Summary:
The amazing success of the Michel Thomas method of learning a language is now available for schools. The package offers a comprehensive, accelerated learning course perfect as a grounding for those new to French. No other materials are needed: in fact, the use of other materials would detract from the effectiveness of the course. The author, Paul Howard, has been using the Michel Thomas method in school for some three years, with amazing, and quantifiable, results. Faithfully following the Michel Thomas recordings published by Hodder, Paul has created a teaching and learning programme that additionally uses ICT to support class work. Now teachers and students can experience the success and the confidence that this success generates, to master the structure of the language in a fraction of the time taken by traditional methods.

A free sample is available from our dedicated website:

www.michelthomasforschools.co.uk

The Michel Thomas method, with its bilingual approach to teaching and interest in engaging with language and decoding meaning, is praised in the Dearing Report, whose authors report its 'considerable success and motivated learners' ('The Languages Review', DfES, March 2007).

The course is delivered in two ring binders (one for each Phase), two Teacher's CDRs, and two audio CDs with listening comprehension files, and is supported by two interactive CDRs for students to use at home or in the language laboratory. All the CDs and CDRs are networkable. The teaching is designed for complete beginners and is taught in English. The process appears informal, relaxed and unhurried, but progress is rapid. Learning is based on understanding, not memorisation. The excitement of learning motivates students to make much faster progress than with conventional courses. By the end of the second year of just one hour a week learning French using this method, pupils will have a solid grounding in the grammatical structures equivalent to the requirements of GCSE and beyond.

The course comprises: 2 ring binders (one for each of two phases of 25 and 20 lessons respectively) containing hard copies of: scheme of work, lesson plans, pupils' hand-outs, homework sheets, listening comprehension transcripts; CDR with PowerPoints and editable Word files of the scheme of work and all work and answer sheets; audio CD with listening comprehension exercises; 2 class sets of 20 interactive CDRs (one set for each of the two phases) containing audio-visual presentations of the lessons, work sheets (and help), interactive games, and listening comprehension. All these CDs and CDRs are networkable. The course also includes one copy of each of the published Michel Thomas Foundation and Advanced French courses (RRP £120).

• the Michel Thomas method - proven to work. The extraordinary sales of the consumer products (£20 million; 800,000 units in 6 years) prove the effectiveness of the method

• new approach - widely accepted that conventional methods are not working, despite 'improvements' over the years

• complete course - no other materials necessary

• fully integrated - everything the teacher needs, from homework sheets to detailed, 'scripted' lesson plans

• CD-ROM to aid students' progress at home or in the language laboratory - integrates ICT into MFL teaching

• quantifiable results - test results show that the programme gets results, school, teacher, pupils, parents all happy and enthusiastic

• CILT - Dr Lid King (CILT's director) observed the Michel Thomas Method being taught in October 2006

• Dearing report - praise for the method (‘considerable success and motivated learners’)

