A Great Way to Learn Vocabulary

Not long ago, I received a message on Twitter from an ex pupil to say, "Sir. It's ten years since I started Spanish [in Year 9] and I still can't forget those words however much I try." I'm pretty sure he was referring to what is apparently known as "the keyword" technique. Here is a "keyword" lesson I use for Primary French taster sessions - when pupils start high school they still remember the words, so I know it works!

We are working on words for Food. The word "confiture" sounds like "comfy chair", so the pupils draw a chair. When we find out the real meaning is "jam", we add splatches of jam to the chair. It's important to make it part of the same picture, not two separate pictures. And the pupils write on the words in French and English. Then whenever a pupil hears "confiture" it brings to mind the idea of "comfy chair" covered in... jam. It helps to test the pupils a few times to make sure they can go through the process of thinking of their initial picture, and then remembering what they put on it.

In the taster lesson we do more foods this way, including ice cream, mustard, marshmallows, gherkins, cheese, pasta and bread.

Then we do a substitution table speaking activity where they can make up fun sentences about what they like and don't like to eat.

"J'aime les hamburgers avec du fromage mais je n'aime pas une glace avec de la moutarde."

And to finish the lesson, we work on a story on the repeat, repeat, repeat, twist model. The characters are a girl and a monster. The girl says, "J'aime la glace". The monster says, "J'aime la glace avec de la moutarde." And so on, with each time the girl says she likes something, the monster agreeing, but saying that he likes it with something yucky! The end is usually the little girl saying she likes monsters. And the monster agreeing that he likes little girls... with mustard, gherkins, tomato sauce... Although pupils often want to re-write it with them being friends or with the girl eating the monster.