French Teaching in Primary Schools

Teaching French to primary school students can provide them with enormous advantages.

Learning French while still in elementary or primary school provides children with a huge advantage, not only for their later language acquisition but also for their future academic performance. However, it can be difficult to know how to present this complicated language to young children in a way that helps them to retain it while still enjoying themselves. Here are several different methods for teaching French to primary school children.

Songs

Singing songs can be an excellent way to teach children, especially younger children, a foreign language. In addition, there are numerous catchy songs in basic French written for young French children. By teaching these songs, you can introduce the basics of French grammar and vocabulary to your students while giving them an easy way to remember what they've learned. If you don't know any French songs at the appropriate level, several websites (such as Songs for Teaching) suggest several songs that you could use.

Books

For older children, books can provide a great way to learn French both during class and outside of class. There are a variety of French books that students can choose from, depending on their reading levels, from Babar to Madeline to the Little Prince. These brightly illustrated books have the benefit of teaching some basic--and some more advanced--vocabulary. For younger children, try to introduce the books gradually, with a 10- to 15-minute story time.

Websites

As children get older and become more familiar with computers, certain websites can also help them to improve their French language skills. At the same time, you can help them hone their computer skills. Websites like the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) offer animated introductions to basic phrases and sentences that can help students have fun while building their foreign-language knowledge.

Movies

While there are many excellent French movies for children, one of the best ways to introduce young children to new vocabulary is to show them French versions of the movies they already know. Disney movies work especially well for this, as students can follow the plot and often already know the songs. Finding versions dubbed in French can allow students to pick up new vocabulary while watching the movies they already know and love.

References

• Songs for Teaching: French Songs
• BBC Schools: Primary French