This Kapow pupil video is part of the Kapow French scheme of work. It introduces pupils to the nasal vowel sound un, where the air comes out through both the nose and the mouth. This sound is especially common in French as it not only means “one” but is also the word “a” used with masculine nouns, so pupils will hear it and use it very often.

The video explores this sound in context, showing examples of words where it appears. Pupils practise the sound through “mouth mechanics,” beginning by saying the middle part of the English word tongue while keeping their tongue low and flat in the mouth. They are encouraged to notice how the sound feels different from English vowels, as it resonates in the throat and nose. The video then challenges pupils to listen carefully and count how many times they can hear the un sound in a short passage before checking together. It ends by encouraging pupils to recall other words from their French learning that also use this nasal vowel.

French, key stage 2, Year 3, Unit 3: French playground games – numbers and age, Lesson 1: Let’s count in French