| The aim for using learning aids and resources | | | | Basically, anything that works well and is |
| is for the student to learn and to enjoy the | | | | ‘fun’ in English, may also work |
| resources at same time. In many of these | | | | well in another language. Board games, for |
| resources, he or she might even learn without | | | | example, are often useful. Scrabble is a very |
| realising it. If there is a particular aspect | | | | good example, but one will probably have to |
| of, say, French life that the student should | | | | buy the foreign language version as the mix |
| be able to cope with, such as understanding a | | | | of letters in the English game does not work |
| menu, then perhaps a game can be constructed | | | | well when using, for instance, vowel-laden |
| around it to make it more fun (and yes, I | | | | French, and, of course, the scores attached |
| know I’m beginning to sound a bit like | | | | to each letter are not the same (the |
| Mary Poppins). | | | | ‘W’, scoring only 4 in the |
| | | | English game, is practically impossible to |
| One way to consider which resources to use | | | | get rid of in French). |
| would be to identify which concepts the | | | | |
| students particularly need to know more about | | | | Parlour games: the old game of Consequences |
| or need to practice. | | | | can help learning (write down a man’s |
| | | | name, fold the paper and pass it on; |
| Dealing with numbers For example, one thing | | | | subsequent players write a woman’s |
| some of my students have found tricky is | | | | name, where they met, what he said, what she |
| giving and receiving French telephone | | | | replied, what he replied, and then the |
| numbers, especially over the phone: these are | | | | consequence, before the whole patchwork story |
| (locally) of the format 23-45-67-89, which is | | | | is read out). |
| easy enough in English, but it’s more | | | | |
| difficult to cope with in French, especially | | | | Recipes: my class have enjoyed reading and |
| when one gets to ‘four twenties plus | | | | discussing recipes (which also helps in |
| nineteen’!BR>I have tried to teach my | | | | understanding foreign culture); wine-tasting |
| class how to cope with this using a form of | | | | can also help here, especially in relaxing |
| Bingo; basically simple number recognition. | | | | the class, although the age of the student |
| | | | will certainly have to be taken into account! |
| Role-play still works The old favourites of | | | | |
| role-playing and information-giving are | | | | People: it is questionable whether this |
| certainly still relevant. One student might | | | | should be considered as a resource, but |
| play the shopkeeper and the other the | | | | it’s so easy to forget; a class can |
| customer (although one should try and stop | | | | easily become so confident and used to the |
| this degenerating into a continental version | | | | accents of their particular class that they |
| of Monty Python’s cheese-shop sketch). | | | | become less able when confronted by others |
| This might seem a good attempt to simulate | | | | speaking (especially native-speakers). You |
| real life, but foreign shopkeepers rarely | | | | might not have a foreign relative, but |
| reply as simply as an English student would | | | | there’s often someone on a foreign |
| in class. A simple request for a croissant by | | | | exchange who would relish the chance to |
| an English visitor to France usually seems to | | | | revert to their native language – even |
| elicit a long recommendation of the quality | | | | for an hour or so! In this context, my |
| of the croissants, and indeed of the entire | | | | mother’s visit to one of my classes |
| range of the baker’s wares. The | | | | went down particularly well, also perhaps |
| teacher acting as a rather more verbosely | | | | because the class felt closer to me |
| helpful merchant might be preferable (if less | | | | afterwards. |
| welcomed by the student). And then of course | | | | |
| there’s handling money, asking the way | | | | Discussing resources with my colleagues has |
| to the railway station. | | | | thrown up a number of new ideas in teaching |
| | | | languages. One example is Talking Dice, which |
| So what modern resources have I found work | | | | I have not yet had a chance to evaluate, but |
| with my students? | | | | has met with some success when tried by |
| | | | others. It shows it pays to talk and to |
| There are many photocopiable resource books | | | | search the excellent web-sites devoted to |
| available with games the class can play. The | | | | teaching. |
| pages can be copied and distributed around | | | | |
| the class, making the initial high cost more | | | | Finally, perhaps the most important, and yet |
| palatable. However should there be someone in | | | | the least obvious, are the actual books, or |
| the class who can draw a little, perhaps | | | | rather the choice of books used for reading |
| these ideas — often the sort of game | | | | in class. The ‘Petit Nicolas’ |
| or puzzle you might find in a British | | | | series by Goscinny and Sempé seems to work |
| child’s puzzle book — can be | | | | well at many levels. Surprisingly, Marcel |
| created within the class or school itself: | | | | Pagnol’s work, especially for the more |
| they can even be adapted to relate more to | | | | advanced, has also been well received (one of |
| your students’ particular needs. | | | | the benefits here is that most of his works |
| | | | are readily available as films, so that |
| Quizzes, especially those the class know, can | | | | students can ultimately see what they have |
| be good fun and instructive (especially about | | | | been reading). |
| foreign culture), but perhaps ‘fingers | | | | |
| on the buzzers’ quick-fire questions | | | | Many of the above may not suit your |
| may leave the slower learner trailing. My | | | | particular class. But it’s important |
| class particularly like ‘Who Wants to | | | | to talk about them to find exactly what is |
| be a Millionaire’ which I record from | | | | available and then to try and tailor this to |
| French television for them. | | | | the needs of your own particular class. They |
| | | | might even begin to enjoy lessons! |