When I first started writing stories for my classes, it was an attempt to bridge the gap between the textbook-based curriculum my district had adopted and the comprehensible-input methods that I really wanted to implement. I would look at the vocabulary lists and grammar points that were covered in each chapter and try to whip up little stories that included as many of those language pieces as possible. I know that many of you may be doing similar work now, as you try to balance the expectations that exist in your schools with your own instructional aspirations.

Over time, I came to really enjoy this process of making the textbook units more comprehensible. As I developed stories for each chapter, I was able to rely less and less on the textbook, and more and more on the CI techniques that I love so much.

Today, I am excited to share another one of these stories with you. I created this reading, called Marcel à la gare, for a unit on train travel. You can find it here on my Teachers Pay Teachers page.

Marcel à la gare is a fun, novice-level story about a boy who is taking a train trip with his family. The reading includes vocabulary related to activities that occur at a train station, such as waiting in line and buying tickets. It also emphasizes the verbs voyager, attendre,  faire, and entendre. The story is written in the present and near-future tense (with one instance of the future tense!). Along with the reading, I have included comprehension questions, a dictée, a listen-and-draw activity, and a free write prompt.

If you think this story could help you make one of your upcoming units more comprehensible, or help you fill out your classroom reading library, I hope you will check it out!

And if you want to learn more about writing your own stories, I would encourage you check out this post by the wonderful Martina Bex!

Merci et à bientôt!