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Ask the French Experts
Below are the Questions and Answers we receieve and send. Please join in! There's a big audience waiting for your comments, questions and ideas!
Email David Buckland@rmplc.co.uk at BLN Online.
Would you please be so kind and help me to find a British Comprehensive
School, which is connected to WWW and e-mail. I want to exchange messages
from my pupils with British pupils. English is taught at my school from
the 5th grade up to 10th grade. So there are many classes which would
like to get in contact with British classes.
My e-mail address is: 05102909067-0001@t-online.de
>
>Yours sincerely,
>
>Detlef Beck
The following schools are taking part in a languages / IT national project.
They should be very interested in setting up Email partnerships. I hope that
one or more of them will be able to provide partners for you:
Barton Peveril College
Cedar Road
Eastleigh
Hants.
SO5 5ZA
Tel: 01703 613131
Fax: 01713 650056
E-mail:school6@ibm.net
Bishop Ullathorne School
Leasowes Avenue
Coventry
CV3 6BH
Tel: 01203 414515
E-mail: covbishu@rmplc.co.uk
Charlton GM School
Severn Drive
Wellington
Telford
Shropshire
TF1 3LE
Tel: 01952 223257
E-mail: charlgm@mailbox.rmplc.co.uk
Collingwood College
Kingston Road
Camberley
Surrey
GU15 4AE
Tel: 01276 64048
Fax: 01276 676151
E-mail: collingwd-gufe@bbcnc.org.uk
Deacon's School
Queen's Gardens
Peterborough
PE1 2UW
Tel: 01733 62451
Fax: 01733 891601
E-mail: ce63@dial.pipex.com
Ducie High School
Lloyd Street North
Manchester
M14 4GA
Tel: 0161 2321639
Fax: 0161 2321640
E-mail: ba02@iclnet.co.uk
(Campus Internet Ducie.High@cam.btx400.co.uk)
Felsted School
Felsted
Great Dunmow
Essex
CM6 3LL
E-mail: rac@felsted.rmplc.co.uk
Hinchingbrooke School
Brampton Road
Huntingdon
Cambs.
PE18 6BN
Tel: 01480 451121
Fax: 01480 435799
E-mail: hinclang@mail.rmplc.co.uk
King Edward VI School Lichfield
Upper St. John Street
Lichfield
Staffs
WS14 9DE
Tel: 01543 255714
Fax: 01543 418118
E-mail: keslich1@rmplc.co.uk
Lord Grey School
Rickley Lane
Milton Keynes
MK3 6EW
Tel: 01908 379131
E-mail: mkss@bbcnc.org.uk
Moorside School
Cellarhead Road
Werrington
Stoke ST9 0HP
Tel: 01782 550265
E-mail: moorside@mailbox.rmplc.co.uk
Perry Beeches School
Beeches Road
Great Barr
Birmingham
B42 2PY
Tel: 0121 360 4242
E-mail: cc92@dial.pipex.com
Peter Symond's College
Owens Road
Winchester
Hants
S22 6RX
Tel: 01962 852764
Fax: 01962 849372
E-mail: pscollege@aladdin.co.uk
Rainhill High School
Warrington Road
Prescott
Merseyside
Tel: 0151 4300070
E-mail: rainhill@mailbox.rmplc.co.uk
Ranelagh School
Ranelagh Drive
Broad Lane
Bracknell
Berks
RG12 3DA
Tel: 01344 421233
E-mail: er71@dial.pipex.com
Reading School
Reading
E-mail: readings@patrol.i-way.co.uk
St. Aidan's C.E. High School
Cartgate
Preesall
Poulton-le Fylde
FY6 0NP
Tel: 01253 810504
E-mail: ce69@dial.pipex.com
St. Alban's C.E. School
Angelina Street
Sparkbrook
Birmingham
B12 0UU
Tel: 0121 440 4034
E-mail: stalbansce@dial.pipex.com
St. Gregory's RC High School
Stopford Street
Manchester
Tel: 0161 3713111
Fax: 0161 3708420
E-mail: ba03@iclnet.co.uk
St. John's School
Orchard Road
Marlborough
Wilts
SN8 4AX
Tel: 01672 516222/516156
E-mail: st.johns@cccp.net
Sawtry Community College
Fen Lane
Sawtry
Huntingdon
Cambs
PE17 5TQ
Tel: 01487 830701
Fax: 01487 831679
E-mail: ce92@dial.pipex.com
Soham Village College
Sand Street
Soham
Ely
Cambs
CB7 5AA
Tel: 01353 720569
Fax: 01353 624854
E-mail: ce91@dial.pipex.com
Stantonbury Campus
Milton Keynes
MK14 6BN
Tel: 01908 220066
Fax: 01908 224201
E-mail: N.Signeux@stntnbry.demon.co.uk/ N.Signeux@stntnbry.rmplc.co.uk
Thomas Keble School
Eastcombe
Stroud
Glos
GL6 7DY
Tel: 01452 770301
E-mail:102404.1714@compuserve.com
Walthamstow School for Girls
