Category: French (Page 4 of 11)
French Conversation class
Language Resident Name: Julien Moniz
Day and Date: 02/11
Language and Level (intermediate or advanced class): French Intermediate
Class theme/topics discussed: “Finding the perfect flatmate”
Goal of the class: Have students discuss about their perspectives on life and tastes
How did you structure the class?
I used a handout given to me by Christelle Rolland. It is an 18 question questionnaire about one’s tastes, expectations, and self projections. We filled it up with the students and compared our answers to try and find who would be the perfect flatmate for everyone.
What technology, media or props did you use? (internet resources, playmobiles, handouts, etc.)
Handout provided by Christelle
What worked well in this class? What did not work?
It was a great questionnaire and I think the students enjoyed talking about themselves and thinking about those questions.
How could this class be improved/ modified?
If you have a more detailed lesson plan, please attach it below (OK to use target language for that). Please attach any handouts as well.
Language Resident Name: Julien Moniz
Day and Date: 1/4
Language and Level (intermediate or advanced class): Intermediate Class
Class theme/topics discussed: Self-Portrait
Goal of the class: Get the students to remember their vocabulary about description.
How did you structure the class?
First I give them self-portraits that I found online. I asked the students to read them out loud and then we review the extended vocabulary of description.
finally they were asked to come up with a brief self portrait of their own.
What technology, media or props did you use? (internet resources, playmobiles, handouts, etc.)
Self-portraits that I found online.
What worked well in this class? What did not work?
A bit tedious to read and go through vocabulary but necessary to improve their description skills and expand their vocabulary
How could this class be improved/ modified?
Instead of many self-portrait, one could be sufficient. Also maybe come up with a handout to help them create the self-portrait.
If you have a more detailed lesson plan, please attach it below (OK to use target language for that). Please attach any handouts as well.
Link to the self-portraits we read: http://3dp6-lyceeprofessionnel-vizille.over-blog.fr/article-autoportraits-ecrits-par-les-eleves-en-cours-de-francais-91419959.html
Language Resident Name: Julien Moniz
Day and Date: 1/17
Language and Level (intermediate or advanced class): French advanced
Class theme/topics discussed: Powerpoint Karaoke
Goal of the class: Work on improvisation skills
How did you structure the class?
I had gathered random powerpoint presentations, around 15 slides each.
In pairs, students had to come to the board and improvise a presentation
What technology, media or props did you use? (internet resources, playmobiles, handouts, etc.)
Powerpoint presentations found online.
What worked well in this class? What did not work?
It is somewhat of a difficult exercise but it is also really fun and the class had a good laugh for an hour
How could this class be improved/ modified?
If you have a more detailed lesson plan, please attach it below (OK to use target language for that). Please attach any handouts as well.
Here are the powerpoint presentations
Aliens caseorganic2powerpointkaraoke-1226903193345528-8 Earthquakes Presentation 1 Presentation2 Presentation3 TheMeanOne
Language Resident Name: Julien Moniz
Day and Date: 1/27
Language and Level (intermediate or advanced class): FR 13
Class theme/topics discussed: News and Fake News Report
Goal of the class: Learn about the vocabulary of the news and get to the students to work in pair in preparing a fun skit.
How did you structure the class?
First we watch a random news report. ( here the introduction of the euro currency back in 2002) Then we review so vocabulary starting with what the students already know. Then I give them additional vocabulary. Then they have 30 min to come up with a skit. They will present it next class to the rest of the students.
What technology, media or props did you use? (internet resources, playmobiles, handouts, etc.)
Youtube + a vocabulary sheet from Amherst College.
What worked well in this class? What did not work?
The skits at the end were really good and I think the students had fun writing and acting them. Definitely a schedule of activity I will reuse with a different theme.
How could this class be improved/ modified?
It is hard to come up with an efficient and interactive way to introduce vocabulary so going through a voc. Sheet was really the best way it could be done fast and efficiently.
