French to Falkirk: a step on the road to transforming language teaching . John Bald, independent consultant.

[email protected]

johnbald.typepad.com

Brain cells and connections

(from The Learning Brain, Blakemore and Frith, 2005) As we learn, brain cells form connections with each other that build into networks . These connections are strengthened with practice.

Santiago Ramon y Cajal, Nobel Prize 1906 3

In Search of Memory: the Emergence of a New Science of Mind (NY, 2006). (www.bookfinder.org)

Eric Kandel

4

Brain cell

(from Neuroscience and Education, Teaching and Learning Research Project, 2007)

Royal Institution Christmas Lectures 2012

Royal Institution Christmas Lectures 2012

Royal Institution Christmas Lectures 2012: Six months

Royal Institution Christmas Lectures 2012: Three years

The brain adapts itself to different languages

• • •

Reading Aloud in English and Italian, evidence from brain scans (active areas in black)

Left: Centre: Right: reading system of English and Italian combined sound processing more active in Italian word form area more active in English (fromThe Learning Brain, Blakemore and Frith, 2005)

The areas of the brain used for written and spoken language are interlinked and overlap (Dr. Matt Davis, MRC, Languages Today, Spring 2013) • • • Hearing Reading Both

As we learn a new language…

• We add to and adapt the structures formed in our brain as we learned our first language. • These structures influence the way we learn the new language, both the parts we find easy, and (Swan and Smith, Learner English.)

English speakers need to adapt to:

• New relationships between written and spoken language, including spelling and pronunciation.

• Gender in nouns that have no physical gender, and in associated pronouns and adjectives. • Greater variation in verb forms than in English (except for Mandarin!)

We promote the formation of networks in children’s minds by

• Clear and attractive presentation • Encouraging and answering questions • Encouraging them to practise

We hinder the formation of networks by

• Copying, which requires children to switch their attention continually between the master version and their own. These jerky movements thinking and the formation of connections.

• Overloading, by presenting too much new written material at a time, or presenting spoken language that is too fast for children to understand.

Copying, c1700 BC

(From The History of Writing, S.R Fischer)

Copying errors from a Year 7 mixed-ability class • Quel as âge tu. • O habite tu

Ou j’habites-tu

• Où habite a Londres. • Common t’appelle tú_ • Je onzo age • Ja un douze

Quel âge as-tu?

Où habites-tu?

J’habite à Londres.

Comment t’appelles-tu?

J’ai onze ans J’ai douze ans

(experienced teacher, pupils had models of the sentences they were trying to write, from which they could copy.)

Key Features of French…

• The French like their spoken language to precise.

... a suggested first order...

• Colours have key features – vert, bleu, rouge, blanc, jaune, orange, noir, violet, marron. Say together, study, look away, write on sleeve. • Bonjour! (G’day). Drop the tongue to pronounce.

• Sing and point (to self and people) pronouns • Sing and point être. I usually do negative first.

• Sentence building with family and pets introduces gender and avoir, positive and negative.

…and a way of teaching flow in French

• Demonstrate the technique of dropping the first vowel and replacing it with an apostrophe. Write apostrophe on the board. Who thinks it’s an English word? Explain that apostrophe comes from the Greek word for gap, and that we have a gap when we take out a letter. So, we have j’ai.

• Have children study j’ai, then clean it off/minimise it, and desk. Nearly all will get it right. Praise.

• Write and explain the sentence J’ai un chat, noting the letter at the end of the word that is not pronounced. Repeat the tracing.

With Clicker…

Extensions suggested by Y4

Year 7, girl, assessed as dyslexic, before sentence building work

Year 7, girl, assessed as dyslexic, after six weeks’ sentence building work

Year 7, boy assessed as dyslexic

Year 4, higher-attaining girl

Year 4, higher-attaining girl

bonjour, bonsoir, salut, au revoir, à plus tard, bientôt, bienvenu, oui, non, merci beaucoup, aller, être, Comment allez-vous? avez vous, Quel âge as-tu? j'habite, Quelle heure est Sophie: l'homme, la femme, le gar ç on, la fille, bonjour, salut, merci, nous sommes calmes, nous sommes riches, j'aime, j'adore, j'aime les chiens, j'adore notre chat, j'ai, tu as, il a, elle a, nous avons, vous avez, ils ont, elles ont, s'il vous pla French to Falkirk, first writing sample pupils aged 10 and 11 (five minutes, unaided) Pupil A: bonjour, bonsoir, salut, au revoir, à plus tard, bientôt, bienvenu, oui, non, merci beaucoup, aller, être, Comment allez-vous? avez vous, Quel âge as-tu? j'habite, Quelle heure est-il, je vous en prie, je ne comprends pas, pourvoir, parce que, j'aime mon joli chapeau.

Pupil B: l'homme, la femme, le garçon, la fille, bonjour, salut, merci, nous sommes calmes, nous sommes riches, j'aime, j'adore, j'aime les chiens, j'adore notre chat, j'ai, tu as, il a, elle a, nous avons, vous avez, ils ont, elles ont, s'il vous plaît, noir, rose, blanc.

French to Falkirk, second writing sample pupil A aged 11 (five minutes, unaided) Je m'appelle O.M. J'ai douze ans. Je suis née a Harrogate dans le Norde de l'Angeterre, mais je vis à Falkirk en Ecosse depuis six ans.

Je vis avec ma soeur, ma mère, mon père, et deux chiens Bella et Manchee. Je suis eduquée a domicile par mes parents. J'aimerais pouvoir explorer les sujets en plus de detail et j'ai decouvert de nouveaux sujets, tels que le cinema et l'histoire de l'art. J'aime particulièrement les films d'Alfred Hitchcock, surtout North by North-West parce qu'il est pleine de suspense. J'aimerais aller à l'université pour étudier la criminologie et la psychologie, la medicine peut-être.

Mes parents s'appellent Katherine et John. Mon père est inventeur et ingénieur specialisé dans les technologies de l'énergie renouvelable et maman aide papa avec l'enterprise.

French to Falkirk, second writing sample pupil B aged 11 (five minutes, unaided) Je m'appelle S M .

J'ai onze ans. Je suis née le neuf septembre 2003 (duex mille-trois).

Mes parents sont Katharine et John Montgomery.

J'ai deux soeurs qui s'appellent Olivia et Gloria et un frère qui s'appel Michael.

Gloria travaille actuellemont a Londres pour Amnesty International.

Michael vit a Singapour et travaille en ton que journaliste pour un journal d'enterprise.

French Verb song

( song copyright ©Joe Biswell and John Bald) Je Tu Il Elle (point to self, whole hand –finger pointing is rude) (point to a friend, whole hand – they can’t help smiling !) (point to a boy, not your tu friend) (ditto a girl) Nous Elles Big circular sweep with both hands Vous mark of respect to a grown up. Ils Point to teacher with both hands – explain that vous is a Point to two boys both hands Point to two girls both hands

A possible order for verbs

• Pronouns only with actions • Etre (negative with shaking of head) • Etre positive (might try with nodding head) • Some regular verbs - eg regarder, écouter, jouer, penser, manger (these bring out regular patterns) • Any other verb the children would need to use to say something.

Some patterns in French verbs

Always • ils/elles end in nt Nearly Always • Nous ends in -ons (not nous sommes ) • Vous ends in –ez (not vous êtes and vous faites ) • Tu ends in s (not tu veux or tu peux ) • These patterns recur in almost all tenses, including those made with auxiliary (helping) verbs, conditionals and subjunctives.