Category Archives: 2.1 Curriculum

Week 3: Friday

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Having been out of the school for two days I was ready to get back into teaching. I was looking forward to teaching the topic of colours to the various CP classes within the school. Seeing how enthusiastic they were about English on Tuesday allowed me to feel very optimistic about the lesson. My CM2 teacher gave me so great tips and ideas regarding how to teach colours to the children. She gave me flashcards as well as English books to read to the children. I believe that using these various resources will engage the children and allow them to develop their English vocabulary.

As my CM2 class were still out of school on their sports week I had the morning to sit in the classroom and plan my lessons for the day. It is good to have planning time throughout the course of the school day, so I know exactly what I am doing with each class. Planning was simple on this day as I was teaching the three CP classes. This meant that I would be teaching the same lesson three times. I wanted to make sure my lesson was engaging as well as interactive and fun. Having taught one lesson previously to these classes I was aware of the various ways in which the children learn best. Speaking is the most important aspect of learning a foreign language and therefore I must ensure that all of my lessons focus on this skill. The teachers like English lessons to be taught completely in the language, only using French is the children are very stuck. For my lesson on colour I made sure that there was lots of opportunity for speaking.

I felt confident going into my first class of the day because I was well prepared and knew exactly what I was going to teach the children. Having three different resources meant that the children would not get bored and that there were various tasks for them to complete throughout the lesson. I had flashcards with various colours on them, a book that had different coloured animals and a game that involved the children recognising different colours in front of them. As I only have thirty-minute teaching slots I divided the lesson into three sections all ten minutes long. I believe that having a well-structured lesson ensures success.

 

I was warmly welcomed into my first CP class of the day, they were all very excited to see me. This made me feel confident and happy as I knew there was nothing to be nervous about. One thing I did notice however, was that when I begin speaking in English the children tend to laugh. I think this is because they are not used to hearing someone speak English with my accent. With the CP class I have to make sure that I hook them into the lesson quickly as they can become irritable and restless. This means that lesson have to be engaging and interactive in order to hold their attention.

The children in CP were very excited to find out the topic was going to be colours. This is because colour is something they were already familiar with. This meant that I could build on their vocabulary whilst improving their pronunciation of the words. I found that during the lesson two colours that they seemed to mix up were grey and green. These words do sound similar, so I am not surprised they found this difficult. With the words that were clearly more challenging I got the children to repeat after me several times. Each time the found it easier to pronounce the word. As I have mentioned in previous reflections, the children adopt a Scottish accent when pronouncing various words that they haven’t come across before. I find this amusing as it makes me realise how strong my accent really is. 

I found the same pattern in all three classes. It was the same colours that the children found difficult to remember or pronounce. Green, grey and brown are the hardest colours for the children to recall. I believe this is because they find it difficult to pronounce words that have a br or gr sound. Think me be because in French these sounds are pronounced differently. Learning a foreign language is a difficult thing, however, I believe that the youngest classes in the school are the most excited about learning English and find it easier to pick up new vocabulary. The emphasises the need for languages to be taught from an early age. I wish I had had the opportunity to learn French was a was a mere six-year-old. I believe that is this has been the way I was taught in school I would have come to France with the ability to converse easily with natives. However, this is not the case because in Scotland we don’t begin learning until we are nearing the end of primary education.

I believe that this was one of the most successful days I have had thus far during the learning from life placement. I was very confident when teaching and believed I conducted the lesson in a manner which the children enjoyed. They were very excited and always eager to answer my questions. I really enjoyed being with the young children in the school. I also believe that working in the CP classes is giving me a taster of what my early years placement will be like next year. I have gotten to know the different teaching styles needed when moving between the lower and upper school. I believe that moving forward I understand how to make lesson interactive and exciting for the early years. The children have come out of their shells with me and therefore it is important that I continuously build upon these relationships.

Over the past week I have started teaching in the various classes throughout the school and it has been the best week yet. Although observing was very interesting and helpful, I am in the school to teach English. I have been given many opportunities throughout the course of the week to teach English to three CP classes as well as CM1. I feel that actually teaching the children has allowed me to get to know them better and build successful relationships.