Church Hill
Walthamstow
London
E17 9RZ
Tel: 0181 5200238
E-mail: JeanJohnson@firstclass.ultralab.anglia.ac.uk
Warneford School
Shrivenham Road
Highworth
Swindon
Wilts
SN6 7BZ
Tel: 01793 762426
E-mail: warneford@cccp.net.uk
Wheatley Park School
Holton
Oxford
OX33 1QH
Tel: 01865 872441
E-mail: wpschool@rmplc.co.uk
The Willink School
School Lane
Burghfield Common
Reading
RG7 3XJ
Tel: 01734 832030
E-mail: willink@patrol.i-way.co.uk
Best wishes
David Buckland
(BLN Online)
I read a question by a teacher in Bloomington, MN which isn't very far (in
web terms) from Des Moines, IA, (USA) so I thought I'd try to seek some
information too.
#1 Where can I find a resource filled with ideas like the suggestions you
gave the Bloomington teacher? I teach the first three levels of French
and am looking for *creative* ideas on a daily basis. Help! (I can
explain the level three situation if you still want to know.) Is there a
web site? a book? a computer source?
I'm looking for ways to use technology in my classroom. We have
access to the internet, cd rom, e-mail, multiple multiple types of
software, and class sets of Power Macintosh computers. We have all of
the tools, but most sources I've found out there available for French
teachers are dictionaries and "drill until you kill" (student interest)
programs:( How can I hook up 60 students to pen pals and make it work?
Would love to hear from you on these topics.
Chele in Iowa.
For creative ideas to use on a daily basis in language lessons, the best
resource by far is a series of books called “Pathfinders”. These books are
published by CILT (the Centre of Information on Language Teaching and
Research). CILT is a highly reputed organisation, partly funded by the
government, that provides training and information for foreign language
teachers at all levels.
There are currently 23 Pathfinders available. Titles include:
Nightshift: ideas and strategies for homework (brilliant - I wrote it!!!)
Drama in the languages classroom
Being creative
Reading for pleasure in a foreign language
Creative use of texts
Differentiation
Grammar matters
Not bothered? Teaching pupils with learning difficulties
Listening in a foreign language
Making effective use of the dictionary
All Pathfinders are written by current language teachers / trainers. They
are practical books with a strict focus on ideas. They are short (no more
than 40 pages), easy to read and cheap.
Pathfinders cost £5 each. There are discounts for multiple orders.
The main address of CILT is:
20 Bedfordbury, London WC2N 4LB
tel: 0171 379 5101
If you contact CILT Publications:
fax: 01559 370 464
phone: 01559 370 422
email: publications@cilt.org.uk
you can order by Visa or Master Card.
They will also send you the CILT Publications catalogue.
You can find out more about CILT by going to their home page on the WWW at
http://www.campus.bt.com/CampusWorld/pub/CILT
I’ll be back soon to mention some useful information sheets dealing with the
use of information technology in language learning.
NCET (the National Council for Educational Technology), Milburn Hill Road,
Science Park, Coventry CV4 7JJ
Tel 01202 416994
Fax 01203 411418
is a rich source of information and support for the use of IT in all
curriculum areas.
For modern languages, go to their “Schools on-Line” home page on:
http://sol.ultralab.anglia.ac.uk/
You will find a wealth of goodies
For specific information re. Use of IT in teaching and learning, NCET’s
“Information File” sheets are very useful. Single copies of any of the
following information sheets are available free CILT or NCET while stocks last.
How do you say IT in French?
German IT Terminology
Information Technology and Language Learning
What IT capability can be delivered in modern languages lessons?
