• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • About
  • Newsletter
  • Speaking Activities
  • Beginning French
  • Intermediate/Advanced
  • Unit Bundles
  • Free French Resources
  • Shop

Mme R's French Resources

December 16, 2022

Classroom management strategies: Tips for French class

ShareTweetGooglePinterestMail

Good classroom management strategies make teaching so much easier! Teaching a foreign language can be challenging, and even more so if the students are learning it for the first time. As a French teacher, you know how important it is to encourage your students to speak the language and follow class rules, but that doesn’t always happen so easily.

I’m lucky to have lots of teacher friends in the Instagram community! I reached out to French teachers on IG and asked them to share classroom management strategies from their classrooms. Are you ready to foster enthusiasm for learning French with maximum engagement and minimal disruption?

Here are five classroom management strategies.

Encourage students to speak in French.

One of the best ways to learn a language is by speaking it out loud. Make sure your classroom is an environment where everyone feels comfortable practicing their French skills. You can do this by allowing students to participate in conversations (even if they don’t always get it right) and providing positive reinforcement whenever they use the language correctly.


Lucy from For French Immersion is “It might sound simple and even obvious, but focus more on complimenting students who make an effort to speak French instead of calling out the ones who don’t. Positive reinforcement is always a better investment of your time and energy because it usually pays off.”

It’s also important to set clear expectations regarding when students should switch from English to French. At a certain point in the less, you can require all students to ask questions or make comments in French.

Be clear about homework expectations.

If you are going to assign homework, it’s important to make sure students know the expectations. In my class, they know they are graded on their mastery of the material, because homework is never more than 10% of the grade. I usually assign homework each week and give the students time to work in class and ask questions.

For years, I picked up homework and graded it. Eventually, I got really sick of finding those papers in the recycling bin at the end of class. I was spending SO much time and students were not even looking! I started setting aside a part of the class each week to check homework for completion. I let students work together to correct it and/or ask me questions.

It’s also important to make sure that all homework assignments are clearly communicated in class. This avoids confusion about what needs to be done and when it needs to be turned in. For the first month of school, I like to set aside a few minutes at the start of class to have students write the assignment in their planners. This sets up the routine that I expect them to follow or the rest of the year.

Set Clear Rules.

It’s important that you set clear rules for your classroom right away so that everyone knows what you expect of them during lessons. This includes rules about things like respecting each other’s opinions, raising hands before speaking, not using phones during class time, and staying on task while completing assignments or participating in discussions. By setting expectations early on, you can help create an atmosphere of respect in your classroom that encourages learning without distractions or disruptions.

Jessica from Crafting a French Blend has a really great anchor chart for helping students remember what work time should look, sound, and feel like. She created the list with her students so they could come up withe the ideas (which is always a great way to get student buy-in!)

Mme Caroline says, “Really really think about your routines. What do you want your students to do during transitions? Keeping calm is key! I have a specific tidy up song. We use it exclusively and the kids learn quickly what to do and they do it automatically. When they’re done, I ask them to put their heads on their desk and wait quietly. When their entire group is ready, then they can be dismissed, receive a recompense, etc.”

Create the environment you want.

Students don’t act the same in every classroom. They pick up a lot from you, your energy, and your expectations. When I’m busy and stressed, my students feel it. When I’m prepared and ready to work, so are they. I like things neat and tidy, so part of the creating the environment for me means
keeping my classroom in order, even if it means taking a few extra minutes each day and/or at lunch.

When you have a really challenging group of kids, it can be so easy to get try to talk over them or to show your frustration. While it is a natural reaction, it’s not going to get you the results you want. Talk quieter, be calmer, and they will, too.

Mme Biljana says, “One favourite is just to set the tone in the space: if you are calm, the students will reflect that back to you. 💛”

Reward Good Behavior.

Reward good behavior with praise or small incentives like stickers or classroom tokens. This will encourage your students to continue following the rules and engaging positively with their peers and material. You may also want to consider holding competitions between classes or within individual classes. These can help motivate everyone involved while also giving them an opportunity to practice their spoken French skills!

