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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: Dire ou INTERdire (Noël)
CarlavCarlav

FRENCH: Dire ou INTERdire (Noël)

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This game is a bit like “Taboo” and can be played 2 ways. If your students are confident in French, have them play according to traditional Taboo® rules. If your students are uncomfortable giving clues, turn the rules upside down. Have your students use the words beneath the red and green 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. The green stars indicate challenging cards. It’s usually a good idea for you as the teacher to announce that you will accept synonyms like 'un palet” or 'un disque” for 'une rondelle”. The cards are designed to be run on business card sheets or card stock.
La journée de Lady Gaga, BTS ou . . .
CarlavCarlav

La journée de Lady Gaga, BTS ou . . .

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This is a guided writing activity in which students assume the identity of Lady Gaga or a member of BTS and describe her/his day. The focus is the use of pronominal verbs. There are separate handouts for le présent and le passé composé for both the Lady and BTS. Of course, the same sheets will work for Drake, Adele, Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Calvin, Hobbes, the principal of your school, and so forth. (It was high time to update this file. Lady Gaga has stood the test of time. One Direction, not so much!)
The Christmas edition of  YOU DON'T SAY!  (This game is a bit like Taboo®)
CarlavCarlav

The Christmas edition of YOU DON'T SAY! (This game is a bit like Taboo®)

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Are you a fan of Taboo®? Then YOU DON’T SAY! is the game for you. And it can be played in two different ways. If your students are confident and articulate, have them play YOU DON’T SAY! like traditional Taboo®. If, however, you have students who are uncomfortable speaking in public, turn the rules upside down. Tell them to use some or all of the words beneath the green and red 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 package includes 36 Christmas-themed cards and a template for students to make their own YOU DON’T SAY! deck. Merry Christmas!
Trouvé (à la maison)
CarlavCarlav

Trouvé (à la maison)

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"Trouvé" is a game inspired by Spot it™ or Dobble™. There is one matching expression between any two cards. "Trouvé" encourages students to concentrate, to read attentively and to pronounce the thematic vocabulary carefully. Included are a "how to play" guide and a deck of 54 cards to be printed on card stock, laminated and cut out. "Trouvé" est un jeu inspiré par Spot it™ou Dobble™. Il y a toujours une expression identique entre deux cartes. "Trouvé' encouragera vos étudiants à se concentrer, à lire attentivement et à bien prononcer le vocabulaire thématique. The grade levels will vary depending on whether your programme is in core, immersion or first-language French.
Avez-vous bien compris LUPIN1?
CarlavCarlav

Avez-vous bien compris LUPIN1?

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LUPIN 1 is based on the hit series whose modern hero is obsessed with Marcel Leblanc’s gentleman-cambioleur. Students will match the sentence fragments printed on the edges of the triangles to reconstitute the 18 statements about episode 1 and to “build” their pyramid. A cooperative activity suitable for francophone, immersion students and advanced students in core French. To be sure that this activity is right for your students by, try the free "futur simple” triangle puzzle at: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/le-futur-simple-a-triangle-puzzle-6450469
La Saint-Valentin: DIRE OU INTERDIRE?
CarlavCarlav

La Saint-Valentin: DIRE OU INTERDIRE?

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DIRE OU INTERDIRE? is a bit like “Taboo” and can be played 2 ways. If your students are confident in French, have them play according to traditional Taboo® rules. If your students are uncomfortable giving clues, turn the rules upside down. Have your students use the words beneath the red and green 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. The green stars indicate challenging cards. It’s usually a good idea for you as the teacher to announce that you will accept synonyms like 'un palet” or 'un disque” for 'une rondelle”. The cards are designed to be run on business card sheets or card stock. As it is suitable for French as a First Language, Immersion, Extended and advanced Core French students, it can be played at many grade levels.
DIRE OU INTERDIRE?  (Un jeu comme Taboo): L'édition de Halloween
CarlavCarlav

DIRE OU INTERDIRE? (Un jeu comme Taboo): L'édition de Halloween

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DIRE OU INTERDIRE? can be played by intermediate and advanced students For advanced, immersion and francophone groups: If your students are confident and articulate in French, have them play DIRE OU INTERDIRE? like traditional Taboo®. Divide the class into two teams. Place the deck facedown on a desk. A player from the first group chooses a card and tells his/her team everything s/he can about the word at the top of the card. The only catch is that s/he may not use any of the words listed under the orange and black lines in the descriptions. If the class cannot guess the word within 60 seconds, the mystery word is announced to the class and a player from the second team tries his or her luck. A point is scored each time the mystery word is correctly guessed. It’s usually a good idea for you as a teacher to announce that you will accept synonyms. For example, in Canada, a student might guess “un party (de Halloween)” rather than “une fête”. For intermediate level learners: If your students are uncomfortable giving clues, turn the rules upside down. Tell them to use the words beneath the black and orange 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 package includes 28 Halloween-themed cards, a template for students to make their own DIRE OR INTERDIRE? game and a how-to-play guide.
Quinze expressions avoir  illustrées (PPT)
CarlavCarlav

