French Teaching Resources

Articles Index

Create a French Magazine - French Class Project
Give your students an assignment to create a French magazine, with articles and ads. While this project is best suited for a final project and can be used as the basis for an end-of-term presentation, it can also be adapted for less time - whatever fits your schedule.

Write a Letter to Santa
In the run-up to Christmas, it can be especially difficult to keep students interested. Instead of fighting it, why not incorporate Christmas into the classroom? One fun and easy way to do this is to write a letter to Santa, in French.

French Quotations
Most language teachers find that there is a bit of dead time during class. This may occur at the beginning of class, as the students are arriving; at the end of class, as they are thinking about leaving; and right in the middle of class, when transitioning from one lesson to another. During this dead time, the best option is to spend five or ten minutes on a short, interesting activity, like this one with French quotations.

Make a Mardi Gras Mask - French Project
Mardi Gras, which means "fat Tuesday" in French, is celebrated in many francophone regions. Mardi Gras masks are a traditional part of this annual celebration, and making them is a fun and very creative project.

Spanish is Easier than French... Not!
Ever heard people say that Spanish is easier than French? Think it's true? Think again!

Warm-Up Activities and Fillers for the French Classroom
Most language teachers find that there is a bit of dead time during class. This may occur at the beginning of class, as the students are arriving; at the end of class, as they are thinking about leaving; and right in the middle of class, when transitioning from one lesson to another. During this dead time, the best option is to spend five or ten minutes on a short, interesting activity.

Building Sentences
Most language teachers find that there is a bit of dead time during class. This may occur at the beginning of class, as the students are arriving; at the end of class, as they are thinking about leaving; and right in the middle of class, when transitioning from one lesson to another. During this dead time, the best option is to spend five or ten minutes on a short, interesting activity, like building sentences.

Make French Flash Cards - French Project
Studying endless list of French vocabulary can get tedious, which doesn't do language students - or their teachers - any good. One way to make learning vocabulary more interesting and interactive is with the use of flash cards. Take a look at this article for information and tips on creating French flash cards and putting them to good use.

Keep a French Journal - French Project
There are any number of ways to practice French every day, and one easy and interesting one is to keep a French journal. This project, which can be done in class or independently, is fully adaptable for any level and duration.

Repetitions
Most language teachers find that there is a bit of dead time during class. This may occur at the beginning of class, as the students are arriving; at the end of class, as they are thinking about leaving; and right in the middle of class, when transitioning from one lesson to another. During this dead time, the best option is to spend five or ten minutes on a short, interesting activity, like Repetitions.

Accelerative Integrated Method (AIM)
The foreign language teaching methodology known as Accelerative Integrated Method (AIM) uses gestures, music, dance, and theater to help students learn.

Rounds
Most language teachers find that there is a bit of dead time during class. This may occur at the beginning of class, as the students are arriving; at the end of class, as they are thinking about leaving; and right in the middle of class, when transitioning from one lesson to another. During this dead time, the best option is to spend five or ten minutes on a short, interesting activity, like Rounds.

Teaching Combined-Level French Classes
Budget cuts and low interest in language are always bad news for French teachers, and one common solution is to combine different levels of French classes, particularly levels 3 and 4. While this is fine for the school budget, it can be very tricky for French teachers to meet the needs of both levels. Here are some ideas to keep your sanity while making the class interesting for your students.

Videos
Most language teachers find that there is a bit of dead time during class. This may occur at the beginning of class, as the students are arriving; at the end of class, as they are thinking about leaving; and right in the middle of class, when transitioning from one lesson to another. During this dead time, the best option is to spend five or ten minutes on a short, interesting activity, like Videos.

M & Ms
Most language teachers find that there is a bit of dead time during class. This may occur at the beginning of class, as the students are arriving; at the end of class, as they are thinking about leaving; and right in the middle of class, when transitioning from one lesson to another. During this dead time, the best option is to spend five or ten minutes on a short, interesting activity, like Mnms.

Meet your Neighbor
Most language teachers find that there is a bit of dead time during class. This may occur at the beginning of class, as the students are arriving; at the end of class, as they are thinking about leaving; and right in the middle of class, when transitioning from one lesson to another. During this dead time, the best option is to spend five or ten minutes on a short, interesting activity, like Neighbor.

Conversations
Most language teachers find that there is a bit of dead time during class. This may occur at the beginning of class, as the students are arriving; at the end of class, as they are thinking about leaving; and right in the middle of class, when transitioning from one lesson to another. During this dead time, the best option is to spend five or ten minutes on a short, interesting activity, like Conversations.

Categories
Most language teachers find that there is a bit of dead time during class. This may occur at the beginning of class, as the students are arriving; at the end of class, as they are thinking about leaving; and right in the middle of class, when transitioning from one lesson to another. During this dead time, the best option is to spend five or ten minutes on a short, interesting activity, like Categories.

Twenty Questions
Most language teachers find that there is a bit of dead time during class. This may occur at the beginning of class, as the students are arriving; at the end of class, as they are thinking about leaving; and right in the middle of class, when transitioning from one lesson to another. During this dead time, the best option is to spend five or ten minutes on a short, interesting activity, like Twenty Questions.

Name Game
Most language teachers find that there is a bit of dead time during class. This may occur at the beginning of class, as the students are arriving; at the end of class, as they are thinking about leaving; and right in the middle of class, when transitioning from one lesson to another. During this dead time, the best option is to spend five or ten minutes on a short, interesting activity, like the Name Game.

Create a French Village - French Class Project
Whether you're a teacher or an independent-study student, projects are a great way to spice up your language classes. This fairly short-term project - one week to one month - will put vocabulary related to shopping to the test.

Language Scrapbook - French Class Project
Language classes are as fun or as boring as the teacher and students make them. Here is one idea for an interesting project for your students or for independent-study students looking to spice up their self-instruction. While this project is best suited for a long-term activity to be turned in at the end of the year, it can also be adapted for less time - whatever fits your schedule.