Foreign Language Numbers Game Inspired by Highlights: Eleven
I was just looking through my son’s Highlights magazine (www.Highlights.com) and I came across a fantastic game that can be effectively adapted to help kids practice numbers in Spanish, French, Chinese . . . any foreign language. In the March 2010 issue there’s an activity on pg. 38 by Jennifer Coleman called “Make 11.” Two players count to three and extend any number of fingers. Count the total number of fingers between the two players in the target language. See how many tries it takes to equal 11.
11 ELEVEN
onze (French)
once (Spanish)
elf (German)
undici (Italian)
ju-ichi (Japanese)
shí y? (Mandarin)
I’m going to play with an entire classroom of children this afternoon, but I’ll make it a wee bit competitive by seeing which set of players can be the first to make eleven.
Have fun playing! Thank you, Highlights, for another fantastic idea.
Photo Credit: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/935146
Free Shamrock Math Worksheet in French, Spanish, and English-ESL
Want a fun and free St. Patrick’s Day worksheet? Sign up for our FREE newsletter for language teachers at this link or on the right sidebar. Every month you’ll receive fun teaching tips and a new download for your beginning students in French, Spanish, and English (ESL/EFL)
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Image credit: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/345373
French Snow Song: La Neige
Snow, snow, snow! We’ve certainly had our share this winter. Your little French learners will love the TPR in this song about la neige. A colleague taught me a version of this song decades ago. Over the years, I changed a few of the words and made up a new melody with notes I could actually hit! Here are the lyrics and suggestions for accompanying gestures:
Tombez, tombez, tombez, neige blanche (stand w/fingers “snowing” down from the sky)
Tournez, tournez, tournez gentiment (turn around)
Neige sur les toits (hold arms in a triangle like a roof)
Neige sur les branches (hold arms out like branches)
Tombez, tombez, tombez, neige blanche. (fingers “snow” down from sky again as children slowly sit down)
For a free pdf printable of the song, click: French Snow Song
Enjoy la neige!
Image credit: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1250241
Academy Award – Oscars Conversational Activities in French and Spanish
Ready for Oscar Night? Sunday, March 7, I have a date with a big bowl of popcorn and a televised view of the Red Carpet. I haven’t actually seen many of the nominated movies yet, with the exception of Up! Still, I fondly remember my pre-parenthood days of dates at the cinema instead of my living room.
Anytime there is an event people might be buzzing about, such as the Academy Awards, I want to bring the conversations into my classroom as a way to motivate my learners to talk in the target language. For Oscar Night, Foreign Language House has just prepared some conversational activities for secondary students. Check them out at these links:
Spanish Conversational Activities for the 2010 Academy Awards
French Conversational Activities for the 2010 Academy Awards
We tried to make the classroom activities a lot of fun. To introduce the topic, we prepared formal invitations in the target language for the big event. This warm-up provides lots of question-answer opportunities to discuss the who/what /where/when/how-to-dress of the Academy Awards. Next, students imagine they are in the Kodak Theater, discussing the nominees listed in their program. Finally, a thematic grammar-practice worksheet reinforces the various forms of the word “best.”
Hope all you film- and fashion-buffs enjoy Oscar Night, both in the classroom and in front of the screen!
Image credit: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1041043
Sing-a-Lingo: Spanish CD for Children
I am SUPER excited! Lately, getting my boys (ages 4 and 7) to learn Spanish or speak what they learned at school was becoming a struggle. As a parent, I want to encourage but not push. But I have a new secret weapon, a fresh spark of enthusiasm, a magic bullet . . . Sing-a-Lingo!
Okay, so I know there’s no such thing as a magic bullet. But I am honest to goodness excited. I speak very, very, very limited Spanish, so I rely heavily on CDs, DVDs, or computer programs. I have reviewed several outstanding language-learning materials, but I have never seen results at home like I’ve seen in the last few weeks. My boys and I sing in the car, dance in the living room, and are now starting to use our new language at mealtime. I’m seeing a sense of joy that I haven’t seen in awhile. You might think that a language-loving mommy would have kids who are also enthusiastic about French and Spanish, but I admit mine are a tough sell. So when they ask for the CD in the car and tell me to turn up the volume, I am a fan for life! My four year-old, especially, began singing in Spanish by Day 2. One morning after listening to the Hola Amigos song on the En Mi Casa CD, he asked his Spanish-speaking assistant teacher, “Como estas?” This was the first time he EVER initiated a Spanish exchange. You can see the video of this song here:
Let me tell you a little more about Sing-a-Lingo. Husband-wife team, Piña and Michael Madera, have created effective, upbeat, fun Spanish music–17 songs in all. There’s a definite cool-factor kids love, with guitars and great rhythms. I find myself humming and singing long after I push the off button. There’s a lot of very necessary repetition, but you don’t even notice it because you’re too busy bopping your head around. There are a ton of opportunities for TPR (Total Physical Response.) What’s truly brilliant about the program is the bigger idea behind the music: a child’s “day-in-the-life”, such as eating, dressing, washing hands, going to bed, etc. As a French language teacher myself, I know that the very BEST programs use high-frequency, relevant language that learners can use in real life. Mission accomplished. As Mom, I’m picking up the expressions I need to naturally incorporate Spanish throughout the day.
