TeachingASFrench1

TIPSFORTEACHINGASLEVELFRENCH
UsefulsitesforASListeningandReadingpractice
http://www.languagesonline.org.uk/

http://www.monjtquotidien.com/
www.france24.fr

http://www.tv5.org/

www.euronews.net

http://www.rfi.fr/lffr/pages/001/accueil_
exercice_ecoute.asp

http://www.realfrench.net/

www.tsr.ch

http://recherche.france2.fr/?q=infograp
hie&site=

http://fr.news.yahoo.com/

http://www.zigonet.com/

www.authentik.ie

Definitelyworthalook
Jeuxtelevisespourenfants

France24:goodforshortnewsitems

TV5hassomegoodpracticematerial;
gotoapprendrelefrancaissection.This
letsyoureadthetranscriptandhear
thetext.
SomematerialismoresuitableforA2

Euronewsletsyoureadareportand
watchthevideo

RadioFranceInternationale;exercises
dcoute

RealFrench.nethostedbyManchester
MetUniversity

FrenchlanguageTVnewsfrom
Switzerlandthereportsarespoken
slightlymoreslowly

France2hasanexcellentcollectionof
infographies.Thesearehighquality
diagramsonavarietyoftopics.The
languagecanbehardandtechnicalbut
thevisualqualityissuperb.Withcareful
selectionandexploitation,thisisa
usefulresource.Therearesomegood
FootballworldCup2010pageswhich
couldbeusedfororaldiscussion.

YahooFrancehassomegood,short
readingarticles.UsetheInsolite
sectionandalsoZigonetforsome
bizarrestories.
Authentikmagazinehasasubscription
service

(c)JonMeier,VerulamSchool


AdviceforteachingASLevel
1.
2.
3.
4.

Dontbeaslavetoatextbook.Lettheexampaperbeyourguide.
PractiseallquestiontypesandfromMarchonlydopastquestions.
Showpupilsthemarkschemes,especiallyfortheessay.
Lessismore:squeezeasmuchmaterialaspossibleoutofatext.Apartfrom
comprehensionandlanguagemanipulationtasks,thetextcouldbea
springboardfororaldiscussionandessaywork.
5. Thepupilsshouldbelearningactively.Dontconfusedoingwithlearning.Are
yourpupilssimplydoingsomethingmechanicallyoraretheyactively
learning,assimilatingandembeddinglanguageandstructures
6. ThinkofYear12pupilsasYear11soutofuniform.Dontbetooambitious
anddontassumetheyknowverymuch.Rememberhowlittlelanguagethey
neededtogetareasonablegradeatGCSE
7. Doacrashgrammarcoursecoveringeverymajorgrammararea.Atthesame
time,integrategrammarintothetopicarea/textyouaredoing.
8. StartthecoursewithsomethingnewtomarkabreakwithGCSE.Goodfresh
topicstostartwithare:Media,smoking,drinking,advertising,celebrity
culture,theinternet
9. Vocabularyneedsconstantpractice.Pupilsshouldkeepavocabularybook
witharecordofwordsincontext
10. Aswellastheexamquestiontypes,doplentyoftraditionalcomprehension
questionsplusmoreopenendedquestions.Elicitviewsandopinions.
11. Askpupilstomakesomeuptheirownexamtypequestions.Thiswillhelpto
familiarisethemwiththetasksrequiredinUnit1
12. Askpupilstowriteandpresenttheirownresponsestoastimulustextoral
andwritten
13. Dolisteningtaskswithplentyofwrittenandvisualsupport.Longblocksof
spokenFrencharedauntingforstudentsandtheyneedtobeeasedintothis
gently.

TeachingASFrench3

ASVocabularytips
1. Teachthelanguageofdiscussionanddebate:monavis,parcontre,ilfaut
soulignerque,ilestnanmoinsvraique,engnral,pourmapart,jesuis
davisque,pourtant,ilestbienevidentque,onpourraitdireque,jai
limpressionque,jesuisdaccordavec,ilyaceuxquipensentque
certainspensentque

2. Teachexplicitlycertaintransferablevocabularyi.e.wordswhichcomeup
frequentlyatthislevelandwhicharenotspecificallytopicbased:augmenter,
rduire,enhauuse,enbaisse,sintresser,efficace,inefficace,aimermieux,
dnoncer,critiquer,approuver,unavantage,unbienfait,uninconvnient,
encourager,dcourager,promouvoir,mettreenjeu,combattre,lutter
contre,abolir,supprimer,mme,grce,causede,pareil,permettre
quelquundefairequelquechose,rsoudreunproblme,surmonterune
difficult,carterunobstacle,ilfaut,ilestncessairede,sensibiliser,
mobiliser,lopinionpublique,legrandpublic,ilyaceuxqui.,certains
pensent/estimentque,amliorer

3. Reinforcekeygenders:laquestion,lerisque,ledanger,legouvernement,le
problme,lesautorits

4. Workoncommonerrors:testandrepeatrigorously(youcancompilelistsof
commonerrorsassoonaspupilsstarthandinginwrittenwork).Adverb/
adjectiveconfusionisafavouriteareaoferror
Vite/rapidementvrapide
Mal/mauvais
Bien/bon
Meiux/meilleur

5. TeachearlyinYear12:ce,cet,cette,ces

6. Dolotsofworkonwordfamilies:
abus,abuser;comportement,secomporter;lancer,lelancement;
jeune,jeunesse;fort,fortement;mourir,lamort;rduire,
rduction;

(c)JonMeier,VerulamSchool


AQAASModelisasfollows:
Unit1Listening,ReadingandWriting2hrs70%ofAS
Unit2Speaking30%ofASLevel

French
SampleUnit1paper09isonkeymaterialspageofmainAQA:
http://web.aqa.org.uk/qual/gce/languages/french_materials.php?id=09&prev=

Topicareas:
loisirsvacances
lesmedias,lesclbrits,internet,lapublicit
lesport,lasant
lalcool,lesdroguesletabagaisme
lafamillelamitilesconflits

CommonQuestiontypesinUnit1
Vrai/Faux/nondonn
Corrigezlesphrases
Remplislesblancs
Topandtail:matchtheendofasentencetothestart
Cochelescinqphrasesquisontvaries
Qui.E.g.Anumberofpeoplegivetheiropinionsaboutatopic.Theseare
summarisedandcandidateshavetomatchthepersontothesummary
Traditionalcomprehensionquestionswhowhatwherewhywhich.
Paraphrasingskillswillneedpractisingforthisuseofsynonyms.
longersummaryanswersinyourownwords
ThelastsectionofUnit1isEssaywriting200words