Introducing French Culture through different mediums to my students is a task that I take on happily. Learning English in school wasn’t easy for me because it was disconnected to what the language is used for: communicating with people from different cultures. When I moved to the US and finally was able to see what I could accomplish by speaking English, I was suddenly highly motivated and excited, and therefore made fast progress.
But what are your options as a teacher if you’re not French, don’t know the culture that well, and/or have never been to France?
ideas for introducing the french culture
Pen Pals allow students to learn about french culture from french students
I remember my sister had a pen pal while she was studying German. She even stayed with my family in France for a week. I was so intrigued. I wanted a pen pal and that week I wanted to speak German! What I really wanted was to ask a million questions. The benefits of having your students participate in a Pen Pal program are endless. Kids are naturally curious and being able to communicate with a student from an other country can ignite curiosity for a different culture.
Living in a time of instant gratification of quick messaging via Instagram or Snapchat, writing a letter seems old school but it really is beneficial in the sense that it encourages patience and delayed gratification.
Try to bring in Food from the french culture
Food is a central part of the French culture. Most of us spend hours at the dinner table every week-end with our friends and family, and during the week we take a couple hours for lunch break. On top of prioritizing time to enjoy our food, we talk about it A LOT. If your school allows it I would highly recommend making crêpes for La Chandeleur, buying some galettes des Rois for l’Épiphanie, and/or sharing with your students any other French food that you think they will enjoy. You might want to skip eating a camembert… or not! (Depending how adventurous your kiddos are.) I love inviting parents during these festivities as well. It builds a sense of community, which, for French people, is exactly what food is for.
Another option would be to have students research French recipes and make them at home. You could even do a little baking contest of specialties such as making macaroons, tarte tatin, mousse au chocolat etc.
Virtual Field Trips Teach about the french culture
The best way to understand French culture would be to go to France of course, but this is expensive, complicated and just not an option for many students. And while many historical monuments/sites have beautiful websites that your students can explore and dig information from, is not a very exciting stand-in for traveling. So I came up with a way for students to travel with out traveling, eliciting anticipation and enthusiasm for French culture.
My Virtual Field Trips allow your students to discover some of the most famous landmarks in France! Each set includes: Teacher directions, Anticipatory set & questions, Facts, Videos and Closing activity suggestions. Find them here!
These Field Trips are a great tool during distance learning. They can be used on ZOOM, just "share screen", or in the classroom (great with a projector). They are made on PowerPoint Presentation and are IN FRENCH
This list is non exhaustive. Remember, French culture is diverse and rich. Even French people don't know every aspect and all traditions. The best we can do with our students is to be humble, respectful, and curious while exploring together.