The lyrics are 100% Spanish, no code-switching. (Another gold star from me as a language professional.) But as non-Spanish-speaking-Mommy, I appreciate the easy to read bilingual lyrics & the laminated cards that accompany each song. There’s even a bilingual picture book that you can sing with your children along with two songs from the CD.
I’m passing along a Sing-a-Lingo En Mi Casa CD to my son’s preschool teacher. She’s been asking about the recent interest in Spanish. I’ll post again in a few weeks to let you know how it’s working in a preschool setting.
I give Sing-a-Lingo the Foreign Language House stamp of approval! Of course, you might be more interested to know that it was a recipient of the Parent’s Choice Award, 2009 iParenting Media Award and The National Parenting Center (TNPC) Seal of Approval. I highly recommend it for anyone wanting to teach their young children Spanish. If you are a Spanish teacher, you surely have parents ask you what they can do to support learning at home. Sing-a-Lingo is the answer.
Visit Sing-a-Lingo at www.singalingo.com.
French Olympic Rings Song
With all of the Olympic excitement, I made up a little French song about the Olympic rings. It’s to the tune of “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” I found myself singing it throughout the day, completely stuck in my head. Songs that get “stuck” in the brain are exactly the kind I need for my beginning learners. So, I’ve been working on it the last couple of days and I’d like to share it with you in today’s recording.
The song is very simple and repetitive for novice-level learners. The English meaning of the lyrics are: 1-2-3-4-5 rings of the Olympic flag/They represent the continents united by the Games/Europe, Asia, Africa, Océanie (Australia), America, 1-2-3-4-5 continents of the Olympic Games. See what I mean? Simple . . . but also strategic and effective!
Here’s my masterpiece (Okay . . . I use the term loosely!)
Un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq anneaux
Cinq anneaux,
Cinq anneaux,
Un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq anneaux
Du drapeau olympique.
Ils représentent les continents,
Les continents,
Les continents,
Ils représentent les continents
Unis par les Jeux.
L’Europe, l’Asie, l’Afrique,
L’Océanie,
L’Amérique,
Un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq continents
Des Jeux Olympiques.
(Repeat first verse)
I prepared a download about the Olympic Rings. It includes a printable song sheets and CLOZE, a coloring sheet, a novice-level reading with questions and CLOZE about the flag, and blank flashcards to illustrate. Click Olympic Flag for French Learners to learn more.
P.S. A Frenchman, Pierre de Coubertin, conceived of both the modern Olympic Games and the Olympic flag. In case you were wondering, the continents are taught a little differently in France than in the U.S. In France, both North and South America are combined into one continent, and instead of Australia, the entire region is called Océanie.
Free Winter Olympic Mascot Worksheet for French and English (ESL) Learners
The 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics are finally here! One way to engage your French or English language learners is by reading about the Vancouver mascots on the official website. Just go to the French or English version of the site to meet Miga, Quatchi, and Sumi. I prepared worksheets for your students to help them read and look for information about the mascots. Click for your free download, complete with answer keys:
Olympic Mascot Worksheet in French
Olympic Mascot Worksheet in English
Hope you find these fun, effective, and useful. By the way, who’s your favorite mascot? Feel free to leave a comment. (Mine is Miga!)
Enjoy the Olympics with your language students!
Skidamarink in French: Pre-K Valentine Song
I decided to translate the ever-popular “Skidamarink” into French for Valentine’s Day. I just taught it to my four year-old today. We do a little dance to “Skidamarink” and big TPR hand gestures to go with the verses. Click here for a FREE printable song sheet. Listen & enjoy . . . c’est amusant!
Skidamarink-a-dink-a-dink
Skidamarink-a-doo
Je t’aime beaucoup!
Skidamarink-a-dink-a-dink
Skidamarink-a-doo
Je t’aime beaucoup!
Je t’aime le matin et l’après-midi
Je t’aime le soir et toute la nuit.
Skidamarink-a-dink-a-dink
Skidamarink-a-doo
Je t’aime beaucoup
Je t’aime beaucoup-coup-coup-coup-coup-coup!
