Le Retour—Etienne and Teacher's Manual by Steven Langlois, Cindy Tracy (review)

Methods and Materials edited by Sarah Jourdain LANGLOIS, STEVEN, and CINDY TRACY. Le Retour—Etienne and Teacher's Manual. Atlanta, GA: World of Reading, 2008. ISBN 978-1-60702-648-8. Pp. 106. $39.99. Le Retour—Etienne, the eagerly awaited French music CD by Steven Langlois that builds upon his four previous CDs (Etienne, Chez moi, La Danse des araignées, and C'est le temps), has arrived. Known for teaching French grammar through contemporary music, such as rap and hip hop, Langlois also draws student attention to current issues of major importance, in particular, environmental conservation and the importance of studying French. Yes, there are still grammar songs accompanied by Langlois' instrumental creativity, but “Sauvez la planète” and “Pourquoi Take French” define this collection of songs. “Sauvez la planète” is a club dance song targeting comprehension and manipulation of key vocabulary for topics such as conservation and recycling. The familiar tune of the chorus chants the critical refrain [“Sauvez la planète, s'il vous plaît. Conservez! Recyclez! Economisez l'énergie. Echangez des idées.” (5)] that calls for a change in the way we consume. The verses provide students with encouragement and information regarding conservation, and are the perfect springboard for interdisciplinary discussions that move beyond the classroom and target the National Standard for Foreign Language Learning of connecting with other disciplines. “Pourquoi Take French?” is a rap song aimed at comprehension and manipulation of the fact that learning French is an invaluable asset by effectively mixing humor [“So he didn't take French, although he had the chance. So, check it, then one day he meets up with the girl of his dreams, a rare beauty like the ones up on the movie screens. He walks up to her and says ‘Shawty, how do you do?’ She says, ‘Je parle français. Parlez-vous?’” (60)] with concrete facts about the study of French [“French is the official language of UN and NATO, the Red Cross, the Olympics, and UNESCO.” (60)]. This song is a playful and creative advocacy tool for promoting the study of French. A brief outline of the other songs on the Le Retour—Etienne CD includes: 1. “Le Passé composé”—hard rock anthem focusing on regular -er, -ir, and -re verbs; 2. “The Flag Song”—dance track on the use and placement of pronouns from “me, te, se” to “leur, y, and en;” 3. “Des verbes irréguliers au passé composé”—hip hop song for the passé composé of common irregular verbs (“faire, être, dire, recevoir, avoir, rire, devoir, vouloir, savoir, apprendre, comprendre, promettre, mettre, écrire, permettre, connaître, surprendre”); 4. “Ma famille”—rock song covering key family vocabulary enhanced by intriguing brainteasers; 5. “Allô! Salut! Bonjour!”—hip hop song covering dozens of basic French expressions; 6. “Le monstre sous mon lit”—“scary” music that supports a descriptive art exercise; 7. “Des expressions avec être et avoir”—funky song covering several idiomatic expressions [“avoir froid, être enrhumé, être en retard, avoir peur de son chameau” (86)]; and, Reviews 435 8. “The Beauty of Discovery”—a heartwarming ballad from a FFLA/Glencoe McGraw-Hill song contest. Also included on the CD are instrumental versions of “Le monstre sous mon lit” and “Beauty of Discovery.” Le Retour—Etienne is both serious and playful and has something for everyone. Teachers will be pleased with the activities and support provided in the manual, most especially the “Guide d'anticipation” for prelistening support. Canisius College (NY) Eileen M. Angelini MCLACHLAN, ANGELA. French in the Primary Classroom: Ideas and Resources for the NonLinguist Teacher. London: Continuum, 2008. ISBN 978-0-8264-9896-0. Pp. 160. $49.95. French in the Primary Classroom is an exception to the well-known adage in that it is a book that can be judged by its cover, or at least by its title. This work is specifically intended for the elementary (or primary) school teacher who has little experience speaking or teaching French. Through its seven chapters, it supplies the non-linguist with pedagogical tips that are particularly useful for language teaching, yet that can be applied to more varied learning situations as well. It also arms its readers with...