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French Phonics Collection�

SSC [-aill-/ail]

Artwork by: Chloé Motard

Date updated: 30/08/2022

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SSC [-aill-/ail]

phonétique

Introduction

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-aill-/-ail

taille

Timing: 1 minute

Aim: To introduce SSC [-aill-/-ail]

Procedure:�1. Present the letter(s) and say the [-aill-/-ail] sound first, on its own. Students repeat it with you.�2. Bring up the word ”taille” on its own, say it, students repeat it, so that they have the opportunity to focus all of their attention on the connection between the written word and its sound.

3. A possible gesture for this would be to start with hands together and move them apart, representing varying size.�4. Roll back the animations and work through 1-3 again, but this time, dropping your voice completely to listen carefully to the students saying the [-aill-/-ail] sound, pronouncing ”taille” and, if using, doing the gesture.

Word frequency (1 is the most frequent word in French):

taille [1500]

Source: Londsale, D., & Le Bras, Y. (2009). A Frequency Dictionary of French: Core vocabulary for learners London: Routledge.

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-aill-/-ail

taille

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-aill-/-ail

taille

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-aill-/-ail

taille

ail

détail

travailler

[to work]

medaille

ailleurs

[garlic]

[elsewhere]

[detail]

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�

Rachel Hawkes

Timing: 2 minutes

Aim: To introduce SSC [-aill-/-ail]

Procedure:

Introduce and elicit the pronunciation of the individual SSC [-aill-/-ail] and then the source word again ‘taille’ (with gesture, if using).�Then present and elicit the pronunciation of the five cluster words.�The cluster words have been chosen for their high-frequency, from a range of word classes, with the SSC (where possible) positioned within a variety of syllables within the words (e.g. initial, 2^nd, final etc.). Additionally, we have tried to use words that build cumulatively on previously taught SSCs (see the Phonics Teaching Sequence document) and do not include new SSCs. Where new SSCs are used, they are often consonants which have a similar symbol-sound correspondence in English.�

Word frequency (1 is the most frequent word in French): �taille [1500]; ail [>5000]; détail[318]; médaille [3361] travailler [290]; ailleurs [360].�Source: Londsale, D., & Le Bras, Y. (2009). A Frequency Dictionary of French: Core vocabulary for learners London: Routledge.

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-aill-/-ail

taille

détail

travailler

medaille

ailleurs

ail

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�

Rachel Hawkes

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-aill-/-ail

taille

détail

travailler

medaille

ailleurs

ail

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�

Rachel Hawkes

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Phonétique

écouter / écrire

SSC [-ail-/aille]

sounds like a ‘yih’ sound after SSC [a].

This is similar to the [-ill-/ille] vs [i] pattern we practised last week.

Say these words:

à

[at, to, in]

ail

[garlic]

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Phonétique (1/2)

écouter

Écoute ! Quel mot a la SSC [-ail-/aille] ?


a) il a	b) il aille

2


a) ailleurs	b) à l’heure

4

[elsewhere]

[on time]

___

_


a) tas	b) taille

[pile]

[size]

___


a) pas	b) paille

[straw]

[step]

___

3

1

[he has]

[he may go]

Hint

SSC [-ail-/aille]

sounds like a ‘yih’ sound after SSC [a].

Timing: 5 minutes (for two slides)

Aim: aural recognition of SSCs [-ail-/aille] and [a] in minimal pairs. Awareness-raising exercise in pronunciation of [-il(le)-] (sounds like the preceding vowel + ‘yih’.)

Procedure:

1. Click the numbers to play the audio.

2. Students write 1-8 and complete the word with [a] or

3. Click to reveal the answers. Draw attention to the SFC on many of the distractors.

4. Students sound out the pairs of words.

5. Move to the next slide and repeat steps 1-4.

Transcript:

1. a) tas b) taille

2. a) il a b) il aille

3. a) pas b) paille

4. a) ailleurs b) à l’heure

Word frequency (1 is the most frequent word in French): �tas [2723], taille [1500], il [13], avoir [8], aller [53], pas [18], paille [>5000], ailleurs [360], heure [99]

Source: Londsale, D., & Le Bras, Y. (2009). A Frequency Dictionary of French: Core vocabulary for learners London: Routledge.

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Phonétique (2/2)

[lease]


a) bail	b) bas

écouter

Écoute ! Quel mot a le SSC [-ail-/aille] ?

Hint

SSC [-ail-/aille]

sounds like a ‘yih’ sound after SSC [a].

