First Lessons

Things to consider
The FLA will assume that the pupils have not done any language learning.
If your pupils have already been doing languages….
How you will brief the FLA?
Can you ask the pupils to prepare something to show the FLA to give
them an indication of prior attainment?
If your pupils haven’t been learning the language….
How can you use the FLA to launch language learning?
Are you clear about what you want them to learn?

First sessions should be about sharing information and building a good

working relationship, not straight into teaching (thought it may involve some
teaching). The relationship of the class teacher with the pupils will help the
FLA establish a good rapport, but this needs to be done collaboratively and is
much harder to do on a corridor on your own in a 20 minute slot!

Lesson suggestions
Answers First - Put a variety of information on the board out of context e.g
Sarah, 12, 22, Twingo, Paul. Pupils need to guess what they refer to e.g
middle name, brother sisters, age, car, dad’s name etc

Fact file – in English if first time, in target language if possible.

Write name, age, where you live, hobbies on sticky labels.
The assistant goes round asking pupils questions such as ‘Wie heißt du?’
‘Quantos años tienes?’ ‘Où habites-tu?’ ‘Qu’est-ce que tu aimes faire?’
Pupils can ask each other as well. This is good revision and there is auto
feedback as they can look at label to see if person is correct.
To make things more imaginative you can allow the pupils to fib about their
details. This turns the revision into a game and it becomes a very good
listening activity. The pupil who is listening to an answer shouts ‘menteur’
(fibber) if they hear an untruth.

Me and my town – The class can share something about their town, Local
studies from previous Geography projects are a good starting point. The FLA
can then share something about their town - photos, facts and stories. Stories
are a good starter….. The day when it snowed here…. This is more
interesting than bald facts and provides an instant topic for future
conversations.

Hot Seating
Teacher first, then pupils, then FLA. This is an instant ‘get to know you’
session. It also supports question forming in literacy and appropriate use of
language. Come up with 10 questions and get the pupils to categorise them
into ‘stats’ (name age siblings etc) ‘interests’ (hobbies), ‘skills’ (can you dance,
sing etc), ‘likes and dislikes’. Time each ‘candidate’ on how quickly they can
answer. Discuss afterwards any surprises and most interesting fact.