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

Teacher moves on to introduce classroom objects all the feminines then all the
masculines

Class does choral and individual repetition and practice

Teacher ^,Who remembers the word for..^, and shows object

Very few do remember

One boy produces ^,une door*

'Une tschaise' is produced frequently

Teacher asks what they think ^,une^, means

Pupil offers: ^,0ne'

Another offers: 'a'

Teacher reminds that some words began with ^,une^, and some with 'un'

Asks what they think 'un^, means

Pupil suggests ^,one' again despite earlier clarification, does not make logical
conclusion

Teacher asks if anyone knows why it is 'une'... but ^,un^,...

Pupil: ^,un' means ’one', ^,une^, means ^,is^,

Pupil: ^,un^, is short for ^,une^,

Pupil: 'it's 'un' because the word starts with a 'c'

Pupil: 'one is masculine the Otherfeminine'

I ask this girl how she knew. Tells me she attended primary school in France
for two years where she was taught these concepts.

Class moves on to worksheet where they listen to objects being named on
cassette and tick box for either 'un' or 'une'

Some do not understand what to do despite explanation in English.

Some get all the answers right

Some clearly do not hear the difference or do not listen and simply guess.

Class gets restless and teacher tells whole class off for not listening

Suggests that what should have taken 15 minutes took 45.

After telling off all listen in silence.

When I check answers the same children keep volunteering

Pupils copy masculine and feminine words from board, grouped on two
differently coloured sheets, they seem to enjoy ∞pying.

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