Secondary French teacher, rated Ofsted 'Outstanding' at KS3, KS4 and KS5.
PGCE and NQT mentor. Regular CPD/Professional Learning leader. State and private sector experience.
Secondary French teacher, rated Ofsted 'Outstanding' at KS3, KS4 and KS5.
PGCE and NQT mentor. Regular CPD/Professional Learning leader. State and private sector experience.
Set of cards that can be used in a multitude of different ways. Template is set up to link to perfect tense, but can easily be adapted for other tenses or different grammatical points if required.
Slides are designed to be printed and each card cut out. There are eight cards on each slide (four slides in total - 32 cards to play with). Each card has an English phrase and a French phrase underneath. The cards can either be used as dominoes (students will require a full set per group), or as a speaking game, timed in class.
To play as a speaking game, each student is handed a card (or more than one card if less than 32 students in group). Cards can be assigned randomly, or teacher can differentiate by giving LA less challenging translations and HA more difficult sentences or more than one card. Students are given 30 seconds to work out the French translation of the English section of their card (this is what will signal that it is their turn to read theirs out), and to familiarise themselves with the pronunciation of the French sentence on the bottom of their card.
To play:
1. Teacher starts the clock.
2. The student with the 'Début' card says their English sentence and reads out the French underneath.
3. The student with the English translation that links to the French sentence that has just been said reads their card out loud, and the game continues.
4. The game ends when the student who has the last card says their English and French out loud. The French will link to the English on the first card read aloud.
5. Teacher stops the clock.
6. Round two - can the students beat their original time?
7. Pick up on grammatical points as a class / any errors that were made. Why did these happen (pronunciation, recognition of pronouns etc.)?
Differentiation suggestions:
* Teacher can mix up the cards in between rounds and play several times.
* Teacher can show PowerPoint as students are saying cards aloud, to support with colour recognition of the cards they are holding (if game is printed in colour) and with visual recognition of speech. Inversely, to increase challenge, teacher does not show PowerPoint.
* Teacher can limit time students have to familiarise themselves with their card(s) after they are handed out.
Always a huge hit! Can be played at beginning or end of lesson. Useful from HA KS2 - KS4 to revise perfect tense. Sentences use vocabulary linked to activities such as going to the cinema or bowling.
Three Mario Kart Grand Prix grids, printable and adaptable depending on requirements. Slides give examples and blank templates for each of the options below. Also included are Display Posters for each option, should you wish to use Grand Prix as a classroom display and Mario Kart characters to print and cut out for each student.
Option 1 - Learning Objective Grand Prix.
Students write a short summary of lesson LO into first Grand Prix box and date. They then circle the red, amber or green light depending on how confident they feel with their understanding that day. Students move their character onto the following space next lesson and again chart their understanding by circling the appropriate light. Very useful visual aid to show student progress, and to help pick up learners who are struggling but may not wish to acknowledge as such in front of their peers. After several lessons, grids can be used to split class into groups - those who would like to further work on first LO in one group, second in another and third in another. Teacher can then differentiate classwork and circulate to help improve understanding. Also helpful to set homework, for example assigning students a worksheet on the topic that they found difficult and as such would benefit from extra practice. Challenge / extension work can be set for those students who have all green lights.
Option 2 - Grammar Grand Prix.
Exactly as above, but used specifically for grammar (present tense 'er' verbs, 'ir verbs' and 're verbs' for example). Students chart confidence and understanding each lesson and move character around. Teacher can assess progress and adapt planning accordingly as above.
Option 3 - Behaviour for Learning Grand Prix.
Used successfully with several year 8 classes with a large number of behavioural challenges. As a group, students decide behavioural target for lesson at the start of each class. You may find it best to stick to one target per lesson to begin with, for example 'I will listen when other people are contributing'. Important that students think of the target themselves in order to engage motivation. Give 10 seconds to think, pair, share at start of lesson, take ideas and then go with most popular suggestion. At the end of the lesson, students rate how well they have met the target by circling red, amber or green. Grids handed into teacher at end of lesson who has final say on correct light. Those who have met the target move onto the next square and receive a raffle ticket. At the end of a series of lessons (for example half-term), raffle is drawn for a small prize. Those who have circled green and have moved around the grid have the most raffle tickets and therefore the greatest chance of winning prize. However, even if a student has only met the class behaviour target once, they are still rewarded for this with the raffle ticket and therefore have a small chance of also winning.
Personalised feedback template, designed to be easily adapted for large groups. Features a 'What Went Well', 'Even Better If' and 'Try This' section, designed to consolidate or advance understanding.
Feedback can be typed into sections and some sentences copied and pasted if appropriate to save time when marking. Sheets can then be printed and glued underneath work (either by teacher or by student in the following lesson).
Students answer their 'Try This' in the 'My Response' section, and then write a brief comment (or draw a happy, medium or sad face if they prefer) to let teacher know how confident they are feeling with their understanding. This has proved incredibly useful on a number of occasions and students have often said how much they appreciate actually being able to quietly ask for a bit more help if they need it. Some students have also used it to disclose Safeguarding issues - all in all a beneficial little space to note anything down if required. It is obviously very important to read and respond to their 'Try this' question, especially if they have trusted you and opened up about needing a little more support.
