Whole School French Assembly ideas & developing our own practice Vicki Parlane (Older Team Teacher – Yr5&6) The Colleton Primary School PLEASE DO NOT USE ANY OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS WITHOUT PRIOR CONCENT AND NOTIFICATION OF THE COLLETON PRIMARY SCHOOL

Taking away the FEAR factor happy bouncy French music upon entry to hall (e.g. France Gall – Samba mambo, Babacar) instead of children sitting in rows in year groups, children are asked to sit two from each team (i.e. 2 xYounger Team, 2 x Middle Team & 2 x Older Team; or one child from each year group = 6) make sure I’m wearing a very big smile and dancing to the music be organised and have lots of tricks up my sleeve this is a time for the children in the school to all share their French learning and enjoy themselves none of the children are made to feel pressured or singled out, but volunteers are encouraged throughout

Making it FUN! pitch the Assembly at the Yr 3 French learners, thus you will have 4 year groups able to actively participate and therefore they will be able to guide the younger children French greetings to the school, allow the children time to say ‘Bonjour’ back to me and to each other introduction of our characters Albert (low pitched French voice) & Annic (high pitched French voice), ‘Bonjour, je m’appelle Albert’, talk about French lips and ask the children to reply ‘Bonjour, Albert’, repeat for Annic

Making it FUN2! they really enjoy hearing silly voices and watching my over exaggerated French lips and facial expressions, get the children to have a go as well (saying their name or someone elses’ name using French lips) Deux petits oiseaux Toutes les couleurs Mon Ane - Alouette

Making it FUN3! Deux petits oiseaux – (two little birds) – explain in English what this finger rhymne is about, then explain the hand/finger actions. Ask the children to copy the actions as you do them, when they feel happy they join in and repeat the finger rhyme – fingers bobbing around on a branch together, meeting and greetingDeux petits oiseaux Toutes les couleurs – (all the colours) – explain in English the general story, get the children to all stand up, say all the body parts in English and French which are going to be mentioned in the book, as well as the word - all (tout/touts/toutes). Using my hands and facial expressions tell the story, pointing to the body parts getting the children to follow along and those who want to read with me are welcome to join inToutes les couleurs Mon Ane – Alouette – explain in English where all the body parts of the chicken are and touch our body features, as above say the English and the French together, through the song the children do the actions and sing if they’d like to Aboie George! – story that can be acted out by the older children and shared easily for the younger children (please ask if you’d like more information).

Observations we teach French at different times in the week Year 3 & 4 on Wednesday am, during my PPA Year 5 & 6 on Thursday am (can swap within teams to cover each other) this allows the teaching staff the flexibility and the opportunity to observe each others good practice

Improving our own French all teaching staff teaching MFL French have all been on their respective Catherine Cheater year group training additional staff training with AST for CPD and own personal French have very good links and encouragement from our AST we also take advantage of the Twilight French Conversation Classes