Want your students to practice their French language skills outside the classroom? Let’s face it : Learning a new language can be so much fun, but unless students are learning in an immersion setting, they are going to need a lot of practice outside of your classroom! It’s part of the ACTFL standards, so if you’re teaching in the U.S., it also something you probably are supposed to be teaching anyways!
When I started teaching, this one was not easy for me! I wanted them to continue learning outside the classroom, but I didn’t want it to feel like homework. I was giving them enough of that already! After playing with some ideas and getting student feedback, I found some fun ways to keep them engaged after school let out.
Here are some fun ways students can practice French language outside the classroom.
French foods
French food is amazing, so why not encourage students to practice their French language and learn some about some culture through food? If you have French restaurants in your area, that is a great place to start! If not, have students find French recipes online and bring in food to share? There are plenty of tutorials on Youtube for making French dishes like crepes, a croque-monsieur, or even a chocolat chaud like you’d find in France.
Digital streaming
A lot of families have a subscription to an online streaming network, and this is a great way to find French shows to watch at home. Just be sure to have them check the rating first, because not everything will be appropriate for school-aged kids!
You can also create or find French playlists on platforms like Spotify or Youtube to share with your students so they’re always able to listen to French music. Bonus if you have them research songs for you to add to the list!
Podcasts
There are a ton of French podcasts available for kids and adults alike. You can find short stories, culture, current events, and more. Just go to wherever you listen to podcasts and search French language. You’ll find a lot of different options!
I love this French podcast for francophones and advanced students. With episodes that only last about two minutes, they can easily listen a few times to catch everything, and they’ll learn a lot of really cool facts!
Technology
When my son was taking Spanish, his teacher asked students to practice on Duolingo the nights when they didn’t have homework. It was a fun way for him to practice at his own pace, and he learned things he was not seeing in class. As a French speaker, he thought it was fun to do the activities in French first, so I think his scores might have been a little influenced by that, but it was fun for him!
Pen pals
When I was in college, I had a few pen pals around the world, and it was an amazing way to use the languages I had learned. I’m still in touch with a few of them to this day, and we have met in real life! As a teacher, I’ve used epals with great success. You can choose the language, region, and age range, and it’s easy to find a teacher to exchange with.
Social media
Let’s face it – kids are on social media all the time. There are influencers in French, so why not use that as a way to learn? Whether it’s a French Youtube channel, an Instagram fashion account, or a TikTok gamer, there’s bound to be French language profiles that will interest every student.
You can also encourage to post updates or short videos in French, share interesting facts about French culture. This not only fosters a sense of community but also motivates consistent language practice.
Virtual field trips
These were obviously very popular during distance learning, but that doesn’t mean students can’t still do them now! You can set the language to French and have students explore some of their favorite places even from their homes. This virtual visit to the Louvre is one of my favorites!
Art Museums
And we can’t forget art museums! If you live in a city with an art museum, you might already have a trip planned to a permanent exhibit to see some French art. Don’t forget about traveling exhibits, too! As I’m writing this, there is a temporary Monet exhibit in our local museum.
If you don’t have the time or the funding for a museum trip, it’s definitely worth mentioning it to your students in case they want to go with their families. Any chance you can get to promote French language or culture both in and out of your classroom shouldn’t be missed!
Learning the French language should be an adventure that extends outside the classroom. The more fun opportunities for students to practice their French language skills, learn about culture, and find topics that interest them, the more engaged they’ll be in class.
Leave a Reply