What to do on the first day of French or Spanish class: get them talking!
The first day of classes can be very nerve-wracking, and often we teachers end up doing a lot of the talking to get things going. I recently hosted a “French boot camp” for new middle school students, and this lesson was a great way to get things started. I was able to introduce some important getting-to-know you questions and answers, and once the structures had been chanted with our fun youtube chants and the conversation had been modeled, the kids were ready to start interacting in the target language! Once they are talking with one another, the teacher can take a break and catch their breath.
Before starting this lesson, I used the youtube videos below to get the pronunciation “in their heads.” At first, these middle schoolers rolled their eyes a little, but I could see them tapping to the beat after a couple of repetitions. It is very helpful to do the chants before launching into the lesson.
This lesson includes a partner conversation, written and oral activities to practice numbers 1-20, a mixer, a number quiz, and a speaking rubric. It really is perfect for the first day!
If you use the lesson for back-to-school, we would love to hear how it goes!
