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!
This differentiated role play can be used to practise phrases about school.
Examples of questions and answers:
Au collège.
A. Quelles matières études-tu?
B. Je fais ____ matières, y compris les maths, l’anglais, les sciences, l’informatique, l’histoire, la géographie, le dessin, le français, l’allemand, l’EPS, le théâtre, la musique, la technologie, l’économie, les études de commerce, les études médiatiques.
A. Quelle est ta matière préférée?
B. Ma matière préférée est ________________________ car j’en suis fort(e)/ je pense que c’est facile/ c’est très intéressant/le prof est très sympa/ c’est amusant/ je veux devenir ***.
A. Es-tu fort(e) en maths ?
B. Oui, j’en suis fort(e)/ non, je n’en suis pas très fort(e).
Other questions:
A. Quelles autres matières aimes-tu ?
A. Quel est ton jour préféré ?
A. Aimes-tu le sport ?
A. Quelle est la matière que tu détestes le plus ?
Extra questions and answers for stronger students :
A. Qu’est-ce que tu as eu comme cours hier ?
B. Hier j’ai eu _________________, c’était ______________________
A. Qu’est-ce que tu auras comme cours demain ?
B. Demain j’aurai __________________ ce sera __________________
A. Qu’est-ce que tu faisais à l’école primaire ?
B. Je jouais au cache-cache, je dessinais, je lisais…c’était __________________
Battleships Expressions:
Mon école est bien équipée et
Mon école est moderne et
Il y a 950 élèves en tout et
L’année scolaire commence début septembre et
Les cours commencent à sept heures et demie et
l’année scolaire finit fin juin.
les cours finissent à deux heures et demie.
un cours dure une heure.
la récréation dure quarante minutes.
j’ai une heure et demie de devoirs chaque soir.
je prépare un examen qui s’appelle le GCSE.
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.
This game practises daily routine phrases using reflexives and the Present Tense.
Expressions:
Je me réveille
Tu te lèves
Il se rase
Elle s’habille
On se promène
Nous nous amusons
Vous vous brossez les dents.
Ils se couchent
Elles se coiffent
tôt.
tard.
vers sept heures.
à minuit
après avoir fait les devoirs.
avant de faire du VTT.
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!
Song (One PowerPoint Slide):
This fun song can be used to practise the Daily Routine and Reflexives. It is sung to the tune of Jingle Bells! The student love the "pipi" bit!!
Lyrics:
Je me lève, je me lave,
je me brosse les dents.
Je m’habille, je fais pipi
et je quitte la maison.
OH !
A huit heures je prends le bus
et je vois mes amis.
Puis j’arrive au collège
à huit heures et demie !
Expressions:
Je peux, je ne peux pas...
regarder la télé quand je veux.
téléphoner aux copains.
sortir le soir avec des copains.
m’habiller comme je veux.
dépenser mon argent de poche comme je veux.
surfer sur Internet.
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!
You may wish to reinforce and extend this material by playing my je peux/ je ne peux pas battleships game/ lotto grid.
Expressions:
Je peux
Je ne peux pas
Je vais
Je voudrais
Quand j’aurai 16ans je pourrai
regarder la télé quand je veux.
téléphoner aux copains.
sortir le soir avec des copains.
m’habiller comme je veux.
dépenser mon argent de poche comme je veux.
surfer sur Internet.
Battleships Game
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 cards revise key negative expressions. I have also included a range of tenses to stretch stronger students.
Expressions:
Je ne joue jamais au rugby.
Je ne fais pas de musculation.
Je ne suis pas sorti(e) avec mes amis.
Je n’ai jamais vu ce film.
Je ne vais plus faire de yoga.
Je ne vais pas manger de chocolat.
Je ne mangeais que du pain.
Je ne faisais jamais mes devoirs.
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!
I have used this one slide warmer many times and found it works really well both as a 15 minute starter and as a plenary activity.
Give each student a mini whiteboard.Click on the PowerPoint and the students will see a sentence to unjumble and an extension task to change the phrase to a different tense. E.g.
au pas je tennis joue ne. Extra: perfect tense.
Give the students 20 seconds to figure out and write down the answer, then click on the PowerPoint to reveal the answer:
Je ne joue pas au tennis.
Je n’ai pas joué au tennis.
Other phrases on the slide are:
fais ne je voile pas de. Extra: perfect tense.
Je ne fais pas de voile.
Je n’ai pas fait de voile.
ville jamais ne il va en. Extra: future tense.
