About the Module
This module - consisting of 49 lesson plans, a personal dictionary, a personal language portfolio, a video located on Youtube, and handouts, worksheets, and other materials to support implementation of the lessons - was developed to support teachers in introducing learners to the French language using a task-based approach. It is assumed that the learners participating in this module will have had minimal exposure to the French language and, therefore, emphasis has been placed upon developing learners’ vocabulary, foundational communicative skills, willingness to take risks in communicating in a second language, and awareness about linguistic and cultural difference. The module could be used with any beginner group of young French language learners; however, explicit links have been made to the Alberta French as a second language (FSL) program of study to demonstrate how the module could be used to deliver French instruction to grade four students in the Canadian province.
Emphasis in the module has been placed on developing the ability to communicate in the French language in an increasingly globalized world. As a result, the module focuses on developing intercultural communicative competence[1] with a French focus. As such, a strong form of communicative language teaching (CLT)[2] has been adopted. A strong form of CLT views communication not as an end in the learning process, but rather the means to develop communicative competence. In other words, communicating in meaningful contexts is viewed as the primary driving force for language development. Hence, the module is structured around engaging learners in French language usage in increasingly more complex games and activities. As the module has been designed for young learners who are being introduced to the French language for the first time, fun, engaging tasks have been emphasized rather than explicit grammar instruction. The following assumptions about second language pedagogy have been embedded into the design of the module:
The module could be used in a multitude of ways, but was developed with three potential uses in mind:
We hope you will find utility in the tasks that have been developed and that the module will inspire you to experiment with task-based language teaching in your own second language teaching context!
To download the full document click here
[1] Byram, M. (1997). Teaching and assessing intercultural communicative competence. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.
[2] Wesche, M.B., & Skehan, P. (2002). Communicative, task-based, and content-based language instruction. In R.B. Kaplan (Ed.), The Oxford handbook of applied linguistics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
This module - consisting of 49 lesson plans, a personal dictionary, a personal language portfolio, a video located on Youtube, and handouts, worksheets, and other materials to support implementation of the lessons - was developed to support teachers in introducing learners to the French language using a task-based approach. It is assumed that the learners participating in this module will have had minimal exposure to the French language and, therefore, emphasis has been placed upon developing learners’ vocabulary, foundational communicative skills, willingness to take risks in communicating in a second language, and awareness about linguistic and cultural difference. The module could be used with any beginner group of young French language learners; however, explicit links have been made to the Alberta French as a second language (FSL) program of study to demonstrate how the module could be used to deliver French instruction to grade four students in the Canadian province.
Emphasis in the module has been placed on developing the ability to communicate in the French language in an increasingly globalized world. As a result, the module focuses on developing intercultural communicative competence[1] with a French focus. As such, a strong form of communicative language teaching (CLT)[2] has been adopted. A strong form of CLT views communication not as an end in the learning process, but rather the means to develop communicative competence. In other words, communicating in meaningful contexts is viewed as the primary driving force for language development. Hence, the module is structured around engaging learners in French language usage in increasingly more complex games and activities. As the module has been designed for young learners who are being introduced to the French language for the first time, fun, engaging tasks have been emphasized rather than explicit grammar instruction. The following assumptions about second language pedagogy have been embedded into the design of the module:
- Language learning should be fun and engaging
- The main focus of instruction should be on using language to express meaning and complete tasks rather than analyzing language
- Communication relies upon linguistic and cultural knowledge
- Learning vocabulary and key phrases requires repetitive exposure using multiple modalities
- Acquiring a second language is a non-linear, organic process that follows a different timeline for each individual
- Language learning and the ability to communicate effectively are facilitated by the use of strategies
The module could be used in a multitude of ways, but was developed with three potential uses in mind:
- The module could be used by a teacher as created to instruct beginner French learners. The lessons and accompanying materials have been carefully sequenced to scaffold learning. The lessons and lesson sequence could be simply followed by a teacher to create an engaging, communicative learning environment that addresses the outcomes from the Alberta FSL program of study.
- Specific activities or portions of the module could be used by teachers with other parts adapted to meet the needs of the specific students in the class.
- The module provides an exemplar of how a task-based approach could be adopted in teaching a beginner level second language class to create an engaging, communicative language learning experience. For French teachers at other levels or teachers of a different second language, the module provides a guide for adopting a task-based approach in their own teaching and exemplars of numerous tasks that could be utilized in different contexts.
We hope you will find utility in the tasks that have been developed and that the module will inspire you to experiment with task-based language teaching in your own second language teaching context!
To download the full document click here
[1] Byram, M. (1997). Teaching and assessing intercultural communicative competence. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.
[2] Wesche, M.B., & Skehan, P. (2002). Communicative, task-based, and content-based language instruction. In R.B. Kaplan (Ed.), The Oxford handbook of applied linguistics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.