Image by Extra Ketchup. (Our lab is actually a lot more modern looking. I chose the picture because it reminded me of what I see in other schools I visit. That, and the penguin mascot!)

Here is the first part of a document that I wrote in 2010 about integrating technology in grades 1-3 Core French classes.  I wrote this document for colleagues of mine with whom I was working on a Core French support document in hopes of starting a converstaion about technology integration and the logistical challenges that exist – and can be surmounted – by primary Core French teachers.  It is based entirely on my own experiences as a beginning Core French teacher interested in technology integration but still adjusting to the logistics of it all – especially as an itinerant teacher who employs the “French only” rule.

Integrating technology into Core French allows students to interact with the French language in a variety of ways.  The effective use of technology can capture the attention and harness the creativity of certain students who may feel uncomfortable in French but quite comfortable and eager to push their learning with new technologies.

At the Primary level, there are many ways to integrate technology into the Core French learning environment.  Here are a few suggestions:

Book a weekly computer lab time for each of your classes, beginning in grade 1.

Logistics:

• The day before each visit to the lab, familiarise students with routines and expectations.  Expect the first few classes to be spent practicing logging in and how to take care of the equipment.
• Teach the vocabulary your students will need to be able to speak French in the lab.  If you use a token system to encourage students to speak French in class, try to continue that same system in the lab.
• Prepare cards with individual student usernames and passwords that you handout and collect at every session so as to avoid relying on homeroom teachers, or students remembering their agendas.
• As much as possible, have 2 students per computer so as to encourage French conversation, teamwork, and peer assistance.
• Ask homeroom teachers to pick their students up from the lab so that you can pick up your next class on time.
• End class early and have a song or activity prepared for the last 5 minutes as it often takes longer than expected to wrap up on the lab.
• Assign monitors who are responsible for checking that all chairs are pushed in, screens are turned off, computers are shut down or logged off, etc….
• Keep all your files and instructions in the Handout Folder.  (Create a file called Madame ____ or Core French and in it have a subfolder for each grade or class.)  Have students practice going to the Handout folder every time they are in the lab.  This will become their routine rather than going straight on the internet or to games.  You may want to include the path to the Handout Folder (Start, My Computer, etc…) on each student‘s log in card so that they always have a quick reference at their fingertips.
• Have a J’ai fini document that students can go to if they are done the days work.  You can simply paste links to French educational websites for them to go to.
• If possible, use a projector to model for the students what they are to do in the lab that day. It can be helpful to have everyone sit on the floor or have all students turn off their screens to avoid distraction and maximize attention.
• By grade 3 students may be ready to type in French.  Teach them to use the French “Canadian Multilingual Standard Keyboard” which is or can easily be installed on all board computers.  This will allow them to type common French letters with accents, such as é, è, à, and ç, by only touching one key.

Activity ideas:

• SmartNotebook is great software to use for Core French as you can easily insert and manipulate text and images.  Here are some ideas:

o      Match pictures with words
o      Read a familiar text and highlight certain types of words (animals, people, colours, verbs, etc…) in a particular colour.
o      Drag words together to create funny sentences (Le hamster mange Madame ___ et tout le monde est content.)
o      Listen to recorded text or record themselves using headphone and microphones.
o      Sort words and images into graphic organisers.
o      Answer questions in which the answer is contained, by highlighting the words from the question that will appear in the answer.
o      Create simple powerpoint-style presentations
o      Complete or create quizzes to reinforce spelling, vocabulary, feminine/masculine, opposites, etc…

• Websites

o      There are many great websites that include games, stories online, video clips, etc…
o      Beginning in grade 3, students may be able to use online dictionaries and grammar checkers.
o      Create a word processing document with the website(s) you want your students to visit and then save that document in the Handout folder.  That way young students can simply click the link.

• Comic Life – French

o      Comic Life is available in French.  You will likely need to do some explicit teaching regarding French menu items, such as enregistrer, etc…
o      Have students present their information in comic or graphic novel format.  You can even take pictures in class and then save them to the handout folder.  Students can then add captions and thought or speech bubble to write what is happening.
o      Have students create a plan in class before hand so as to maximize productive time in the lab and encourage a higher quality of French writing.

The list of educational technologies and activity suggestions above is in no way exhaustive.  Technology is constantly changing and students often adapt more easily to these changes than teachers – Just as students take risks to communicate in French so too should teachers take risks to integrate new technologies into their practice.  That said, however, technology does not replace good teaching, planning, and class management.  It is a tool like any other and should be considered as such.  When selecting tasks that integrate technology into the classroom, teachers should follow the same teaching principles they would otherwise follow, taking into consideration learning styles, differentiation and optimal attention span.