Many of the websites used in this WebQuest provide students with the opportunity to explore them in either French or English (or both). This is intended to accommodate a range of capabilities among second-language students. As the goal of many Core French classrooms is to promote the use of the French language, it might be a good idea to establish goals with your students, such as spending at leat 10 minutes exploring a site in French before visiting the English version, etc.

As already mentioned, the purpose of this WebQuest is to introduce students to two great fixtures in the Francophone world of comics. This is an ideal starting point for the exploration of French literature as it provides students with authentic documents to which they can then respond. Tintin and Astérix comic books are genuine works that are created for a Francophone audience.

The BC Ministry of Education clearly states in its Prescribed Learning Outcomes that all Core French students are expected to:


As you can see, this WebQuest can be used (with some modifications) to meet the PLOs at every grade level. This WebQuest was initially designed for a Grade 10 Core French classroom. It is for this reason that students are required to:

Why Comics?

Comics are an ideal form of authentic creative works from the Francophone world, as they provide us with an easily accessible form of literature. Novels intended for an adolescent audience require an advanced grammatical structure, which may hinder comprehension and promote frustration in a second-language classroom. The purpose of introducing students to literature is to promote language development while providing students with an enjoyable aesthetic experience. Comic books meet these requirements perfectly. They are written for an adolescent audience and they provide an aesthetic experience, both visually and grammatically. If a second-language learner experiences difficulty understanding the text, then the graphic images of a comic book provide them with a context from which they can construct meaning, and deduce what is being expressed with little difficulty. If students are required to discuss and respond to literature, then it is imperative that they gain a concrete understanding of what they are reading. Astérix and Tintin adventures provide second-language students with such an authentic, yet easily accessible, novel-like experience.

Evaluation and Assessment

In completing this WebQuest, students will be visiting sites and answering questions and making comparisons, which they may record in a Word Document which can be printed, completed and submitted. Student learning via this WebQuest can be easily documented through their completion of the Astérix vs. Tintin worksheet that they are required to fill out as they complete the assignment. Once students turn in their Astérix vs. Tintin worksheets, there is an opportunity for further assessment as students are required to read an adventure of their choice and prepare a compte-rendu to share with their classmates. As an instructor it is up to you as to how to proceed with this activity. There are many different styles for preparing book reports, and I leave it to you to select a template that suits your needs as a teacher.  You may also wish to have students present their compte-rendus in front of the class, or for students to hold mini-conferences with each other where they can discuss and compare their experiences. Rubrics (teacher evaluations and/or student self-assessments) can be created for either activity, providing you with a opportunity to docmuent student learning via this WebQuest.