Count to ten in English together. Now try it in Irish: a haon, a dó, a trí… What sounds the same?
Today you will hear the French way. Listen for any numbers that feel familiar.
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Count from one to ten in French
- Spot French numbers when you hear them
- Notice which ones sound like English or Irish
Lead a quick count to ten in English, then in Irish if the class knows it (a haon, a dó, a trí, a ceathair, a cúig, a sé, a seacht, a hocht, a naoi, a deich). Do not teach French yet. Collect two or three ideas about what might sound the same across languages, then move on. Keep this beat light and curious.
Listen to each French number, then say it with the class. We meet 1 to 5 first, count them back together, then 6 to 10.
After you have heard and said each one, flip the card to see how it is written. Six (sees) and dix (dees) are the sneaky ones: they look like English but sound different. If you catch yourself saying the English version, laugh and switch to French. That is how brains learn!
Run this whole-class on the IWB in two small sets so working memory is not overloaded.
Set A (un–cinq): For each card, play the audio first (English meaning or digit visible is fine as a meaning cue). Class repeats twice (all together, then by table). Only then flip to show the French spelling. After five cards, lead a quick choral count-back: un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq.
Set B (six–dix): Same pattern. Stress that six and dix end with a soft s sound, not a hard x. Watch for quatre: the final -re is soft, almost swallowed. Then one full choral run un–dix.
Pronunciation guides: un (uhn), deux (duh), trois (twah), quatre (KAT-ruh), cinq (sank), six (sees), sept (set), huit (weet), neuf (nuhf), dix (dees). Keep the tone playful when someone slips into English on six or dix.
First, a quick ear warm-up: when you hear a French number, hold up that many fingers.
Then mark each French number on your bingo card as you hear it called. The first few calls come with the English once so you can settle in; after that, French only. Listen hard for close pairs like six and dix. First full line wins. Bravo when someone calls it!
How to Play Bingo:
Option 1: Students on Devices (Digital Version)
- Use the digital version where your teacher view of the lesson displays the cards that are being called out.
- Play the pronunciation sound of each word and the children mark it off their unique digital bingo card.
- Each student has a randomised bingo card so winners will vary!
Option 2: Print Out the Bingo Cards
- Print out the Bingo Cards from the attachment above, cut out the cards, and give one to each student.
- You call out the vocabulary words and students mark off their sheets.
- First student to complete a line (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal) calls "Bingo!" and wins.
Copy the ten French numbers from the board into your copy in a column, with the digit beside each word.
Pause the board. Keep the full list of the ten French numbers projected for the whole three minutes so pupils can copy accurately. Everyone writes: one column of digits (1–10) and the matching French word beside each. Check spellings of quatre, cinq, sept and huit as you walk the room. Do not collect these.
You are at a French bakery counter. The wheel lands on how many you want. Say that French number aloud clearly (whisper to your shoulder partner first if you like), then the class echoes it back.
No worries if you need the first sound, that still counts as brave French. Ready to order?
Before the first spin, run one brisk whole-class count un–dix together, then backwards from cinq to un. That gives anxious pupils a safe choral rehearsal.
Optional context (not new assessed vocab): show simple board pictures of bakery items (croissants, baguettes). When the wheel lands, the pupil’s job is the French number; you can model a full tiny order once (“Trois, s’il vous plaît”) while pointing at a picture so the number sits in a real French setting. Pupils are not required to learn food words today.
Spin on the IWB. For the first few spins, leave a tiny pronunciation hint visible or offer the first sound if they freeze. Shoulder-partner whisper, then say it out loud to the class. Class repeats after each correct answer. Keep the pace brisk so most pupils get a turn. If someone says the English by mistake, smile and ask for the French version: the wheel is already showing it.
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