Bonjour, tout le monde!

  This week at school is French week. Yesterday we experienced a French Breakfast [hot chocolate in bowls, croissants, pain au chocolate etc] and played petanque, and learned to sing Dix-En-Lit and Enroulez-Le-Fil [that's "10-in-a-bed", and "Wind-the-Bobbin"]

Today we worked on designing our own Breton bowls, using 24p 'motto' ones from IKEA  and permanent OHP pens.Left overnight the ink will dry [although it is not impervious to hot soapy water or abrasives - so we have said it is purely for decorative purposes!] The children worked really hard and produced some lovely  pieces.

Tomorrow we have a celebration assembly, when we will sing the songs and display the stuff we have produced. Apparently some of the older children have decorated tiles, and others have made a scale model of Paris!

Not sure I would have wanted to be in the class which was sampling different cheeses, pate and SNAILS!!

 We also spent a bit of time this afternoon looking at the photos Bob and I took on our French holiday in 2006 [data projectors are so useful sometimes!] but I am afraid some of the boys were less interested in La Vie Francaise, and more fascinated by the Honda Pan European.

A few of the girls were most concerned about the concept of sleeping in a tiny tent and not having room to take many clothes or buy lots of souvenirs. Even at 8 years old, fashion and shopping feature high upon their list of priorities!

French phrases I have not taught my class [Miles Kington, we miss you]

pas de deux = father of twins

moi aussi = I am an Australian

j'y suis, j'y reste = I'm Swiss and I'm staying

tour de force = policemen's excursion

coup de grace =  lawnmower

maison d'etre =  beehive

We learned french at school in the 1960s with an audio-visual scheme [I got to operate the Tape Recorder - technically minded even then] and I am sure some of the class learned just 4 words

Ecoutez et repetez...beep!

Tonight's Connexion group has just been cancelled due to snow. Oh dear, looks like Bob and I will have to eat the cupcakes by ourselves...