Year 1 French – Term 1 Unit

AVAILABLE 2/2/26

This Year 1 French unit is a complete, ready-to-teach sequence designed for primary classrooms where teachers want to teach French with confidence, clarity and minimal planning.

Across nine carefully sequenced lessons, students are introduced to French language and culture through explicit instruction, visual supports, songs and consistent routines. The unit is designed specifically for Year 1 learners, with a strong focus on listening, noticing and participation rather than reading or writing.

This is not a collection of activities. It is a coherent teaching unit.

What this unit teaches

By the end of the unit, Year 1 students will have:

• noticed that French is spoken in many places around the world apart from France
• recognised and responded to common French greetings
• participated in a traditional French song
• followed simple classroom instructions in French
• built confidence using French in familiar classroom routines

Language is introduced slowly and reused often so students experience success through repetition and familiarity.

Unit structure

The unit consists of nine sequenced lessons, designed to be taught across a term.

Lessons move through:

• cultural noticing and orientation
• greetings and simple interaction
• enjoyment of French through song
• functional classroom language
• consolidation and observation

Each lesson builds on the previous one. Key language, visuals and routines are revisited across lessons so students are not expected to start from scratch each week.

Teaching approach

This unit is built on an explicit instruction approach, with an emphasis on:

• teacher modelling
• choral responses
• gesture and visual support
• predictable routines
• high success for all learners

Students are supported to participate confidently without pressure to produce language independently.

What’s included

This downloadable unit includes:

• 9 fully sequenced PowerPoint lessons 
  
• Teacher guide (includes student worksheets)
• Observation-based assessment checklist 

Matching charts and flashcards are available separately.

All resources are designed to work together as a single teaching sequence.

Assessment

Assessment in this unit is observational and appropriate for Year 1 learners.

Teachers gather evidence through:

• participation in greetings and routines
• responses to familiar classroom instructions
• engagement in songs and shared language activities
• demonstrated cultural noticing

A simple checklist is included to support informal assessment and reporting.

Curriculum alignment

Aligned to the Australian Curriculum: French Year 1.

This unit is:

• designed specifically for Year 1
• suitable for Foundation as an introduction
• suitable for Year 2 as revision or consolidation

No specialist French knowledge is required to teach this unit successfully.

This unit is ideal for:

• schools introducing French in Year 1
• teachers seeking a ready-to-teach term sequence
• non-specialist language teachers
• classrooms prioritising oral language and participation