Didi is an amazingly helpful tool to have in a Grade 1 French Immersion class, or any dual language class where the teacher is fluent in both the target language and the common language of the students. Here are just a few ways a class puppet can help out:
- He speaks English with the kids and jokes around with them. He's super excited to learn French with them and makes lots of mistakes so they shouldn't worry about making mistakes. You have to take risks to learn in a second (or third, or fourth) language and while for some kids that comes naturally, for others it's a scary prospect. At this age, it is the parents who have chosen French Immersion for their kids, not the kids themselves, so sometimes the kids don't understand why everything is in French. Since we all speak English, why not use that? The logic of a six-year old. For these kids Didi is a wonderful tool. Kids who are now in Grade 6 come back to visit my classroom and say "hello", talk to Didi before they speak to me. Even though we all know he is just a puppet, this game is fun for everyone.
- He explains the class rules in English, so that everyone understand them and then can be a big help in social situations. He was a "social expert" on his home dragon planet and was always helping his friends with different problems that popped up every once in a while between them. He tells stories of Kiki who could sometimes be a bit bossy, or Popo, who sometimes said things before thinking that weren't always that nice. For what ever situation that comes up Didi has a friend who had the same problem and talks about ideas he used to help his friend. Some of the ideas are a bit silly, which the class points out, which then lets them start to discuss how to solve these problems. They respond to Didi's suggestions more readily than to mine, as the teacher, because they see Didi more as a peer and one who has a better understanding of what it's like to be a kid.
- Using Didi lets me communicate in English when I need to, while keeping up the illusion that I only speak French. Of course the kids know it's me speaking when Didi talks, but every kid I've taught in the last 6 years has bought into this game and accepted that when I speak French it's me the teacher speaking and when I speak English it's Didi speaking. This division of duty, so to speak, makes it easier for me to create a more authentic French atmosphere in class, not an easy thing to do when everyone in the room can speak English and there is no obvious reason for the students to speak French except that I'm asking then to.
Of course all of these only works because I am fluent in both the target language, French, and the common language of everyone in the classroom, English. These puppet techniques wouldn't work where the teacher is only fluent in the target language, but in those cases you already have an authentic immersion situation so there is no need to go to such lengths to create one.
Happy New School Year!
Joanne
