Archive for 2016
CHRISTMAS
CHRISTMAS Noël… Noël est une fête qui est d’origine romaine, mais ses traditions, qui y sont associées, remontent à une fête païenne. La fête de Noël est célébrée chaque année en France, comme un peu partout ailleurs dans le monde. En France, la fête commence dans la nuit du 24 au 25 décembre, ainsi que…
Read MoreHOW TO STRUCTURE A LEAVING CERT OPINION PIECE
HOW TO FRAME A COHERENT OPINION PIECE FOR THE LEAVING CERT FRENCH EXAM I have found with many students, that they tend to rely on very limited vocabulary to express themselves. As an examiner for the Leaving Cert Honours paper, I have found the exact same conclusions, opening statements and connecting words in all three…
Read MoreThe Subjunctive
Every year, the subjunctive instils fear into the hearts and minds of Leaving cert students up and down the country. It shouldn’t! It is only another form of expression. There are a few rules to respect, and the subjunctive is well within the grasp of any student. The key word to look for is the…
Read MoreHalloween
Halloween is a spooky festival which takes place on the 31st of October. It takes its origin from a pagan festival and is said to have started in Ireland.
Read MoreMODAL VERBS FACEBOOK LIVESTREAM
I find that using modal verbs gives students a really easy way, of sounding suitably proficient in French. Modal verbs are really simple to use and add an extra je ne sais quoi to written expression. As a general rule, a modal verb is usually followed by the verb in the infinitive. However, the verbal…
Read MoreHow To Use Exam Papers Correctly
How To Use Exam Papers Correctly A lot of students ask me this question. How can we study exam papers? There are no answers given, unless you decide that you are going to work with the marking schemes. WRITING SECTION Even with the help of the marking scheme, how does an average student mark the…
Read MoreHow to Study Effectively
How to Study Effectively Fail to prepare and prepare to fail. All students who effectively study have a study plan that they stick to! Most Leaving Cert students have 7 subjects to study for, so they should allot their time accordingly. Study Plan Make a study plan that is realistic for you, and make sure…
Read MoreThe Land of Verbia
The Land of Verbia… How I approach the Teaching of Verbs in French… Firstly, when I begin to teach students in 1st year (12-13 years old) I generally begin by telling them a story. They of course do not realise how important verbs are at this stage of learning a new language, but after the…
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