I love this idea from @hoylehome : She uses billets to reward participation and being helpful to her or others. Each month, she selects a billet and the student drawn can shop at “le trésor de Mme.” She also selects students for small gift cards to snack places in the neighborhood.

Chantal likes to set group goals with her classes. She says, “Put beads or marbles or rocks or whatever in a jar when you see the positive behaviour your students are working on. Reward with an experience (vote) like a picnic lunch in the gym or watch an episode or extra games or show and tell or whatever, but make it easy for you and free and fun.”

Classroom management is one of the most important aspects of teaching a foreign language like French successfully — but it doesn’t have to be daunting! With these five classroom management strategies, you’ll be able to foster an environment where everyone feels comfortable expressing themselves while still staying focused on learning effectively.

Bonne chance!

Filed Under: Classroom management Ashley Leave a Comment

Reader Interactions

More songs for French class
Maximizing French Mastery Through Spiral Review

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I accept the Privacy Policy

Primary Sidebar

French-speaking-activities
French paperless task cards
French-vocabulary-grammar-units
French reading comprehension activities
French vocabulary and verb worksheets
Games for French class

mmersfrenchresources

mmersfrenchresources
♥It's February! ♥⁣ ⁣ I love seasonal activ ♥It's February! ♥⁣
⁣
I love seasonal activities, but sometimes there just isn't a lot of time to spend on holiday-themed words. My Valentine's Day pack is filled with speaking and writing activities but there are also Valentine's themed activities for reviewing the French grammar your students are probably already learning! ⁣
⁣
⁣
#frenchteachers #frenchresources #mmersfrenchresources #corefrench #profdefrançais #worldlanguageteachers #targetlanguage #teachingfrench #enseignement #enseigner #teachfrench #frenchactivity #middleschoolfrench #teachersofinsta #igteachers
♥Février♥⁣ ⁣ I love chocolates and days g ♥Février♥⁣
⁣
I love chocolates and days getting a little longer.⁣
⁣
What is your favorite part of February?
Looking for some new French Youtube channels to he Looking for some new French Youtube channels to help your core French or French immersion students?Here are some of my favorite channels for French learners.⁣
⁣
#frenchimmersion #enseignement #worldlanguageteachers #mmersfrenchresources #frenchteachers #teachingfrench #profdefrançais #worldlanguageteacher #françaislangue #frenchteacher #frenchvocabulary #frenchteachersoninstagram
What are you up to this weekend?⁣ ⁣ Tomorrow i What are you up to this weekend?⁣
⁣
Tomorrow is my birthday, so all I'm asking is that I don't have to cook dinner! 😆
❄HIVER❄⁣ ⁣ Who loves Boom Cards? ⁣ ⁣ T ❄HIVER❄⁣
⁣
Who loves Boom Cards? ⁣
⁣
These interactive cards are a fun, no-prep activity to practice vocabulary AND they provide instant feedback, because they are self-checking!⁣
⁣
Find the link to this winter-themed set in my bio @mmersfrenchresources⁣
⁣
⁣
#frenchteachers #frenchresources #mmersfrenchresources #corefrench #profdefrançais #worldlanguageteachers #targetlanguage #teachingfrench #enseignement #enseigner #teachfrench #boomcardsenfrançais #boomlearning #boomcards #frenchboomcards
C'EST L'HIVER!⁣ ⁣ Wish you had some no-prep ac C'EST L'HIVER!⁣
⁣
Wish you had some no-prep activities to practice ⁣
winter vocabulary? This activity pack is perfect for Core French beginners, and all you have to do is print and go! ⁣
⁣
Use it as the base of a winter unit, keep it for sub plans, or let early finishers work on it for fun. ⁣
⁣