Table of Contents:
Teacher's Resource Files (Phases 1 & 2)
How to use the course
Guidelines on assessment of pupils' written work
How the course relates to the original Michel Thomas recordings
Scheme of work
Course overview (see below)
Modules 1–25 (Phase 1)/Modules 1–20 (Phase 2), comprising:
input scripts
info packs
print-outs of PowerPoint slides
worksheets
worksheet answer sheets
Listening comprehension: worksheet template, transcripts and answers
Audio CDs (Phases 1 & 2)
Listening comprehension
Teacher's Resource CDs (Phases 1 & 2)
Scheme of work
How to use the course
PowerPoint presentation
Worksheets
Worksheet answer sheets
Listening comprehension: worksheet template, transcripts and answers
Class set of 20 Pupils' CD-ROMs (Phases 1 & 2)
Aims and objectives
Video presentation of PowerPoints
Worksheets (including Help)
Interactive games
Listening comprehension
Michel Thomas Foundation (8-hour) course ISBN 9780340938911 (RRP £70)
Michel Thomas Advanced (5-hour course) ISBN 9780340886991 (RRP £50)
Overview Phase 1
-ible/-able cognates; C’EST, (TRÈS) BON, POUR MOI, POUR VOUS, CE N’EST PAS, MERCI, (COMME CI) COMME ÇA, JE, JE REGRETTE, MAIS, AU CONTRAIRE; -ent/-ant cognates, -ary cognates; Pronunciation: pushing a silent -S into a vowel to give the -Z sound
JE VOUDRAIS, PARLER (FRANÇAIS), AVEC, VOULEZ-VOUS,; VENIR, MANGER, ALLER, OÙ, CE SOIR, DÎNER, LE DÎNER, SAVOIR, COMBIEN, LA CHOSE, LA MÊME CHOSE, QUELQUE CHOSE,; S’IL VOUS PLAîT, AVEZ-VOUS; -ence/-ance cognates with LA, UNE & QUELLE; -ion/-tion/-sion cognates
-ical cognates; EXPLICATION, (LES) VACANCES, TRADUCTION; ET, DONNER, PASSER (LE TEMPS), DEPENSER, QUELLE SORTE DE, FAIRE, EN (FRANCE), À PRESENT; Pronunciation: the CAREFUL consonants & the MAGIC E; PETIT, TROP, TARD, GRAND, IL EST, ELLE EST, VITE
-ER/-EZ endings; Pronunciation: pushing the final -S into a vowel to give the -Z sound; VOUS PARLEZ, VOUS ALLEZ, SI, POURQUOI, (AÉRO)PORT, PORTE, Pronunciation: the CAREFUL consonants; Pronunciation: just touching the -N sound for ‘A/AN’; UNE BOUTEILLE, EAU, TASSE; -el/-al cognates, -LY adverbs
ENCORE, UN PEU, PLUS, MAINTENANT; Comparatives; AUTRE, L’AUTRE CHOSE, UNE AUTRE CHOSE, AUTRE CHOSE; VOIR, AVOIR; Pronunciation: pushing a silent -S into a vowel to give the -Z sound; ‘ANOTHER’ - ENCORE vs. UNE AUTRE; Verb infinitives with an -R in the ending
Defining NOUNS, VERBS & ADJECTIVES; VERB INFINITIVES: with an -R in the ending (-ER/-IR/-OIR/-RE); The Consecutive Verb Rule; JE DOIS, JE SUIS, FATIGUÉ, OCCUPÉ, JE PEUX; Negatives; Pronunciation: just a touch of the -N in negatives
ATTENDRE, PARCE QUE, JE REGRETTE vs JE SUIS DESOLÉ; I have to = I must - JE DOIS; VOUS PARLEZ (reinforcement of -EZ ending); Asking questions & The Question Mark Situation; -ER vs -EZ endings; À QUELLE HEURE; Are you leaving? vs Do you leave?; RESTER; Cutting the -R off -ER verbs for I, HE, SHE & IT; TOUT LE MONDE; 3 English present tenses vs 1 French present tense; Old English vs Modern English (DOs, DON’Ts, AM-ing, IS-ing, ARE-ing)
Reinforcement of -ER vs -EZ vs -ONS endings; DEMAIN; Are we starting? Vs Do we start?; Reinforcement of RULE: no AM-ing, no IS-ing, no ARE-ing; Reinforcement of RULE: no DOs or DON’Ts; Reinforcement of The Question Mark Situation; Use of NOUS for WE & US; COMMENCER; Introduction of Imperative/Command; PRÊT & PRÊTE (feminine E); C’EST / IL EST / ELLE EST; C’EST vs ÇA
