I bought this book form the wonderful Librairie La Page in London when I went there last November for the South Ken Kids’ Festival. It had been recommended to me in the Facebook group Languages in Primary Schools (AKA LiPS) and what a little gem it is!
You can watch my vlog about it here, as an introduction to the story and to see a double page.
Language of text: French
Type of text: picture book
Author or source: Carole Fives & Anne Isabelle Le Touzé
Intended age of students: Key Stage 2/3
Source reference: 9782211234276
Approaches:
This is the story of what primary school teachers allegedly get up to when the children are not there and during the holidays… because everyone knows that they do not have homes to go to or lives to lead!!
I want to read the story to the children, all in French, and let them take in the language and the pictures. They will be amused by it!
On second reading, I will be asking the children to join in with actions to go with what they teachers get up to.
On third reading, I will give the children options to tell me where the teachers are, and on each page they will have to say: dans la classe, dans la cour, dans l’entrée, dans la cantine or dans les toilettes. This will be a fun way of learning the different parts of a school in French.
Rationale:
I want to use this story because it is fun to read about teachers behaving like children when the children have left the school, and the illustrations are clear and full of detail.
Younger children will wonder if any of it is true… whilst older children might remember when they thought it was actually true that the teacher slept at school!
You can use it to teach (or revisit with) the children words to do with school and school life.
Outcomes:
They will learn about a “goûter” after school in France.
Depending on the children’s ages, you can focus on words to do with school (eg un bureau, les cahiers) or phrases to describe activities done at school (eg jouer dans la cour, faire des dessins).
The children could then, as a class or in small groups, come up with other activities which they think the teachers get up to on an evening and write them down in French.
Topics or themes:
school (best used just before or just after a holiday); school objects and furniture; activities you can do at school
Grammar:
third person singular and plural
How much time required:
1-2 lessons
This is a book published by l’école des loisirs and you can find out more about it here.
If you want to read about the author, Carole Fives, she has a website here.
What did you think teachers did after school when you were little? My parents were both primary school teachers so I knew the truth!!
You can read my top 5 stories about school here.