If you have a more detailed lesson plan, please attach it below (OK to use target language for that). Please attach any handouts as well.
https://www.amherst.edu/academiclife/departments/courses/0708S/FREN/FREN-08-0708S/vocmedia
Language Resident Name: Julien Moniz
Day and Date : 11/19
Language and Level (intermediate or advanced class): French advanced
Class theme/topics discussed: French Instititutions/ Parliament
Goal of the class : Read and summarize information about the French Assemblée nationale.
How did you structure the class? Students in groups of two were asked to read a full page on a particular aspect of the Assemblée Nationale. Then they had to go in front of the class and summarize the most important information on their page to the other students.
What technology, media or props did you use? (internet resources, playmobiles, handouts, etc.)
See handout.
What worked well in this class? What did not work?
I think it helped go over the details they had not understood/ forgotten from the video we watched during the last class and helped them find interesting questions. Develop presentation but also selection of information skills.
How could this class be improved/ modified?
I should have started by a summary of what they remembered.
If you have a more detailed lesson plan, please attach it below (OK to use target language for that). Please attach any handouts as well.
Document : kit-pedagogique
Language Resident Name: Julien Moniz
Day and Date: 09/24
Language and Level (intermediate or advanced class): French Advanced
Class theme/topics discussed: French advertisements + tongue twisters
Goal of the class: teach the students about some famous ads that are famous in France.
How did you structure the class? I showed many iconic French ads to the students. We discussed them a bit and reviewed the vocabulary. Then they had to come up with little skits/ads for products I chose. Finally we worked on the tongue twisters.
What technology, media or props did you use? (internet resources, playmobiles, handouts, etc.)
Youtube
What worked well in this class? What did not work?
The students were puzzled at the ads because the language is varied, but I still think they should be exposed to those many different ways of speaking French. They loved to do the skits and loved the tongue twisters even more.
How could this class be improved/ modified?
Subtitles might have helped but then they might have not focused on the language.
If you have a more detailed lesson plan, please attach it below (OK to use target language for that). Please attach any handouts as well.
Language Resident Name: Julien Moniz
Day and Date: 09/03
Language and Level (intermediate or advanced class): Advanced
Class theme/topics discussed: Proverbs
Goal of the class: Make the students learn some French proverbs that can be really useful in everyday French speaking.
How did you structure the class? The first part of the class ~40 min consisted in the students trying to reconnect beginnings and ends of 30 proverbs that I had selected for them, cut in two and mixed. The second part consisted in explanations and playing little scenes to make the other students guess a proverb.
What technology, media or props did you use? (internet resources, playmobiles, handouts, etc.)
I used 30 proverbs cut in two.
What worked well in this class? What did not work?
It was a lot of fun. I think the students really loved it. Proverbs are an important and very interesting part of a language. They asked that I sent them the list. Also the skits were really fun
How could this class be improved/ modified?
I had no problem whatsoever with all the bits of paper and in the end I think everyone had fun.
If you have a more detailed lesson plan, please attach it below (OK to use target language for that). Please attach any handouts as well.
Inspired by this class. But with an original set of proverbs.
Language Resident Name: Julien Moniz
Day and Date : 11/24
Language and Level (intermediate or advanced class): French intermediate
Class theme/topics discussed: Leisure time
Goal of the class : Get the students to mobilize vocabulary about leisure activities.
How did you structure the class
First the students were asked about the vocabulary they already knew about leisure activities. Then they discussed in pairs about their pastimes, favorites activities, etc… and were then asked to introduce their counterpart in front of the class. Finally they drew two random activities from a hat and were asked to find 5 pros for one and 5 cons for the others, still in pairs and tell them to the class.
What technology, media or props did you use? (internet resources, playmobiles, handouts, etc.)
What worked well in this class? What did not work?
The students spent almost all of the time speaking so the class was really effective.
How could this class be improved/ modified?
If you have a more detailed lesson plan, please attach it below (OK to use target language for that). Please attach any handouts as well.
Language Resident Name: Julien Moniz
Day and Date : 11/12
Language and Level (intermediate or advanced class): French intermediate
Class theme/topics discussed: “Les Shadoks”
Goal of the class: Work on oral comprehension and the absurd in a foreign language
How did you structure the class?