ARRIVER; MATIN vs MATINÉE / SOIR vs SOIRÉE / JOUR vs JOURNÉE; Reinforcement of RULE: no AM-ing, no IS-ing, no ARE-ing; BIENTÔT, The story of AUJOURD’HUI; LE RESTAURANT, LE BUREAU, A + LE = AU; ÊTRE, ICI, J’AI, IL A, ELLE A, JE N’AI PAS; I’m hungry = I have hunger - J’AI FAIM; JE VAIS, IL VA, ELLE VA; LÀ
QUI, TOUT, BIEN, RIEN, COMMENT; LA PERSONNE vs UNE PERSONNE vs PERSONNE; Drill: AM GOING - VAIS & IS GOING - VA (ÇA VA?); Pronunciation of TOUT; Origins of ALLER; ‘cutting’ in pronunciation & same sound of I, HE, SHE & IT
PRENDRE, TROP DE TEMPS, VENDRE; Reinforcement of ‘cutting’ in pronunciation for I, HE, SHE & IT; 3 exceptions to ‘same sound’ rule:; JE SUIS but IL EST, J’AI but IL A, JE VAIS but IL VA; Extracting similar French verbs from similar French nouns; PEUT-ÊTRE vs PEUT ÊTRE; Spelling: cutting the -R with -ER verbs for I, HE, SHE & IT; Spelling: (non-ER verbs) -S for SELF but HE & SHE for -T
DIRE; Spelling: (non-ER verbs) -S for SELF but HE & SHE for -T; Reinforcement: 3 exceptions to ‘same sound’ rule; JE SAIS & JE NE SAIS PAS; NOUS AVONS vs NOUS SAVONS; Reinforcement: pronunciation of -EZ & - ER; AVOIR vs DEVOIR; Verbs: separating the WE & YOU from everything else; POUVEZ-VOUS?; Introduction of pronouns: LE FAIRE
QUAND; Pronouns: LE used for IT & HIM; Spelling: LE to L’ before AVOIR/ACHETER etc; PRENDRE, ACHETER; MERCI BEAUCOUP
Pronouns: LE, LA, LES, VOUS, NOUS, ME; ESPERER + QUE; ME vs MOI; TROUVER, APPELER, CHER
Reinforcement: ATTENDRE; PRESSÉ; Pronouns: LE vs LUI; PORTER, APPORTER, LE LIVRE, ENVOYER; ‘her’ - LA vs LUI vs ELLE
Clarifying LUI with À LUI or À ELLE; LEUR – THEM implying TO THEM & THEIR; MON, MA, MES; DEMANDER; Gender of nouns; -ty/-ate/-fy cognates; Review of QUELLE
Pronunciation of LE/LA and UN/UNE; IL Y A; Using EST-CE QUE to introduce a question; LE, LA, LES & UN, UNE, DES; PAS vs PAS DE; FLEURS, VRAI; Negatives: RIEN & JAMAIS
Adjective + DE + whole verb; HEUREUX/HEUREUSE; Noun + DE + whole verb; TEMPS vs FOIS; L’OPPORTUNITÉ = L’OCCASION; TOUJOURS, ÇA ME FAIT PLAISIR; DEMANDER, DIRE, DÉCIDER + DE; HAVE + À + whole verb; Asking questions: QU’EST-CE QUE; HAVE vs HAVE TO; IL Y A: relationship with AVOIR; BOIRE; CHOSE + À + whole verb
Expressions of quantity + DE; WHAT: QUELLE vs QUE vs QU’EST-CE QUE vs CE QUE; ENTRE, VOTRE, NOM; PENSER; WANT + SAY = MEAN
JE PEUX & JE VEUX; Pronunciation: JE VAIS vs JE VEUX; EXPLIQUER; DANS QUELQUE JOURS; The FUTURE tense; LA PROCHAINE SEMAINE
LEVER; ON & NOUS; Making suggestions; PRENDRE with food and drink; COMMANDER, DÉJEUNER, LE DÉJEUNER, LE PETIT-DÉJEUNER; WILL: VOULEZ-VOUS or FUTURE tense?
Reflexive verbs: SE LEVER, SE DEMANDER, S’APPELER, SE RAPPELER, SE DÉPECHER, S’ÉCRIRE; Different uses of EN; PRIX
Different uses of EN; ASSEZ; J’EN AI ASSEZ & J’EN AI MARRE; AVOIR BESOIN DE; IL FAUT & IL ME FAUT; Three exceptions to VOUS –EZ endings: ÊTES, FAITES, DITES; LIBRE
Review of Reflexive verbs; DÉRANGER, FUMER, ENSEIGNER, SE RENSEIGNER; Handles + full verb
Handles: CAN, WANT, WOULD LIKE, HAVE TO, KNOW, HAVE, BE; Unlocking the I past with the YOU present; JE POUVAIS, JE DEVAIS, JE VOULAIS, JE SAVAIS, J’AVAIS, J’ÉTAIS; J’AIME vs J’AIME BIEN; J’ADORE
Overview Phase 2
Review of Asking Questions; Pronunciation: JE VAIS vs JE VEUX; TOUT LE MONDE; Review of negatives: PAS, RIEN, JAMAIS, PLUS; Review of EN; Y; AVEC EUX; Review of LUI and LEUR; LE LIVRE vs LA LIVRE
Review of LEUR; Position of multiple pronouns; 4 types of verb put into 2 categories: -ER and NOT –ER; POUVOIR, DEVOIR; SHORT box & LONG box for all verbs; Present tense of -ER verbs; Commands with VOUS and NOUS
