Likes and Dislikes

Unit: Mastering French Communication (Lesson 9 of 20)

Duration: 30 minutes
Class size: 1 student
Age: Year 11 (15-16 years)
Curriculum Link: National Curriculum for England – Languages Programmes of Study (Key Stage 4)

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National Curriculum Objectives Addressed

• Listening: Understand and respond to spoken language, recognising familiar words and phrases in straightforward contexts.
• Speaking: Communicate and exchange information, express opinions, and justify ideas and points of view with increasing spontaneity and confidence.
• Grammar: Understand and apply present tense conjugation of regular and common irregular verbs.
• Cultural Awareness: Engage with French language and culture by discussing everyday topics, such as hobbies and interests.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, the student will be able to:

1. Confidently conjugate and use the verbs aimer (to like/love) and détester (to hate) in simple present tense.
2. Express likes and dislikes related to at least three hobbies or activities in French.
3. Formulate simple sentences and short opinions about personal preferences.
4. Understand and respond appropriately when discussing hobbies.

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Success Criteria

• Student can orally state preferences using j’aime, je n’aime pas, and je déteste correctly with at least three different activities.
• Student accurately uses the present tense forms of aimer and détester in conversation and written sentences.
• Student understands questions about likes and dislikes and responds appropriately in full sentences.

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Resources Needed

• Mini whiteboard and marker
• Flashcards with images and French words for hobbies/activities (e.g., la danse, le foot, lire)
• Audio recordings of native speakers expressing likes/dislikes (short clips)
• Worksheets with gap-fill and translation exercises
• Simple dialogue prompt cards

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter (5 minutes)

Activity: Quick Recall & Warm-up

• Begin by reviewing the verbs aimer and détester in present tense on the whiteboard—write the forms briefly for je, tu, il/elle.
• Show flashcards of common activities. Ask student to say if they like or dislike each one using single words: j’aime, je n’aime pas, je déteste.
• Use pronunciation modelling and correction as needed.

Purpose: Activate prior knowledge and assess baseline understanding.

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2. Introduction to Expression of Preferences (8 minutes)

Activity: Listening and Repetition

• Play a short audio clip (30-45 seconds) of a native French speaker saying simple sentences expressing likes/dislikes about hobbies.
• Example sentences to include:
  • J’aime jouer au tennis.
  • Je déteste lire des magazines.
  • Je n’aime pas faire du vélo.
• Student listens twice and then repeats aloud sentence by sentence, focusing on pronunciation and intonation.
• Discuss meaning after playback; check comprehension with simple yes/no questions in French: Tu aimes le tennis?

Purpose: Develop accurate pronunciation, listening comprehension, and contextual understanding of expressing preferences.

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3. Guided Practice (10 minutes)

Activity: Speaking and Writing Using Target Verbs

• Provide the student with 6 hobby/activity flashcards. Ask them to create 3 sentences (oral and written) expressing their likes or dislikes using aimer and détester.
• Example prompt: Dis-moi trois choses que tu aimes et trois que tu n’aimes pas.
• Use the mini whiteboard to write sentences, correcting grammar and spelling in real-time.
• Challenge: Introduce simple negative form je n’aime pas and explain its construction visually (ne...pas).

Purpose: Consolidate grammatical structure and enable student to personalise language output.

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4. Mini Role-Play (5 minutes)

Activity: Dialogue Practice

• Use a simple role-play scenario: the teacher asks questions about hobbies, the student answers, and then asks the teacher similar questions.
• Example exchange:
  • Teacher: Qu’est-ce que tu aimes faire le week-end?
  • Student: J’aime faire du skate et je déteste regarder la télé.
  • Student: Et toi, qu’est-ce que tu aimes?
• Encourage full sentences and natural intonation.

Purpose: Improve spontaneous speaking and interactive communication skills.

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5. Plenary/Assessment (2 minutes)

Activity: Reflective Self-Assessment

• Ask the student to summarise what they can now say about likes and dislikes using aimer and détester.
• Use the success criteria as a checklist:
  • Can you say three activities you like or dislike in French?
  • Did you use the verbs aimer and détester in the correct form?
• Provide immediate feedback and encouragement.

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Differentiation and Extension

• For stronger ability: Introduce adorer (to adore) and préférer (to prefer) for more nuanced preferences.
• For support: Provide sentence starters and a vocabulary list. Use visuals heavily to support comprehension.

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Homework Suggestion

Ask the student to prepare a short written paragraph (around 40 words) describing their hobbies using aimer, détester, and je n’aime pas. Focus on neat handwriting and correct verb forms.

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Teacher Reflection and Notes

• Monitor accuracy of verb conjugations and pronunciation throughout the lesson.
• Encourage spontaneous use of language rather than copying phrases.
• Note any common errors for review in the next lesson.

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Alignment to National Curriculum – Key Stage 4 (Years 10-11)

• Enables active participation in conversations (Languages PoS) by providing tools to express opinions and preferences.
• Develops listening comprehension through exposure to authentic audio.
• Builds grammatical accuracy with present tense verbs, a key grammatical focus at this stage.
• Supports cultural understanding by discussing leisure activities common in francophone contexts.

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This highly targeted lesson plan ensures student-centred, interactive learning in line with the National Curriculum requirements, focused on practical language skills crucial for GCSE progression.