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New year plans for frenchteacher

In recent months I have focused on adding listening resources to the site. These have been worksheets which link to online videos. I would hope that these would make listening less of a chore since they incorporate a visual element. My main focus has been on advanced level and there is now a good stock of listening resources to complement the huge array of reading, speaking and grammar resources.

This year I would like to increase the number of listening resources at near beginner and intermediate level. Up to now I have done less on this for two reasons. Firstly they are harder to find and secondly popular course books have plenty of audio material already. However, it remains true that video is less common, so there is a demand for listening with video. The recent Peppa Cochon video worksheets are a good example of approachable and stimulating intermediate resources.

A second task for this year will be some spring cleaning of resources which have become outdated. I have been posting texts since 2002 and some have already been removed, but I am aware that others may be getting past their sell-by date. I have already, on a small scale, updated some advanced texts. That said, if a long-standing resource is removed and you still need it, just mail me and I can send it to you individually.

A third development for this year will be the addition of more translation resources at all levels. Although, in principle, I do not favour doing too much translation into the target language since it reduces the time devoted to "comprehensible input" ( I still can't resist putting this in quotation marks!), I know that teachers do enjoy setting translation (both ways) and it is also the case that in England the new national curriculum refers explicitly to translation which means it may feature, in some form, in new GCSE exams to be taught from September 2016.

So there we are. My retirement hobby is doing very well with well over 1200 member schools, teachers and tutors from all around the globe. Thank you to all subscribers and I wish you a happy new year.

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