Week 3: Tuesday

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On Tuesday I had the morning to plan before going into nearly a full day of teaching. This was very daunting as I had to teach various topics to different classes. I used the morning to translate different phrases, so I was able to speak both English and French to the younger children in CP as I was aware that their level of English is not great. I used the morning to make resources such as flashcards and PowerPoints. I was aware that one of the CP classes wanted me to talk to the children about myself and Scotland, so I thought it would be a good idea make a PowerPoint presentation full of various pictures of Scotland. It was important that I prepared a French translation for everything that I planned to say in English as the younger children would not understand what I was talking about.

There are three CP classes in Romain Rolland and I had the chance to teach each class today. I taught the first class about greetings and how to introduce yourself. This was very repetitive as I had to ensure that the children were able to remember, as well as pronounce the words. I taught them how to say, hello, goodbye, my name is, I am ____ years old and I am a boy/girl. This was a lot of information for them to take in. I made sure to use the white board to write and always gave them the French equivalent. I believe that moving forward with this class I could include games. Making the lesson more interactive will allow the children to remember phrases more easily. I am teaching this class again on Friday and I plan to prepare various games/ nursey rhymes. I think this class will enjoy it as they were very enthusiastic about English. They were all very keen to answer my questions and became more confident as the lesson progressed.

Teaching children in this stage of the school was very rewarding as they soaked up all the information like a sponge. This allowed me to reflect on the teaching of foreign languages in Scotland. It has been proven that the younger you begin learning a language the easier it is and the better you will be. Therefore, I think that languages should prioritised in the Scottish primary curriculum. From primary one children should be afforded the opportunity to have at least one or two lessons of language a week. Just doing a little bit every couple of days will allow the children to become more confident when they progress throughout school. Another thing I have noticed is that when I am teaching English, I have been told to speak in English as much as possible and try not to use French unless they really don’t understand. This is something that is not done in Scotland. I studied French to higher level and all of the way through high school we were spoken to in English. I believe this is a contributing factor as to why British people don’t find it easy to pick up a foreign language. I hope that when I become a qualified teacher I have to opportunity to teach a language in the way in which I know children will learn best. I would have jumped at the chance to learn a language from a young age, however, this is something that is not considered a priority within the Scottish education system. I have only been in France for just under three weeks and I have already picked up so much of the language merely from being around native French speakers. This shows that speaking in the language you are trying to learn is essential in developing your skill.

In the afternoon, I did the same lesson on greetings with the second CP class. They were very enthusiastic and responded well. However, this class found it more difficult to remember the words and sentences and needed more prompts than the other class. This shows that although that children are all the same age they are working at different levels. I found it very strange standing at the front of the classroom talking to a room of children who don’t speak my language. Teaching a foreign language is something I don’t have any experience of and I am finding it difficult. Explaining thigs in a way in which the children will understand whilst always using actions is very important, especially with the CP classes. I believe that moving forward I need to ensure that I have a sound I have an activity for the children to do, so that I am not up at the front of the classroom at all times.

I found that by my final class of the day I was a lot more confident teaching. I taught the same lesson three times and each time I believe that I improved and found the best way to engage the children in the lesson. I found that talking very slowly whilst constantly repeating the vocabulary was the most successful way to teach the children. They were very enthusiastic, and it is clear to see that they enjoy English lessons. On Friday I have been asked to teach the topic of colours. I believe that this is a topic will be a good one to teach as I can use flashcards as well as books and games, making the lesson interactive. The children respond very well to interactive lessons; therefore, I must ensure that I am always thinking of new ways to keep the children engaged.

Overall, I had a very successful first full day of teaching. I was very nervous going into this day, however, it has now given me the confidence to be creative and come up with new methods and ideas. I now have a good understand of how the CP classes work and what teaching strategies work well. I am looking forward to getting to know the children throughout the school more over the coming week as well as the other teachers.

Monday 26/03/18

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On Monday I had my first experience in a CP classroom. Having spent the previous two weeks with CM2 I was very excited about observing and teaching various other stages within the school. Going from the oldest class to the youngest was a big change. It was interesting to see how teaching in the early years differs. The children in CP are aged six and seven. This is because in France children begin school at six, unlike Scotland where children can be as young as four years old.

There are three CP classes in Romain Rolland, however, I just observed one. The first thing I noticed going into the class was how young the children were, having gotten so used to working with the oldest class in the school this was a big jump. The day began with a

French lesson. The children were doing what we would understand as phonics. They were revising various new sounds before focusing on a new sound. I found this lesson very useful as I learned many new words. Because I don’t have a high level of French this basic French lesson taught me a lot.