Graphing Conversation Hearts in French
French Valentine Hearts: coloring and sizes
French Valentine Activities and Worksheets BUNDLE!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Image credit: morguefile.com http://mrg.bz/k7xCsv
Teach Colors in French, Spanish, ESL: Fishing for Hearts
This Valentine’s Day, teach kids colors in French, Spanish, and English by fishing for hearts. This is a favorite pre-k activity, but it can be adapted for older kids, too. First, you’ll need some colored paper hearts. Click hearts for a free pdf. Make a few copies, cut, and laminate. Place a paper clip on each heart and put the hearts on the floor. Prepare a fishing pole by attaching a string to a stick, and tying a magnet to the string. You’re ready! Let’s fish!
For young children, call out colors in the target language of your choice and let the children take turns dangling the fishing pole over the hearts until they catch the right one.
Older kids can enjoy a little competition. Give fishing poles to two players and see who can be the first to capture the correct heart for a point. You can also hold up a sign and require students to read the color. Variations are endless: make multiple sets of hearts for group play, place one letter on each heart that will spell out a word, or blindfold students and have them follow oral directions to find the right heart. One special heart can even have a sticker hidden on the back that earns the recipient a reward such as a piece of candy.
Here are the vocabulary words you’ll need for the colors in English, French, and Spanish:
red – rouge – rojo
pink – rose – rosado
blue – bleu – azul
purple – violet – violeta
yellow – jaune – amarillo
green – vert – verde
white – blanc – blanco
orange – orange – anaranjado
heart – coeur -corazón
To continue the Valentine’s Day fun, check out our holiday downloads of games, activities, and worksheets:
FRENCH:
Graphing Conversation Hearts in French
French Valentine Hearts: coloring and sizes
French Valentine Activities and Worksheets BUNDLE! Buy the bundle & save!
SPANISH:
Graphing Conversation Hearts in Spanish
Bundle of Spanish Valentine Games Buy the bundle & save!
Spanish Valentine Gouin Series
ENGLISH:
Valentine Vocabulary Bingo for ESL/EFL
Valentine Vocabulary Tic Tac Toe Games for ESL/EFL
ESL/EFL Valentine Activities and Worksheets BUNDLE The above 2 activities plus MUCH more! Buy the bundle & save!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Check this out: Necco Conversation Sweethearts in Spanish (36-1oz boxes dulce beso para la cariña en Español)
Image credit: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1170044
Learn French for Mardi Gras: Elementary Readers Theater
Mardi Gras is French for “Fat Tuesday.” How can a day be fat? And why all the French? Let’s look at a little history to learn about Louisiana’s French Connection:
- A French King, Louis XIV, sent explorers to the Mississippi River. In 1682, one of these explorers reached the river’s mouth, claimed it for France, and named the area Louisiane or Louis’ land.
- A subsequent expedition was led by Pierre Le Moyne d’Iberville in 1699. The day before Mardi Gras, he established a camp about 60 miles from present-day New Orleans. In honor of the holiday, this spot was named Point du Mardi Gras.
- In 1718, another French explorer founded New Orleans as a permanent settlement. This colony was named in honor of the Duc l’Orleans.
- In 1803, France’s Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte sold Louisiana to the United States in what is known as the Louisiana Purchase.
- Other settlers to Louisiana were the Acadiens, or Cajuns. The Cajuns were also French, but they had originally settled in Nova Scotia, Canada. They were forced to leave as a result of the French-Indian War in 1755, and eventually settled in the rural areas of Louisiana, such as the bayou or marshes.
- French is the second most spoken language in Louisiana and traditions such as Mardi Gras have taken on a life all their own. Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, is the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. The forty days of Lent is a serious time of fasting and prayer in preparation for Easter. Mardi Gras is the last night of eating rich, fatty foods. Get it? FAT Tuesday!
- Actually, Mardi Gras is more than just mardi, or Tuesday. It is a carnival or festival that takes place for a few weeks between Epiphany (January 6) and Ash Wednesday. In New Orleans, the festivities include parades, costumes, and balls. The events are staged by Carnival Organizations called krewes. The official Mardi Gras colors are purple, green, and gold.
Learn some French in honor of the rich French heritage surrounding Louisiana’s Mardi Gras.
Here are some basic terms you should know:
Bonjour – Hello
Au revoir – Goodbye
Merci - Thank you
S’il vous plaît - Please
Oh là là! – Oh my!
Vert – Green
Violet – Purple
Or – Gold
Laissez-les bons temps rouler! – Let the good times roll!
You can teach your elementary students these new French words while introducing them to the customs of a traditional New Orleans. Purchase the original Readers Theater “Beauregard’s Mardi Gras” at this link.
Image credit: http://morguefile.com/archive/display/214130
