LANGUAGE WRAP

Language wrap is a long-awaited, much needed update to Jon Meier’s Language Sandwich.  I created the original site around 2004.

Things have moved on since then. The aim is to cover my main areas of professional expertise and interest: Media, Languages and Classroom Practice

The best thing about the old site is probably the grammar section, (French)   (German) . This will , I hope, remain useful and timeless. As far as GCSE is concerned it will be back in vogue, or …. should that be Gove.

I can’t remember how much time I spent building the old site. Needless to say, I did not see my 2 young kids for several weeks.

Anyway the new site brings together resources which I have written over several years. The aim is to provide some high quality free content and to introduce some paid-for content later.

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UFTEL: Using Film to Explore Language

I’ve uploaded a number of French film worksheets and booklets to TES resources.
Film is a wonderful way to engage pupils and show vocabulary in context.

Vocabulary is a major focus of many of these materials. Although we don’t want to overload pupils, it is useful to revisit lexical items as often as possible.

Activities are graded by difficulty , and are generally suitable for 12 -16 year olds. There is often scope for more advanced level discussion about wider issues. Most of the booklets include an answer section and glossary.  There are also observational quiz sections, sometimes in English, allowing less motivated pupils a chance to show their often exceptional powers of visual recall.  UFTEL can also mean: Using Film to Engage Learners.

Mr Bean’s Holiday Booklet  An English film, but it offers interesting insights into French geography and culture

Bienvenue chez les Ch’Tis Booklet suitable for slightly more advanced  learners. Lots of scope for discussion about prejudice. North- south divide etc

Taxi Booklet an action movie.  There is some scope for discussion about anti-police attitudes and the franco-German relations.

Maison du Bonheur booklet

Maison du Bonheur Trailer : observational quiz

Une Vie de Chat free booklet. Suitable for younger learners but needs to be handled carefully as it’s about a girl whose father has been killed.

French Roast full booklet. A superb 8 minute animation. Only 4 words of dialogue but the style  and graphics are so typically French.

French Roast short version.

Evian baby advert 2013. A great springboard for discussing appearance and clothes. (Not just nappies!)

 

Grids and templates for planning, revision and topic recap

Here are some of my grids and templates for helping pupils with essay planning, as well as revision activities and classroom games. These are available free on TES resources:

Game-grids selection (Powerpoint version)

Game-grids selection (pdf version)

‘Space Invader’ Essay planning grid

Hex revision – ideas and templates

Multiple choice ABC paper chooser (low tech solution – back to basics after the merry frenzy of kahoot)

How to make an 8 page mini-book from an A4 sheet

 

French ‘Plays in a Day’

You can find my 3 French pantomime-style Plays in a Day now on TES Resources.

Petit Chaperon Rouge (ages 7-10) – featuring the Wolf who loves Shaggy’s Boombastic.

Blanche Neige et les Sept Reporters (ages 10-14) –  featuring lots of small, attention-seeking reporters trying to cover a news story about trapped miners.

Cindy va à Hollywood  (ages 10-14) – with a jolly  ‘France has Talent’ Show in the middle section.

 

  • Lots of humour and great fun 
  • Most of the dialogue is in English but there’s plenty of French, repeated and reinforced visually.
  •  Duration around 30 mins.
  • 13-22 in the cast (scope for flexibility, sharing and doubling of roles). 
  • Other pupils can be used for sound, props, poster and programme design etc
  • Can be worked on in 1 day (with scripts) – intensive work with a scripted performance at the end of the day.
  • Show in assembly or at a languages celebration event; or just have fun reading it through.
  • Ideal for a language/ drama festival competition.
  • It could fill a few weeks of lunchtime and after school French clubs.
  • Sixth-formers could also help out.
  • Language is visual and contextualised.
  • Audience will also understand it easily as the story is familiar and the French is explained.
  • The full scripts contain details of props and sound effects, with links to downloadable sound effects.
  • Vocabulary lists are also included with the full version  showing the vocabulary on each page.
  • A 4 page extract of the opening scenes are also available as a free taster.

French & German Cover worksheets

Do you need to set cover work?
Do you want a break from the textbook?
Do you just want a break from the exhausting demands of being an MFL  ‘performing seal’ ?
Do you need some settling activities for your classes?
If so ……
LANGUAGE WRAP has it covered.  In the coming months, this site will be a one-stop shop for worksheets.

Kahoot – student response system

Amazing response to using kahoot quizzes in class. It really is worth a go because the interface is so clear.  It also shows a leader board after each question, as well as the usual option to show a summary at the end   If your school has a no mobile policy, this may persuade your managers to change it.  Or students can use tablets and PCs.

To make the quiz, teacher uses https://getkahoot.com

To play the quiz, students go to kahoot.it