Stimulus: Weekend voicemails from pen pals in Villebrune, reader cards

Cover teacher: how to use these cards

Print this sheet single-sided, one copy per pair. Page 1 is Reader card A (messages 1 to 3). Page 2 is Reader card B (messages 4 to 6). Give Pupil A page 1 and Pupil B page 2. Pupils keep their card face down on the desk when they are not reading, so the listener never sees the words they are listening to. Nobody needs to speak French: the “Say it like this” column spells every sentence with English sounds.

Reader card A: messages 1 to 3

Your job: you are the voicemail. Read each message aloud to your partner twice. The first time, read slowly. The second time, read at a normal speed. Wait until your partner has finished writing before you start the next message. Do not show your partner this card, and do not translate for them.

How to sound French

Give every part of a word the same weight. Put a tiny bit more push on the last part: sam-dee, foot-bol.
zh is the sound in the middle of “measure”. je sounds like “zhuh”.
ew means: say “ee” with your lips pushed into a tight circle, as if you were going to whistle.
on and an in the guide are said through your nose. Do not sound the n clearly.
Letters at the end of French words are often silent: amis is “a-mee”, not “a-miss”.

No.	French (read this aloud)	Say it like this
1	Salut, c’est Léa !	sa-lew, say lay-ah!
Samedi matin, je joue au football avec mes amis.	sam-dee ma-tan, zhuh zhoo oh foot-bol a-vek may za-mee.
J’adore le football parce que c’est amusant.	zha-dor luh foot-bol pars-kuh say ta-mew-zon.
2	Bonjour, c’est Hugo.	bon-zhoor, say ew-go.
Dimanche après-midi, je vais au cinéma avec ma sœur.	dee-monsh a-pray mee-dee, zhuh vay oh see-nay-ma a-vek ma sur (like “sir”).
J’aime le cinéma parce que c’est relaxant.	zhem luh see-nay-ma pars-kuh say ruh-lak-son.
3	Salut, c’est Chloé !	sa-lew, say klo-ay!
Samedi après-midi, je fais du vélo à la campagne.	sam-dee a-pray mee-dee, zhuh fay dew vay-lo a la kom-pan-yuh.
J’aime le vélo parce que c’est bon pour la santé.	zhem luh vay-lo pars-kuh say bon poor la son-tay.

No.

French (read this aloud)

Say it like this

Salut, c’est Léa !

sa-lew, say lay-ah!

Samedi matin, je joue au football avec mes amis.

sam-dee ma-tan, zhuh zhoo oh foot-bol a-vek may za-mee.

J’adore le football parce que c’est amusant.

zha-dor luh foot-bol pars-kuh say ta-mew-zon.

Bonjour, c’est Hugo.

bon-zhoor, say ew-go.

Dimanche après-midi, je vais au cinéma avec ma sœur.

dee-monsh a-pray mee-dee, zhuh vay oh see-nay-ma a-vek ma sur (like “sir”).

J’aime le cinéma parce que c’est relaxant.

zhem luh see-nay-ma pars-kuh say ruh-lak-son.

Salut, c’est Chloé !

sa-lew, say klo-ay!

Samedi après-midi, je fais du vélo à la campagne.

sam-dee a-pray mee-dee, zhuh fay dew vay-lo a la kom-pan-yuh.

J’aime le vélo parce que c’est bon pour la santé.

zhem luh vay-lo pars-kuh say bon poor la son-tay.

When you have read all 3 messages, turn this card face down. Now it is your turn to listen.

Reader card B: messages 4 to 6

How to sound French

Give every part of a word the same weight. Put a tiny bit more push on the last part: dee-monsh, kon-sair.
zh is the sound in the middle of “measure”. je sounds like “zhuh”.
ew means: say “ee” with your lips pushed into a tight circle, as if you were going to whistle.
on and an in the guide are said through your nose. Do not sound the n clearly.
The French r is made at the back of your throat, a little like a soft gargle.

No.	French (read this aloud)	Say it like this
4	Coucou, c’est Nathan.	koo-koo, say na-ton.
Vendredi soir, je regarde un match de rugby à la télé avec mon père.	von-druh-dee swar, zhuh ruh-gard an match duh rewg-bee a la tay-lay a-vek mon pair.
Je n’aime pas le rugby parce que c’est ennuyeux, mais mon père adore ça !	zhuh nem pa luh rewg-bee pars-kuh say on-nwee-yuh, may mon pair a-dor sa!
5	Salut, c’est Inès !	sa-lew, say ee-ness!
Dimanche matin, je range ma chambre.	dee-monsh ma-tan, zhuh ronzh ma shom-bruh.
Je déteste ça parce que c’est nul !	zhuh day-test sa pars-kuh say newl!
6	Salut, c’est Lucas !	sa-lew, say lew-ka!
Samedi soir, je vais à un concert avec mon frère.	sam-dee swar, zhuh vay a an kon-sair a-vek mon frair.
J’adore la musique parce que c’est génial !	zha-dor la mew-zeek pars-kuh say zhay-nyal!

No.

French (read this aloud)

Say it like this

Coucou, c’est Nathan.

koo-koo, say na-ton.

Vendredi soir, je regarde un match de rugby à la télé avec mon père.

von-druh-dee swar, zhuh ruh-gard an match duh rewg-bee a la tay-lay a-vek mon pair.

Je n’aime pas le rugby parce que c’est ennuyeux, mais mon père adore ça !

zhuh nem pa luh rewg-bee pars-kuh say on-nwee-yuh, may mon pair a-dor sa!

Salut, c’est Inès !

sa-lew, say ee-ness!

Dimanche matin, je range ma chambre.

dee-monsh ma-tan, zhuh ronzh ma shom-bruh.

Je déteste ça parce que c’est nul !

zhuh day-test sa pars-kuh say newl!

Salut, c’est Lucas !

sa-lew, say lew-ka!

Samedi soir, je vais à un concert avec mon frère.

sam-dee swar, zhuh vay a an kon-sair a-vek mon frair.

J’adore la musique parce que c’est génial !

zha-dor la mew-zeek pars-kuh say zhay-nyal!

Words that help (use these after the listening, in Steps 3 and 4)

Salut / Coucou: hi (friendly ways to say hello)

matin, après-midi, soir: morning, afternoon, evening

la campagne: the countryside (it is not “campaign”)

la santé: health

je range ma chambre: I tidy my bedroom

ennuyeux: boring · nul: rubbish · génial: great (it is not “genial”)

ma sœur, mon frère, mon père: my sister, my brother, my dad