Meet Coucou!

Our Prep students have made a very special friend this semester: a cheeky little lorikeet named Coucou.

There is just one challenge when Coucou visits our classroom… he only speaks French! Whenever someone accidentally speaks English to him, he throws up his wings and replies dramatically, “Je ne comprends pas!” (“I don’t understand!”). The children quickly realise that if they want to talk to Coucou, they need to use their French.

Perhaps the funniest moment comes whenever we practise greetings. As soon as the class says “Coucou!” (a French way of saying “Hi!”), our puppet assumes everyone is calling for him and suddenly appears, ready for another conversation.

Coucou loves chatting with the students and asking questions. Thanks to him, our Prep students have become experts at asking and answering “Comment tu t’appelles ?” and “Comment ça va ?”

Unfortunately, Coucou is also incredibly forgetful. No matter how many times the children tell him their names with “Je m’appelle…”, he simply cannot remember them! Every lesson seems to begin with Coucou asking everyone their name all over again.

Sometimes, Coucou arrives in a rather grumpy mood. When we ask “Comment ça va ?”, he occasionally replies “Ça va mal !” The children immediately spring into action, cheering him up and trying to make him laugh. Of course, when they tell him jokes in French, Coucou usually responds with his favourite phrase: “Je ne comprends pas !” — which makes everyone laugh even more.

Despite being forgetful, dramatic, and occasionally confused, Coucou has become a much-loved member of our French classroom. Most importantly, he gives our Prep students a reason to use their French in real conversations. We never quite know what Coucou will do next, but we do know he will keep us laughing while we learn.

Primary French Teacher