Il ne va jamais en ville.
Il ne va jamais aller en ville.
d’équitation plus ne je fais. Extra: would no longer like…(conditional).
Je ne fais plus d’équitation.
Je ne voudrais plus faire d’équitation.
These French cards present weather conditions in the present, imperfect and future tenses.
Expressions:
Il faisait beau.
Il pleuvait.
Il neigeait.
Il y avait des nuages.
Il y avait des orages.
Il faisait du brouillard.
Il faisait du vent.
Il fait beau.
Il pleut.
Il neige
Il y a des nuages.
Il y a des orages.
Il fait du brouillard.
Il fait du vent.
Il fera beau.
Il pleuvra.
Il neigera.
Il y aura des nuages.
Il fera du brouillard.
Il fera du vent.
Il y aura des orages.
You may choose to have different levels of challenge. For example,
Level 1 = put the cards into 3 columns: imperfect, present and future 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 are 2 fun games to play, either pelmenism or slap the card.
Battleships:
Expressions:
Dans le nord il sera ensoleillé
Dans le sud il sera nuageux
Dans l’est il y a un fort risque de pluie
Dans l’ouest il y aura des averses
Dans le centre il y aura des orages
et en Bretagne il y aura des éclaircies.
et en Normandie il y aura du brouillard.
et sur l’île de France il y aura du vent.
et à Paris il neigera.
et à Nice il fera beau.
et à Bordeaux les températures seront en baisse.
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 use this short extract from the Wallace and Gromit film The Curse of The Were Rabbit as a fun activity to revise fruit and vegetable vocabulary. I show the English language version of the film, but a French version with English subtitles would be better! The activity has an Extra extension task for stronger students.
The extract starts with the vicar in the church looking at all his produce for the harvest festival and ends with Gromit waking up in bed.
Worksheet extract:
Wallace & Gromit! Les légumes!
Cochez les choses que vous voyez:
des choux une courgette une orange une église
des tomates des raisins des pêches des aubergines
un chou-fleur un melon une citrouille de l’ail des oignons une bougie du jambon un concombre des pommes de terre......
Extra : Complétez les phrases :
1. Le pasteur a… a) les cheveux gris. b) les cheveux blancs. c) les cheveux bruns.
2. Le pasteur est… a) à la maison. b) dans l’église. c) dans la serre.
I use this worksheet with my Year 12 students with extracts from the French films: a 5 minute extract from Être et avoir (timings on sheet) and 4 minute extract from La chorale. The students attempt to answer as many questions as possible. They won't necessarily all find answers to all of the questions but I have enjoyed listening to the students' interpretations of the extracts they have watched. A great way to introduce a debate about education!
Instructions:
Réponds oui, non, je ne sais pas.
Extra : Justifie tes réponses.
Example questions:
1. Est-ce qu’il donne du plaisir à apprendre ?
2. Est-ce qu’il rend les gens heureux ?
3. Est-ce qu’il développe l’esprit critique des élèves ?
4. Est-ce qu’il aime les élèves ?
5. Est-ce qu’il a de l’autorité ?
6. Est-ce qu’il respecte ses élèves ?
7. Est-ce qu’il suscite l’intérêt de ceux qui l’écoutent ?
I use this 15 minute warmer activity either with mini-whiteboards or putting the students in teams. I use it with my Year 12 and 13 students.
The first slide has 6 groups of 4 adjectives. The students have to choose the odd one out. Whilst I have specific odd adjectives out in mind (see slide 2 for the answers), I encourage the students to be creative and think outside the box!
This tests students knowledge of regular rules, irregular adjectives and word order.
Examples:
beau mauvais gentil intéressant
intéressant follows the noun!
jeune allemand vieux nouveau
allemand follows the noun!
grande petite rouge importante
rouge, because the others are made feminine by adding an “e”, rouge already has one!
Enjoy!
This PowerPoint starts by eliciting the definitions of the infinitive (the 3 kinds of verbs are -er, -ir and -re) and conjugation. The next slide elicits the different subject pronouns. Slide 5 elicits the conjugation of Aimer and slide 6 elicits the rules for conjugating -er verbs.
The final slide resumes the rules for -er verbs and sets the following differentiated ask (this slide could be printed off):
All: Use colour, pictures, analogies etc to remember how to conjugate regular –er verbs. Write 7 sentences using regular –er verbs.
Most: Write 7 complex sentences for exercise, using connectives, adjetives, adverbs and opinions.
