FREE Virtual French Summer Camp

FREE Virtual French Summer Camp

 

So, I decided to try something different this summer. I wish I could have done this last summer when COVID hit and we were all at home. It didn't occur to me but, then again, I also didn't have all the equipment. With so many changes since March 2020, I see more possibilities than I did before and have upgraded my technology. While I hate the virus as much as anyone else, I can certainly see how this has shown us the necessity of being creative.

Now that I have decided to do this, I hope it turns out to be a tradition for me and my students.

So, I decided to offer a free French summer camp, completely virtual.

I decided to use the theme Au Café to help me focus the lessons. We will still be using most frequently used words (specifically, verbs). We will talk about the culture of the café and tie in vocabulary related to cafés. My main goal will be to have students Ask-a-Story (a famous technique invented and developed by Blaine Ray). Students will be able to speak on Day 1. From there, students will be able to read the story. Since this is a summer camp, I will probably not work on writing with them. If they are determined to write, I would be happy to change my plans. Once they start reading, however, they will be able to write independently. The beauty of the Natural Approach! Thank you, Stephen Krashen!

As I began putting the program together, I realized it would be helpful to have some help from my own students. I offered to track their hours and give them a certificate as documentation so they could use it as community service hours. Having some other speakers, even though they are not advanced speakers...yet...would help to keep the conversation going. I can also split them into breakout rooms for small groups. 

I am looking forward to the process. I know we will all learn a lot from the experience. Should I see even the smallest amount of success, I will present it to my classes in the fall to see if they would like to do something along these lines as a project.

So, here goes...