Try the FSF1D Monster
Unit using a CEFR lens
Beverly Kukhta-Jackson
Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board
OMLTA, November, 2013
This workshop will outline how to adapt the
Monster Unit from our old program to better suit
CEFR “l’approche actionnelle” and the revised
curriculum with an emphasis on oral interaction
and integrating language structures in a practical,
fun way.
The theme:
Qu’est-ce que c’est qu’un monstre?
Nous apprenons
comment employer nos
ressources dans une
façon plus
communicative.
• over 20 years experience teaching Core and
Immersion French - applied and general and
academic, mostly secondary, some elementary
• department head, Special Assignment, facilitator
• Westdale is a semestered school - 75 minute
periods
• program used: Sans Frontières & stuff I
borrow & adapt & share
• Co-author of Tu Parles 1, RK Publishing
Action-oriented and communicative approaches to
teaching FSL focus on meaning over form; emphasize
meaningful interactive activities; centre on
communicative language needs; and, when possible,
highlight authentic tasks within the context of a
classroom environment. While the communicative
approach centres on communicating in the target
language, the action-oriented approach requires
students to perform a task in a wider social context.
(pg. 31 Ontario Min. of Ed. FSL revised curriculum, elementary, 2013)
VISION
Students will communicate
and interact with growing
confidence in French, one
of Canada’s official
languages, while
developing the knowledge,
skills, and perspectives
they need to participate
fully as citizens in Canada
and in the world
GOALS
In all French as a second
language programs, students
realize the vision of the FSL
curriculum as they strive to:
 Use French to communicate
and interact effectively in a
variety of social settings
 Appreciate and acknowledge
the interconnectedness and
interdependence of the
global community
One of the 7 enduring ideas of
revised FSL curriculum:
 Authentic Oral Communication:
Reception, Production, and
Interaction
(pg.10 Ontario Min. of Ed. FSL revised curriculum, elementary, 2013)
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Sans Frontières: Les Monstres à travers les
siècles - photocopied - pre-reading discussion,
then used 3 colours of highlighters - one for
words that resemble English, one for words that
you already know in French, and the third for
words that you will need to look up in
dictionary.
Checked dictionary words (wrote definitions on
side of page), then read in groups and answered
questions.
Talked briefly about how monsters reflect the
fears of society.
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listening activity/handout - Le rêve du
monstre - followed by speaking/writing questions
reading/speaking activity/handout: Les
monstres, ça t'amuse?
écoute - des descriptions des monstres Finished handout in groups - vocabulary
development
écoute - Le loup à la porte & Les dents de la
mer – formative assessments
écoute: la Lagune noire - assessed
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poster activity in groups – graffiti
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Reference sheets
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Chat Boosters (Tralco)
Puzzles
TES connect: Think, Educate, Share
 http://www.tes.co.uk/
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various other sources
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Watched a variety of monster movie trailers
from a playlist collected on my YouTube
channel (check under my email address), then worked in
groups "Qu'est-ce que c'est qu'un monstre?"
 Un monstre est...
 Un monstre n'est pas...
Made poster on ledger paper then presented it
to the class.
Create your own monster. Lots of possibilities be creative.
 Drawing
 Photoshop
 Make-up
 Model
 Puppet
 Modification of toy
 …etc…
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handouts - idea/planning sheet and reference
sheets and explained. Students had work time
in class. Told to follow directions carefully and
encouraged them to help each other with
planning and ideas.
Checked idea/planning sheet and gave
feedback.
Le brouillon (draft) checklist for peer editing
and went over together carefully - be critical
and kind.
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reference handout - vocabulary useful in
talking about monsters, and then did
introductions of monster to group - like
at a party introducing a new
person. Practiced over a couple of days
in different ways – i.e. with partner, with
small group, inner/outer circle, then did
formative assessment with feedback.
Les Prix de l’Académie !!
Le plus beau (beautiful) monstre
Le plus petit (small) monstre
Le plus grand (big) monstre
____________________
____________________
____________________
Le monstre le plus effrayant (scary)
Le monstre le plus créatif (creative)
Le monstre le plus bizarre (strange)
Le monstre le plus original (original)
Le monstre le plus drôle (funny)
Le monstre le plus laid (ugly)
Le monstre le plus chouette (cool)
Le monstre le plus mignon (cute)
Le monstre le plus versicolore (colourful)
Le monstre le plus réaliste (real)
____________________
____________________
____________________
____________________
____________________
____________________
____________________
____________________
____________________
____________________
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Reference sheet (Chat Boosters)
“Puis-je t’interviewer?”
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Watched BBC French, Ma France:
le Turbo-dating video A
 le Turbo-dating video B
 le Turbo-dating video C
 did comprehension handout
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Speed-Dating Rating form
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Nom:
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Les photos…..
Takes a full class – set-up, 5 – 6 interviews of 3
– 5 min each + 1 minute or so for final notes on
compatibility, reflexion/self-evaluation/exit
card at end, put room back together.
Lots of fun!
La compatibilité
 Mon monstre est le plus
compatible avec
_________ parce que
______________________
__________________.
 Mon monstre est le plus
compatible avec
_________ parce que
______________________
__________________.
Mon auto-évaluation
 J‘ai fait un bon travail
avec
_____________________
_____________________
_________________.
 Je pourrais mieux me
préparer par
_____________________
_____________________
__________________.

Avez-vous déjà vu …?

Grodzilla à la mer
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Grodzilla à la neige
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBtSxPXIFCo
Grodzilla écrivain
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlMz7c5hN1U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwZQ2vnk9yA
Un monstre avec plein de bras qui fait une blague
à un monstre avec plein de z’yeux

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iPi93WpyOs
Shrek
Monsters Inc.
Godzilla
King Kong
Le Bossu de Notre-Dame (Est-ce que Quasimodo
est un monstre? Qui sont les "monstres" de cette histoire?)
(Twilight)
…Etc…
beverly.kukhta-jackson@hwdsb.on.ca
also: Twitter (Bev @bevkj) or search by
email address
and: Bev’s blog: www.ms-k-j.blogspot.com
(This blog is aimed at students and parents and is usually updated daily.)
Instagram : bevkukhtaj