Quinze expressions avoir illustrées (PPT)

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Les quinze expressions - avoir - illustrées - sont: to be thirsty - avoir soif, to be hungry - avoir faim, to be cold - avoir froid, to be hot - avoir chaud, to be wrong - avoir tort, to be right - avoir raison, to be sick - avoir mal, to be x years old - avoir x ans, to need - avoir besoin de, to be ashamed - avoir honte, to be sleepy - avoir sommeil, to be afraid - avoir peur, to be slap happy - avoir le fou rire, to be lucky - avoir de la chance, to feel like, to want - avoir envie de, J’espère que vous en serez vachement content! Click here for the free activity, ‘Let’s get to the bottom of LES EXPRESSIONS AVOIR’, to solidify the concept in an entertaining way: http://www.tes.co.uk/teaching-resource/Les-expressions-avoir-a-review-game-6312195/
Les adjectifs
CarlavCarlav

Les adjectifs

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The latest update of this 38-page resource includes a tutorial on how to make regular and irregular adjectives agree with nouns and several activities and exercises to reinforce the concept. The topics covered include: • regular adjectives and • irregular adjectives including adjectives ending in: - é - e - eux - if - el - en - on - er • beau, bon, nouveau, vieux • BANGS adjectives • adjectives that change meaning when they change position • adjectives of colour • possessive adjectives • demonstrative adjectives les adjectifs possessifs “meilleur versus mieux” I’ve also included one of my favourite, most playful activities, " la vente aux enchères (des adjectifs de personnalité)" , a playful approach to mastering French adjectives
Let's get to the bottom (or top) of LES VERBES DR. & MRS. VAN DER TRAMP /verbs conjugated with ÊTRE
CarlavCarlav

Let's get to the bottom (or top) of LES VERBES DR. & MRS. VAN DER TRAMP /verbs conjugated with ÊTRE

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This is a competitive, repetitive game that will help your students to listen “actively” and to familiarise themselves with a tricky grammar point through the process of osmosis. Tobe sure that this activity is right for your class, try the free resource, Let’s get to the bottom (or top) of LES EXPRESSIONS AVOIR: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/let-s-get-to-the-bottom-of-les-expressions-avoir-6451763 HERE ARE THREE SAMPLE SENTENCES FROM LGTTB(OT)OLVD&MV • Ma grand-mère est allée chez un tatoueur / pierceur. Je me demande si elle va rentrer avec un tatouage ou un piercing . . . • Harry, Ron et Hermione sont montés dans l’express à destination de l’école Poudlard (Hogwarts). • Le train est parti le premier septembre de la voie 93⁄4 à la gare de King’s Cross.
Le MOTDOKU (sudoku) du subjonctif: devoir
CarlavCarlav

Le MOTDOKU (sudoku) du subjonctif: devoir

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IMHO, the old-fashioned practice of writing out conjugations for verb mastery still works academic wonders. But it is a much maligned approach so I’m always looking for ways to camouflage it as fun. This “MOTDOKU (sudoku) du subjonctif" is a review of the formation of the present subjunctive of DEVOIR dressed up as a sudoku puzzle. To be sure that it’s the kind of thing you want, download the free MOTDOKU du subjonctif (vouloir): https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/le-sudoku-du-subjonctif-vouloir-6160677
Dr. & Mrs. van der Tramp (les verbes conjugués avec être): a mini-unit
CarlavCarlav

Dr. & Mrs. van der Tramp (les verbes conjugués avec être): a mini-unit

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This file includes • my Dr. & Mrs. van der Tramp poster • alternate Dr. & Mrs. van der Tramp mnemonics • a mini-lesson on verbs conjugated with être and their agreement with their subjects • Dr. & Mrs. van der Tramp exercises • The Transformers: a mini-lesson on “special snowflake” van der Tramp verbs and when they revert to the AVOIR auxiliary.
Twelve Christmas Rebus Puzzles
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Twelve Christmas Rebus Puzzles

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Here are 12 more rebus puzzles for students who enjoyed the free rebus “A little Christmas Rebus to decipher! (The Little Drummer Boy)”: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/another-little-christmas-rebus-to-decipher-6454697 Thanks to their texting skills, today’s kids “get” the principle behind rebus puzzles intuitively. The “Twelve Christmas Rebus Puzzles” start with simple thematic phrases like “baking gingerbread cookies” and builds to a 3-page invitation to students to make their own rebus. The invitation is, of course, in rebus format! An activity tailored for the run-up to the holidays.
Triangle puzzle: Vouloir, Pouvoir et Devoir
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Triangle puzzle: Vouloir, Pouvoir et Devoir