In Scotland I believe that early years teachers adapt their teaching style to suit the younger children, taking on a more maternal role. I found that in France the teachers do not treat the younger children any different for the older ones. I believe that, in general, teachers in France are a lot stricter. Although I don’t totally agree with strict manner of the teachers, I have noticed that the children in France are very well behaved and respect the teacher. This shows that despite it seeming like a cold approach, it works well within the classroom. The children do not test boundaries and understand their place in the classroom even in the youngest primary.

After morning break the children had a French lesson on the topic of appearance. I stood up at the front of the class and they had to describe what I looked like and what I was wearing. The children in CP were very shy as I was a new face in the classroom. I walked around the class as the wrote down their descriptions. One thing that I noticed that surprised me was how neat their handwriting was. Having observed in early years classrooms in Scotland, handwriting is something that usually improves with age. However, the children in CP’s handwriting was just as good as the children in CM2. This may be to do with the strict teaching style most French teachers adopt. If something is not done correctly the child must do it again until successful. This also allowed me to think about the fact that children in France begin school at the age of six. This could be a factor in the level of work they are producing. From observing the CP class, I believe that starting school at age six is a very good thing. The children are at an age when they are ready to learn and do not need to be treated as babies.

In the afternoon I had some time to plan before doing my first English lesson in CM1. I was nervous as this was the first teaching opportunity I had had since arriving in France. I had planned a lesson around clothes. The children had to describe what they were wearing before doing a memory game with words and pictures. This proved very challenging as the CM1 class were very restless and noisy. I found myself having to constantly ask them to listen as they kept talking over each other. In France they don’t use the term behaviour management strategies and therefore teachers don’t have a set way to handle behaviour. I found this difficult as I could not imitate the teacher and had to try and resolve the behaviour on my own. I used both English and French to address the children that were distracting the class, however, because it was the last half an hour of the day the children did not settle. Despite this, I still managed to teacher my lesson. I believe that the children are very competent when it comes to the topic of clothes. They had a sound understanding of both the words and the pronunciation. I believe that moving forward more complex vocabulary can be added into the lessons to challenge them more. Overall, my first experience teaching was stressful but also very exciting it has given me a taster of what I can expect of the coming weeks. I believe that the use of games in relation to learning English is very important as it engages the children and allows them to associate the language with something fun.

Thursday 22/03/2018

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I knew I would not have much input in the class. Because I am only in one classroom the majority of the day is spent learning in French. In France it is essential that children have at least one hour and thirty minutes of English a week, however, this is not very much considering the long days. Therefore, I could not guarantee that I would hear any English learning throughout the day.

The morning was dedicated to the children’s radio project. I was relieved when I found out as I knew I would be involved in the morning. I sat with the two pupils to practice the questions to ensure both parties understood exactly what they were saying when they were saying it. I found that though answering various questions in French has allowed to improve my speaking skills. I am still not confident when talking in French because of my Scottish accent, however, I am beginning to understand more French as I listen to various conversations within the classroom. I am surprised at how much I have learned in less than two weeks in the school environment. I was very nervous going into the placement as listening and talking were the two skills that I have never found easy. When I was studying French in high school I gained a B at higher level, however, it was my listening that let me down. This meant that going into the school I was very worried that I would sit, listen, and not have a clue what anyone was saying. At the beginning this was the case, however, as the days go on I have been understanding more and more. This is a personal achievement as I never thought I would begin improving so early on. I am not going to pretend that I am going to come out of the learning from life placement fluent in French, but I believe my speaking and listening still will have improved.

Having a greater understanding of the French language is allowing me to begin to communicate with the children more and more. They love to try and talk to me in English, however, they are equally as impressed when I attempt to talk to them in French. They are aware of my level and are very encouraging when I try and converse in the language. Since the children and teacher are so supportive it makes me feel better about speaking in French as I know I am not being judged or criticised.