Some: Include regular –ir and –re verbs (see verb tables).
Regular er verbs: aimer = to like, arriver = to arrive, chanter = to sing, danser = to dance, jouer = to play, penser = to think, rêver = to dream, travailler = to work, voyager =to travel, détester = to hate, regarder = to watch, collectionner = to collect.
There is also a link to the fabulous Conjugation Back song on YouTube. Whilst this is for Spanish, it clearly illustrates the idea of conjugation.
English - French Matching Cards:
As well as regular -er verbs in the present tense I have included one perfect tense and one near future tense phrase to challenge the stronger students.
Expressions:
Je joue au tennis depuis dix ans.
Nous adorons le français car c’est très intéressant !
Il mange beaucoup de croissants.
Je vais regarder la télé avec ma sœur.
Tu aimes les chevaux?
Ils jouent du piano trois fois par semaine.
Nous avons écouté des chansons françaises.
Vous détestez le chou? Moi aussi!
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 slide bingo/ lotto game covers the perfect tense with avoir, être and reflexives.
I start by teaming up the students and asking them to translate the expressions, I differentiate as follows:
All: Translate the je forms,
Most: AND the second section of avoir and être verbs with a variety of subject pronouns
Some: AND the remaining reflexive verbs with a variety of subject pronouns.
Then I ask the students to choose 5 phrases and I randomly say phrases in English, eliciting the French and the students tick them off until someone wins!
contains the following phrases:
Lotto: Le passé compose!
Example phrases:
J’ai joué j’ai fini j’ai vendu
j’ai bu j’ai lu j’ai vu
je suis allé(e) je suis resté(e) je suis entré(e) j
je me suis réveillé(e) je me suis levé(e)
Il a regardé tu as vomi elle a perdu
nous avons fait vous avez pris ils ont compris
tu es allé(e) vous êtes partis ils sont descendus
Tu t’es reveillé(e) il s’est douche elle s’est reposée
nous nous sommes amusés vous vous êtes lavés
I use this role play to reinforce the perfect tense.
Jeu de rôles! Extract:
A. Tu t��es réveille(e) à quelle heure hier?
B. Je me suis réveillé(e) à __________ heures.
A. Tu t’es douché(e) ?
B. Oui, je me suis douché(e)/ Non, je ne me suis pas douché(e).
A. Qu’est-ce que tu as mangé et bu comme petit-déjeuner ?
B. J’ai mangé ____________ et j’ai bu ______________.
A. Tu es parti(e) à quelle heure ?
B. Je suis parti(e) à ________ heures.
I use this short 2 minute film The Snoozatron! from the Extras DVD of the Wallace and Gromit film The Curse Of The Were Rabbit as a fun activity to revise furniture and rooms in the house. The worksheet has an Extra section to challenge stronger students. My DVD is in English, but it would be great to show a French version with subtitles. In total the activity takes around 15-20 minutes. We translate the questions together, watch The Snoozatron twice and then check the answers.
Worksheet extracts:
Wallace et Gromit.
Cracking Contraptions! The Snoozatron.
A. Cochez les choses que vous voyez: extract:
une chambre une télévision un lit un réveil une étagère
une raquette une cuisine une table une salle de bains
une chaise les escaliers une cave une commode
Extra extract: Choisissez la bonne réponse.
1. Il est….
a) deux heures et demie. b) deux heures moins le quart. c) trois heures.
2. Wallace a mangé trop de …
a) bananes. b) fromage c) biscuits.
Use the following cards as a starter activity to revise a range of tenses: present, near future, future, perfect and imperfect. Simply say the sentence in English and the students race to put the correct sentence together. Simple and fun!
Expressions on cards:
je
vais aller
suis allé(e)
à Paris
aux Etats-Unis
avec
mes copains
mes copines
ma soeur
et
mais
c’était
ça sera
d’habitude
vais
c’est
très
assez
plutôt
intéressant(e)
génial(e)
barbant(e)
quand j’étais jeune
j’allais
j’irai
You could also play or a game with the individual cards 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!
Expressions on cards:
Avoir ___ ans
Avoir besoin de ___
Avoir chaud/ froid
Avoir de la chance
Avoir envie de ___
Avoir faim/ soif
Avoir mal à la tête/ à la gorge.
Avoir tort/ avoir raison
Avoir sommeil
Avoir peur
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!
Les métiers!