Find the link in my bio @mmersfrenchresources⁣
⁣
⁣
#frenchteachers #frenchresources #mmersfrenchresources #corefrench #profdefrançais #worldlanguageteachers #targetlanguage #teachingfrench #enseignement #enseigner #teachfrench #printandgo #teachersofinstagram #teacherspayteachers #vocabulaire #middleschoolfrench
Here's a throwback to my college days!⁣ ⁣ Anyo Here's a throwback to my college days!⁣
⁣
Anyone know where this is? Hint: it's in France. ⁣
⁣
If you think you know, leave a comment! No idea? Scroll down for the answer. ☺⁣
⁣
.⁣
.⁣
.⁣
.⁣
.⁣
.⁣
.⁣
.⁣
⁣
This is a place I visited in college, because it wasn't too terribly far from where I lived, and I love to explore.⁣
⁣
On weekends, I'd often take the train to Nantes, but sometimes we'd go further to the coast of Brittany.⁣
⁣
This was taken near the coast at Carnac. There are thousands of these stones at the site, and they are estimated to have been placed there as early as 5000 BC. There are a lot of different theories about why the stones are there.⁣
⁣
I've linked the Brittany tourism site in my bio in case you want to learn more or maybe discover a little more with your classes.⁣
⁣
#frenchculture #frenchteacher #frenchteachers #carnac #enseignement #worldlanguageteachers #frenchclass #frenchteachers #corefrench #teachertravels #mmersfrenchresources
ER verbs⁣ ⁣ I love teaching verbs! They don't ER verbs⁣
⁣
I love teaching verbs! They don't have to be boring, and students don't have to struggle.⁣
⁣
With the right mix of speaking and writing activities that build upon themselves, students can gain confidence as they work through the activity pages.⁣
⁣
With an English and a French version, you can easily differentiate and use the same resource for core and immersion. ⁣
⁣
Find the link in my bio @mmersfrenchresources⁣
⁣
⁣
#frenchteachers #frenchresources #mmersfrenchresources #corefrench #profdefrançais #worldlanguageteachers #targetlanguage #teachingfrench #enseignement #enseigner #teachfrench #frenchverbs #highschoolfrench#middleschoolfrench #frenchtpt #teacherspayteachers #teachersofig
Speaking tips⁣ ⁣ Getting students speaking can Speaking tips⁣
⁣
Getting students speaking can be tricky, but it's not impossible! Swipe through to grab some ideas for improving oral communication in your French classroom.⁣
⁣
⁣
#frenchteachers #frenchresources #mmersfrenchresources #corefrench #profdefrançais #worldlanguageteachers #targetlanguage #teachingfrench #enseignement #enseigner #teachfrench #frenchteacher #frenchimmersion
PREFERENCES ⁣ ⁣ This or that is such a fun and PREFERENCES ⁣
⁣
This or that is such a fun and easy way to help beginners start ⁣
speaking! This winter-themed preferences activity is a fun way to bring in some new vocabulary with a format that is simple to follow!⁣
⁣
Includes a Venn diagram, printable vocabulary list, and 2 versions so you can choose which vocabulary terms work best for you.⁣
⁣
Find the link in my bio @mmersfrenchresources⁣
⁣
#frenchclass #frenchteacher #profdefrançais #profdefle #⁣
#enseignement #frenchteachers #worldlanguageteachers #teachingfrench #frenchimmersion #corefrench #frenchresources #iteachfrench #targetlanguage
Do you use my free New Year's Resolutions activiti Do you use my free New Year's Resolutions activities as part of your plans in January?⁣
⁣
I've updated it for 2023, so be sure to grab the update! ⁣
⁣
If you're on my email list, you this was sent in your email today. Not on the list but would love to have this? You can sign up at the link in my bio @mmersfrenchresources and you'll get it right to your inbox!⁣
⁣
⁣
⁣
#frenchteachers #frenchresources #mmersfrenchresources #corefrench #profdefrançais #worldlanguageteachers #targetlanguage #teachingfrench #enseignement #enseigner #teachfrench #frenchimmersion # #teacher #newyears