There were two French students in the class on this day. Both are students at the l’ESPE and are studying to become primary teachers. Watching them come into the classroom and communicate with the children easily is something I envy. Despite them only being in the classroom for one day a week the children are able to converse with them easily and therefore, it is easy for them to form relationships with the children. I understand that this is something that cannot be helped, however, I believe I am trying my best to build positive relationships with the children in the class. I am the only student doing learning from life in Orléans that has one specific class. Everyone else is in various classes throughout the school. This means that I should be able to gain the trust and respect of the children in my class as I am with them all the time and they can get to know me. This is one of my placement goals as I realised from my professional practice in first year, building positive relationships with both staff and pupils in essential in becoming a successful teacher.

One of the students led a lesson before lunch. This moved away from the traditional learning I was so used to seeing in the classroom and allowed the children to take part in an activity. The lesson revolved around growing plants in soil. The student used a PowerPoint to explain to the children how a plant grows before allowing the children to plant their own bulbs. The children were very excited and enthusiastic about this activity

. It reminded me of the kinds of lessons that are encouraged in the Scottish education system. Interactive learning is something I have not seen a lot of since being in France, however, seeing a French student teach such an engaging science lesson full of interactive experiments allowed me to realise that the French are beginning to adopt this method of teaching. Young teachers coming into the profession are moving away from the traditional method and incorporating teaching strategies to ensure the children thrive in their learning.

In the afternoon the children were recording their radio show at a neighbouring school. We walked to the school after lunch to use the recording studio. The children were very excited about this, they had been working on their radio project for a number of weeks now. I was very excited to be a part of their project and conduct an interview for two of the children in English whilst I was interviewed in French. It was a great opportunity to combine the languages and work with the children. This helped me to gage the level of English the children were working at. The two girls that I interviewed in English were very competent and were able to answer my questions with ease. This allowed me to understand that when planning the ‘going shopping’ topic I can add more complex vocabulary. It is great to see how enthusiastic the children are about languages. I am looking forward to teaching next week on my own. I believe that from observing the class for two week I have a good understanding of how they learn best and various teaching strategies I will be able to use when I am teaching on my own. I realise that I just have to be confident and use approaches such as repetition and actions to aid their understanding.

Friday 23/03/2018

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I went into school on Friday in disbelief as I couldn’t believe that I had nearly been in France for two weeks. I was very happy to find out that my teacher Amélie had spoken to various teachers throughout the school about me going into their classrooms to teach English to different years. I had expressed my concern earlier in the week regarding my lack of involvement in lessons thus far. I was greeted on Friday with a timetable for the coming weeks. I found out that I will be teaching in all three of the CP classes as well as CM1 and CM2. I feltso relieved as I was beginning to worry that my lack of involvement would result in an unsuccessful placement. From observing I have learned a lot about the French Education system, school structure and how French classroom differ from Scotland. However, it is important that I also have to opportunity to teacher as much as possible during the six-week period.

I have spent the last two weeks with the CM2 class, so it will be very interesting next week seeing how the youngest class in the school differ from the oldest. I will hav

e to simplify my teaching strategies as well as teach using songs and games. I am looking forward to having the opportunity to broaden my horizons and get a feel for the different stages of the French primary school. Finding out about my full timetable for the coming weeks put me in a great mood for the rest of the day I was able to think about all of the various lessons I could do with the various years as well as begin individual lesson planning. I believe that I will feel more like a member of the school once I get to know the other teachers and pupils and I am a recognisable face within the school.

I began planning different lessons for the CM2 class relating to the topic ‘going shopping’. The teacher provided me with ideas for lessons as well as worksheets and flashcards. She has also very keen to listen to my ideas so that we could work together to ensure the children will get the most out of the topic. I don’t feel nervous or anxious about beginning teaching as I have gotten to know the children and teacher so well. I am very enthusiastic about making lessons as interactive as possible as I have a very energetic class. I believe they would thrive learning through both role play and group work.  I believe that if the lesson is enjoyable the children will be more enthusiastic about the subject they are learning. One of my main goals for placement is to ensure the children enjoy learning English and improve their skill at the same time.

 

 

By the time it got to Friday I was ready for the week to end and week 3 to begin. Although observation has taught me a lot it has become very tedious merely sitting at the back of the classroom and observing lessons. The days are very long and feel as though they drag when I don’t have any input in the lessons. Also, my lack of French makes it very difficult as some of the time I am unaware of what the children are doing during lessons as I can’t understand the language. Because I have had so much time with nothing to do I am very excited about getting stuck into next week.

