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Pre-AP Strategies for French: Developing Good Pronunciation Habits
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by Geneviève Delfosse
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
Fairfax, Virginia
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| | Activities Rather than Reading the Rules
All French teachers have met in their AP classes -- language or literature -- students who write very well but, sadly, have a hard time communicating orally because of a fossilized bad French pronunciation. Obviously, good habits (do not pronounce the e muets, do not sound end consonants, etc.) must start at the very beginning of language instruction, in Level I. Having a distinct American or other foreign accent does not interfere with successful oral communication. Sounding all the end -s's and the -ents of verb endings, however, will totally confuse a native listener. This article lists some class activities that are geared mostly at forming and improving beginning French students' pronunciation.
There are many materials such as phonetic manuals and software dedicated to the rules of pronunciation of the French language. My experience is that younger students would rather imitate the teacher than read phonetic rules. It is useful to explain (and write on the board) a few basic phonetic structures, such as the e muet and the role it plays regarding pronunciation of consonants; for instance, "vert" versus "verte." The teacher should also demonstrate how the same e muet affects accents, so students know how to use either an accent aigu or an accent grave because they understand the pattern. They might then even notice that "crémerie" is an exception to the rule!
Walk Around and Listen
All these good habits of pronunciation are easy for the students to acquire if the teacher can create ways to circulate among beginning students and listen carefully to each one of them. Humor is a great motivator to pay attention! Students instantly learn the difference between u and ou when mispronouncing "j'ai mal au cou" (the mispronuncation of which leads to a very different meaning), or between s and ss (within a word) by perceiving the difference in meaning between "je voudrais du poisson" and "je voudrais du poison." Daily vocalization is a must in the beginners' classroom and cannot be replaced even by the most sophisticated software program or CD listening. Students enjoy tongue twisters -- virelangues -- from the classic "Un chasseur sachant chasser sans son chien..." to "Turlututu, chapeau pointu..." After practice with traditional virelangues and comptines, students can create their own nonsensical sayings working in groups and using a dictionary or a teacher's list: "Vu un loup, bu du trou, lu tout..." to contrast the sounds "u" and "ou," for instance.
Poetry: Memorize, Then Create
Learning poems is a great way to polish and improve pronunciation. Students should have plenty of time to listen to the teacher or a recording modeling the pronunciation, and to practice, alone and in a group. For beginners, the easy Verlaine or Prévert poems, or other short easy poems, are suitable. Memorization of a poem can also lead to other activities in the class, such as creative writing. After memorizing the Desnos poem "La fourmi," beginning French students can work in groups of four and create their own animal, drawing it and describing it in a short poem, imitating the Desnos model. In the fall, after memorizing "Il pleure dans mon coeur," beginning students can create their own poem about autumn and illustrate it.
Kids' Songs: Fun for Beginners
Songs are another great way to improve student's pronunciation. French children¿s songs have limited vocabulary, and can be sung without music and with no singing talent. The lyrics can be written on the board quickly and memorized easily. (Modern songs are a great component of the language course, and they are also excellent for improving pronunciation. However, they require much more time and preparation for a successful use in the classroom. Generally, they have too much vocabulary for the true beginning student.)
Most beginners seem to know only "Frère Jacques" and maybe "Alouette." Those are great for starting, and can be combined with vocabulary study. Here is a list of other children's songs appropriate for beginners:
- To learn "le vocabulaire du corps," "Savez-vous planter les choux?"* is less objectionable than "Alouette," and it can also be a kinetic activity done in a circle.
- "Il court, il court, le furet" (the equivalent of "Duck, duck, goose") is always a winner.
- Beginners also love "Meunier, tu dors" because it is an excellent kinetic activity: students sing the song and move their arms like a windmill, going faster and faster as they sing faster and faster; then the pace gets slower and then faster again. This is a guaranteed energizer during long block classes, and also a sure way to learn the verb "dormer"!
- To accompany the study of clothing, the song "Promenons-nous, dans les bois" is a great way to review all parts of clothing and also a fun kinetic activity.
- "Sur le pont d'Avignon" must not only be sung but also done in a "ronde." Students first learn the traditional lyrics: "Les belles dames font comme ça, et puis encore...," and then they can improvise their own lyrics, and act out what they invent: "Les professeurs font comme ça, et puis encore, comme ça."
- Students enjoy learning in French singsongs that they know in English. Try the equivalent of the bunny song "In a Cabin in the Woods": "Dans sa maison, un grand cerf, / Regardait par la fenêtre, / Un lapin venir á lui..." Of course, such narrative must be done in the traditional fashion, with all the hand motions, the deer antlers, the bunny ears, the house, the window, etc.
- Besides the classical children nursery songs, the French comptines are also good pronunciation exercises. They are short, they are nonsensical and they are easy to memorize. A favorite among beginners is "Une arraignée sur le plancher." Students can act the comptine and they can also create their own nonsensical comptine and act it, always a fun activity for this age group.
Include Pronunciation in Assessments
Obviously, pronunciation should be an important component in the students' formative and final assessment. Each prepared or spontaneous student class performance, individual or in-group, should have a pronunciation grade. Pronunciation quizzes (reading a paragraph out loud) encourage students to practice, tape themselves, and then listen critically to their pronunciation. Ideally, the students should try to get as close as possible to native speaker pronunciation. However, the teacher and the beginning students should concentrate on attainable goals and accept that a slight accent does not interfere with communication.
Better Pronunciation Yields Better Listening
Lastly, teachers of beginning-level students must keep in mind that good pronunciation is related to correct sound-symbol association. Therefore, the benefits of focusing on correct pronunciation will also lead to improved listening comprehension, since students can associate the pronunciation with the phonemes they hear, making correct associations to meaning.
*All the French children's songs and nursery rhymes mentioned in this article can be found easily on the Web. For instance, Sommaire des chansons offers many songs and comptines, as well as simple musical accompaniment in case the song is not familiar to the user.
 Sommaire des chansons
Geneviève Delfosse has been teaching all levels of French classes, including a sizable AP French Literature course, for the last 20 years, and is the chair of the development committee for Le Grand Concours, the national French contest. She received her National Board Certification in 2002. A member of the French Development Committee for five years, she is the current French content adviser for AP Central. She does frequent presentations at national and regional language conferences and also leads AP French workshops during the summer.
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