Je suis huit ans

[meredeux]

The French teacher at my DCs primary school has taught both my children that this is how to say your age in French. Ummm.....

what do you think?

That she can't speak French?

Cest merde

Are you sure it hasn't been -er- lost in translation (e.g. it's on a a printed sheet?)
What are the French teacher's French teaching qualifications (i.e. is she just the French teacher because there was no one better)?

J'ai huit ans.

I'd just correct the dcs at home TBH.

Tell your kids to say to the teacher "Vous êtes incompétent."

French teacher or teacher of French? Seriously, what scheme are they using if they are using a non-native speaker?

That is awful! I'd have a quiet word with the headteacher or someone, I think.

Definitely j'ai.

Just double checked with French step-mum.

Is she French? I vaguely remember that other French speaking countries have vagueries in their pronunciation. If she's English, maybe a discrete word?

It's just plain wrong.

That's dreadful, definitely speak to teacher or head.

How does one go about finding out what a teacher's qualifications are? If she's a qualified primary teacher doesn't the head have a perfect right to appoint her as the French teacher regardless of her ability to speak French?

My friend is a very experienced primary school teacher and has just been given responsibility for French language teaching at her school. She got a grade C at A-level 25 years ago and hasn't used it since!

No French speaking person (regardless of where from) would say that. It's reproduction the English phraseology but in French.

'scheme?' 'native speaker?' Someone is more familiar with private education, perhaps?

You are pretty lucky to get any foreign language input in a state primary, but that's not to say wrong is ok, of course. I am a non-native speaker and have taught groups of children (privately) very competently thank you!

Yes it's wrong, but I think you are all being very harsh. She is probably just an ordinary primary school teacher who may or may not have a GCSE in French, taken many years ago. THe HT is probably the one that foisted teaching French on to her as teaching MFL in primary is now perceive to be 'a good thing'.

x posted, Marrow. Though a C at A level practically makes her French. I have heard of primary school teachers being asked to teach languages that they have never even studied at all.

Um, yeah, but what's the point of trying to teach kids another language if you're teaching even the very basics wrong!

I would rather my kids not learn maths, than be taught that 1+1=7, quite frankly! Same goes with any other subject, including languages!

Better to leave it until secondary school and have it taught properly, IMO...

How would you feel about taking driving lessons from someone who couldn't drive, or who told you the wrong road rules?

Agreed. If it can't be done properly, it would be preferable not to do it at all.

I would raise it with the school. Surely they can get someone qualified/fluent in French in a few hours a week to do the French lessons? If it's near me I'd gladly do it - I need some more work when DS2 starts school in September!

Dd is doing a bit of French at primary school, but they learn from a package relayed through the whiteboard - the presenter is French. Dd's teacher learns along with them.

It's ludicrous to have the normal teacher instructing the pupils in French if they haven't got a clue themselves. "Je suis huit ans" indeed. Sacre bleu! Next it will be "Je appelle John. Je vive en Londres." etc etc

Ooh even I know it's "j'ai" and I haven't done French since school!

Out of interest, if you say "je suis huit ans" what does that equate to? Why would it sound wrong to a French person?

erm, I hate to disillusion you, but secondary teachers don't always have better qualifications.

I trained as a secondary MFL teacher.

I had French A level (and a degree in other languages which were not deemed useful at the time - not standard European languages).

I had a 2 year, condensed teaching degree, the aim of which was to 'brush up' my French, and to also, in the year I spent at university (2nd year offsite in placement) 'bring me up to speed' in a second 'useful' language - in my case Spanish.

then, with one years' worth of learning, I was let loose on unsuspecting secondary Spanish students. alarming to say the least. (and tbh, i woudl not consider A level plus one year of 'brushing up' enough to teach secondary French either)

it is no wonder that MFL teaching/learning is in the state it is in in this country.

It's the same as saying "I be eight years" in English.

CalamityKate If you reverse the error, it is like saying in English 'I have eight years old.'. We say 'I am 8' they say 'I have 8 years'.

I agree with others, it's a basic error. I think a lot of primary teachers are having to teach languages they're not confident in now that it's compulsory. In my school we use a scheme on the whiteboard, without that I'd really struggle.