Friday has been a successful planning day. Before lunch I started to come up with different ideas regarding English lessons for CM2. The topic of ‘going shopping’ is one that offers opportunity for use of flashcards as well as games. I believe this is the best way for the children to learn new vocabulary. It is easier to retain information if it is done in a way which is exciting for the learner. I believe this is something we could adopt in Scotland. Children in France learn a foreign language through speaking and listening, however in Scotland it is done through reading and writing. Speaking and listening is the most important aspect of a language which I have realised during my first two weeks in France. I would not be able to understand what a French person was saying, however, if they wrote it down for me I would find it much easier. This is an issue within the Scottish curriculum as reading and writing skills do not help with conversational French.

In the afternoon the classes swapped, and I sat in on a CM1 English class. It was interesting to see how the slightly younger class engaged with English and also gave me an idea of their level before I go into their class on Monday. They were very excited to find out that I would be teaching them on Monday continuing the topic of clothes. I found that this class respond very well to games and understand the vocabulary more when it is put in the context of a game rather than a worksheet. There are a few members of the class that are very competent with the language and there are others that don’t have great basic skills. This means that I may have to differentiate when teaching on Monday. I must ensure that all of the children are working at the level that they feel comfortable with. Observing this lesson made e very excited about getting to teach this class on Monday. I hope that they engage with the lesson I plan as much as they did today, building on their previous vocabulary.

I am looking forward to my third week in the school as I have a timetable of all the different classes and lessons I will be involved in. I am very happy to have the opportunity to move throughout the school helping at different stages. I believe that teaching my first solo lesson on Monday will be challenging but also very rewarding. Teaching English as a foreign language is not something I am used to, therefore, observing other teachers has been very helpful in preparing me for the weeks to come.

Tuesday 20/03/2018

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On this day I spent the morning in a local middle school. This was very different from what I had been used to in the primary school. One of the English teachers in the school was going to be spending time in Dundee teaching and therefore, wanted students from Dundee to come into school and speak to her class. Myself and Beth went together and were prepared to tell the students about Scotland.

This was more daunting than going into a primary environment as the children were a lot older. I have never had any experience with high school age children, so it was very interesting seeing the differences between primary and secondary. Going into the school made me realise why I chose to become a primary teacher. It was very nerve racking and intimidating teaching children that were not much younger than myself. Despite this, I still enjoyed my experience in the French middle school.

The children were learning about Shakespeare and their lesson for the day was to read about his life and put various events into a timeline structure. Myself and Beth had to walk around the classroom and help. The students were reluctant to ask for help in the beginning as they were not confident using their English to ask us questions, however, as the lesson progressed they became more comfortable. This allowed me to think about how I would have felt in school if a French student came into my class and I was required to speak in their language. It would have been very daunting. Therefore, I tried my best to make the students feel at ease as I know how I would have felt if I was put in the same situation. Despite not having strong English, the students were able to complete the task successfully. I believe that this was done through the timeline aspect of the task. They were able to search for the dates in the passage and match the information to the date. At the end of the task myself and Beth stood at the front of the classroom and went over the correct answers, ensuring that we spoke slowly and clearly at all times.

At the end of the lesson we had the opportunity to talk to the children about Scotland and the various traditions we have. We discussed our university and showed pictures of the various buildings we study in before moving on to topics such as Edinburgh and listening to the Scottish national anthem. The students were all very interested in what we had to say and were enthusiastic about having us in their classroom. By the end of our morning in the school I felt a lot more relaxed around the older students. I think that as the lesson went on I realised that the pupils were not as intimidating as I had originally thought.

My experience of assisting in a French middle school was very positive. Although this was a successful visit, I still believe that I prefer working with primary school children. I was very grateful for the opportunity to see how education in France progresses beyond primary school and have the chance to assist in English.

Week 1 Reflection

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Wednesday

Wednesday is a half day in France meaning that the children finish school at half past eleven. This is very different to Scotland as school runs to and from the same time every day. It felt very strange leaving the school at this time. However, it did allow me to recharge and go into the next two days feeling energised. It was a supply teacher that was in on this day which proved a challenge for me as she didn’t speak English. I attempted to use my French, however, this was a very difficult morning. The language barrier meant that I didn’t have much involvement in the day, I merely sat at the back of the classroom and observed. This supply teacher usually takes the class on a Monday as Amélie, their normal teacher doesn’t work Monday’s. This means that I am going to have to improve my French in order to be able to communicate with this teacher over the coming weeks.

