When it comes to teaching another language to your primary school class, actually getting started can seem really daunting. Here, Janet Konopinski (Advanced Skills Teacher, Asket Hill Primary School, Leeds) shares the positive experience which she has found it to be and offers top tips on what has worked well for her.

Last year I began teaching French to my Year 6 class. Many of these children present a variety of behavioural problems and do not achieve high standards academically. But our French sessions opened up a new world.

Low achievers in other curriculum areas were able to achieve on an equal footing with their peers. Everyone succeeded and there were no problems as far as behaviour was concerned. All pupils were eager to participate and they gained such an incredible sense of achievement.

Salut Marcel!

Marcel was my ‘new pupil’ and he joined us for French each day. In no time at all he became extremely popular. Puppets are a wonderful resource. They help children lose their inhibitions. Marcel took part in every French lesson and the children loved conversing with him.

If I was manipulating the puppet then the children would address Marcel rather than Madame. When they had developed sufficient vocabulary, pupils would have the opportunity to work Marcel. He took part in our drama activity, ‘Les petits scènes’, at the end of the year and was a popular choice when the children were choosing group members!

I found that the children just soaked up the language and, learning in context, they were able to take on board more complicated grammatical constructions. A treat in July was our petit déjeuner français (of course Marcel was invited), but the rule was that we spoke in French otherwise you might end up rather hungry! There were baguettes, croissants and pains au chocolat in profusion et naturellement du chocolat chaud. And the opinion of Year 6: C’est bon!.

This year, French continues to be just as popular with my current class. French labels abound in the classroom and one young man was intrigued the other day as to how la lumière appeared on the ceiling!

New friends

Marcel gave so much enjoyment that I decided this year he should have a friend, so Béatrice joined us. I also bought a string puppet while on holiday in Prague and Joseph Prague has joined the team. He had not visited us for a while and was requested by a pupil yesterday. When asked Qu’est-ce qu’il fait, Joseph Prague? Nathan promptly replied, Il touche le chapeau bleu. This was vocabulary which had not been visited for some time, but had been retained – a spontaneous response thanks to Monsieur Prague!

Petit Nounours is another French friend and I think I am in danger of becoming a hoarder of soft toys and puppets! I place emphasis on the use of rhymes and songs in learning the new language – such a fun way to learn for young children and a wonderful way of reinforcing new learning. In this format the children retain the knowledge. 

I will often set new learning to the rhythm of a rap, and the pupils will set the beat going by clicking their fingers, tapping knees, etc.A pupil is given the instruction and then the class take up the chant such as:

All:
Touche la porte!
Touche la porte!

Class:
Qu’est-ce que tu fais?
Qu’est-ce que tu fais?

Chosen pupil:
Moi! Moi! Je touche la porte!
Moi! Moi! Je touche la porte!

Be enthused to try out ideas you collect along the way. I was eager to teach my Year 6 Le gouzi-gouzi. What fun we had in class and how quickly the children astered the song/dance routine.

When it came to Christmas performances, for Year 6 it was mini drama productions en francais! I look back now over almost two years of delivering a language  and am thrilled at the level of competency achieved by young pupils in the new language. But above all it is the enthusiasm of the children which is the driving force. Their enthusiasm is contagious!

D’accord Marcel?

D’accord Madame!