While my wife/editor Prof Elspeth Jones is doing the final formatting and proofing of my new book called Thinking About Language Teaching (Volume 1), I've been adding some new parallel reading tasks to my frenchteacher site. Let me explain the rationale for these. It's always a challenge to produce interesting texts at the right level for MFL/WL classes. For beginners especially, texts can be mundane or else be so difficult they are off-putting, even with some glossing. With parallel texts you are offering a translation so that everything is not only interesting or important, but is also entirely comprehensible. The challenge is then to ensure that students process the target language text, rather than just reading the translation.
I guess there are many ways to do this, but my own method has been to add a15-20 true/false or 'tick the right sentences' task to make sure that students have to carefully read and mentally translate (while looking across t the parallel translation). I then add a vocabulary grid to complete, whereby students translate L1 to L2, and L2 to L1. I include short chunks as well as isolated words.
Other exercises you might add to ensure students actually read and process the text would be:
- 'Find the French/German/Spanish etc'.
- True/false/not mentioned.
- Questions in the target language with sentence starter prompts to help.
- Gap-fills using adapted sentences from the L1 text (not just ones in the text — that would be too easy.
- Matching starts and ends of sentences based on the text.
- Paired vocab recall testing after the other exercises have been done — L2 to L1 may be best here, depending on the class.
- If the focus is on the content of the text, students could hide the texts, then summarise orally in L1 what the text was about. High-performing students might try this in L2.
- Reading aloud in pairs, or individually, e.g. with fingers over ears to avoid distraction.
- Teacher-led oral true/false in L2
- Teacher led 'Correct my false statement' in L2.
- Paired 'Correct my false statement' or true/false in L2.
Can you think of more?
Below are a pair of texts (French and English) I just uploaded to give you a feel of the difficulty level. These are aimed at learners who've done about 2-3 years of French. Students would see these texts side by side. Then you'll see my other tasks.
Le
monde avec 2,5 degrés de réchauffement
Le climat de la Terre change. Si la température monte de
2,5 degrés, la vie sera très différente.
Il fera plus chaud dans beaucoup de pays. Les étés seront
longs et très secs. Dans certaines régions, il y aura moins d’eau. Les rivières
et les lacs deviendront plus petits.
La mer montera. Des villes près de la mer, comme Miami ou
Jakarta, auront des problèmes avec l’eau. Des maisons seront détruites.
Beaucoup de personnes devront partir et vivre ailleurs.
Les animaux aussi auront des difficultés. Les ours
polaires perdront leur glace. Certains oiseaux ne trouveront plus assez de
nourriture. Beaucoup d’espèces risquent de disparaître.
Les forêts vont brûler plus souvent à cause de la chaleur
et de la sécheresse. Les grands feux peuvent détruire des milliers d’arbres.
Cela est dangereux pour les animaux et pour les humains.
L’agriculture sera plus difficile. Dans certains pays, il
y aura moins de nourriture. Le prix des fruits, du riz ou du pain va augmenter.
Mais il y a encore de l’espoir. Si nous utilisons moins
de pétrole et de charbon, si nous marchons, prenons le vélo ou les bus, nous
pouvons limiter le réchauffement. Chaque petit geste est important pour
protéger notre planète.
The world with 2.5 degrees of warming
The
Earth’s climate is changing. If the temperature rises by 2.5 degrees, life will
be very different.
It
will be hotter in many countries. Summers will be long and very dry. In some
regions, there will be less water. Rivers and lakes will become smaller.
The
sea will rise. Cities near the sea, like Miami or Jakarta, will have problems
with water. Houses will be destroyed. Many people will have to leave and live
somewhere else.
Animals
will also have difficulties. Polar bears will lose their ice. Some birds will
no longer find enough food. Many species risk disappearing.
Forests
will burn more often because of the heat and the dryness. Large fires can
destroy thousands of trees. This is dangerous for animals and for humans.
Farming
will be more difficult. In some countries, there will be less food. The price
of fruit, rice, or bread will increase.
But
there is still hope. If we use less oil and coal, if we walk, take the bike, or
use buses, we can limit the warming. Every small action is important to protect
our planet.
Cochez les phrases correctes seulement (Coorect the true statements)
1. Le climat de la Terre change.
2. Avec +2,5 degrés, les hivers seront très froids partout.
3. Les étés seront longs et secs.
4. Les rivières et les lacs peuvent devenir plus petits.
5. La mer va descendre de deux mètres.
6. Des villes comme Miami ou Jakarta auront des problèmes avec l’eau.
7. Beaucoup de personnes devront partir et vivre ailleurs.
8. Les ours polaires auront plus de glace.
9. Certains oiseaux ne trouveront plus assez de nourriture.
10. Beaucoup d’espèces risquent de disparaître.
11. Les forêts vont brûler moins souvent.
12. Les grands feux peuvent détruire des milliers d’arbres.
13. Les feux ne sont pas dangereux pour les humains.
14. L’agriculture sera plus facile avec +2,5 degrés.
15. Dans certains pays, il y aura moins de nourriture.
16. Le prix du riz peut augmenter.
17. Le prix des fruits et du pain va baisser.
18. Il n’y a plus d’espoir pour la planète.
19. Utiliser moins de pétrole et de charbon peut aider.
20. Chaque petit geste est important pour protéger la planète.
Complétez la liste de vocabulaire (Complete the vocab list)
|
Français |
Anglais |
|
|
the sea will rise |
|
brûler |
|
|
|
very different |
|
|
to disappear |
|
beaucoup de pays |
|
|
|
enough food |
|
|
|
|
détruire |
|
|
|
to increase |
|
chaque |
|
|
sécheresse |
|
|
|
if we use |
|
|
|
|
ours polaires |
|
|
dangereux |
|
|
|
will become |
Comments
Post a Comment