Junior French at BISC 

French is taught to all children in Years 4 to 6.  They receive two lessons a week, based on the highly successful and well-established French language schemes La Jolie Ronde and Grenadine.

Our specialist teacher, Mme Browne was educated in France and is also a graduate of Cambridge University in Modern Languages teaching.

Teaching and learning are based on two important factors: firstly, good oral communication and, secondly, full participation and involvement by the children.

Role-play, games and oral comprehension activities are the basis of all lessons. The idea of having fun is all-important.

As the direct consequence of the method used, but also as a complete part of it, the involvement of the child is extremely important, as he/she has to be active. The vocabulary chosen, the themes and the authentic contexts help him feel involved and to progress quickly.

We also aim to inform the children as much as possible about France itself, its geography and culture.

Assessment is made through on-going tests which aim to provide an up to date record of the children's progress, as well as identifying any difficulties they maybe experiencing.

 Here is an outline of a typical Year 4 lesson: 

• Date and any information related to the day itself: the weather, the month, special event.

• Oral comprehension: from the book, the children listen to the tape and try to colour, complete, fill, draw.

• Written French: in the book, some activities are realized during the class, some at home as homework.

• Oral expression: the children become the teacher by asking themselves questions, communicating together and interacting in French.

• Games or songs: loto, hangman, play with numbers are used to revise or assimilate the lesson objectives.

The lesson contact is similar for Year 5 and Year 6 but the children have more freedom in which they can choose or focus on the activities they prefer or need.  In Year 6, there is also an emphasis on learning grammar to improve written French as part of the transition process into the senior school.