Suppliers of ML IT products, services and information
Classroom Report - using a database
Some Examples of Task-based Learning using IT
IT in the Modern Languages Classroom - brief case studies
Modern Languages IT Resources - Archimedes computer
Italian IT Terminology
The Concept Keyboard and Modern Languages
Electronic Mail and Modern Languages
Say IT in Spanish
Modern Languages and Satellite Television
IT in the Multilingual Classroom - sources of help
Training to use IT in Modern Languages Teaching
Creativity with IT in the ML Classroom
DTP it!
Hold the Front Page
Good IT Practice in Language Learning
EDU 2000: electronic mail project
Modern Languages IT Resources - RM Nimbus computers
Modern Languages and IT - a select reading list
Modern Languages and IT - support materials
Grammar and IT: uses and abuses
Twenty ideas that work! 1 - text manipulation
Twenty ideas that work! 2 - word processing in MFL
Also - have a look at NCET’s Internet trail for linguists on:
http://ncet.csv.warwick.ac.uk/WWW/randd/highways/ch2.html
Best wishes
David Buckland
(BLN Online)
From: BJ Harte
Organization: Caterham High School
To: dbuckland@rmplc.co.uk
Subject: Gazon Maudit
X-URL: http://www.rmplc.co.uk/orgs/bln/expert1.html
Gazon Maudit
How would you translate it?
plato
To: plato@rmplc.co.uk
From: dbuckland@rmplc.co.uk (David Buckland)
Subject: gazon maudit
To get the right feel we would need to see the context of the phrase, i.e.
is it to do with gardening, perhaps... or a professional football match?
Anyway, you probably need some combination of:
"damned / cursed / accursed"
"turf / grass / lawn"
Mail me back the context if you are not satisfied, and I'll try to be more
helpful!
From: BJ Harte
Organization: Caterham High School
To: David Buckland
Subject: Re: gazon maudit
References: <199604171749.SAA25112@mailbox.rmplc.co.uk
Dear David
Perhaps you missed France's latest Oscar attempt. I have not seen the
film 'Gazon Maudit' myself, but the English title is 'French Twist'. It
appears to be a film about some sort of 'Menage a Trois'. I suppose that
it has either a domestic or sexual allusion. I am bit too busy to go and
see the film at the moment; too much coursework to get in!
thanks
Bernard Harte
To: plato@rmplc.co.uk (BJ Harte)
From: dbuckland@rmplc.co.uk (David Buckland)
Subject: Gazon maudit
One up to you!
I shall not rest until I see the film and understand the different titles.
Cheers!
Keep up the coursework!
David Buckland
From: BJ Harte
Organization: Caterham High School
To: David Buckland
Subject: gazon maudit le film
References: <199604171749.SAA25112@mailbox.rmplc.co.uk
Dear David
I went to see the film last week. It is clearly a sexual allusion, but I
think it may be something invented by the director. The film is worth
seeing if you get a chance. It is a good comedy, much better than Les
Visiteurs but not as good as Les Ripous (in my opinion). i wouldn't like
to offer any possible translation of GM so I can see why they came up
with the pathetic French Twist
regards
Bernard Harte
Head of IT
From: J McCutcheon <amather@rmplc.co.uk
Organization: Hitchin Girls' School
To: dbuckland@rmplc.co.uk
Subject: Foreign accents
I have seen advertised but cannot now find the advertisement a
kind of extra toolbar that fits on windows wordprocessors. The
toolbar contains common french accented letters which you zap
rather than trying to remember and using special Cntrl characters
or Alt plus numbers, or using a foreign keyboard type overlays.
The advertisement was from a small firm printed on brown/orange
paper. Do you know of such a programme? Many thanks John McCutcheon.
To: amather@rmplc.co.uk
From: dbuckland@rmplc.co.uk (David Buckland)
Subject: J McCutcheon - accents
I have no answer re. your specific software enquiry. Perhaps you could try
Herts IT or the Advisory Unit (based in Hatfield). Your IT co-ordinator will
have details of contact numbers etc.
At my school (Longdean) we have a macro on Word 2 which enables a drop down
menu with accented characters that you point to and click. They are
available as an item on the Tools menu. However they could be customised as
an individual icon to appear at the top of the screen at all times.
Check this possibility with your IT Co-ordinator. Jill Kelly, network
manager at Longdean, could give more details if required (tel: 01442 217277)
(fax: 01442 233098).
From: Rochelle S Larson <vana0004@gold.tc.umn.edu
To: dbuckland@rmplc.co.uk
Subject: (no subject)
Salut!! I'm a first year teacher of French at an American high
school. I am thrilled to see this web site!! Do you have any
suggestions on the teaching of present tense verbs in French?
