This French scheme of work video introduces teachers to the skills needed to help Key stage 2 pupils become language detectives when working with authentic French texts. It explores how to encourage pupils to use strategies such as recognising cognates, scanning for familiar words and predicting meaning from context, so they gain confidence in approaching unfamiliar vocabulary. The video demonstrates each step, from guided reading and comprehension activities to independent detective desks, where pupils highlight and share their discoveries.

This video is part of Kapow Primary’s Language teacher video resources. It simplifies the process, ensuring teachers feel confident and prepared to support the pupils in developing resilience as readers of authentic texts. With the example of a recipe for ratatouille, the lesson combines cultural understanding with practical activities such as role-play shopping and cooking, helping pupils experience the success of their detective work in an engaging and memorable way.

French, key stage 2, Year 5, Unit 3: Shopping in France, Lesson 5: French detectives in the kitchen