5


a) rat	b) rail

6


a) d’État	b) détail

7


a) caille	b) cas

8

[of the state]

[detail]

[quail]

[scenario]

[rail]

___

[bottom]

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Phonétique

parler

allumer

[to turn on]

bétail [cattle]

parallèle [parallel]

également [also / as well]

taille-crayon

chaleur

[heat]

installer [to install]

intervalle [interval]

éventail [range / variety]

détailler [to describe]

tailler

[to trim]

défaillance [failure]

ballon

60

secondes

0

DÉBUT

broussaille [bush / thicket]

cheval

Hint

Is there a letter ‘i’ before the -ll- ?

balle

Timing: 5 minutes

Aim: Oral production of words containing ‘l/ll’ after ‘a’ and ‘ai’

Procedure:

1. Start the timer.

2. Students have one minute to try to say all the words correctly to a partner.

3. Teacher circulates to listen in to pronunciation and correct if necessary.

4. Click on the words to hear them said by a native speaker.

5. Click to move on to a more challenging versions of this activity with an increase in speed to aid automisation of the sounds.

Word frequency (1 is the most frequent word in French): �allumer [3169], balle [2311], ballon [3692], bétail [4842], broussaille [>5000], chaleur [2773], cheval [2220], défaillance [3951], détailler [2667], également [246], éventail [4621], intervalle [3226], parallèle [2196], taille-crayon [>5000], tailler [3802], installer [821]

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SSC [-aill-/ail]

phonétique

Consolidation [1]

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-aill-/-ail

taille

Timing: 2 minutes for four SSC slides.

Aim: To consolidate SSC [-aill-/-ail]

Procedure:�1. Present the letter(s) and say the [-aill-/-ail] sound first, on its own. Students repeat it with you.�2. Bring up the word ”taille” on its own, say it, students repeat it, so that they have the opportunity to focus all of their attention on the connection between the written word and its sound.

3. A possible gesture for this would be to start with hands together and move them apart, representing varying size.�4. Roll back the animations and work through 1-3 again, but this time, dropping your voice completely to listen carefully to the students saying the [-aill-/-ail] sound, pronouncing ”taille” and, if using, doing the gesture.

Word frequency (1 is the most frequent word in French):

taille [1500]

Source: Londsale, D., & Le Bras, Y. (2009). A Frequency Dictionary of French: Core vocabulary for learners London: Routledge.

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-aill-/-ail

taille

ail

détail

travailler

[to work]

medaille

ailleurs

[garlic]

[elsewhere]

[detail]

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�

Rachel Hawkes

Timing: 2 minutes

Aim: To introduce SSC [-aill-/-ail]

Procedure:

Introduce and elicit the pronunciation of the individual SSC [-aill-/-ail] and then the source word again ‘taille’ (with gesture, if using).�Then present and elicit the pronunciation of the five cluster words.�The cluster words have been chosen for their high-frequency, from a range of word classes, with the SSC (where possible) positioned within a variety of syllables within the words (e.g. initial, 2^nd, final etc.). Additionally, we have tried to use words that build cumulatively on previously taught SSCs (see the Phonics Teaching Sequence document) and do not include new SSCs. Where new SSCs are used, they are often consonants which have a similar symbol-sound correspondence in English.�

Word frequency (1 is the most frequent word in French): �taille [1500]; ail [>5000]; détail[318]; médaille [3361] travailler [290]; ailleurs [360].�Source: Londsale, D., & Le Bras, Y. (2009). A Frequency Dictionary of French: Core vocabulary for learners London: Routledge.

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Phonétique

phonétique

Remember! These SSCs sound like a vowel + ‘yih’:

[-eil/eill]

= è + ‘yih’

[-ouil/ouill]

= ou + ‘yih’

[-euil/euill]

= long eu/œ + ‘yih’

[-ail/aill]

= a + ‘yih’

e.g. oreille

e.g. brouillard

e.g. feuille

e.g. taille

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Phonétique

		[-aill-/-ail]	[-eill-/-eil]	[-ouill-/-ouil]	[-euill-/-euil]
la pagaille	chaos
l’œillade	wink
l’orteil	toe
le deuil	grief
mouiller	to wet
conseiller	to advise
la maille	stitch
ouille !	ouch !

1

2

3

4

__

5

6

7

8

__

Écoute les mots et choisis la bonne SSC.

écouter

Timing: 5 minutes

Aim: Aural recognition of SSCs [-aill-/-ail], [-eill-/-eil], [-ouill-/-ouil] and [-euill-/-euil] in isolated words.

Procedure:

1. Click on the number to play the audio. Remind students that they should focus on the part of the word which is covered, and listen for ‘vowel+ yih’.