Give the students a mini-whiteboard each and show them the first slide which gives the following differentiated instructions:
All: Draw a picture to illustrate 1/3 jobs (masc/fem).
Most: Draw a picture to illustrate 2/3 jobs (masc/fem).
Some: Draw a picture to illustrate 3/3 jobs. (masc/fem) and identify the tense (present, perfect, imperfect, future, conditional).
Then show them slide 2 which has the following phrases and give them a minute to complete all, most or some for each phrase:
Je vais devenir…
coiffeur menuisier vendeuse
Je voudrais être…
mécanicienne institutrice infirmier
Je voulais être…
comptable médecin sapeur-pompier
Mon grand-père/ ma grand-mère était…
cuisinière kinésithérapeute ingénieur
Mon frère/ ma sœur deviendra…..
nourrice plombier informaticienne
This presentation presents places in town in Spanish.
Vocabulary:
castillo, palacio, alcázar, iglesia, fábrica, parque nacional, museo, monumento, acueducto (romano) & edificio.
The first slides have each place in Spanish with a picture. The teacher should use this to elicit the meaning in English and drill the pronunciation.
Then there is graded questioning. Firstly there are multiple choice slides followed by what's missing memory game slides.
You can also use the final slide to play a game of "beat the teacher" to revise the learning at the end or during the following lesson.
Beat the teacher is played like this:
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!
rench Months Logic Problem: Good for G & T students!
Students read the clues and decide who likes which month. Beware! Includes red herrings! This could also be used as a warmer task in teams for older students.
Example clues:
4. Hélène est très romantique !
5. Elise adore la rentrée !
6. Les garçons adorent l’été !
7. Arnaud adore la fête nationale.
This PowerPoint slideshow covers food and drink types commonly found in a school cafeteria.
Vocabulary:
Como un bocadillo.
Como una ensalada.
Tomo una pizza.
Tomo espaguetis.
Como patatas fritas.
Tomo una hamburgesa.
Como fruta.
Bebo una limonada.
Tomo un zumo de naranja.
Bebo una Coca-Cola.
Bebo una naranjada.
Bebo un agua mineral.
First section is a food presentation, its followed by multiple choice questions and then a name the picture section (Graded Questioning). The next section is a beat the teacher game, the students love this! 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!
The final section is a memory game, students must say what is missing. The next section of slides present and test drinks.
Enjoy!
Spanish PowerPoint introducing computer vocabulary:
@, / headphones, the on/off button, user name, password, CD, memory stick, microphone, the screen, the mouse, the keyboard.
The fist 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 new vocabulary. 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 it’s 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!
I use this simple presentation to present the 12 hour clock in Spanish. Eliciting the English and drilling the phrases.
A fun activity to do is to then say a time which the students make with their bodies (one arm for the big hand, one arm for the small hand).
Battleships:
Expressions:
Es la una
Son las dos
Son las cuatro
Son las seis
Son las siete
Son las once
y cuarto.
y media.
menos cuarto.
y diez.
y veinte.
menos cinco.
menos veinticinco.
Plenary/ warmer:
I use this 1 slide warmer activity/ pleanary having taught the time (12 hour clock).
Give the students a mini-whiteboard each.
Click on the presentation and a time will appear e.g. Es la una. The students must draw a clock (analogue or digital) with the correct time.
Click again for the extension activity which is a jumbled up time: e.g. y son siete media las. The students must write this in the correct order e.g. Son las siete y media and then draw the clock.
An additional extension could be to then change this to the 24 hour clock.
There are 4 times to draw and unjumble. This should take approximately 15 minutes.
Times covered include:
Son las ocho menos cuarto
Son las tres y cuarto
Son las once menos veinticinco.
Son las nueve menos veinte
Son las cuatro menos cuarto
This colourful and fun PowerPoint presentation presents various countries.
Vocabulary presented:
Soy de Australia.
Soy de España.
Soy de Estados Unidos.
Soy de Inglaterra.
Soy de Escocia.
Soy de Gales.
Soy de Irlanda.
Soy de Jamaica.
Soy de México.
Soy de Nigeria.
Soy de Paquistán.
The first slides have the phrase and a picture. Use this to elicit the pronunciation, the English and to drill.
The next slide can be used for a Beat the Teacher game, which the students love!
Instructions:
The teacher points to a picture and says a word. If it is the correct word the students all repeat it. If it’s 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!
Then there are "what's missing?" slides.
The final slide has pictures of all the new vocabulary for a re-cap.