Languages and literacy
Les consignes de classe: match and act
Read six French classroom commands with their English meanings, respond through an action, and use an optional infinitive route when ready.
Read the material
Read six French classroom commands with their English meanings, respond through an action, and use an optional infinitive route when ready.
Pupil worksheet. Use the preview for diagrams and layout.
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Les consignes de classe: match and act Pupil activity Objectif: Je peux reconnaître une consigne et faire l’action demandée. Si je suis prêt(e), je peux aussi nommer l’infinitif. Consigne Action in English Écoute la consigne. Listen to the instruction. Lis le titre. Read the title. Écris une phrase. Write a sentence. Choisis un mot. Choose a word. Compare tes réponses. Compare your answers. Explique ton choix. Explain your choice. Route 1: écoute et fais For everyone. The teacher reads one command aloud. Do the action or point to its English meaning. You do not need to name an infinitive. Route 2: relie à l’infinitif For learners ready to compare verb forms. Match each command with its infinitive: - Écoute → écouter - Lis → lire - Écris → écrire - Choisis → choisir - Compare → comparer - Explique → expliquer Fais et dis 1. Listen to a command and show the action. 2. Choose Route 1 or Route 2. 3. With a partner, say “Je lis le titre” or “Je choisis un mot.” Pupil activity Page 1 of 1
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Les consignes de classe: match and act Teacher key and guidance supporting this exact edition Teacher check Check that the action matches the command. Use the infinitive pairs only with learners ready for this grammar terminology. The listed commands address one pupil informally; adapt them if the class is practising a different address pattern. Teacher companion Page 1 of 1
A teaching sequence
Recognise six French classroom commands and respond with the matching action; learners ready for grammar can also connect each command to its infinitive.
Hear and show the command
Listen to a command and do the action or point to its English meaning, using the paired table to check. Start with listen, read, write, choose, compare or explain without requiring infinitive terminology.
Which action or English meaning matches the spoken instruction?
Try the optional grammar route
If ready for the grammar route, connect the commands to écouter, lire, écrire, choisir, comparer and expliquer.
Which infinitive belongs to the command you heard?
Use a command with a partner
Choose a command to use with a partner; answer by doing the action or, if ready, by saying the infinitive.
Can your partner show the action without needing grammatical terminology?
Before you teach
Look for the thinking behind an answer, choose the support your class needs and leave room for an independent response.
What to look for
Action route answers: Écoute means listen, Lis means read, Écris means write, Choisis means choose, Compare means compare and Explique means explain. For learners ready for the grammar route, the pairs are Écoute/écouter, Lis/lire, Écris/écrire, Choisis/choisir, Compare/comparer and Explique/expliquer. Follow up: say “Lis le titre”; pupils may point to or read the title, then name lire only if they are using the grammar route.
Give a little support
Start with a gesture and the action-only route. Accept doing or pointing as an answer; offer the infinitive comparison only to learners ready for that terminology.
Take the idea further
For learners using the grammar route, ask them to give a partner one command, then describe the action with “Je…” and name the related infinitive, for example “Je lis le titre; lire.”
Things to keep in mind
All six commands address one pupil informally: écoute, lis, écris, choisis, compare and explique. If the class is practising vous forms, model the matching forms before pupils start.
Keep the idea. Make it yours.
Bring your topic, learning goal and class context to PLAI™, then review what you create.
Ideas to try with your class
Sample teaching perspectives on what to try, what to adapt and what to watch for.
Meet The Creators
Meet the creators whose teaching interests connect with this template. Find an approach to try with your class.
Celine Arbuthnot
I begin with spoken language and bring French into the lesson early, so pupils can hear and try familiar phrases before worrying about how every word is written.
Meet the creator
Nathan Price
In French, I start with spoken language and use songs and familiar routines to help pupils get used to hearing the language.
Meet the creator
Board Eraser
This one-page French activity gives six commands (listen, read, write, choose, compare and explain) with English meanings. Route 1 asks all learners to do the action or point to its meaning; Route 2 adds matching a command to its infinitive for learners ready for grammar.
Chalk Dust & Checklists
The two routes separate command comprehension from grammatical analysis, so recognising an instruction is a valid task without naming the infinitive. The bilingual table supports the first route.
Chalk & Chai
Read one French command aloud and let the pupil respond with the action or point to its English meaning. Offer the infinitive route only when the learner is ready for that grammar.
One Last Sticky Note
The sheet practises six commands and selected infinitives, not every classroom instruction. Check pronunciation and whether the grammatical extension matches the current French sequence.