A guided translation on the topic of the environment, where if pupils pick the correct option for each word, a picture emerges. The activity incentivizes accurate translation - pick the wrong word, you don’t get the finished picture! For each word to be translated, there are options in French (a, b, c etc). These letters correspond to different colours to be used to colour in a square on the grid. At the end, the whole translation can be written out as a paragraph. Pupils can then set their own picture puzzle for a friend using the paragraph as a model. The translation is about protecting unicorns, so it is easily adapted to write about other animals hunted for their horns such as elephants, rhinos or narwhal. This can be a useful writing exercise if you are working on the topic of the environment. It can also be set as a stand-alone activity as pupils can often deduce the correct answer even if it is unfamiliar, because they can eliminate the incorrect alternatives. The attached image gives an idea of how translating the text produces the image of a giraffe eating leaves from a tree.

A worksheet to focus pupils on using a core of key French language to create answers to GCSE questions on the topic of My School. The language is selected to meet the exam criteria of detailed description, opinions and reasons, reference to past and future, narration of events. Pupils categorise the language given on the sheet and map out which language is key to answering different types of question. They build complex answers using different key elements. The worksheet is structured to make use of the language provided and equip pupils to create complex answers from a core repertoire of key structures. The language and skills developed on this sheet can then be transferred to other topics. A two page worksheet to be copied on A3. By the end of this worksheet, pupils will be building answers suitable for higher tier in writing and speaking.

Watch the video to see how this spontaneous speaking activity works. A speaking activity for GCSE French to practise developing answers and speaking spontaneously. Topic “My School” One worksheet (best expanded and printed on A3) supports pupils in giving extended and complex answers. Get pupils to practise with a series of partners, reducing their dependence on the sheet as the activity progresses. The other sheet gives models of the kind of answers pupils can give. All the language for these answers is on the spontaneous speaking sheet. Rather than first going through and giving pupils the English for the sheet, give them both sheets at once and they will find the words they need for themselves. The language and skills modeled here can be transferred to other topics.

French Guided Translation on topic of My School. Pupils pick from the options for each French word in the sentence. For each option there is a square to colour in. Pupils are incentivised to translate accurately to get the final picture correct. Contains opinions, can, can’t have to + infinitive and conjunctions. Suitable for KS3 (and possibly KS2 or revision at KS4 Foundation Tier).

A model answer, built from key core language to be adapted (as prompted by the sheet) to create answers to other questions. The topic is My School. The language is designed to meet the key GCSE criteria of detailed description, opinions and reasons, reference to past and future, and narration of events. The answers can be used in preparation for the Speaking or for the Writing exam. This worksheet goes well with the French GCSE My School core language worksheet.

French. A writing frame to scaffold pupils’ work on the topic of Mon College (My School). Pupils use the scaffold to write extended sentences. Provide them with red, green, blue and black pens to write the different chunks in different colours. Red for verb + infinitive, green for connectives, blue for opinions. This makes writing more fun and kinaesthetic. It also means pupils take care over their writing. Pupils can see immediately how each chunk is used in a sentence. Pupils can immediately see when they are over using or under using one element. The worksheet is provided in Word so you can choose to remove the English for pupils who don’t need it. Suitable for KS3 or KS4 foundation tier.

French Mon College (My School) worksheet developing pupils’ ability to develop their own writing using chunks of language. The worksheet is designed to be doable using language on the sheet. The language is introduced with short parallel texts in English and French where the pupils find the language they are going to need for the rest of the lesson. The language used is opinions, verb + infinitive and connectives, along with vocabulary for the topic of school.

Designed to equip pupils to respond spontaneously to questions in the speaking or the writing exams. In a structured series of activities, it shows how to take key words from the question to get started with an answer. Then pupils develop the ability to develop an answer which will meet the key exam criteria of giving opinions, justifying them, referring to past and future, and narrating events. The last activity shows pupils how they can successfully answer any question, even if they get a question in the exam they don’t fully understand.

A structured resource for the new French GCSE to help pupils construct questions. This is a requirement in the speaking exam. It also equips pupils to think about using words from a question in order to give an answer to the question. Uses grids to give pupils options to translate questions and form their own questions. Designed to be doable by GCSE pupils who are studying the topic of "My School" and who have not had experience of formulating questions before. 4 pages (to be copied as 2 A3 sheets),

A speaking activity and resource to support pupils in describing pictures for the GCSE speaking exam. Topic “My School”. Pupils use options from the sheet to build detailed and complex descriptions of a photo. It is designed to be used with specimen photos from the exam board or pictures in text books. It enables pupils to describe photos containing people in an educational context. Another suggested activity would be for one pupil to use the sheet and their partner has to sketch what they are describing. Pupils can use the sheet to work with a series of partners, reducing their reliance on the sheet. The language modeled in this activity could be transferred to talking about photos in other contexts.

An interesting new take on gap fill activities. The text is obscured by a coffee spill. Pupils have to read and work out the complete text. They then use this as a model for their own writing. The topic is Au College (My School) and it is suitable for KS3 or KS4. The texts are built from opinions, verb + infinitives and connectives.

An 8 page booklet to take pupils through from the concept of the Infinitive, the subject pronouns and verb endings, to being able to write their own amusing paragraphs. Step by step to enable pupils to succeed, with all the information required contained in the booklet. Ideal for classwork, cover work, homework or revision.

The presentation slides from my talk in the Saturday Tech Talk series for teachers of English in Indonesia 20th November 2021. A recording of this talk will be available on Joe Dale’s youtube channel after the event.

A keep talking / paragraph builder for talking about table manners and the importance of handling bread correctly in France. Pupils can watch the YouTube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yRkWCqcoms&list=PL2u4oHkid_n0kAt6WeDWE22QkqG3BNUmF&index=3 first, and then use this sheet to compare France and England and different situations. Example sentences: In France you can use your bread to wipe up the sauce on your plate but you shouldn’t put the bread on the table upside down. In England it is not polite to wipe your plate but you can dunk a biscuit in your tea.