C'EST L'HIVER!⁣ ⁣ Grab a winter freebie and sa C'EST L'HIVER!⁣
⁣
Grab a winter freebie and save yourself some time when you go back in January!⁣
⁣
This no-prep winter freebie is a fun way to help beginners get started writing in French. ⁣
⁣
Find the link in my bio @mmersfrenchresources⁣
#frenchteachers #frenchresources #mmersfrenchresources #corefrench #profdefrançais #worldlanguageteachers #targetlanguage #teachingfrench #enseignement #enseigner #teachfrench
Happy holidays!⁣ ⁣ I wish you and your loved o Happy holidays!⁣
⁣
I wish you and your loved ones a very peaceful and happy holiday season. ♥⁣
⁣
If you're celebrating Christmas today, Joyeux Noël !
Winter is here!⁣ ⁣ What is your favorite part Winter is here!⁣
⁣
What is your favorite part of winter?⁣
⁣
For me, it's all about my fireplace! I'm in front of it from now until April! 🤣
PRACTICING VOCABULARY⁣ ⁣ Finding ways to have PRACTICING VOCABULARY⁣
⁣
Finding ways to have students practice vocabulary is really important, but it's easy to get stuck in a rut! In a recent blog post, I shared some of my favorite ways to practice vocabulary that require little or no-prep!⁣
⁣
Find the link in my bio @mmersfrenchresources⁣
⁣
#frenchclass #highschoolfrench #middleschoolfrench #teachingideas #frenchteacher #profsfrancofun #profdefrançais #teachingfrench #teachfrench #frenchresources #frimm #corefrench #frenchimmersion
BOOM CARDS⁣ ⁣ How fun are Boom Cards for pract BOOM CARDS⁣
⁣
How fun are Boom Cards for practicing French vocabulary?⁣
⁣
We love them so much, because they are so engaging! The self-checking feature makes it so easy for students to know exactly how they are doing.⁣
⁣
Bonus? They are perfect for students who do not love paper-pencil tasks!⁣
⁣
You can find this winter themed set at the link in my bio @mmersfrenchresources⁣
⁣
#boomcards #boomlearning #frenchboomcards #mmersfrenchresources #frenchresources #corefrench #frenchimmersion #frenchteacher #frenchclass
Someone is in love with the tree! Someone is in love with the tree!
THIS OR THAT⁣
⁣
What are your favorites?⁣
⁣
I'm chocolates, sugar cookies, and hot chocolate over here!
I love having no-prep activities right before a br I love having no-prep activities right before a break, because there's already so much to do!⁣
⁣
This Christmas pack is filled with fun no-prep speaking and writing activities that are perfect for beginners. This is great if you teach multiple levels, because it has different levels of activities.⁣
⁣
You can find the link to my Christmas pack in my bio @mmersfrenchresources⁣
⁣
⁣
#frenchteachers #frenchresources #mmersfrenchresources #corefrench #profdefrançais #worldlanguageteachers #targetlanguage #teachingfrench #enseignement #enseigner #teachfrench #frenchteachers #happyclassroom #profdefle
Want to do something seasonal without using Christ Want to do something seasonal without using Christmas-themed vocabulary?⁣
⁣
Find some of my favorite winter-themed resources for writing, vocabulary, and paperless learning at my blog!⁣
⁣
You can find the link to the post in my bio @mmersfrenchresources⁣
⁣
⁣
⁣
⁣
⁣
#frenchteachers #frenchresources #mmersfrenchresources #corefrench #profdefrançais #worldlanguageteachers #targetlanguage #teachingfrench #enseignement #enseigner #teachfrench
Load More Follow on Instagram

Footer

Still Looking for Something?

  • Home
  • Free French Resources
  • Beginning French
  • Intermediate/Advanced
  • Speaking Activities
  • Unit Bundles
  • Privacy Policy
  • Shop

© 2015 Mme R's French Resources · Customised By: Laine Sutherland Designs

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. You can view our privacy policy here. Accept
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT