Overview

This 30-minute session is lesson 8 in the 20-lesson unit Mastering French Communication designed for Year 11 students. The focus is on enabling students to confidently conjugate and use both regular and irregular French verbs in the present tense, targeting skills set out in the National Curriculum for Modern Foreign Languages (MFL), England.

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National Curriculum Alignment

• Key Stage 4: Modern Foreign Languages
  • Pupils should be taught to:
    • Understand and apply the principles of French grammar and syntax including present tense verbs.
    • Communicate effectively using accurate verbal and written expressions about everyday topics.
    • Build coherent sentences to express ideas, opinions, and experiences.
  • Programme of Study:
    • Develop competence in spoken and written French by mastering key grammar structures such as regular and irregular verb conjugations in the present tense.
    • Use language creatively in spoken and written forms.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, the student will:

1. Accurately conjugate 5 regular (-er, -ir, -re) verbs in the present tense.
2. Correctly conjugate 3 irregular verbs commonly used in everyday French (e.g., avoir, être, aller).
3. Form simple sentences using these conjugations to communicate meaningfully.
4. Demonstrate understanding through targeted oral and written exercises.

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Success Criteria

• Can conjugate 5 regular verbs in present tense with 90% accuracy.
• Can conjugate 3 irregular verbs correctly.
• Produces original sentences orally and in writing using these verbs.
• Identifies errors and self-corrects with guided support.

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Resources Required

• Whiteboard & markers
• Verb conjugation charts (printed and digital)
• Interactive Conjugation App or website (offline version recommended if no internet)
• Flashcards with verbs and infinitives
• Workbook exercises focused on present tense verbs
• Timer or stopwatch

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter Activity (5 minutes)

Activity: “Verb Race”

• Use flashcards: student sorts 10 verbs into regular or irregular categories.
• Quick-fire oral quiz: conjugate the infinitive of 2 given verbs on the spot.
  Purpose: Activate prior knowledge; assess existing understanding.

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2. Explanation & Modelling (7 minutes)

Teacher Input:

• Briefly review the formation of present tense for three verb groups:
  • -er (e.g., parler)
  • -ir (e.g., finir)
  • -re (e.g., vendre)
• Present 3 key irregular verbs: avoir, être, aller.
• Write conjugation tables on the board, highlight patterns and common exceptions.

Tip: Use colour-coding for verb endings to aid visual memory.

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3. Guided Practice (8 minutes)

Activity: Sentence Building Challenge

• Present 8 sentences with missing verbs in the present tense.
• The student conjugates the verbs aloud and writes down the sentence.
• Examples to include both regular and irregular verbs.
• Provide immediate feedback and scaffold with prompts if errors occur.

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4. Independent Practice (7 minutes)

Activity: Creative Dialogue Creation

• Student writes a short dialogue (3-4 lines) using at least 5 regular and 3 irregular verbs conjugated correctly.
• Encourage use of everyday contexts (e.g., talking about hobbies, school, or family).
• Then student reads dialogue aloud to practise pronunciation and fluency.

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5. Plenary & Assessment (3 minutes)

Oral quiz:

• Teacher asks random conjugation questions from the day’s verbs.
• Student must respond verbally with correct conjugation.
• Provide immediate constructive feedback.
• Record accuracy to track progress toward success criteria.

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Differentiation

• Support: Provide verb conjugation templates, use manipulatives or matching apps.
• Challenge: Ask student to add negative and interrogative forms or include reflexive verbs for extension.

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Beyond the Lesson

• Homework: Create 5 more sentences covering a broader range of verbs or tenses to review in next lesson.
• Encourage use of online French language apps or games focusing on verb conjugations.

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Reflection & Teacher Notes

• Monitor student's ability to self-correct—indicates depth of understanding.
• Use digital tools to log conjugation exercises for longitudinal assessment.
• Adapt pace next lesson according to mastery shown today.

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End of Plan