I made the students listen twice to the soundtrack of a video which tells a story. They were supposed to understand as much as they could before I even showed them the video part. Ten they could see it and they were subsequently asked to fill out missing verbs in the past tense in a text. Ten we watched a few more episodes of the cartoon and I asked them comprehension questions.
What technology, media or props did you use? (internet resources, playmobiles, handouts, etc.)
Youtube for the cartoons
What worked well in this class? What did not work?
The reception was mixed, both because the language was a little difficult for them to understand and the humor as well. It is an old French TV show which is famous for its absurd humor. But once we reviewed the vocabulary and once everything was understood, the students really liked it.
How could this class be improved/ modified?
If you have a more detailed lesson plan, please attach it below (OK to use target language for that). Please attach any handouts as well.
Language Resident Name:
Clémence LEFEVRES
Day and Date:
Tuesday, March 3rd
Language and Level (intermediate or advanced class):
French advanced
Class theme/topics discussed:
Progress
Goal of the class:
To learn vocabulary about technological progress
To share opinions about love in our society
How did you structure the class?
Warm-up: when I tell them “progress”, what do they think about? What is for them the greatest invention of the 20th century?
1. I give them two pages of vocabulary related to the progress. In pairs, they have to pick up two: one they know and why they picked this one ; one they don’t know and I explain them what does it mean. They must then create a sentence with three of those words.
2. We read an article together about those technologies which have replaced former daily objects. We commented this article together. In pairs: as it was written in 2003, can we say the article was right? What other items have been replaced since then? Do they remember using one the old ones in the article?
3. I give a list of items. In pairs, they have to discuss and choose 5 without which they could leave in this world. How can those be replaced?
4. What could be the next inventions that will change the world?
What worked well in this class? What did not work?
They were really talkative. We had a great conversation, and everyone was involved in it. I planned many other activities, but those took all the class.
Language Resident Name:
Clémence LEFEVRES
Day and Date:
Tuesday, January 27th
Language and Level (intermediate or advanced class):
French intermediate
Class theme/topics discussed:
Famous French People
Goal of the class:
– Getting familiar with French celebrities
– Talking a bit about French history and politics through some personalities
– Talking about those French famous in the US
How did you structure the class?
1. Warm-up
Coming CA
What did you do last weekend?
2. Famous People
I give them a list of questions. In pairs, they have to guess which French celebrities it is about. Then, we watch a PowerPoint with the answers. I take time to talk to them about French politics, sports, cinema and music.
I ask them which French celebrities do they know and I list them on the white board.
3. Time’s up
We write different names of celebrities of little pieces of paper. Round 1: a student describes the person without saying the name; the others have to guess; Round 2: the student only say a word; Round 3: the student has to mime the celebrity.
What worked well in this class? What did not work?
We took our time to do the activity, watching videos on Youtube to learn more about those people, what did they do, etc. I also gave them some background about French politics and history. One students was really into sports so he talked about famous French sportsmen.
Language Resident Name:
Clémence LEFEVRES
Day and Date:
Tuesday, March 10th
Language and Level (intermediate or advanced class):
French advanced
Class theme/topics discussed:
Women’s Day
Goal of the class:
To talk about gender discrimination
To create the end of a video
To give your opinion
Reading comprehension
To make them describe a poster
How did you structure the class?
1. Warm-up: coming CA + how was their weekend?
2. Do they know what happened on the 8th of March? If I say “male-female parity or equality”, to which fields are they thinking of?
3. Video https://vimeo.com/49219589
I show them the beginning of the video, they have to guess the end. Then we watch the real end and we discuss it.
4. Posters
I separate them in small groups of 3 and give them a poster made for Women’s day. They have to prepare a small presentation to describe the poster to the rest of the class, explain which message it conveys and if they think it works well.
5. Article
We read together an article and I introduce them to the association for women’s rights “Ni putes ni soumises”. What do they think about this article? About people’s reactions? Is there an American equivalent of “la journée de la jupe”?
