Description of lesson – Les Portables
Teacher – Ann Griffiths

This series of video clips show good practice in the teaching of A2 French on the topic of use of mobile phones. Initial whole-class teaching is followed by group and pair work. This ensures that students have the maximum opportunity to engage in oral work. The teacher uses the target language throughout and begins the lesson by encouraging the students to recall vocabulary connected with computers, which was covered in a previous lesson. She then introduces the new topic of mobile phone use and makes good use of the interactive whiteboard to provide vocabulary which the students use in the pairwork activity which follows. This topic is consolidated by a full class matching activity of synonyms in French.

The lesson then progresses to a group work activity in which students are discussing the advantages and disadvantages of mobile phones. Each group then reports the opinions of their group to the rest of the class. This activity ensures that students have a greater opportunity to speak than would be the case if this were a full class session.

The lesson ends with the teacher preparing the students for the essay-writing homework task. A PowerPoint presentation offers them useful pointers for structuring the essay which is to be entitled 'Mobile Phones – Godsend or curse?'. It is especially helpful for weaker students to be given guidance of this nature before embarking upon essay-writing tasks. Download a copy of this lesson plan. (doc 36 KB)

Starting the lesson by making links with previous work and introducing a new topic
The teacher begins the lesson by briefly recapping work covered in the previous lesson and the students complete a matching activity of computer-related vocabulary in English and French. The theme of today’s lesson is then introduced which is mobile phones and their uses and dangers. The teacher shows the students her own mobile and asks them to comment on it. She then explains that she only uses it to make calls and send messages. The group is then split into pairs and the students are told to discuss their own use of mobiles. Vocabulary is provided on the whiteboard to support the students in this activity. After this, the whiteboard is used to engage the whole class, who match key words and expressions in French on the topic of mobile phones. This builds vocabulary and prepares students for examination-type reading tasks.
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Group work discussing the advantages and disadvantages of mobile phones
The teacher then divides the class into small groups and asks them to discuss the advantages and disadvantages and dangers of mobile phones, taking care to consider use which is related to telephoning as well as other features which mobile phones may have. Splitting the class in this way ensures that more students have the opportunity to speak and those who may be daunted at speaking out in front of the whole class could feel more comfortable. At the end of this activity one member of each group reports the opinions of their group to the rest of the class.
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Setting the homework
The teacher then sets a homework task which the students need to complete over the holidays. This is to write an essay entitled 'Le portable, aubaine ou fléau?' (Mobile phones – godsend or curse?). In order to prepare them for this task, the teacher shows a PowerPoint presentation with some statistics and ideas indicative of the content the essay could have. This gives students support with structuring the essay and the opportunity to discuss it in class, which equips everyone with some ideas and enables them to begin writing with greater confidence.
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Interview with Ann Griffiths, Curriculum Co-ordinator:

What sort of work experience placements do your students undertake?
Hear about the motivating effects of the French and Italian work experience programmes at City and Islington Sixth Form College.
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How do you encourage students to continue from AS to A2?
Hear about the excellent staff, support and resources and the innovative approaches which encourage students to continue with their studies from AS to A2.
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How do you make use of foreign language assistants for AS and A2 classes?
Hear about the two ways in which foreign language assistants help AS and A2 students to develop their skills.
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Interview with the French students:

What sort of placements did you undertake in the French work experience?
Hear the students talk about a range of different work experience placements and the benefits of taking part.
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What have been the advantages of doing a work experience abroad?
Hear the students describe how the work experience has given them greater understanding and increased confidence.
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What did you learn about French culture during your stay?
Hear the students describe how living in French homes and working in France gives them an understanding of the culture of the country.
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What are the advantages of studying another language at Advanced Level?
Listen as the students talk about the many advantages of linguistic competence.
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Also view the AS Italian clips or the AS Spanish clips from City and Islington Sixth Form College.