'Try this' question can simply have a 1, 2 or 3 written next to it to save time, and then these questions displayed on board when students are reflecting on feedback if easier.
Slides are a blank template, easily adaptable, and an feedback form filled in as an example.
Two worksheets, suitable for younger learners of French, asking them to colour in shapes on a Christmas tree and/or Snowman template, according to the directions given.
The Christmas tree template has six simple instructions and the image is simpler to colour.
The Snowman template has ten instructions, referring to items of clothing (ses gants, son chapeau) as well as numbers and shapes, and the image is more detailed.
Perfect to re-cap some shapes, numbers and colours towards the end of term, and to introduce some Christmas vocabulary (bauble, holly etc.). Extension could be for pupils to draw their own Christmas tree / Snowman and label.
Great resource, building on 'Sport 1' (different sports and opinions). Fully animated with information in Notes section for teachers for each activity. Very straightforward build to help students make link and understand traditionally challenging grammar point for younger learners.
Starter activity is followed by repetition of different sports to consolidate knowledge from previous lesson. Students encouraged to pick out the definite article in preparation for following activities.
Students then reflect on the different definite articles, before working out what happens when they combine with 'jouer' in a reading activity (presented as Twitter feeds from David Beckham and Jonny Wilkinson). Students then note down the rule, before translating on their mini whiteboards sentences linked to different sports with jouer + à.
Final activity is to design a comic strip (either using the computer or drawing), with clear success criteria provided.
Treasure Hunt review at end of lesson.
Huge time saver! Incredibly useful! Took a day to make!
Can be printed as individual A4 pages (or blown up into A3) for French 'Word Wall' display. Very useful to direct students to for help with their own work and to encourage independent learning and flow. Can also be printed as an A4 or A5 booklet for students to have an individual copy for reference in class and at home.
Created as when directing students to dictionaries to help source their own verb conjugations, confusion would often ensue as no English translations / pointers on when to use each tense were given to help students who were unsure. Really helps to drive independence and so helpful when teaching as time can be spent supporting LA / pushing HA when circulating, rather than having to constantly be translating verbs to help students continue with their work.
30 pages in total.
Verb tables - 24 pages! Present, perfect, imperfect, near future, simple future and conditional tenses for 12 key verbs in French and in English. Definition of when to use each tense also given on each verb table to help student understanding.
Connectives - 3 pages. English and French translations given. Separated into different tables of connectives to use with any tense, the present tense, the perfect tense, the imperfect tense and finally the near future, simple future and conditional tenses.
Opinions - 1 page. Postive and negative opinions given in French and in English. Ways to introduce points of view also given in table to help students extend and vary communication.
A great resource, outlining the new AQA German GCSE as a simple Factsheet. Very useful for students as an introduction to the course. Also used with excellent feedback at Open Evenings to provide further information (from the AQA website) for students, Parents and Carers, and for staff within the department alongside the new Specification.
Suitable for Foundation and Higher tiers. A huge time-saver!
The Factsheet provides information about the advantages of studying German at GCSE level, alongside answers to the following questions:
1. What will I study? (Core themes and sub-topics.)
2. How will I be assessed? (Information on the four exam papers, the length of the exams, the marks awarded and the types of questions.)
3. When will I take my exams?
4. How do GCSE grades 1-9 work?
The Factsheet is attractively and simply presented with photographs and images.
A space for Student reflection is provided at the end of the document, as well as the link to the AQA Specification at a Glance for further information.
Mon lapin de Pâques: KS2 + KS3 Easter Worksheet. Great resource, asking students to look up body parts of a rabbit and some Easter vocabulary before translating phrases that link these two together with colours.
Students are then asked to colour in a large picture of a rabbit according to the instructions they have translated ( for example 'le nez c'est rose', 'les fleurs sont jaunes et rouges').
A great lesson for KS2 and beginners at KS3 (year 7 / year 8).
Differentiated with 'Challenge' option linked to gender of nouns and unusual body part vocabulary ('la queue'). Great fun to teach - cut-outs of rabbits can be used for a display or to make into French Easter cards.
Pâques, une fête très chocolat: Excellent lesson on Easter, touching on history, tradition and chocolate, based on a French text from the ‘1 jour 1 actu’ French website (full link on top of worksheet).
Questions include multiple choice answers based on comprehension, linguistic challenge (such as selecting synonyms) and research tasks that can be developed as fully as teacher wishes (particularly useful for KS5).
A second worksheet asks students to reflect on a video on how chocolate is made (link on worksheet) and to answer a separate set of questions to work on their listening comprehension. For KS5 learners, I recommend playing the video straight through twice after modelling the first answer. KS4 learners would benefit from the video being paused several times to allow them to note down the answers.
A full A4 page of vocabulary (divided into paragraphs to match those in the text) is provided to support learners who would benefit from this help. Increase challenge by withholding from learners.
As I did not author the text I have not included it on the worksheet, however the link for the text and for the video are both there. If students have their own devices, they can access an electronic copy in class, or a paper copy could be printed for them by teacher.