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This triangle puzzle focusses on the present tense of the irregular verbs, vouloir, pouvoir and devoir. To solve the puzzle co-operatively, students will have to match snippets of text to form sentences like, "Pour jouer à Minecraft, on doit utiliser son imagination" and "Pour voir mes photos, vous pouvez me suivre (folow) sur Instagram". To make sure this activity is right for your students, test drive another triangle puzzle, the free "futur simple" puzzle: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/le-futur-simple-a-triangle-puzzle-6450469
Scribblescrabbles for Halloween, Diwali, Thanksgiving, Eid and Kwanzaa (Multilingual)
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Scribblescrabbles for Halloween, Diwali, Thanksgiving, Eid and Kwanzaa (Multilingual)

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Challenge your students to use their words with these Halloween, Diwali, Eid and Kwanzaa puzzles. Because the Hannukah Scribblescrabble has been available as a free resource for years, I've added a Thanksgiving Scribblescrabble for good measure. You'll find it in the second file. Unlike Scrabble players, Scribblescrabblers can choose which letters to use for each of their turns. As in Scrabble, however, they will score the most points with the strategic placement of those letters. You may ask your students to incorporate a thematic vocabulary list or to play using general vocabulary only. Either way, they will be engaged! In fact, very competitive students tend to want to play every possible open square. This file includes English, French and Spanish versions for of each grid and a blank grid for those of you teaching other languages.
3 MOTDOKU6 games (Les expressions avoir)
CarlavCarlav

3 MOTDOKU6 games (Les expressions avoir)

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IMHO, the old-fashioned practice of writing out vocabulary for mastery still works academic wonders. But it is a much maligned approach so I’m always looking for ways to camouflage it as fun. As students solve these 3 MOTDOKUS (word sudokus) they will inadvertently “write out” the 15 “expressions avoir” listed below: to be thirsty - avoir soif to be hungry - avoir faim to be cold - avoir froid to be hot - avoir chaud to be wrong - avoir tort to be right - avoir raison to be sick - avoir mal to be x years old - avoir x ans to need - avoir besoin de to be ashamed - avoir honte to be sleepy - avoir sommeil to be afraid - avoir peur to have the giggles - avoir le fou rire to be lucky - avoir de la chance to feel like, to want - avoir envie de To see if MOTDOKU6? games are right for your students, try the free MOTDOKU6 (Noël) resource: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/motdoku6-no-l-11448787
Les verbes conjugués avec être (a triangle puzzle)
CarlavCarlav

Les verbes conjugués avec être (a triangle puzzle)

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This triangle puzzle can be used as a co-operative activity or as an enrichment puzzle for individuals. Students have to match the edges of the triangles that ask and answer questions or begin and finish sentences . If possible, laminate the puzzle sheets. Then cut up one puzzle for every two or three students. Put the 12 triangles into an envelope. Et à vos jeux. Is this grammar activity for you? See for yourself by trying the free resource, Le futur simple (a triangle puzzle): http://www.tes.co.uk/teaching-resource/Le-future-simple-a-triangle-puzzle-6450469/
Les expressions avoir: une affiche (8.5 x 14)
CarlavCarlav

Les expressions avoir: une affiche (8.5 x 14)

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The 15 avoir; expressions illustrated are; to be thirsty - avoir soif to be hungry - avoir faim to be cold - avoir froid to be hot - avoir chaud to be wrong - avoir tort to be right - avoir raison to be sick - avoir mal to be x years old - avoir x ans to need - avoir besoin de to be ashamed - avoir honte to be sleepy - avoir sommeil to be afraid - avoir peur to be slap happy - avoir le fou rire to be lucky - avoir de la chance to feel like, to want - avoir envie de The free activity, Let’s get to the bottom of LES EXPRESSIONS AVOIR, should solidify the concept in an entertaining way: http://www.tes.co.uk/teaching-resource/Les-expressions-avoir-a-review-game-6312195/
 Let's get to the bottom (or top) of LES EXPRESSIONS IDIOMATIQUES
CarlavCarlav

Let's get to the bottom (or top) of LES EXPRESSIONS IDIOMATIQUES

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'Let's get to the bottom (or top) of LES EXPRESSIONS IDIOMATIQUES' is a competitive, repetitive game that will help your students master 20 idioms through the process of osmosis. The game defines 'active listening skills' and tends to generate very enthusiastic participation! See if this game suits your purposes by trying the free resource, of LES EXPRESSIONS AVOIR' http://www.tes.co.uk/teaching-resource/Les-expressions-avoir-a-review-game-6312195/ The file comprises the following idioms: appeler un chat un chat, avoir le bras long, avoir la langue bien pendue, avoir une peur bleue de quelque chose, brûler un feu rouge, c’est la barbe!, c’est le pied!, c’est une autre paire de manches, connaître les ficelles (du métier) , coûter les yeux de la tête, le dernier cri, les doigts dans le nez, dormir sur les deux oreilles, être mauvaise langue, faire la courte échelle à quelqu’un, faire le pont, faire la une, passer une nuit blanche, pour une bouchée de pain, se perdre de vue.