MFL – French
Unit 6 Comment tu t’amuses?
About the unit
This unit, the final one in year 7,
builds on much of the prior
learning in the previous units and
provides pupils with an
opportunity to use the language
they have learnt throughout the
year to communicate on the
subject of hobbies and interests.
New language content:
• jouer à and de + definite article
• use of infinitive after aimer and
other verbs
• adverbs of time and frequency
• combining sentences with
conjunctions
New contexts:
• sports
• musical instruments
• hobbies
• writing an informal letter
Alternative contexts: home
activities; domestic tasks; school
activities; self and family.
This unit is expected to take
12–15 hours.
Where the unit fits in
Pupils consolidate their
knowledge, skills and
understanding of verbs, negatives
and questions developed in
previous units. They learn
strategies for skimming and
scanning written texts.
Key stage 3 schemes of work
Year 7
Expectations Prior learning
At the end of this unit It is helpful if pupils already know:
• the infinitive
most pupils will: understand main points and some details in short
• à + definite article
passages (spoken, printed or handwritten, including occasionally • -er verbs
unfamiliar language) about people’s hobbies and interests; read some
• faire, aller, être, avoir
passages independently, selected from the class reading list, using a • some possessive adjectives
glossary or dictionary as support; take part in conversations of two or
• verb + definite article (j’aime le français)
more exchanges about their own or other people’s hobbies and • negatives
interests, including opinions; talk and write about their interests, and • qu’est-ce que/est-ce que ...?
express simple opinions with reasons, following a model; write an • days of the week
informal letter, initially using a model for support; speak and write • the time
from memory
some pupils will not have made so much progress and will: understand
spoken and written phrases, questions and short sentences about Resources
hobbies and leisure interests, including brief opinions; respond with Resources include:
short phrases (orally and in writing) to familiar questions about their • leaflets showing in symbol and word the leisure/sports opportunities
own hobbies and leisure interests; copy or repeat phrases about in a town or leisure centre
hobbies, and add words from memory; complete parts of a letter, using • cards depicting individual pupils’ leisure interests for matching
a model and other prompts activity
some pupils will have progressed further and will: understand longer • video material of French speakers describing their leisure interests
passages spoken at near-normal speed about hobbies and leisure • authentic letters which show the main features of the handwriting
interests, and identify specific details; begin to use context to deduce system
the meaning of unfamiliar words; take part in conversations of four • access to the internet
exchanges or more about hobbies, asking questions to maintain and • PCs, word-processing software, text-manipulation software and data-
develop the conversation; write a letter about leisure interests, showing handling software
ability to use and adapt some previously learnt language
Out-of-school learning
Pupils could research famous sports stars, teams or venues in French-
speaking countries, which have been drawn to their attention. They
could then share information in class.
Future learning
Future units will develop pupils’ use of complex sentences and enable
them to communicate in a wider range of language and contexts.
1
• how to use their knowledge of
aimer/détester, etc + definite
article to describe their hobbies
and interests
• how to develop a conversation
by giving a statement about
their hobbies and adding
Et toi/vous?
• how to express agreement and
disagreement
Key stage 3 schemes of work
• Class groups a list of hobbies according to their definite article. Pupils highlight • converse with others by asking • Continue to focus on the use of different
those which they cannot guess and then find their meaning in a glossary. Class Quels sont tes passetemps? and persons of the verb with these structures,
discusses how they guessed at meanings. give opinions using by talking about other members of the
• Listening to and reading texts where French native speakers describe their likes and constructions such as Moi, family, friends, etc.
dislikes. Provide a sheet with a list of the people and a list of hobbies. Pupils draw j’adore la danse, et toi? Je • Share strategies for memorising
lines to link person to hobby, then add a (double) heart or (double) cross to n’aime pas la natation. Je suis spellings, especially where the English is
symbolise their opinions. Pupils then relay the information in the third person using d’accord, je déteste aussi le judo. similar but not identical, eg danse;
their notes, before comparing with the original (and transcript of an aural text). • describe a third person’s likes télévision; cinéma. Note other
• ‘Cocktail party’ activity: pupils each have a set of interests and dislikes on a card; and dislikes differences between French and English
they circulate, interviewing others to find the other pupil in the class with an where the same words have different
identical match of tastes. meanings, eg lecture, skate.
