ENGAGING LOW-LEVEL LEARNERS

Benoît GuilbaudSenior French Language Tutorhttp://benguilbaud.com

Ideas

Classroom vocabulary

Semi-authentic materials

Video

Grammar throughproblem-based learning

Semiotics / animations

Music

Classroom vocabulary

Classroom vocabulary

List of useful phrases in the classroom

I do not understand. / What does [...] mean?

Bilingual list

Leave space for students’ own translation

Play games with it: speak too fast or too quiet

Grammar throughProblem-based learning

Grammar through PBL

Example: introducing past tense

• Give text in past tense

• Ask students to spot time markers in text

• Ask students to highlight verbs in text

• Try and work out patterns in verb forms

• Formally teach past tense

Using (semi-)authentic materials

Using (semi-)authentic materials

GROUP AGROUP B

Using (semi-)authentic materials

Activities not based on transcription

Listening for particular words can be hard

Use video as prompt for description

Describe people’s appearance, setting, genre

Spot a person previoulsy described in text

Put story back in order

Using animations & semiotics

Using animations & semiotics

vingt-deux ___

seize ___

trente ___

treize ___

six ___

douze ___

deux ___

13

40

21

69

59

30

41

20

16

39

6

12

22

2

quarante ___

quarante-et-un ___

vingt-et-un ___

cinquante-neuf ___

soixante-neuf ___

trente-neuf ___

vingt ___

20

20

20

20

Using animations & semiotics

vingt-deux ___

seize ___

trente ___

treize ___

six ___

douze ___

deux ___

13

40

21

69

59

30

41

20

16

39

6

12

22

2

quarante ___

quarante-et-un ___

vingt-et-un ___

cinquante-neuf ___

soixante-neuf ___

trente-neuf ___

vingt ___

22

13

21

20

16

30

6

12

2

40

41

59

69

39

1. Jean-Paul Jasserand

2. Mme Leboeuf

3. Antoine Bernard

4. Anne-Marie Lépine

5. Frank Martin

a. architecte

b. professeur de tennis

c. agent des postes

d. journaliste

e. secrétaire

?

Using animations & semiotics

Using animations & semiotics

Use animations to complement instructions in FL

Show, hide, move, reveal, flash, conceal

Music

Using music

Focus on lyrics is not necessary

Describe genre, emotions, instruments

Create “real-life” context (bar, public place)

e.g. Exchanging phone numbers in a loud pub

Break down emotional barrier

Wake everyone up!

Benoît GuilbaudSenior French Language Tutorhttp://benguilbaud.com

Merci beaucoup