Foux da fafa Flight of the Conchords

Learning Resource Type

Classroom Resource

Subject Area

World Languages

Grade(s)

7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Overview

This novice low French activity is a fun way to start the first day of class. Foux da fafa is by a comedic group from New Zealand called Flight of the Conchords.  The song is a parody of words and expressions that students typically learn in introductory French courses such as foods and greetings. Their comedic approach offers students an opportunity to see what they recognize before beginning the course. A printable PDF is included to guide students through preliminary and post-activity questions. A French-language copy of the lyrics is also included in the PDF to help students recognize cognates as they listen to the song.

World Languages (2017) Grade(s): 07-12 - World Languages

WL17.WL.L1.2

Interpret what is heard, read, or viewed on familiar topics using the present tense.

UP:WL17.WL.L1.2

Knowledge

Students know:
  • how to recognize the difference between a question and a statement.
  • how to identify who is speaking.
  • how to identify who is being spoken to.
  • how to recognize the topic being discussed.
  • how to rely on pictures, graphs, or charts to aid in comprehension.

Skills

Students are able to:
Novice Mid Level
  • identify the key idea presented by a speaker or published work on a familiar topic.
  • differentiate between questions and statements.
  • gather basic information from graphs, charts and pictures.
  • rely on background knowledge to aid in comprehension of difficult or new words.
  • recognize characters and punctuation marks that are unique to the target language.
Novice High Level students are able to:
  • identify the key idea presented by a speaker or published work on a familiar topic.
  • differentiate between questions and statements.
  • gather basic information from graphs, charts and pictures.
  • rely on background knowledge to aid in comprehension of difficult or new words.
  • recognize characters and punctuation marks that are unique to the target language.
  • locate places on a map.
  • identify purpose of a brochure/advertisement.

Understanding

Students understand that:
Novice Mid Level
  • effective communication requires knowing how when and why to say what to whom.
  • the purpose of language study is to communicate so one can understand others and be understood.
  • other understandings will depend on the theme being taught.
Students understand that:
Novice High Level
  • effective communication requires knowing how when and why to say what to whom.
  • the purpose of language study is to communicate so one can understand others and be understood.
  • other understandings will depend on the theme being taught.
World Languages (2017) Grade(s): 07-12 - World Languages

WL17.WL.L1.8

Identify characteristics of the target language and the native language.

UP:WL17.WL.L1.8

Knowledge

Students know:
  • how to recognize similarities among root words in order to aid comprehension in the target language.
  • that conjugations can effect the formality/tone of the provided information.
  • that word order varies across langauge and may differ from their native language.
  • that some expressions (ex.
  • idiomatic expressions) may not translate literally from language to language.

Skills

Students are able to:
Novice Mid Level
  • use the alphabet or writing system to express ideas.
  • identify appropriate situations in which to use formal and informal structures.
  • memorize common idomatic expressions.
  • match words from the target language to similarly structured words in the native language.
Novice High Level
Students are able to:
  • use the alphabet or writing system to express ideas.
  • use diacritical markings to clarify meaning when writing.
  • identify appropriate situations in which to use formal and informal structures.
  • memorize common idomatic expressions.
  • match words from the target language to similarly structured words in the native language.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • by learning another language one can better understand how the native language works.
  • other understandings will depend on theme taught.

CR Resource Type

Learning Activity

Resource Provider

Other

License Type

Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives

Resource Provider other

UT Austin
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