6. Famous women
Still in small groups, they pick up a famous woman and prepare a small presentation about her life, her influence, her fights, and why is she inspiring for them (fictional or real woman)
Le Figaro, 9 mars 2012
Des collégiennes qui avaient organisé une «Journée de la jupe» ont été priées de changer de tenue. L’association Ni putes ni soumises critique l’attitude du collège.
Pas de jupe pour la Journée de la femme… Jeudi, à l’occasion du 8 mars, une trentaine d’élèves du collège Roger-Vailland de Poncin, dans l’Ain, avaient délaissé leur jean pour une tenue plus féminine. L’initiative a inquiété la direction de l’établissement qui a invité les collégiennes, âgées de 13 à 15 ans, à aller se changer. «En raison d’agressions verbales dont certaines ont été victimes, un membre de l’équipe de direction leur a proposé d’adopter une autre tenue», a expliqué vendredi Sylvain Weisse, le principal du collège.
Taille de la jupe
Mais les adolescentes de 4e et de 3e ont refusé d’obtempérer. Soutenues par quelques enseignants, elles ont fait circuler une pétition qui a retenu près de 80 signatures pour soutenir leur action, rapporte le quotidien Le Progrès , qui a dévoilé l’histoire.
Provocation de lolita ou acte féministe: la réponse est-elle à trouver dans la taille de la jupe? En plein débat sur l’hypersexualisation de la société après la remise d’un rapport de la sénatrice Chantal Jouanno, la direction du collège a-t-elle jugé nécessaire de calmer le jeu? Interrogés par l’observatoire Orange Terrafemina, les parents plébiscitent pour leur part à 83% l’interdiction des tenues indécentes à l’école. En juin dernier, une élève de 11 ans d’un collège de Villeparisis (Seine-et-Marne) avait également été rappelée à l’ordre par une surveillante qui avait jugée sa jupe trop courte.
«Régression du droit des femmes»
«J’avais une jupe à fleurs qui m’arrivait un peu au dessus du genoux. Ce n’était pas de la provocation. C’était un peu aberrant que l’on nous demande d’enlever notre jupe parceque l’on ne peut pas travailler avec une jupe», a rapporté une élève du collège Roger-Vailland sur RTL. «Il faut que l’on réeduque le regard des garçons, des hommes et même de la société», a également plaidé la mère d’une collégienne.
L’association Ni putes ni soumises, à l’origine du lancement de la Journée de la jupe, organisée tous les 25 novembre pour encourager les filles à oser se montrer féminines et à faire fi des préjugés, se dit choquée par cette réaction. «Je la trouve dégradante. C’est scandaleux, s’offusque sa présidente, Asma Guenifi. Ce genre d’attitude laisse penser que la provocation vient de la fille qui porte la jupe. On cautionne l’idée que cette fille est une pute. C’est très symptomatique de la régression du droit des femmes et des jeusnes filles.» Ce faisant, l’école ne fait pas son travail et va à l’encontre des valeurs de la République dénonce également l’association. «C’est là qu’il faut aborder les rapports fille garçon, parler du sexisme, lutter contre les préjugés», avance Asma Guenifi.
«Cet incident sera l’opportunité pour l’établissement de poursuivre une action engagée depuis des années autour des thèmes du recpect d’autui et des relations entre les filles et les garçons» convient le principal de Roger-Vailland. La volonté des élèves s’inscrit dans une démarche positive et reconnue comme telle par l’établissement. Des actions pédagogiques et éducatives seront très prochainement conduites avec les élèves et leurs familles», promet-il pour apaiser les tensions.
Language Resident Name:
Clémence LEFEVRES
Day and Date:
Tuesday, April 28th
Language and Level (intermediate or advanced class):
French intermediate
Class theme/topics discussed:
Movies vs Life
Goal of the class:
To learn about movies currently in the theaters in France
To create stories
How did you structure the class?
1. Warm-up: how was your weekend? Coming CA
2. Posters
I make groups of 2 or 3. I give them a poster of a movie currently screened in France. They have to describe it to their classmates and imagine the movie behind this poster
Then, we watch the actual trailer: what do they understand? Is it close to what they imagined? Which version do they prefer?
3. Movies vs life
I show them the video from Suricate – Golden Moustache called “Movies vs life”. In small groups, they have to imagine their own and present them in front of the class.