Pronunciation: the Magic E; Spelling: 3rd person plural of –ER verbs; Pronunciation: -ENT verb ending/-ENT not verb ending; MES AMIS; ATTENDRE; Pronunciation: SHORT box of both categories; SERVIR; Different uses of ON
Review of ON and NOUS; SENTIR vs SE SENTIR; GOOD/BETTER/BEST vs WELL/BETTER/BEST; Spelling: SHORT box of –ER and NOT –ER verbs; Spelling: -T never added to a –T or –D; Spelling: -IR verbs drop the consonant in the SHORT box; METTRE, PAR TERRE; Position of pronouns with the command
Review: Position of pronouns with the Command; Avoiding the Command with VOULEZ-VOUS; Handle: HAVE TO; The FUTURE tense; Irregular stems: JE POURRAI, J’AURAI, JE SAURAI, JE FERAI; English –MIT verbs come from French METTRE verbs
SHORT box of VENIR, ‘they’re coming from Vienna’; Irregular future stems: JE VIENDRAI, JE SERAI, J’IRAI; 3 ways to express the future; Review of 3 exceptions of VOUS –EZ endings: ÊTES, FAITES, DITES
Key to sound of SHORT box; Key to the LONG box is the whole verb; LONG box of the PRENDRE family; 3 Irregulars: TO HAVE, TO BE and TO GO; 4 exceptions to THEY –ENT ending: ONT, SONT, VONT, FONT; Diving into the PAST tense with HAVE; Forming past participle of –ER verbs
DÉJÀ VU, PAS ENCORE; AGO; Position of pronouns in the perfect tense; OUBLIER; Past participle of –RE and –IR verbs; MAL; Diving from ÊTRE; Irregular past participles: the PRENDRE family
Irregular past participles: the METTRE family; Irregular past participles: FAIRE, DIRE, ÉCRIRE; J’ÉTAIS, J’AVAIS; SHORT and LONG boxes of WAS & HAD; Review of WOULD LIKE
Another look at WOULD LIKE; The Conditional tense; The Future tense; Same stem used for both WILL and WOULD; Irregular stems of –OIR verbs; WOULD vs WOULD’VE; Pronunciation: VOUS vs VU
The PERFECT tense; The PLUPERFECT tense; The CONDITIONAL PERFECT tense; Using WAS & HAD prefer IMPERFECT tense; The IMPERFECT tense; Accessing I ‘imperfect’ from YOU ‘present’; Spelling: SHORT and LONG box of IMPERFECT tense; Sharpened awareness of English: YOU HAVE TO vs YOU DON’T HAVE TO
Sharpened awareness of English: WILL – polite request or future tense?; Verbs which prefer IMPERFECT to PERFECT: WAS, HAD, COULD, HAD TO, WANTED, KNEW; Review of PLUPERFECT and CONDITIONAL PERFECT; J’ALLAIS
Sharpened awareness of English: present –ING vs past –ING; Review of IMPERFECT tense (the WING tense); PERFECT vs IMPERFECT; The 2 branches of –IR verbs
Irregular past participles of –VRIR and –FRIR verbs; Introduction of informal YOU – TU; Irregulars: TU AS, TU VAS, TU ES; TE; HAVE BEEN + DEPUIS
3 Master Keys: the –ING Key, the –R Key, the 2 Diving Towers Key; Review of the 19 tenses; The PERFECT tense: ÊTRE verbs; Irregular past participle of VENIR
The PERFECT tense: ÊTRE verbs; MONTER & DESCENDRE with direct objects take AVOIR
Review of Reflexive verbs; LOURD; TO HURRY vs TO BE IN A HURRY; Diving from the ÊTRE tower with Reflexive verbs
The PRESENT Subjunctive in English; The PRESENT Subjunctive in French: when & how; The Key to the PRESENT Subjunctive sound is THEY present
I WANT YOU vs I WANT THAT YOU; Review of the PRESENT Subjunctive; PRESENT Subjunctive irregulars: BE, HAVE, GO, DO
PRESENT Subjunctive irregulars: KNOW, CAN; AVANT QUE + Subjunctive; The PERFECT Subjunctive

About the Author(s):
Paul Howard has been teaching modern foreign languages in the state and private sectors for ten years. He is a GCSE Coursework Moderator.

Readership:
Key Stage 3