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

Pupils write seven days of the week and a sport against each. They are meant
to ask each other ^,Qu'est-ce que tu fais Ie...’ and answer ^,Je joue...’
Assume this has been taught before my arrival. Pupils end up saying: 'Iundi?'
and answering: 'le basket'. They do not use whole sentences or structures.

Work with a pair and ask one child 'Comment Vappelles tu?' The response is a
blank stare, the child cannot answer.

Lesson Seven

Teacher tells pupils in English to listen and watch.

Teacher tells them not to worry if they were not here last week and that they will
catch up.

Topic of 'drinks' was introduced previous week (which was missed).

Teacher uses flashcards and asks: 'Qu'est-ce que c'est?'

Some remember the drinks, especially 'coca' and 'cafe' but genders are
generally not remembered

Teacher recycles 'Qu'est-ce que tu aimes?'

Genders are not remembered and children mix un∕une or le∕la randomly.
Teacher asks for the date in French

A girl asks how to say the date in French (they have been doing the dates every
week) Tell her but she says that she does not want to speak in front of the
class. Starts to 'hide' behind other people.

Teacher moves on to cassette work and explains in English what they need to
do. 5 drinks are mentioned and pupils tick these. This is a very easy activity all
they have to do is recognise words, some of them cognates, cafδ, coca,
orangina, so most can do this.

Teacher checks answers and explains why some words have accents.

Second listening: children are supposed to work out what French speakers say
for 'I would like...'

Nobody picks up 'Je voudrais'...

Teacher models this and moves on to: 'Qu'est-ce que tu veux?'

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