• Jigsaw listening and reading task: some pupils must discover information from a • Pupils will need to combine the key skills
written text and other pupils find information from a spoken, taped source. of communication, working with others
Partners share information to produce a full account. and improving their own learning and
performance in this work.
• Further related activities can be found in
Optional Tests and Tasks 3.4, 4.1, 4.2.
Any activities marked ▲ might be better suited to higher-attaining pupils
MFL – French unit 6
2
• to skim and scan texts about
leisure pursuits
• to use contextual clues,
including parts of speech, to
help them understand neatly
presented handwriting
Key stage 3 schemes of work
• Pupils skim a letter by highlighting key words with a marker pen. • understand French handwriting • Reading skills should be taught explicitly
• Pupils scan a leaflet about a sports centre, locating specific information. when it is clearly presented
• Compare French and English handwriting and note the letters and numbers which • find information quickly and
are formed differently and are likely to cause a problem to an English reader. systematically from a long text
• Work as a class through a text which contains unfamiliar language and guide • extract key points from a printed
pupils to ask themselves contextual and grammar-based questions to aid text without having to read and
understanding. understand every word
• begin to use contextual clues,
and their knowledge of basic
grammar as an aid to
comprehension
• At times, teachers will need to use
Any activities marked ▲ might be better suited to higher-attaining pupils
throughout this and other units. Pupils
need to be taught how to use their
knowledge of grammar to help them
understand a text, eg an unfamiliar word
flanked by ne ... pas, for example, must
be a negative verb. This can help pupils
make sense of the whole sentence. As
well as skimming for main points, pupils
should also look at texts in some detail
and might translate them into English
from time to time. This will help reinforce
the meaning of key words such as déjà,
si, cependant, etc, which in turn will
make it easier for pupils to skim-read in
future.
English to explain points such as reading
skills. English should be used when it is
the most efficient and effective way of
ensuring that an important point is
learnt. This is in keeping with the
programme of study, which permits the
use of English ‘when necessary’.
MFL – French unit 6
3
• to use jouer with à and de,
followed by the definite article
• how to adapt their previous
learning about negatives to say
what sports and musical
instruments they do and do not
play
• to use previously learnt faire
with de + definite article for
other sports, eg faire de
l’équitation
• to distinguish jouer from faire
using their knowledge of English
• to combine a small number of
sentences using time adverbs as
connectives to sequence their
text
Key stage 3 schemes of work
• Matching symbol to text from a sports centre leaflet. • understand and produce in • Opportunities to revise times with à, and
• Pupils listen to French speakers on video talking about their leisure time and tick speech and writing sentences simple opinions, eg C’est dangereux!
when key words are heard. such as Je joue aux cartes. Il joue • Encourage pupils to use language in new
• Revision of aller à + definite article and place, focusing on where pupils go for au rugby. Mon frère joue de la contexts.
certain activities; then comparison with jouer à + definite article and game. guitare. Je ne joue pas du piano. • A further related activity can be found in
Encourage pupils to work out examples for themselves. Je fais de l’alpinisme. Optional Tests and Tasks 4.3.
• Guessing games based on teacher’s or pupils’ mimes. ▲ sequence a series of such
• Guessing games based on a restricted number of oui/non questions eg ‘Twenty sentences using connectives
questions’: C’est un instrument? C’est un sport? C’est masculin? Ça se joue au such as d’abord, puis, ensuite,
stade? C’est le football? enfin
• Cumulative text game (eg ‘I went to market’), with hobby verbs ▲ using adverbs of
time at the start of each new addition.
• Super sportif/ve: pupils make up a story using connectives of an obsessive sports
fanatic and his/her weekly routine.
• Pupils requiring support might match visuals to text and reconstruct a story.
Any activities marked ▲ might be better suited to higher-attaining pupils
MFL – French unit 6
4
• to use the infinitive of a
following or dependent verb in
order to state what they like to
do as hobbies and leisure
pursuits
• to use Qu’est-ce que (learnt in
another context) to ask about
hobbies
• how to set out a simple informal • Ask pupils to write to tourist offices for information about leisure opportunities
letter to a penfriend, seeking
and giving information about
hobbies and interests
• to use knowledge of the days of
the week, the time and adverbs
of frequency, in order to state
and understand when and how
often they pursue a hobby
Key stage 3 schemes of work
• Revise present tense, using examples of verbs which pupils know well, such as • combine verbs such as aller, • The infinitives of -er verbs might be
household tasks, as well as jouer á/de. Using suitable facial expressions and/or aimer, détester and je voudrais introduced initially, then the infinitives of
gestures, teach pupils how to combine verbs such as aimer, détester with the with an infinitive to make other known verbs. At an appropriate
infinitive of known verbs and recently learnt hobbies. Vary the subject of the verb sentences such as J’aime écouter time, the different types of infinitives
and encourage pupils to observe the pattern and work out the rule (ie that the les disques. Je voudrais aller au should be pointed out to the class.