I'm teaching level 3, and I am frustrated that many of my students
are still struggling with some present tense conjugasions. Any
ideas? I would like to have them master or at the main present
tense verbs including irregulars before we move on to the imparfait,
pc with etre, etc. Currently we're doing some game-type activities
in class and worksheets at home - this seems dull. Thanks in
advance for any help!
Rochelle Larson, Kennedy Senior High, Bloomington, MN USA
From: dbuckland@rmplc.co.uk (David Buckland)
Subject: verbs
To: vana0004@gold.tc.umn.edu (Rochelle Larson)
From: dbuckland@rmplc.co.uk (David Buckland)
Subject: verbs
First of all, I'm very sorry for not replying earlier. I was in
France for a week and have only just returned. Your message is
very exciting! We are a new service and you are our first contact
from the USA!!
Below is a starting point - just focussing on regular "er"
verbs, although some of the ideas (which have been used with 11-13
year old students of all abilities and levels of motivation) could
be applied in other contexts, e.g. other groups of regular verbs,
as well as irregular verbs. Anyway, please reply and let me know
if any of the ideas set out below appeal to you.
Interest your students in "er" verbs and the concept
of infinitives by getting them to look up verbs in a dictionary
(in my school we do our best to encourage/force our students to
have pocket dictionaries, but we also have our own set of 30 for
the department to use if necessary).
Give them interesting verbs to look up, e.g.
to cuddle
to pinch
to tease
to kill
to taste
to steal
to break
to smoke
to drown
and then let them look up ones of their own
Try to find the oddest "er" verb that you can.
Do a lot of work on changing from the infinitive to the "je"
form before you go on to the other forms, e.g. Get students to
write about themselves as follows: regarder - je regarde "X
Files" manger - je mange des hamburgers aimer - j'aime le
tennis, le samedi et le rouge porter - je porte des baskets et
un T shirt etc.
adorer
détester
habiter
and then present their work to the class:
They could also do the same task pretending to be someone else
After working at "je" concentrate on another part of
the verb (e.g. "tu") with another activity, e.g. Work
with a set of 20 verb infinitives on the board and encourage students
to mime an action from one of these verbs to the class. Elicit
the response/question "tu regardes?" "tu fumes?"
etc.
Encourage verb chanting before writing. It can be fun! Get students
to work in groups to produce the most: melodic chant rhythmic
chant etc.
Show how English verbs change as well
e.g. I play, he plays
You pretend you are a French teacher giving an English lesson
on verbs The class pretends it is French and knows very little
English
Investigative work can be useful. Get them to read a passage with
a lot of
different "er" verb endings and work out the rules for
il / nous / ils etc.
This is more interesting initially and will make them receptive
to your
follow-up demonstration.
When you have presented the whole verb, give the students plenty
of time to reinforce the pattern by writing out other "er"
verbs. Encourage/reward excellent presentation, use of colour.
Finally, when it comes to learning and testing (e.g. how to write
out the verb in full) get them to prepare for a written test in
groups of 4. When the whole group is ready to be tested they will
tell you. This is likely to ensure that they succeed and promote
confidence. Reward them if they succeed!!!
P.S. What age is level 3 in the USA?
From: Rochelle S Larson <vana0004@gold.tc.umn.edu
To: dbuckland@rmplc.co.uk
Subject: verbs (fwd)
Helle David! Je voulais vous remercier pour les suggestions que
vous m'avez donnes. They were very helpful and worked wonderfully
in the classroom. I particularly enjoyed the infinitives activity
with dictionaries, I believe they understand what I mean by infinitives
much better know. Again thanks, I've attached the message that
you sent as it may be useful for others! Un grand merci,
Rochelle in Minnesota
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 17 Feb 1996 12:33:38 GMT
From: David Buckland <dbuckland@rmplc.co.uk
To: Rochelle S Larson <vana0004@gold.tc.umn.edu
Subject: verbs
First of all, I'm very sorry for not replying earlier. I was in
France for a week and have only just returned. Your message is
very exciting! We are a new service and you are our first contact
from the USA!! Below is a starting point - just focussing on
regular "er" verbs, although some of the ideas (which
have been used with 11-13 year old students of all abilities and
levels of motivation) could be applied in other contexts, e.g.
other groups of regular verbs, as well as irregular verbs. Anyway,
please reply and let me know if any of the ideas set out below
appeal to you.
From: "William Hulme's" <whgs@rmplc.co.uk
Organization: William Hulme's G. S.
