainte que…ne…
De peur que…ne…
Sans que
You may choose to have different levels of challenge. For example,
Level 1 = match the cards and discuss the pronunciation.
Level 2 = match the cards , discuss the pronunciation and then have quick fire questions from French to English, whereby 1 student closes their eyes and their partner reads out the French cards which the student must translate into English from memory.
Level 3 = As Level 2 but the quick fire questions are from English to French.
Following checking there are 2 fun games to play, either pelmenism or a game I learnt in Japan called Karuta. In Karuta the students put the English language cards to one side and spread out the French cards in front of them. I then say the English and the students compete to touch the correct French card first. Whoever touches it first wins the card. The student with the most cards at the end of the game wins. The students love this game!
This PowerPoint elicits the rules for position and use of the pronouns le, la, l' & les with the present tense. There are then 2 slides looking at pronouns and the Perfect Tense to extend stronger students.
Expressions covered:
Je le regarde.
Elle la mange.
On les écoute.
Je l’adore
Je l’ai lu pendant le voyage.
Je l’ai oubliée
Battleships Expressions:
La télé? Je la regarde tous les jours.
Les films de guerre? Je les déteste !
Le rap? Je l’écoute de temps en temps.
Les bandes-dessinées? Je les lis souvent.
La pizza? Je la mange une fois par semaine.
La télé-réalité? Je l’adore!
Les séries policières? Je ne les regarde jamais.
Le jazz? Mon frère l’aime beaucoup.
La gymnastique? Je la fais souvent.
Les films d’arts martiaux? Moi, je les déteste!
Battleships Game
Instructions
The students love this competitive and fun game!
I use this battleships game (which can also be used as a lotto grid) to help students to practise their pronunciation and to reinforce new vocabulary and grammatical structures.
Firstly I ask the students to work independently in pairs to translate the expressions.
The students then focus on pronunciation and decide the two easiest and two most difficult words to pronounce.
I then check the translations and drill pronunciation with the whole class before they play the game. The students secretly choose 5 squares on the top grid and then try to guess which 5 squares their partner has chosen, filling in the bottom grid with “hit” and “miss.” To choose a square say a phrase from the horizontal line and complete the sentence with a phrase from the vertical line. Where the 2 phrases meet up is the square you have chosen.
I use the English language sheet to further challenge the students: they should place this on top of the French version and then try to play the game saying the French phrases as far as possible from memory. I allow the really weak students to have the French version next to the English version so they have lots of support, stronger students are allowed a few “sneaky peaks” at the French version and the really strong students aim to refer back to the French version as little as possible. This really helps the students to memorise the vocabulary/structures!
During the game I circulate the classroom checking pronunciation. This is followed by whole class drilling of pronunciation mistakes.
Enjoy!
The cards have the following On Exchange conversation which the students must unjumble:
Hugo: Voici ma mère. Je te présente ma mère.
Mme S: Bonjour Lloyd. Bienvenue à Strasbourg.
Lloyd: Merci madame.
Hugo: Et mon père.
Lloyd: Bonjour monsieur.
M S: Bonjour Lloyd. Tu as fait bon voyage ?
Lloyd: Oui, c’était bien, mais un peu long.
Mme S: La mer n’était pas agitée ?
Lloyd: Non, la mer était calme.
Hugo: Qu’est-ce que tu as fait pendant le voyage ?
Lloyd: J’ai parlé avec mes copains.
Extension: Develop the final answer.
Then answer the question: Qu’est-ce que tu voudrais faire demain?
You may choose to have different levels of challenge. For example,
Level 1 = order the cards and discuss the pronunciation.
Level 2 = as Level 1 and then have quick fire questions from French to English, whereby 1 student closes their eyes and their partner reads out the French cards which the student must translate into English from memory.
Level 3 = As Level 2 but the quick fire questions are from English to French.
Following checking there is a fun game to play which I learnt in Japan called Karuta. In Karuta the students spread out the cards in front of them. I then say the English and the students compete to touch the correct French card first. Whoever touches it first wins the card. The student with the most cards at the end of the game wins. The students love this game!
This PowerPoint presents the following expressions with avoir and regular past participles:
J’ai joué au foot.
J’ai regardé la télé.
J’ai écouté de la musique.
J’ai mangé un gâteau.
J’ai fini mes devoirs.
J’ai vendu ma voiture.
The first slides have the phrase and a picture. Use this to elicit the pronunciation, the English and to drill.
The next section of slides have multiple choice questions. Then there are "what's missing?" slides. The final slide has pictures of all the phrases. This can be used for a Beat the Teacher game, which the students love! The teacher points to a picture and says a word. If it is the correct word the students all repeat it. If its the wrong word the students must stay absolutely silent. If they do, they win 1 point. If not, the teacher gets 1 point. Most points wins!
Slide 21 asks:
J’ai joué au foot.
This sentence is made up of 2 key ingrediants. What are they?
Elicit from the students:
J’ai = the form of avoir.
joué = the past participle.
Slide 22 elicits the conjugation of avoir.
Finally use slide 23 to elicit the formation of the past participles (I write the rules on the board).
Battleships Expressions:
J’ai
Tu as
Il a
Elle a
Nous avons
Vous avez
Ils ont
Elles ont
joué au foot.
regardé la télé.
écouté de la musique.
mangé des gâteaux.
fini les devoirs.
vendu la voiture.
Battleships Game
Instructions
Firstly I ask the students to work independently in pairs to translate the expressions and discuss pronunciation.
I then check the translations and drill pronunciation with the whole class before they play the game. The students secretly choose 5 squares on the top grid and then try to guess which 5 squares their partner has chosen, filling in the bottom grid with “hit” and “miss.” To choose a square say a phrase from the horizontal line and complete the sentence with a phrase from the vertical line. Where the 2 phrases meet up is the square you have chosen.
I use the English language sheet to further challenge the students: they should place this on top of the French version and then try to play the game saying the French phrases as far as possible from memory. I allow the really weak students to have the French version next to the English version so they have lots of support, stronger students are allowed a few “sneaky peaks” at the French version and the really strong students aim to refer back to the French version as little as possible. This really helps the students to memorise the vocabulary/structures!
During the game I circulate the classroom checking pronunciation.
Enjoy!