How can we bring French into the school day? Di Russ St Mary’s CEVAP School, Woodbridge

Primary curriculum crowded MFL just one of many subjects Learn a language more easily if use it regularly (eg in the country) Increased demands on classroom time Cross-curricular approach!

Use schemes such as Rigolo, Tout Le Monde, La Jolie Ronde, in dedicated time slot during the week, but also teach MFL through other subjects Many resources available on-line and through Suffolk MFL CD’s, RSG’s etc How can we use these to deliver MFL objectives? Can be added to existing plans for other subjects, thus delivering two sets of objectives at once MFL feeds into many other areas of school life

Use MFL at Christmas, Easter etc

Normal activities in school, but use MFL approach instead/alongside: Say hello, goodbye, how are you? In target language. Register in French, Spanish, German. Make a French Mother’s Day card instead of an English one…some countries have a different date for Mother’s Day (Intercultural Understanding) Look at French Pancake traditions on Shrove Tuesday Make a French Easter Card

Play French Games, such as word searches, as a class.

Subjects: Numeracy: Use numbers in the target language occasionally eg onze plus trois égale? Moins, divisé par, multiplié par……. Literacy: Play detectives with simple French texts: which could be the verb? Which might be a noun? Can you recognise any words that are like English ones? Read texts by French authors. French fairy tales instead of English ones. Art: Substitute a French Painter for the one on your Art plan. Look at the style on French posters. Is lettering different (eg METRO font)? Geography: Compare the country/town/river in the plan with a French/Spanish/ German one. Use words for N, S, E, W in target language. 1

DT: Teach words for fold, stick, cut in target language, and use alongside English ones. Use French words for pencil case, ruler, pencil, saw, wood etc Music: Listen to some French, Spanish, German music instead for tempo, timbre, pitch, instrumentation objectives. Are the instruments used different (accordion?) Playground: Learn some playground games in another language PE: Teach French words for jump, run, stand still. Play ‘Red, Amber, Green’ in French = ‘ Rouge, Orange, Vert’. Use a parachute to reinforce months (birthdays), colours, fruit, weather etc http://www.hovepark.org.uk/primary_languages/teachers_resources.asp Dance: Look at some French dances instead and try to make up your own in the same style. Use French words for birds, wind, trees, fast, slow etc RE: Use pictures of French, Spanish churches. Are the traditions the same? What are the major denominations? Do the children learn RE in the same way in France? 2

Summary: MFL can be brought into any subject area Can bring renewed interest in other subjects, eg Literacy Can increase cultural awareness Can deliver MFL objectives alongside other subject objectives Allows MFL to permeate the curriculum rather than be a set time per week