World Kindness Day, celebrated on November 13th, is a global event dedicated to promoting acts of kindness, compassion, and understanding. For French teachers, this day offers a unique opportunity to weave the themes of kindness and positive behavior into language lessons. By focusing on how kindness is expressed in French, students not only expand their vocabulary but also develop a deeper cultural and emotional connection to the language.
In this blog post, we’ll explore ideas for incorporating kindness-related activities into French lessons, along with a fantastic no-prep kindness craft that works for both World Kindness Day and Valentine’s Day. Whether you’re teaching Core French or French Immersion students, these activities are designed to be fun, educational, and heartwarming, while also making your classroom look beautiful!
Why Focus on Kindness in french Language Learning?
Language is more than just grammar and vocabulary—it’s about connection and communication. By discussing kindness, students are able to practice expressing positive emotions and behaviors, while learning valuable vocabulary and sentence structures. Teaching kindness can also foster a supportive classroom environment, where students feel more comfortable and motivated to participate.
Here are some specific reasons why focusing on kindness in your French lessons can have lasting benefits:
- Emotional Engagement: When students express kindness, they are using language in a real and meaningful way. This emotional engagement helps them retain vocabulary and phrases better.
- Cultural Understanding: Every culture expresses kindness in slightly different ways. By exploring how kindness is expressed in French, students gain insight into French-speaking cultures.
- Classroom Morale: Acts of kindness build trust and camaraderie among students, which in turn creates a more positive learning environment.
Introducing Kindness Vocabulary in french class
Before diving into activities, it’s important to introduce key vocabulary related to kindness. Here are some words and phrases you might want to include in your lessons:
- Un acte de gentillesse – an act of kindness - Un compliment – a compliment - Générosité – generosity - Amical(e) – friendly - Soutien – support - Encourager – to encourage - Aider – to help - Écouter – to listen - Respecter – to respect - Dire quelque chose de gentil – to say something kind
You can create a vocabulary list that students can reference throughout the lesson, and incorporate these terms into different activities, so they get plenty of practice using them in context.
Crafting Compliment Jars: A No-Prep Kindness Activity
One great way to bring kindness into your French classroom is through a simple and engaging craft: Compliment Jars. This activity is easy to prepare, adaptable for various French levels, and can be used for both World Kindness Day and Valentine’s Day.
What’s Included: - Instruction - 5 different compliment jar templates - Compliment hearts - List of adjectives (in French)
How It Works: Print one jar template, one or two heart sheets, and one vocabulary list per student. The jar templates come in different designs, allowing you to choose the one that best fits your classroom theme or students' preferences. Ask students to write compliments on the little hearts. These compliments can be full sentences or single adjectives, depending on their French level. After writing their compliments, students can glue the hearts onto their friends' jars. This creates a beautiful display of kindness that can be hung up around the classroom.
Why It Works: The use of an adjective list and templates provides support for students, allowing them to focus on practicing kindness-related vocabulary and structures. This makes it accessible for students of varying proficiency levels. Students love receiving kind notes from their peers, which can lead to improved relationships within the classroom. The finished compliment jars serve as a colorful and positive display that brightens up the classroom while reinforcing the theme of kindness.
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE KINDNESS ACTIVITY JAR.
Random Acts of Kindness in the French Classroom
World Kindness Day is the perfect opportunity to introduce a "Random Acts of Kindness" challenge. Here’s how you can turn this concept into a meaningful French lesson:
1. Brainstorm Ideas in French: Start by having your students brainstorm different acts of kindness in French. You could ask questions like, “Quels petits gestes de gentillesse pouvez-vous faire pour vos amis, vos professeurs, ou même des inconnus?” (What small acts of kindness can you do for your friends, teachers, or even strangers?). Write their ideas on the board in French to help reinforce new vocabulary.
2. Kindness Task Cards: Once students have brainstormed, you can create task cards with different acts of kindness written in French. Throughout the day (or week), challenge your students to complete as many tasks as possible and report back on how it made them feel.
3. Write About the Experience: After students have completed their acts of kindness, ask them to write a short reflection in French. For younger students, this could be as simple as writing a sentence like, “J’ai aidé mon ami aujourd’hui et cela m’a rendu heureux” (I helped my friend today, and it made me happy). Older or more advanced students can write more detailed reflections on how kindness impacts both the giver and the receiver.
Integrating French Cultural Lessons on Kindness
While World Kindness Day is a global event, it’s also important to tie it into French culture. You can introduce your students to famous French-speaking figures who are known for their acts of kindness, such as: Mère Teresa (Mother Teresa), who spent much of her life caring for the poor, or Zinedine Zidane, a French footballer known not only for his talent but also for his charitable work.
World Kindness Day is a wonderful opportunity to teach your French students not only language skills but also valuable life lessons. By focusing on kindness-related vocabulary, acts of kindness, and cultural connections, you can create engaging and meaningful lessons that will leave a lasting impact. Activities like the Compliment Jars craft and Random Acts of Kindness challenge not only reinforce positive behavior but also help students feel more confident in their ability to express themselves in French.
By the end of these lessons, your students will have not only a greater understanding of how to express kindness in French but also a beautifully decorated classroom filled with compliments and positivity!