French Listening & Speaking Continuum (Ontario Curriculum)
For French Core (Grades 4-8) & French Immersion (Grades 1-8)

This is a structured continuum of learning for both French Immersion and Core French programs, focusing on listening and speaking to build confidence and retention.

This framework ensures that both short-term and long-term teachers (even those without French proficiency) can effectively support students' progress.

Focus: Confidence-building, retention, and consistency across grades.
Designed for: Any teacher, including those with limited French proficiency.
Goal: Ensure students progressively develop listening and speaking skills through structured, meaningful interactions.

CORE FRENCH (Grades 4-8)

Time Expectation: 20-30 minutes per class focused on oral skills.
Approach: Guided oral practice → Repetition & Modeling → Gradual independence

Grade 4 (Introduction to basic interactions)
Listening:
Understand and respond to simple classroom instructions.
Recognize common expressions (greetings, feelings, weather).
Follow along with short, repetitive stories or songs with visual cues.

Speaking:
Use rehearsed phrases and simple sentences (e.g., “J’aime les pommes”).
Answer familiar questions with 1-2 word responses.
Participate in short, guided dialogues (e.g., asking someone’s name).

Project: "All About Me" poster with oral presentation of 3-5 simple sentences.
Teacher Tip: Use gestures, realia, and word walls to support comprehension.

Grade 5 (Building simple conversations)
Listening:
Follow basic descriptions of people, places, and activities.
Recognize key words and main ideas in familiar topics.
Listen for cognates (similar words in French and English) to aid comprehension.

Speaking:
Answer basic questions using complete sentences (e.g., "Où habites-tu?" → "J’habite à Toronto.").

Express likes, dislikes, and preferences.
Role-play everyday scenarios (ordering at a café, introducing a friend).

Project: Partner interview on favourite activities, recorded & shared.
Teacher Tip: Use sentence starters (e.g., "J'aime...", "Je préfère…").

Grade 6 (Describing and expressing opinions)
Listening:
Follow short conversations with context clues.
Identify key details in spoken descriptions.
Listen to a familiar story and answer comprehension questions.

Speaking:
Use common verbs (aimer, aller, être, avoir) in simple conversations.
Describe daily activities and interests in 3-4 connected sentences.
Retell a short event using past or future tense with support.

Project: Restaurant role-play (order food, ask for recommendations).
Teacher Tip: Have students listen to short dialogues & repeat key phrases.

Grade 7 (Sustained interactions & storytelling)
Listening:
Understand longer, structured dialogues and descriptions.
Infer meaning using tone and key words.
Follow along with a short radio clip or podcast excerpt.

Speaking:
Use transition words to extend responses (mais, parce que, donc).
Express simple opinions with justifications.
Engage in guided debates (e.g., best school subject).

Project: Create and present a short news report on a school event.
Teacher Tip: Use call-and-response or group sentence-building activities.

Grade 8 (Spontaneous conversations & persuasion)
Listening:
Understand longer spoken texts with some unfamiliar words.
Identify tone and intention in a speaker’s message.
Follow along with a short French video and summarize key points.

Speaking:
Engage in impromptu conversations on familiar topics.
Use varied sentence structures (comparisons, cause-effect).
Debate and defend opinions using logical arguments.

Project: Debate Day! (e.g., "Should homework be banned?").
Teacher Tip: Use role-playing games for spontaneous practice.

FRENCH IMMERSION (Grades 1-8)

Time Expectation: 50-70% of instruction in French (depending on grade level).
Approach: Immersive exposure** → **Authentic conversations** → **Expanding ideas

Primary (Grades 1-3) (Building oral fluency through play)
Listening
Follow common routines and teacher instructions.
Recognize **high-frequency words** in songs and stories.
Respond to **yes/no and either/or questions**.

Speaking:
Use short, memorized phrases in full sentences.
Describe people, objects, and actions with visuals.
Participate in storytelling and role-playing.

Project: Create a class story and present **one sentence each**.
Teacher Tip: Use **puppets, gestures, and Total Physical Response (TPR)**.

Junior (Grades 4-6) (Expressing ideas and emotions)*
Listening:
Understand simple explanations and short presentations.
Follow a story without visual cues.
Recognize expressions for feelings and emotions.

Speaking:
Express personal experiences in 4-5 connected sentences.
Ask and answer open-ended questions.
Use past and future tense with support.

Project: Host a “French talk show” on a chosen topic.
Teacher Tip: Use sentence frames to support longer responses.

Intermediate (Grades 7-8) (Debating and storytelling)
Listening:
Comprehend main ideas in authentic French audio/video.
Infer meaning in unfamiliar words using context.
Follow a natural-speed French conversation with support.

Speaking:
Participate in structured debates.
Retell stories with details and opinions.
Express complex ideas using varied sentence structures.

Project: Create a French podcast episode on a current issue.
Teacher Tip: Use real-world prompts (e.g., "How would you describe your ideal weekend?").

SUPPORTING TEACHERS (Even With No French!)
1. Daily Oral Routines: Use consistent expressions (e.g., “Répétez après moi,” “Comment ça va?”).
2. Scaffolding: Provide sentence stems, visuals, and graphic organizers*
3. Listening Before Speaking: Start with **videos, songs, and read-alouds.
4. Student-Led Learning: Let students model and correct each other.
5. Gamification: Incorporate charades, dialogues, and interactive activities.
6. Cultural Connections: Explore Francophone traditions, music, and real-world content.

Assessment Tools & Planning Templates for French Listening & Speaking

Designed for Core French & French Immersion (Grades 1-8)
Easy-to-use, adaptable for any teacher
Focus on oral confidence, retention, and student engagement

Use this for** **presentations, conversations, or daily check-ins**.


Student Self-Assessment ("Mon Français Aujourd’hui")

Weekly Reflection (Students rate themselves out of 5 & write a sentence)

Listening: Did I understand my teacher and classmates today? (1-5)

Speaking: Did I try to speak in full sentences today? (1-5)

New Words: One new French word I learned today: ____________

Confidence: One sentence I said in French today: _____________

Use this to build self-awareness and goal-setting..

Use this as a simple framework** for teachers to plan daily oral practice.

Emergency Lesson Plan for Non-French Teachers (No Prep Needed!)
Scenario: A non-French teacher is covering the class. They need something easy to run!

Activity: "Find Someone Who…" (Speaking & Listening Game)
Materials: Pre-made question sheets (e.g., "Find someone who likes chocolate").
How it Works:

1. Students walk around the class and ask each other yes/no questions in French.
2. They write the names of classmates who match the descriptions.
3. At the end, they share their findings in French.

This ensures students still practice oral skills, even with a non-French teacher!

3. Additional Student Engagement Strategies

Drama & Role-Playing
- Students act out real-world scenarios (restaurant, doctor’s office, lost tourist).

Classroom Podcasts
- Assign students to record short conversations (e.g., “What’s your dream vacation?”).

French Music Mondays
- Play a French song & have students listen for key words.

Silent Video Descriptions
- Show a silent clip & have students describe what’s happening in French.