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Subject: French
Semester: 2
Period: 5
Week: 25
School Name:
Teacher’s Name:
Subject: French
Grade Level: Grade 5
Date: Week 25
Lesson Duration: 45 minutes
Week & Period: Week 25, Period 5
Topic: French Accents
Sub-topic: Acute and Grave Accents
Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:
Identify acute and grave accents in French. Recognize vowels that take accents. Pronounce and spell words with accents correctly.
Previous Knowledge
Students already know basic French alphabet and pronunciation of simple words.
Instructional Materials
Flashcards with accented words, charts of French vowels with accents, chalkboard/whiteboard, audio pronunciation recordings.
Lesson Development – ABC Model
A – Anticipation (Warm-up / Starter)
Time: 5–10 minutes
Teacher writes the word “elephant” and “éléphant” on the board and asks learners if they notice a difference. A short pronunciation drill follows where learners repeat after the teacher. Teacher explains that accents change the way a word is read and sometimes its meaning.
B – Building Knowledge (Main Lesson Body)
Time: 25–30 minutes
The teacher begins by explaining that l’accent aigu (´) and l’accent grave () are special marks placed on certain vowels in French to help guide pronunciation and sometimes change meaning. The teacher writes both accents on the board and points to the vowels they commonly appear on. The acute accent (l’accent aigu) appears only on the letter “e” and looks like this: ´, while the grave accent (l’accent grave) appears on “e,” “a,” and “u” and looks like this: .
The teacher then presents several example words for each accent: for l’accent aigu, words such as école (school), éléphant (elephant), très (very); for l’accent grave, words like père (father), mère (mother), frère (brother), voilà (there is/there are). The teacher slowly pronounces each word, clearly emphasizing the accented vowel, while students listen carefully. The teacher models the difference in sound between the accents, explaining that the acute accent (é) makes the vowel sound sharper, clearer, and sometimes longer, whereas the grave accent (è) produces a slightly lower and softer vowel sound.
To illustrate this difference clearly, the teacher uses minimal pairs such as été (summer) versus père (father), pronouncing each word slowly and distinctly, and asking learners to repeat after them multiple times to practice the subtle differences in pronunciation. The teacher encourages students to pay attention to how the vowel sound changes with each accent.
For practical engagement, learners are given sets of flashcards containing words with and without accents. The teacher asks learners to match each word to the correct accent and then practice spelling the words aloud as a group, focusing on the correct placement of the accent and accurate pronunciation. The teacher writes incomplete words on the board without accents (e.g., ecole, pere, frere) and calls learners to the front one by one to add the correct accent, explaining why the accent belongs there.
Next, learners form short sentences using the accented vocabulary to reinforce meaning and usage, such as: “Mon père est gentil” (My father is kind), “L’école est grande” (The school is big), or “Le frère est content” (The brother is happy). The teacher models these sentences first, then encourages learners to create their own similar sentences orally in pairs or small groups.
Assessment is ongoing as the teacher circulates, listening to individual learners pronounce the words and sentences. The teacher asks targeted oral questions like “Which accent do we use in école?” or “Spell the word frère,” and checks for accurate pronunciation and correct spelling. Individual learners are invited to pronounce words aloud to demonstrate understanding of the accent sounds and their use.
Learners’ Activities (Expanded): Learners engage actively by repeating after the teacher during focused pronunciation drills, practicing spelling accented words aloud in small groups, and taking turns coming to the board to correctly add accents to incomplete words. They participate in sentence formation exercises, creating and saying sentences using the new accented vocabulary in pairs or small groups, which boosts confidence and speaking skills. Learners also match flashcards to reinforce their understanding visually and kinesthetically.
Assessment Checks: The teacher conducts quick oral checks by asking questions such as “Which accent do we use in école?” or “Spell the word frère,” listening carefully for correct pronunciation and spelling accuracy. Written exercises or spelling dictations may be used as follow-up to check retention.
Notes (Expanded & Detailed):
Understanding the acute (´) and grave (`) accents is crucial in French as they not only affect how words are pronounced but also, in some cases, their meanings. The acute accent only appears on the letter “e” (é), producing a sound like the English “ay” in “say,” while the grave accent appears on “e,” “a,” and “u” (è, à, ù). For example, “é” in éléphant sounds distinct from “è” in père. Some words change meaning based on the accent, such as a (has) versus à (to). Mastery of accents helps learners pronounce French more naturally, read and write accurately, and avoid misunderstandings. Regular practice with accented words lays the foundation for more advanced vocabulary and grammar topics.
C – Consolidation (Conclusion & Assessment)
Time: 5–10 minutes
Summary: Teacher reviews the two accents taught, giving examples and asking learners to repeat. Teacher reinforces that accents are part of the spelling and must always be written.
Evaluation Method (Expanded): Exit slip/quiz: learners write three words with l’accent aigu and two words with l’accent grave. Teacher will collect slips and provide oral feedback.
Assignment (Expanded): Write 10 French words with accents and underline the vowel carrying the accent. Practice pronouncing them at home.
Follow-up Activity: Learners bring to the next class French words with accents they find in books or online.
Differentiation / Inclusive Strategies: Teacher provides extra repetition support for slow learners. Advanced learners form longer sentences with accented words. Peer learning pairs are encouraged.
Teacher’s Reflection (After Class)
What worked well? ___________________________________________
What needs improvement? ____________________________________
Students’ engagement level: ☑ High ☑ Medium ☑ Low