The children followed the same structure and the day before, having both maths and French in the morning. I have noticed that the do the same things in these subjects everyday however it become progressively more difficult. The children are always very engaged and always offer answers when the teacher asks. Having now seen them with two different teachers I have noticed that they do not act differently with the different teachers. From experience in Scottish primary schools, children may act up or work harder when they are confronted with different teachers. This further emphasises the level of respect children have for their teachers in France. They do not test the teacher’s boundaries and misbehave. However, despite this I believe that the supply teacher had a much stricter approach with the children than Amélie. The tone of her voice was stern at all times and she didn’t allow talking during lessons. This made me feel slightly on edge as the children were so well behaved and didn’t require this approach. This allowed me to consider the way in which I will approach lessons when I begin teaching. I believe that positive reinforcement and a smile goes a long way.

Thursday

On Thursday I found out that I am going to be involved in the class radio project. They will be planning and recording a radio sequence. Part of this will involve an interview. I will be asked questions by two of the children in French and I will be required to answer in French. I was very worried when I found out as my French is not very strong. I was worried about the pupils’ reaction to my lack of French coupled with my Scottish accent trying to pronounce French words correctly. However, during the week two of the children sat with me to discuss the various questions that I will be asked and also helped me to formulate some answers. This was a great opportunity for me to involve myself and talk to the children more about their studies. It also made me realise that although I am there to teach them, they are also teaching me. The children are very patient with me and try to help when I struggle with the language. This is another reason that I feel so at home in the school. Although at times I have felt embarrassed due to my lack of French, both the children and the teacher help and are not judgemental. I am looking forward to being involved with someone within the class that is different from merely teaching English.

The structure of the day was very much the same as previous days. One thing I noticed was how studious the children are and how every child completes their homework. It is clear to see that all of the children enjoy being at school.This is so refreshing to see, as during my placement in Scottish primary school that this wasn’t the case. Many children would not turn in homework and every day at least one person would be absent from class. In my school in France the class has been full everyday thus far. This emphasises how successful the French education system works. Although there are certain aspects that I disagree with, the way in which they run schools obviously works very well. This has allowed me to understand more about French culture and values. I am very interested to see over the coming weeks if what I have seen for far continues as we grow closer to the spring holidays.

Friday

I was unsure at the beginning of the week if the children were excited to have me in their class or if they thought of me as someone who just sits at the back of the classroom and observes lessons. However, when the teacher explained that they would be doing an English lesson their response was “Avec Briony?”. I was happy that they were so enthusiastic about me teaching English and understood that I was going to be a part of their class for the next six weeks. This was the first time that I was able to sit with groups of children on my own and assess their knowledge of English. I was nervous at first because I didn’t know how the children would react to me teaching English as I was foreign to their classroom. I played a sound game where thy had to match up jigsaw pieces that had the same sound. I found that most of the children picked this up very quickly, however, there are some sounds that we use in English that are very difficult for the French to pronounce such as H and WH. I found that when I introduced words that they were unfamiliar with, they repeated them in a Scottish accent. This was because they were merely imitating the way in which I was saying each word. This was all very new to me and it was very interesting to see their reaction to the game. When they grasped a new word, they were very excited. This was very rewarding as I was helping them to develop their English language skills without any help form the teacher.

By this day I felt very comfortable in the school and felt as though I had been there for more than a week. The children began to greet me in English and I did my best to talk to them in French. I believe that over the coming weeks I will be able to build relationships with the pupils as I become more confident teaching English as a foreign language whilst also improving my French speaking skills. The language barrier will prove to be an issue however, my goal is to be able to overcome this and eventually be able to converse with others in French confidently. I am looking forward to the various lessons and activities I will be involved in over the course of placement. I couldn’t be happier about how my learning from life placement has started.

One thing I feel bad about is not being able to learn the children’s names. I am usually someone that finds it simple to learn names in a classroom, however, this has proved difficult in France. I have never come across any of these names before and the pronunciation is very difficult. I hope that as I progress through placement I will be able to remember names whilst using the correct pronunciations. The children have also found it difficult to pronounce my name which allowed me to understand that it is difficult to pronounce names that are uncommon in your country.