To: dbuckland@rmplc.co.uk
Subject: (no subject)
Cher Monsieur,
Je suis professeur dans un lycee a Manchester. Mes eleves de premiere
sont en train de preparer: La gloire de mon pere par Marcel Pagnol.
Avez-vous des feuilles de travail a ce sujet en francais? Egalement
mes eleves de terminale sont en train de preparer: Les Mains
Sales par J-P Sartre et Les Justes par Camus. Avez-vous des documents
a ce sujet aussi? Sinon connaissez-vous des adresses internet
ou je pourrais les trouver Merci pour la reponse sur joyriders
Merci d'avance! A bientot.
John Hofton.
From: "William Hulme's" <whgs@rmplc.co.uk
Organization: William Hulme's G. S.
To: dbuckland@rmplc.co.uk
Subject: (no subject)
Comment dit-on en francais: 'joy-riders'? merci
Tony Crane
William Hulme's Grammar school
Manchester M16 8PR
To: amather@rmplc.co.uk
From: dbuckland@rmplc.co.uk (David Buckland)
Subject: J McCutcheon - accents
Dear John
Sorry I can't give you any information right now.
I will do my best to follow up your request and will get back
to you next week.
Best wishes
David Buckland
To: amather@rmplc.co.uk
From: dbuckland@rmplc.co.uk (David Buckland)
Subject: J McCutcheon - accents
I have no answer re. your specific software enquiry. Perhaps you
could try Herts IT or the Advisory Unit (based in Hatfield). Your
IT co-ordinator will have details of contact numbers etc.
At my school (Longdean) we have a macro on Word 2 which enables
a drop down menu with accented characters that you point to and
click. They are available as an item on the Tools menu. However
they could be customised as an individual icon to appear at the
top of the screen at all times.
Check this possibility with your IT Co-ordinator. Jill Kelly,
network manager at Longdean, could give more details if required
(tel: 01442 217277) (fax: 01442 233098).
To: whgs@rmplc.co.uk (Tony Crane)
From: dbuckland@rmplc.co.uk (David Buckland)
Subject: Tony Crane and joyriders
I have consulted a French colleague who confirms that there is
no direct/precise/economical translation - so we are left with
things like "quelqu'un qui fait une balade dans une voiture
volée". The same colleague quoted another example
(school bully) that presents similar difficulties. Perhaps you
know of some more yourself.
Best wishes
David Buckland
X-Sender: acox@mail.rmplc.co.uk
To: dbuckland@rmplc.co.uk
From: acox@rmplc.co.uk (acox)
Subject: Grandes Ecoles
I've had some requests from St Mary's College Hull for information
about the Grandes Ecoles in France. Can you help? Email to:
smchull@rmplc.co.uk.
See Mailform.html for details
Thanks
Andy Cox
To: smchull@rmplc.co.uk.
From: dbuckland@rmplc.co.uk (David Buckland)
Subject: Grandes ecoles
Concerning your request about information on the Grandes Ecoles...
I have just done a search in "Yahoo" on the Internet.
I asked it to search "France" and "ecole"
and got a large number of excellent matching categories.
Hope your search gets you the information you need.
David Buckland (BLN Online Services)
From: BJ Harte <plato@rmplc.co.uk
Organization: Caterham High School
To: dbuckland@rmplc.co.uk
Subject: Gazon Maudit
X-URL: http://www.rmplc.co.uk/orgs/bln/expert1.html
How would you translate it?
plato
To: plato@rmplc.co.uk
From: dbuckland@rmplc.co.uk (David Buckland)
Subject: gazon maudit
To get the right feel we would need to see the context of the
phrase, i.e. is it to do with gardening, perhaps... or a professional
football match?
Anyway, you probably need some combination of:
"damned / cursed / accursed" "turf / grass / lawn"
Mail me back the context if you are not satisfied, and I'll try
to be more helpful!
To: whgs@rmplc.co.uk (John Hofton)
From: dbuckland@rmplc.co.uk (David Buckland)
Subject: La Gloire de mon Père
Get in touch with Sarah Marshall, Longdean School, Hemel Hempstead,
Hertfordshire, HP3 8JB. She is currently teaching La Gloire de
Mon Père and may be able to help you. She is not on the
INTERNET but has some pupil poetry published in the BLN Online
area of the RM Internet for Learning. It is excellent! I suggest
you write to her first and introduce yourself. She
could then Email you from the school.
