Embedding French in the Primary Curriculum

A warm-up activity for Literacy in French

Teacher’s Notes:

Learning Objective for Literacy

Broaden range of vocabulary in English by looking at cognates and near-cognates in French

Learning Objective for French: To learn some French vocabulary and make connections with English words

Resources: word cards (succulent, façade, habitat, nonchalant, turbulent, camaraderie), PPT with gap-fill sentences. (All resources attached)

Explanation of the activity:

Step 1 : Pupils are given words cards in pairs and asked to sort them into French and English words

Step 2 : Whole class feedback of activity to conclude that all six words are both French and English!

Step 3 : At this stage, pupils could use dictionaries to check the meanings of any unfamiliar words or use definition cards as a matching activity

Step 4 : Listening activity: Teacher says each word in either English or French. Pupils signal which language is being spoken (e.g. stand up for French, sit down for English). The focus here is that words, whilst being spelt the same, are often pronounced differently in different languages!

Step 5 : Gap-fill sentences on IWB e.g There’s a great sense of ...... in this class! Pupils decide which of the six words goes in the gap.

Step 6 : The sentences can then be read in French and pupils raise a hand when they hear the key word in French.

Progression: Class builds up a list of other words which are the same in English and French over the year.

Teacher’s script (generic) Translation into English

This beefburger is delicious and succulent

There’s a great sense of camaraderie in this class!

The squirrel’s natural habitat is in woods and trees

1066 was a very turbulent year in Britain.

He felt scared, but he tried to look as nonchalant as possible

Westminster Abbey has a beautiful façade!

Native speaker for ‘real’ French translations!

Literacy PPT (includes other resources)