Then, we watch the “Movies vs Life 2”
How did it work?
Students always LOVE creating stories and acting. Those exercises gave them enough freedom to be creative. Especially the “movies vs life”, they had a lot of ideas.
Language Resident Name:
Clémence LEFEVRES
Day and Date:
Thursday, November 20th
Language and Level (intermediate or advanced class):
French advanced
Class theme/topics discussed:
Sports
Goal of the class:
Learning vocabulary relation to sports and equipment.
Talking about the popular sports and athletes in France
Talking about the Olympics.
How did you structure the class?
1 Warm-up
Do they practice any sports? How often? If not, why?
2 Sports: vocabulary and Pictionary
I separate them in pairs. I give them pictures of different sports and a list of sports. They have to match them.
Second step: each of them has to draw a sport on the board and the others must guess.
3 Sports equipment
They fill up blanks in a text with vocabulary related to sport equipment.
Complétez les phrases avec les mots suivants.
balle – arc – pagaies – selle – gants – raquette – flèches
L’équipement sportif
1. Les combattants portent des , s’affrontent sur des rings et disputent des rounds de trois minutes.
2. Ce sport incarne : la précision, la tradition et l’élégance. Pour s’imposer, les athlètes doivent maîtriser leur et leurs grâce à leur concentration.
3. L’athlète contrôle son embarcation avec les , les hanches et les jambes.
4. Enfin, après plus de trois ans en , le cavalier et son vieux cheval sont arrivés au sommet de la montagne.
5. L’athlète utilise sa pour frapper une immobile, sans assistance.
4 General discussion
Did they win any trophies? Did their parents force them to do a sport they didn’t want to do? Then, I ask each of them to explain the rules of a sport they know.
5 Sports and France
Who are the famous athletes from France? In which sports France has good results (rugby, handball, swimming, fencing, judo,)
We watched some videos of unknown or unrecognized sports in the US.
Conversation Class Lesson Summary
Language Resident Name:
Clémence LEFEVRES
Day and Date:
Tuesday, September 23rd
Language and Level (intermediate or advanced class):
French advanced
Class theme/topics discussed:
Texting in French/ Text Language
Goal of the class:
To learn about the way French people text each other
To think about the impact of this language over the French language
How did you structure the class?
1. Warm-up
I write a sentence in “SMS language” of the board. I ask what is it, what does that mean. Who uses this language? Does it exit in the English language? What do you think about it?
2. Comics
I give them a comic strip and we read it together. Half of it is written in SMS language. I ask them to think about how it is composed. Why it is used in an usual context in this comics? (it is a student at school).
3. Video – listening comprehension
– http://www.myboox.fr/video/francois-de-closets-faut-il-reformer-l-orthographe-359.html
We listen to it twice and students have to answer some questions in pairs.
4. Article – reading comprehension
We read it together and explain the vocabulary.
What are the pros and cons of the SMS language?
5. Practice
I write on the board 5 sentences. Then they have to “translate” them into SMS language. Then, I call students to the board and the rest of the class gives suggestions
What worked well in this class? What did not work?
They seem to have a bad opinion about texting language in English. I told them that it is almost the same in France, except that we still use a lot of these abbreviations in regular emails to friends. I should emphasize on those for another class.
The video was a bit difficult for them. Maybe I should find or create a transcription.
If you have a more detailed lesson plan, please attach it below (OK to use target language for that). Please attach any handouts as well.
– Leur donner quelques phrases à essayer de « traduire » en SMS. Pour cela, les appeler au tableau.
Salut, qu’est-ce que tu fais demain ?
Coucou, tu viens au café lundi ?
Salut, rendez-vous à 3 heures devant la fac. Bisous, à plus !
Tu vas bien ? Je t’appelle dès que je peux. Bon après-midi !
Coucou, quoi de neuf ? J’espère que tu vas bien.
J’ai un problème, je suis trop occupé au travail. Tu peux me rappeler s’il te plaît ?
Salut ça va ? Moi je vais bien. Ça y est, j’ai acheté un cadeau pour Marie.