2. Students choose which of the SSCs the word contains.

3. Click to reveal answers.

4. Play the words again. Students repeat.

Transcript:

1. la pagaille

2. l’œillade

3. l’orteil

4. le deuil

5. mouiller

6. conseiller

7. la maille

8. ouille !

Word frequency of unknown words used (1 is the most frequent word in French):

pagaille [>5000], œillade [>5000], orteil [>5000], deuil [3540], mouiller [>5000], conseiller [970], maille [>5000], ouille [>5000]

Source: Londsale, D., & Le Bras, Y. (2009). A Frequency Dictionary of French: Core vocabulary for learners London: Routledge.

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Rolecards for printing

Partenaire A

1. L’écur___ recu___e un évent___ de c___oux.�2. Un épouvant___ assis dans un faut___ surv___ des citr___es.

Partenaire B

3. Les filles merv___euses pi___ent au cons___er à l’acc___.

4. Les ab___es et les bouvr___s débr___ent les tas de p___.

Partenaire A

1. L’écur___ recu___e un évent___ de c___oux.�2. Un épouvant___ assis dans un faut___ surv___ des citr___es.

Partenaire B

3. Les filles merv___euses pi___ent au cons___er à l’acc___.

4. Les ab___es et les bouvr___s débr___ent les tas de p___.

Partenaire A

1. L’écur___ recu___e un évent___ de c___oux.�2. Un épouvant___ assis dans un faut___ surv___ des citr___es.

Partenaire B

3. Les filles merv___euses pi___ent au cons___er à l’acc___.

4. Les ab___es et les bouvr___s débr___ent les tas de p___.

Timing: 6 minutes. This is slide 1/5.

Aim: Oral production of sentences containing SSCs [-aill-/-ail], [-eill-/-eil], [-euill-/-euil], and [-ouill-/-ouil]; fluency of production.

Procedure:

1. Print and distribute the role cards on this slide.

2. Student B faces the board, Student A turns away. Display slide 31.

3. Students B reads the sentences aloud, two or three times depending on the needs of the class. Student A listens and fills in the gaps in sentence 1 of the rolecard.

4. Click on the audio button to hear the sentence said aloud by a native speaker. Student A uses this to check their writing.

5. Student A turns back to the board to self-correct.

6. Display slide 32 and repeat steps 2-5.

7. Students swap roles. Repeat steps 2-5 with slides 33 and 34.

Word frequency of unknown words used (1 is the most frequent word in French):

abeille [>5000], accueil [2541], bafouiller [>5000], bain [3458], bouiller [>5000], caillou [>5000], cocktail [4992], conseiller [577], écureuil [>5000], éventail [4621], feuilleter [>5000], leur [35], maillot [>5000], mail [>5000], médaille [3361], merveilleux [2209], paille [>5000], piaille [>5000], portail [>5000], recueillir [>1230]

Source: Londsale, D., & Le Bras, Y. (2009). A Frequency Dictionary of French: Core vocabulary for learners London: Routledge.

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Réponses

écouter / parler

L’écureuil recueille un éventail de cailloux.�The squirrel is collecting a range of stones.

1

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Réponses

écouter / parler

Un épouvantail assis dans un fauteuil surveille des citrouilles.�A scarecrow sitting in an armchair is keeping an eye on the pumpkins.

2

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Réponses

écouter / parler

Les filles merveilleuses piaillent au conseiller à l'accueil. �The brilliant girls are complaining to the advisor at the reception.

3

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Réponses

écouter / parler

Les abeilles et les bouvreuils débrouillent les tas de paille.�The bees and the bullfinches are arranging the piles of straw.

4

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SSC [-aill-/ail]

phonétique

Consolidation [2]

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-aill-/-ail

taille

Timing: 1 minute

Aim: To consolidate SSC [-aill-/-ail]

Procedure:�1. Present the letter(s) and say the [-aill-/-ail] sound first, on its own. Students repeat it with you.�2. Bring up the word ”taille” on its own, say it, students repeat it, so that they have the opportunity to focus all of their attention on the connection between the written word and its sound.

3. A possible gesture for this would be to start with hands together and move them apart, representing varying size.�4. Roll back the animations and work through 1-3 again, but this time, dropping your voice completely to listen carefully to the students saying the [-aill-/-ail] sound, pronouncing ”taille” and, if using, doing the gesture.

Word frequency (1 is the most frequent word in French):

taille [1500]

Source: Lonsdale, D., & Le Bras, Y. (2009). A Frequency Dictionary of French: Core vocabulary for learners London: Routledge.