infinitive never changes, whatever the subject of the main verb). cinéma. Ma sœur adore aller à la • Pupils might do an exercise transferring
▲ Pupils use a dictionary to find the French for hobbies which have not been covered piscine. Mon frère ... n’aime pas imperatives to a more polite way of
by the teacher. jouer au rugby. giving a command by using Tu veux/vous
• ask and understand questions voulez + infinitive, as an example of
using Qu’est-ce qu’on peut faire? and Est-ce qu’on peut jouer au ...? about hobbies such as Qu’est-ce adapting text for a different audience.
• Pupils research leisure and sporting opportunities in a French town via the internet que tu fais comme activités? and The exercise could be on computer
and summarise what people can do. Tu aimes le sport, n’est-ce pas? screen and pupils would have to focus on
• Pupils complete a penfriend matching form with likes and dislikes, first with nouns, • use a model to write their own changing only the verbs. Alternatively,
then with infinitives. They might then use a database or internet site to find informal letter about hobbies, or pupils might ask each other out on an
suitable matches for penfriends. to supply information for an imaginary date using Qu’est-ce que tu
internet site veux faire?
• Text manipulation software provides an
ideal medium for pupils to explore the
language of a model letter. They are then
better prepared to emulate the model.
• Further related activities can be found in
Optional Tests and Tasks 1.8, 1.9, 1.10.
• Pupils listen to a text dealing with sports and leisure, in which adverbs are used, eg • produce and understand, orally • Continue to practise reflexive verbs. In
souvent, d’habitude, tous les ..., aujourd’hui. Pupils holding cards with certain and in writing, sentences about this context, for instance, s’amuser and
adverbs of time and frequency have to stand up each time their own adverb is when and how often they se reposer may feature.
heard. pursue their interests, eg Je vais ▲ Pupils might try to use reflexive verbs in
• Pupils respond to a multiple-choice, magazine-style quiz Es-tu sportif? ▲ Pupils use à la patinoire tous les vendredis. the negative.
the quiz as a model to make up another one. Je fais du judo aujourd’hui à sept
• Qui est-ce? Pupils interview one another and use the information in speech and heures. J’aime jouer de la
writing for an identification game. clarinette tous les jours.
D’habitude je vais à la piscine.
Any activities marked ▲ might be better suited to higher-attaining pupils
MFL – French unit 6
5
• to link sentences using
conjunctions to form complex
sentences about interests and
hobbies
7 End-of-unit activities
• to apply the knowledge, skills
and understanding learnt in this
unit
Ref: QCA/00/453 © Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) 2000
• Pupils link pairs of sentences with conjunctions chosen from a list (et, mais, ou, où, • produce sentences such as Je • Further related activities can be found
parce que/qu’). They describe their own interests and those of others. vais à la piscine tous les samedis in Optional Tests and Tasks 2.7, 2.8,
et je joue au basket le lundi. 6.2, 6.3.
Maman n’aime pas aller à la
piscine parce qu’elle déteste la
natation. Je joue dans un
orchestre, mais je n’aime pas
jouer du violon. A huit heures je
vais dans ma chambre où je joue
à l’ordinateur. D’habitude, papa
et moi nous allons à la pèche ou
je vais en ville avec mes copains.
• Pupils might prepare a leaflet to advertise the sports opportunities in their own or a • write about sports facilities or
fictitious town, ‘VENEZ A MELCHESTER!’. Alternatively, they may write a letter to a leisure interests
friend about their leisure interests. If this is produced on computer, they will be • compile a spoken record about
able to redraft for improved accuracy and presentation. themselves, their interests and
• Dossier sonore: each pupil prepares an end-of-year tape, trying to include details of school life, including their
their likes, dislikes, family, hobbies and what they do at school. This could be built opinions
up incrementally for each unit if the teacher feels this to be appropriate and
manageable.
Any activities marked ▲ might be better suited to higher-attaining pupils
MFL – French unit 6