Overall, I have had a very successful first week in Orléans and I am looking forward to the coming weeks. I aim to develop and progress as I go whilst gaining further insight into the French education system.

First Day in a French Primary School

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I was both anxious and excited going into my first day of placement. Arriving at the school was surreal, I couldn’t quite believe I was going to be teaching English in a French primary school. After entering the school with my host Nina, I was given a very warm welcome by both staff and my host teacher Amélie. I was very happy to find out that she was fluent in English as the language barrier was something that I feared going into the placement. Although I have basic French and studied the language when I was in high school, I am not very confident. It was good to find out that I was with a teacher that I could converse within in my mother tongue as well as someone that could help me improve my French speaking skills.

The Language Barrier

I realised very early on in the day how difficult it was to try and understand native French speakers. The children in my class were all very excited about me being in their classroom and attempted to ask me question after question, in French. At this point I panicked a bit as I realised my level of French was not going to cut it. Throughout the day I tried to pay attention to everything both the teacher and children were saying. I could pick out various words, but the fluency along with the speed was too much to keep up with. This made me realise that during my time in France I would like to improve my conversational French. The language barrier was also an issue in the staff room at lunchtime. I was sitting at a table with teachers talking at what seemed like a hundred miles an hour. This also made me realise how long a two-hour lunch actually is. It seemed like an eternity sitting in silence not understanding what anyone was saying. I knew it was going to be difficult going into a primary school setting where English wasn’t their native language, this is something I believe I will get used to over time. I hope that being submerged in the French language will allow me to improve.

My Role

I was already aware going into the placement that my role within the classroom was going to be helping as a language assistant. As this was only my first day I spent a lot of the time observing various lessons. However, when it was time for the children to begin their English lesson, I was given the opportunity to stand up in front of the class while the children asked me questions in English and I answered them in English. This was v

ery good as it allowed the children to get to know me better and ask me questions about both myself and my country. They were very excited to find out that I was from Scotland. I had to ensure that I spoke slowly and clearly to allow them to understand the English along with my Scottish accent. Having this small input in the class allowed me to gain an idea of the level of English the children had as well as the kind of activities I will be doing during my time in school.

Lesson Structure

Although I have only been in the school for one day it was clear to see that the French school system is very structured. Mathematics and French are always taught in the morning and are kept to a strict time limit. I did not see any expressive arts classes today as they focused on literacy and numeracy. In France I believe that they teach the subjects that are considered more important and more creative subjects take a back seat. This is something very different from Scotland as we ensure there is always time for expressive and creative subjects. Because the children have three breaks throughout the course of the day, this is the time where they can unwind and have fun. This may be why there is a lot less play within the four walls of the classroom. However, I have only experienced one day of work, so I cannot confirm that this is the way in which every day will be structured.

Behaviour

It was great to see the high level of respect the children have for the teacher and vice versa. The children are all very polite and eager to learn and participate in lessons. From the beginning of the day the children were positive and equipped for learning. The children all arrive within the necessary equipment needed for the day ahead, they don’t rely on the teacher to provide stationary as some students do in Scottish primary schools. When a lesson begins, the children all sit very quietly and get on with their work. There was not one person in the class that was disruptive or not getting on with their work. Something else that I noticed was that every member of the class would put their hand up when the teacher asked a question. They all wanted to be involved in their learning and would get excited if they were to be picked to answer a question. This is something I have never seen before in Scottish primary schools. Often, it’s the same children who put their hands up whilst others sit back and don’t offer an answer. This was very refreshing seeing children so enthusiastic about their studies.

Overall, I had a great experience during my first day in a French primary school setting. I got to know the children whilst having my first insight into the French education system. It was challenging at times due to the language barrier, but this is something I look forward to improving throughout my time in France. The first day allowed me to realise how lucky I am to be spending the learning from life placement in France.

Skills to Develop

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  • Communication – Although I consider myself to have good communication skills, I am going into an environment where English is not the native language. Therefore, I will need to ensure that I am always trying my best to communicate with the teachers I am working with in French. I will be able to do this by continuously studying the language and submerging myself in the language.
  • Teaching strategies – Since I have never had experience of teaching English as a foreign language and have only had a broad primary school experience I may have to alter and enhance my teaching strategies in order to be successful in teaching English. Through reading I will be able to gain knowledge regarding the approach to take when teaching English as a foreign language.