How to Teach French Without Speaking French
Fluently
One of the most common concerns I hear from primary
teachers is that they do not feel confident teaching French because they are
not fluent French speakers themselves. Many primary teachers do not have any
formal qualification or training and stopped learning French at the end of KS3.
How can they teach this subject if they do not speak it?
It is an understandable concern. I fully understand
the debate and have personally witnessed the anxiety from staff in this
position. Many primary teachers are specialists in other areas of the
curriculum, and teaching a foreign language can feel very different from
teaching subjects they know well. It is not the same. There is often a worry
about pronunciation, making mistakes in front of pupils or not being able to
answer a question a child might ask during a lesson as they do not have the
level of subject knowledge required They also live in constant fear that
secondary teachers will find fault and unfortunately, this is a common reality on
social media at the moment. It is not helpful!
Here is something I believe is important
to understand. You do not need to speak French fluently to teach French
effectively at primary level. You do, however, need to understand what you are
teaching, why you are teaching it and how to help children learn it well.
These are not the same things.
I have taught and trained in this curriculum area
for many years and have seen the subject taught extremely well by
non-specialist teachers with the correct support and training.
Here are some points to bear in mind when you are
told you have to teach French to your primary pupils as a non-specialist:
1. Remember that you are a teacher first
Primary teachers are highly skilled at breaking
down complex ideas, introducing new concepts, modelling learning and helping young children build knowledge over time. These are precisely the skills needed to
teach a foreign language effectively. This is your skill set. You know how do
this and so do it very well – on an daily basis! I learnt a lot of my own skills from watching primary teachers teach different subjects on the
curriculum.
You do not need to become a fluent French speaker
before you can begin developing your pupils' language skills.
Instead, you need a clear understanding of the
language content, the learning objectives and the progression you want your
pupils to make. You need to know what successful learning looks like and how to
recognise it. Understanding the content of what you are teaching is the starting point.
The same principles that underpin good teaching in
other curriculum areas apply to languages, too. Learning should be purposeful,
well sequenced and appropriate for the age and stage of the children.
Your role is not to pretend to know everything. It
is to create the conditions in which children can learn successfully.
2. Take advantage of what is readily available for
pronunciation and make it a shared learning experience
Pronunciation is often the biggest source of
anxiety for non-specialist teachers. French contains sounds that may be
unfamiliar, are not instinctive to native English speakers and on top of that
some words are pronounced very differently from the way they are written. It is
not easy!
The solution is not to avoid speaking French. It is
to make sure you have reliable support.
High-quality recordings from native speakers
provided in published programmes can provide an accurate model for both
teachers and pupils. All involved can therefore listen carefully and repeat the words and phrases, Use
the recordings regularly in your lessons.
This has an additional benefit: children hear
consistent pronunciation rather than relying exclusively on the teacher's
developing confidence.
Do not be afraid to practise alongside your pupils.
Showing that you are willing to learn, listen and improve sends a positive
message about language learning itself.
Nobody is suggesting our primary teachers pretend to
be fluent speakers. Or put themselves under pressure. I would say quite the
opposite.
3. Teach language in a clear, logical sequence
One of the most important factors in successful
primary language teaching is progression.
Children should not simply collect random lists of French words
from one lesson to the next. They need opportunities to revisit vocabulary,
recognise familiar language, understand how words work together and gradually
build their ability to communicate.
For example, pupils might begin by learning
greetings and introducing themselves. They can then use familiar language to
exchange simple information, before developing their understanding of
questions, responses and longer sentence structures.
A carefully planned learning pathway helps the
teacher as much as the pupil. When you know what children have already learned
and what comes next, you are less likely to feel that you need to master an
entire language overnight.
Good planning reduces uncertainty and gives
teachers the confidence to focus on learning. A good scheme of work will
provide this and there are schemes available! At a very good price point too!
It also helps ensure that lessons are connected, rather than becoming a series of isolated activities. A good SoW should detail everything clearly and explain all rationale.
4. Use resources that support your teaching, not
replace it
The right resources can make a significant
difference, particularly when you are teaching outside your own area of
expertise.
Look for materials that provide:
- Clear lesson plans and learning objectives.
- Accurate audio recordings for listening and pronunciation (non
negotiable).
- Vocabulary support, including visual prompts and glossaries.
- Opportunities for pupils to practise speaking, listening, reading
and writing.
- Guidance on common misconceptions and likely areas of difficulty.
- Activities that support different levels of attainment.
- Assessment opportunities to help you understand what pupils have
learned.
However, resources alone do not guarantee effective
teaching. It is important to understand the purpose behind an activity and how
it contributes to the intended learning.
A song, game or matching exercise can be a useful
part of a lesson, but the teacher should be clear about the language knowledge
or skill pupils are developing through it.
The question should always be: What do I want my
pupils to know, do and understand as a result of this lesson?
When teachers can answer that question, they are better equipped to make informed decisions about their teaching.
5. Develop your own subject knowledge over time
Although fluency is not a prerequisite for teaching
French at primary level, subject knowledge matters enormously.
Teachers need to understand the vocabulary and
structures they are introducing, how pronunciation works, how language develops
over time and how to support pupils in making progress.
Professional development can help fill gaps in
knowledge and build confidence. This could be covered with short but regular
training sessions. Support and guidance from experienced primary languages
specialists.
The most effective professional development is
practical and relevant. It should help teachers understand not only what
to teach, but also why particular approaches are effective and how they
can be applied in their own classrooms.
Subject leaders have an important role here, too.
By providing clear guidance, supporting colleagues and helping to establish a
coherent curriculum, they can make language teaching feel much more manageable
across a school.
Teachers should NEVER be left to work everything
out independently or improvise.
In conclusion, I would never suggest that
linguistic knowledge is unimportant. The more French a teacher knows, the more
confidently they may be able to respond to unexpected questions and extend
pupils' learning.
However, fluency should not be the barrier that
prevents a primary teacher from teaching French well.
We need to distinguish between speaking a language
fluently and teaching it effectively. They are related, but they are not
interchangeable skills.
With a well-sequenced curriculum, reliable
pronunciation models, appropriate resources, relevant professional development
and ongoing support, non-specialist teachers can deliver purposeful and
successful primary French lessons.
At Language Angels, we believe that teachers should
feel supported, not intimidated, by the responsibility of teaching a foreign
language. Our aim is to help them understand the curriculum, develop their
confidence and make the teaching and learning of languages a positive
experience for everyone involved.
The Languages CPD Hub also offers wide range of
training opportunities for basic linguistic upskilling https://www.languagescpdhub.com/
You do not have to be fluent to be an effective
primary French teacher. You need the knowledge, support and confidence to help
your pupils take their next step in learning.
This is something every primary teacher can work
toward and an area where I can help!