Great fun to teach and fully differentiated!
A lesson building on food and drink vocabulary, asking students to create their own role-play in Le Café Français!
Fully animated with all answers and step-by-step approach through different activities. Full example of role-play given for students to build on.
A great lesson, especially if you can provide your class with some props (aprons, plastic food, paper plates, something small to dress up in)!
Display Bundle!
Five different display ideas for Secondary, with cover posters ready to go.
First display is a 'Mot de la Semaine' poster template, with two examples linked to traditionally challenging vocabulary at KS4.
Second display posters are an image of a detective (A4), with several A4 speech bubbles encouraging independent learning and enquiry (A3B4ME) and suggesting ways to improve work.
Third, fourth and fifth display posters are linked to GCSE modules. Easily printed to display next to student work. Year 8 Comic Strips links to Daily Routines module (used alongside Linguascope Comic Strip creator), Year 10 links to simple future tense and organising an event for the local area, and Y11 links to Healthy Lifestyles.
All easily adapted.
Numbers worksheet with five activities relating to numbers 11-50. Fully differentiated with 'Challenge' extension and 'Want support?' help sheet with number line from 1-50 and useful vocabulary for sums.
Full answer sheet provided for reflection and marking.
Great time saver! Used successfully with KS2 and KS3. Works as a whole lesson with repetition at the start, lotto and a song.
Excellent resource, asking students to perform a number of tasks and puzzles using number 51-100.
Used successfully as whole lesson with repetition at start, asking students to work out the patterns between higher numbers (using number line resource as support) and lotto.
Bundle includes worksheet with five different activities. Fully differentiated including support sheet and Challenge activity. Answer worksheet as a time saver for teacher marking and/or reflection and number line.
Clear, concise explanation of aller + imperfect tense, followed by slide with questions for students to gauge their understanding. Great as printed worksheet or as mini whiteboard activity.
Clear, concise explanation of formation of the conditional tense and uses, followed by questions for students. Excellent as a worksheet printed for students, or as a mini whiteboard activity to gauge understanding.
Excellent resource, perfect for KS3 and KS4 to introduce / re-cap Italian Christmas vocabulary (una renna, il Babbo Natale and so on) and discuss Christmas and New Year traditions.
Fully differentiated with 'Want more', 'Challenge' and 'Want support' options for students, including extension questions linking to reading comprehension and comprehensive A4 page Word Bank, paragraph-by-paragraph to support lower ability learners.
Fully animated with all answers and notes under each slide to give overview of each activity. A huge time saver, took a whole afternoon to make! Can be used for one or two lessons depending on ability of group.
Lesson begins by asking students to work out Christmas vocabulary. Emphasis on independent learning. A game is then played, either holding up cards or writing the correct letter of the image that corresponds to the given word on a mini-whiteboard. A reading comprehension on Italian Christmas traditions follows.
The reading comprehension offers a great opportunity to discuss cultural differences, including food (for example il panettone), the different days in the festive calendar for Italians (8 December, 6 January etc.) and similarities.
The reading text is taken from 'Noi parliamo italiano' (link on worksheet). It has been slightly adapted and split into small paragraphs for ease of translation and discussion. The Challenge option asks students to consider traditions at New Year too.
Great fun for the students, they're working independently and assimilating cultural knowledge, and really enjoyable to teach!
Two games to finish - teacher or student choice! Pictionary on one slide and a Treasure Hunt searching for 15 gold coins and a treasure chest on another. Both designed to link to vocabulary at the start of the lesson!
Great resource, teaching clothes, adjectival agreements and demonstrative adjectives to students. Linked to Expo 2 (Rouge) spread on 'Les vêtements', and drawing on some GCSE vocabulary to extend HA.
Vocabulary for colours and clothes, games, mini whiteboard activities, a reading, a speaking and a writing task with a full slide of vocabulary to support learners and clear Success Criteria.
Fully animated with all answers and notes under each slide for teacher if helpful. Can easily be split into two lessons depending on ability of group. Great fun to teach!
Italian Valentine's Day Worksheet.
First exercise asks students to translate vocabulary and match ten pictures to the Italian words (for example la scatola di cioccolatini, il cuore, il regalo, il bacio). Second exercise asks students to translate some simple Italian love phrases (for example tesoro mio, luce mia). Final exercise asks students to write a love letter in Italian, and gives them 24 phrases to help them to get started.
Can be used for KS2 (first exercise + creating a Valentine's Day card), KS3 and KS4 (ask students to extend letter with past and / or future tenses).
Great fun to teach, can lead on to lots of games with vocabulary, for example Pictionary or Splat!
Lesson linking to Expo 2 (Rouge) spread on invitations - making them, deciding whether or not to accept and giving an opinion / reason for answer.
Fully differentiated with different options for vocabulary grids (writing the answers in, or drawing lines between the English and the French), listening activity and with a Challenge question drawing on grammatical knowledge for reading activity (presented as a Twitter feed).
Seven activities in total, full lesson PowerPoint and Publisher file with all worksheets. Directions for teacher under each slide, all animations and answers. Treasure Hunt game to finish!