A Critical Examination of the Beliefs about Learning a Foreign Language at Primary School

Lesson Six

Revision of 'Comment t'appeɪles-tu' and 'Quel age as-tu?'

Pupil asks me 'Miss, what do I have to say?' in response to teachers question
'comment t'appelles-tu?'. Does not remember how to tell somebody her name.
She is eager to please but not so interested in the answer itself as she asks the
same question a few moments later.

One pupil produces: 'Commentje m'appelle...'

Teacher in English: 'What am I asking you, for those who have forgotten

when I say "Quel age as-tu"?'

None of the pupils can answer this question. This is after almost a year of
learning French.

Teacher explains again and practices questions and answers.

Children keep saying: 'J'ai neuf missing out 'ans'.

Teacher says: 'Say the whole phrase' and puts 'ans' on chalkboard.

Teacherthen writes whole phrase on board with a gap for the age and pupils
are asked to use the phrase and fill gap but with a range of numbers teacher
writes on the board.

We revise the numbers again.

There are plenty of hands up now but a lot of 'Chei' for 'j'ai...' which teacher
does not pick up on.

Teacher: 'Ecris Ies nombres' and plays cassette.

Two girls tell me that they have forgotten their numbers. Again!

Some pupils want their answers ticked.

They now do some writing. Teachertells them to get exercise books out.
Instructions are: 'ecrivez Ia date', the heading is: 'les jours'.

Some ofthem do not seem to understand, some are so slow that the whole
process takes about 5 minutes.

Teacher writes part of a word of a day and pupils ∞mplete, e.g. 'mercre...'
pupils put 'di'. Days have obviously been taught previously.

Many have problems with spelling.

Class goes on to do pair work.

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