Peer Review

Jeu de l'oie

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Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:: Le jeu de l'oie is an ingenious, motivating site for the practice of French
grammar in a game-based format. Novices, beginners, and intermediate learners of
French can review and fine-tune their mastery of grammar on an independent
basis. Additionally, teachers can use the game as a group activity whereby
learners 'discover' the rule of grammar through induction. The format is a board
game, the object of which is to get the goose along a path and to home. For
each multiple choice grammar question answered correctly, the goose moves the
number of spaces indicated on the dice. For every incorrect answer (feedback for
which is very good), the goose moves back the number of spaces indicated on the
dice. In addition to grammar practice at three proficiency levels, each level
has a vocabulary exercise that introduces/reinforces vocabulary associated with
a real person.
Type of Material:: Game
Recommended Uses:: Individual or group work
Technical Requirements:: Runs well on Explorer or Opera, Netscape has errors in graphics
Needs Java 2 plug-in version 1.3
Identify Major Learning Goals:: Grammar and vocabulary practice
Target Student Population:: Novice, beginning, and intermediate
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:: Some basic instruction in French is necessary for the beginning level. First
semester French students will be able to use the site in a matter of weeks.

Rating:
Strengths:: What would otherwise be fairly uninteresting content,simple French grammar
drills, is rendered captivating by the format of this site. An electronic board
game motivates learners to answer grammar-based, multiple choice questions
correctly to move the goose towards her home. The multiple choice questions are
grouped in such a way that learners can easily deduce the focal rule(s). All
instruction is done in the target language, making this module accessible to
learners of French around the world.

Rating:
Strengths:: The range of grammar points makes this a versatile site that can be used to
introduce, reinforce, and/or review key rules and regularities of the language.
As homework, the attractive game format is motivational and certainly encourages
time on task. As a group activity, both the grammar rules and the rules of the
game can inspire lively conversation in the target language.

While Jeu de l'oie is effective for users of any age, it is particularly
suitable for the young. There are few drill modules available on the web that
appeal as well to young learners. Even though it is easy to find simple multiple

choice and cloze exercises at other sites, their textbook-like exercises do not
always engage the young learner.The competitive aspect of this game encourages
the user to persist. Questions are recycled throughout the game to reinforce
concepts.

Rating:
Strengths:: Very clear instructions in the target language. These are accompanied by visual
illustrations of the instructions so that even low-proficiency students will
comprehend.

The layout of the boardgame and the task involved in manipulating the goose is
elegant in its simplicity. The author has invited other educators to make their
own jeu de l'oie games which are included on the site. He is to be commended for

his efforts to build a community of developers of effective online materials for
French instruction. The external links on the site refer to other modules
authored by Thierry Perrot, including POLAR FLE and Lexiquefle,which have both
peer reviewed in MERLOT.