Is teaching French becoming routine, and are your students just not as engaged as they used to be? Now is a great time to refresh your language teaching!
We’ve compiled a list of the top 5 new ways to teach French to your students so they’re more engaged and their learning is accelerated. Keep reading to learn how to apply these teaching strategies in your French classroom.
Interactive and hands-on learning
While not necessarily a “new” approach to learning, it’s worth emphasizing here in the context of language learning. Also known as “experiential learning,” - a teaching methodology allows students to take a more active role in their learning by applying the knowledge from their real world or in real-world-like scenarios.
In a typical language classroom, an educator stands at the front of the classroom teaching new words and language concepts. For a small percentage of the class, this is enough to acquire some proficiency. But in most cases, students won’t acquire the language unless they have many opportunities to practice it in authentic contexts.
Experiential learning helps students retain information better and can improve their enthusiasm and motivation for learning as they gain greater success! French immersion teachers can get 85 lesson overviews filled with experiential learning ideas in Step 1 - AIM for IMMERSION Primary Kit - La poule Maboule.
The Gesture Approach
Every student has a preferred learning style. Using strategies that target multiple learning styles helps more students successfully acquire a language and do so in an accelerative manner.
The Gesture Approach, used in the Accelerative Integrated Methodology (AIM) allows students to visualize, hear, say, and 'feel' the language simultaneously, resulting in rapid proficiency development. This strategy allows the information (words and their meanings) to be stored in different parts of the brain and therefore results in easier recall!
The Primary FSL - Starter Package is a valuable resource for educators. It includes a wealth of teaching tips and tools to help you effectively incorporate gesture-based learning in your classroom, making the process easy and rewarding.
Contextualization through literacy and arts
If you offer a variety of ways for French students to apply their developing language skills, their language acquisition will accelerate rapidly.
Another way for students to use the language in a meaningful, authentic way is through an arts- and literacy-based (CLIL) approach. This may include:
- Singing and dancing to songs in French;
- Reading stories that are engaging and that use important, common vocabulary;
- Creating opportunities for role-playing and eventually, drama, in French;
- Have students write stories using familiar vocabulary.
There are many ways you can accelerate student language acquisition. Learn more about an innovative methodology that uses the above techniques and strategies in Step 1 - Les trois petits cochons kit for elementary students.
High-Frequency Vocabulary
In any successful language teaching approach, it is essential to incorporate high-frequency vocabulary - words that students will use often in their daily communication. And verbs should be at the heart of this vocabulary! Find out how AIM simplifies verbs so that you do not have to worry about conjugation!
These high-frequency words may include:
- ici (here)
- veut (want)
- peut (can)
- regarde (look)
- écrit (write)
- et (and)
- moi (me)
- pour (for)
- dans (in)
- ou (or)
We also include common phrases such as:
- Bonjour/Au Revoir (Hello/Good-bye)
- Je m’apelle… (My name is…)
- S’il te plaît (Please)
- Merci (Thank you)
- Je ne comprends pas (I do not understand)
- Comment ça va? (How are you?)
Including words and phrases from AIM’s high-frequency vocabulary (also known as ‘Pared Down Language’) in your lessons will ensure that students develop a foundation for proficiency.
Approximately 500 high-frequency words are found in our Step 1 Kit for ages 11-13, Le garçon qui joue des tours.
“Pleasant” repetition
As a language educator, you already know the value of repetition to ensure language acquisition. However, repetition doesn’t have to be boring. Through what AIM calls ‘Pleasant Repetition’, these high-frequency words have enough exposure to be acquired. By reinforcing repetition in different ways and contexts, you can make the experience more pleasant and engaging for your students.
Every time you learn something new, your neural pathways make a new connection. The more often you apply that new learning, the stronger those pathways become, and memory/retention is enhanced. especially in a language learning context, students need constant exposure to and practice with new words in order for them to be acquired rapidly.
Try these ideas to promote repetition:
- Find ways to help students constantly ‘view’/comprehend the meaning of words (The Gesture Approach)
- Have students rehearse plays for eventual performance using high-frequency vocabulary
- Recycle this vocabulary in songs, raps, games and oral and written activities that help students manipulate the known words independently
- Engage students in spontaneous conversations with you and each other, using these same words, so that they practice authentic language production
- Invite students to retell the familiar stories in their own words
Teaching French to older secondary school students is not very different than teaching it to younger children - we all are like babies when we begin to acquire a language. However, it is essential to offer content and pacing that is most appropriate for the beginning French students. In the Step 1—Salut, mon ami ! kit, you’ll get age-appropriate ideas for teaching French using fun activities and games including those described above.
Where to get teaching resources for your French classroom
AIM wants to transform your experience teaching French in the classroom. Our Accelerative Integrated Methodology (AIM) is helping students increase their engagement, motivation, and love of languages, including French. And most of all, students become proficient both orally and in writing… very quickly!
Ready to take your students on an immersive, interactive, and inspirational language learning journey? Attend an AIM workshop - either virtual or In-person!
