Creativity and Creativity and (French) Phonics(French) PhonicsCreativity and Creativity and

(French) Phonics(French) Phonics

Suzi BewellSuzi Bewell

“An army destined to defeat fights in the hope of winning but without any planning”

The Wise

Warrior

Battleground

Enemy

Strategy

The Battle Ground: Know the enemy and know yourself

Year 11 Speaking Exams:• Unmotivated and disengaged • Unable to process and manipulate

the language• Severe absence of skills and

ambition to become independent learners

The Enemy; What the pupils say

• “I can’t spell much French”;• “It’s hard to remember where the

accents go and how to spell the words – like silent letters and how to pronounce it differently to how you write it”;

• “It sounds different to how it’s spelled and it’s said really quickly”;

• “It’s hard to pronounce…I never know how to pronounce it!”;

• “I forget pronunciation and struggle”

The key to success in war – the need for an effective strategy.

The old strategy…“In the early stages of learning, the written form of

the language can strongly interfere with pronunciation…learners need ample opportunities to listen and respond before the written forms are involved.”*Listen to “Regarde-moi papa” version 1

Now consider the following… Jem – Je mapple – Ongleterre – poison rouge

lapIN – Habite – leS mathS – famILLE - QUart

Words from the Warriors

• “How many times do students learn something by heart and it sounds dreadful?”

• “I usually just teach it as things crop up.”• “I don't really teach phonics. I mean, I think I

teach students how to pronounce the French language but I don't think I ‘actively’ teach it”

• “As far as phonics are concerned, Rachel Hawkes is the only person I have come across who is into them, which is mad really!”

• “I feel it would be more useful to come with a knowledge of certain sounds rather than knowing about the weather or pets “

The key to success in war – the need for an effective strategy.

…and the new…

“Children do not arrive at primary magically knowing how to read English, they are taught; why do we  imagine they will learn to read another language if we do not teach the children the “code” first?”

“To subdue the enemy without fighting is the supreme excellence”

Using le manuel phonique, Jolly Phonique:

• teach 36 principal sounds; • stress sound-spelling links;• tease out structures and rules;• deal with cognates and “tricky words”

“You cannot change your enemy, so change your responses “

• Pupil-led teaching and learning

• Active learning

• Creative teaching

POWER OF STUDENT VOICE

• Ask them what they like• *Ask them what they don’t like / find

hard• Ask them what they would like to

learn• Ask them how they would like to learn• ACT ON THIS INFORMATION AND

MAKE POSITIVE CHANGES

ACTIVE LEARNINGBloom’s Taxonomy:

Lets have a go…Lets have a go…

S – A – T S – A – T M - I – LM - I – L

Lets have a go…Lets have a go…

S – A – T S – A – T M - I – LM - I – L

PIMP MY CURRICULUM- Relevant content: YouTube, film trailers, adverts*

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCp1BBEOlI0

- Varied content: songs, stories and fables*, drama, rhymes, tongue twisters

http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/languages/Fables/corbeau.htm

- Cutting edge technology – consider: Classroom wall displays vs Blogs

Exercise books vs TwitterCassette recordings vs Pod casts*

(ROSBIF RADIO FROGCASTS)

*And finally…“Regarde-moi papa” version 2

Aim:

Create an activity focussing on at least one pronunciation issue

Things to consider :- Teacher input vs pupil input? - Time to prepare vs time to complete?- Fun factor and level of challenge?

Now think of a follow on activity.

*SHARE YOUR FINDINGS*

suzibewell@yahoo.co.ukwww.allsaintslanguagesblog.typepad.co.uk

Follow suzibewell on www.twitter.com

Further online resources:UK web resources:www.rachelhawkes.typepad.com/linguacomhttp://primarymfl.ning.comhttp://johnbald.typepad.comFrench web resources:http://www.planete-alphas.net/www.leolea.orgOther web resources :Meditation, Stories and Fables & Tongue

Twisterswww.verbcast.comhttp://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/languages/default.htm http://www.uebersetzung.at/twister/fr.htm

Further Reading:

•“Le manuel phonique”, Janet Molzan et Sue Lloyd;• “Methode de lecture syllabique”, C. Delile, J. Delile;• “The Art of War for Teachers”, Simon Green;• “Link Word French”, Michael M Gruneberg;• “Patterns and procedures: focus on phonics and grammar”, Heather Rendall;•“Execises in French Phonics”, F Nachtmann•“L’oreille fine”, Martine Pillette. •“Rhythm and rhyme”, Cynthia Martin