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-aill-/-ail

taille

ail

détail

travailler

[to work]

medaille

ailleurs

[garlic]

[elsewhere]

[detail]

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�

Rachel Hawkes

Timing: 2 minutes

Aim: To introduce SSC [-aill-/-ail]

Procedure:

Introduce and elicit the pronunciation of the individual SSC [-aill-/-ail] and then the source word again ‘taille’ (with gesture, if using).�Then present and elicit the pronunciation of the five cluster words.�The cluster words have been chosen for their high-frequency, from a range of word classes, with the SSC (where possible) positioned within a variety of syllables within the words (e.g. initial, 2^nd, final etc.). Additionally, we have tried to use words that build cumulatively on previously taught SSCs (see the Phonics Teaching Sequence document) and do not include new SSCs. Where new SSCs are used, they are often consonants which have a similar symbol-sound correspondence in English.�

Word frequency (1 is the most frequent word in French): �taille [1500]; ail [>5000]; détail[318]; médaille [3361] travailler [290]; ailleurs [360].�Source: Londsale, D., & Le Bras, Y. (2009). A Frequency Dictionary of French: Core vocabulary for learners London: Routledge.

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Phonétique

phonétique

As you know, [-ill/ille] and [-ail/aill] sound like a vowel + ‘yih’:

Using this pattern, we have also learned how these SSCs sound:

[-eil/eill]

= è + ‘yih’

[-ouil/ouill]

= ou + ‘yih’

[-euil/euill]

= long eu/œ + ‘yih’

[-ill/ille]

= i + ‘yih’

[-ail/aill]

= a + ‘yih’

e.g. oreille

e.g. brouillard

e.g. feuille

Timing: 2 minutes

Aim: Consolidation of SSCs [-eil/eill], [-euil/euill], and [-ouil/ouill] and the idea of vowel + [-il/ill] to help students break down these less frequent SSCs.

Procedure:

1. Click to remind students of SSCs [-ill/ille] and [-ail/aill], drawing attention to the fact that they can be broken down into SSCs [i]/[a] + yih.

2. Click to bring up further SSC consolidation. Students say SSC [-eil/eill] following the pronunciation tips given.

3. Click to reveal ‘decoded’ pronunciation and example word (click picture to hear pronunciation).

4. Repeat for [-ouil/ouill] and [-euil/euill].

Word frequency of unknown words (1 is the most frequent word in French):

oreille [1884], feuille [2440], brouillard [4452]

Source: Lonsdale, D., & Le Bras, Y. (2009). A Frequency Dictionary of French: Core vocabulary for learners London: Routledge.

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ill-/-ille, -ail/-aille, -eil/-eille, -ouil/-ouille

SECONDES

30

0

DÉBUT

feuille

chandail

vitrail

oreille

travail

grenouille

médaille

parler

paille

famille

cheville

appareil

Marseille

éventail

soleil

bouteille

écureuil

corbeille

brouillard

fauteuil

détail

lentille

Timing: 3 minutes

Aim: Speaking practice of SSCs

Procedure:

1. Students work in pairs.

2. One at a time they have to say as many [ill-/-ille. -ail-/-aille, -eil/-eille, -euil/-euille, ouil/ouille.] words as possible in 30s.

3. The partner listens to make sure pronunciation is correct.

4. If they get one wrong, start again.

5. Swap roles.

6. Click on words to hear native pronunciation.

Transcript:

lentille

brouillard

Marseille

famille

travail

bouteille

vitrail

médaille

oreille

paille

corbeille

éventail

chandail

soleil

feuille

cheville

grenouille

appareil

écureuil

fauteuil

détail

Word frequency of cognates (1 is the most frequent word in French): lentille [>5000], brouillard [4452], famille [172], travail [153], bouteille [2979], vitrail [>5000], médaille [3361], oreille [1884], paille [>5000], ville [260], corbeille [>5000], éventail [4621], chandail [>5000], soleil [1713], feuille [2440], cheville [>5000], grenouille [>5000], appareil [1420], écureuil [>5000], fauteuil [2743], détail [318]�

Source: Lonsdale, D., & Le Bras, Y. (2009). A Frequency Dictionary of French: Core vocabulary for learners London: Routledge.

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Phonétique

	[-ill-/-ille]	[-ail-/aille]	[-eil/-eille]	[-euil/-euille]	[ouil/ouille]
bouillon
portefeuille
cons eil
pastille
acc ueill ir
orteil
trouvaille
bille s

___

_____

___

__

1

2

3

4

écouter / écrire

[broth]

[wallet]

[advice]

[tablet]

Écoute et complète les mots avec le bon SSC

5

6

7

8

___

[to welcome]

__

[toe]

____

[discovery]

__

[marbles]

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�

Rachel Hawkes