Foreign Language Fun

Classroom Survival Expressions in French and Spanish: Useful Back-to-School Phrases

Published on July 25, 2009 by Diane in Foreign Language Fun, Foreign Language House, French, Spanish, Teachers Pay Teachers, Worksheets

Help learners to survive and thrive in an immersion classroom environment with useful questions and statements in French or Spanish.

Immersion is the most effective way to learn a foreign language, but it can feel scary at first. Classroom beginners might worry: “What do I do if I’m confused as the teacher rambles on in a foreign language? What page was the homework? And what if I need to go to the bathroom?”

Language learners can feel confident and empowered in their new language by mastering a few key survival expressions during the first week or two of class. My Back-to-School routine always begins with a solid mini-unit on classroom communication. During this time, I allow my students to “practice” being in an immersion setting, alternating between chunks of the target language and English. After investing this initial time, we can “get the party started” and use the target language exclusively for the remainder of the school year.

Here are my essentials:

Basic French Expressions and Manners, such as Yes, No, Please, and Thank You.

Interrogatve Expressions. Even if students are not quite ready to conquer question formation, they can memorize the “who-what-where-when-how-why” expressions in order to clarify understanding.

Negotiation of Meaning. This skill is extremely important as learners try to make sense of a new language. Students need expressions such as: Slow down, Repeat please, I don’t understand, and How do you write that?

Asking Permission is crucial in most school settings, and your students will never be more motivated to speak!

Borrowing. Instead of becoming upset, I decided to make forgetfulness a teachable moment. Learners need to be equipped to ask for items in the target language. When I noticed that my students said the phrase “I forgot” on almost a daily basis, I simply taught them how to say it in French.

Foreign Language House has just published French and Spanish downloads of Classroom Survival Expressions that are perfect for the start of the school year. You’ll find games, activities, worksheets, and printable handouts:

French Classroom Expressions

Spanish Classroom Expressions

BRAND NEW FOR BACK-TO-SCHOOL 2010:

French Top Ten Classroom Survival Expressions POWER POINT

Spanish Top Ten Classroom Survival Expressions POWER POINT

Portions of this post were originally written by me here at Suite101.com