Learning about the culture(s) behind the language one is studying is always challenging yet fascinating. These were a few ideas that were brainstormed at the BCATML conference, for getting to know cultures behind the French language:
- La chanson de la semaine- can help students to know the styles of popular French music, as well as the rhythms of the language
- Storytelling Senegal gallery (http://www.cybersmartafrica.org/storytelling/gallery/)- rural Senegalese students narrate short clips about their daily lives- in French with English subtitles. Authentic way of comparing students' lives with others from another culture.
- TV5- 7 jours sur la planète (http://apprendre.tv5monde.com/fr/niveaux/a1-debutant)- lots of great listening activities and follow-up questions integrated with culture. More suitable for high school French. Tip: subscribe to their PodCast to download the videos.
- Ads/commercials- Short clips from ads/commercials could be useful for visual/aural comprehension.
- Cheese-tasting stations- setup different cheeses at different stations and give students opportunity to do tasting tests. They can also practice using adjectives to describe the look, smell, and taste of the cheese.
- Crêperie la Bohème- this is a food cart in Vancouver owned by a former French chef. It would be cool to invite the food cart to come and bring authentic crêpes for students to sample.
- Cross-cultural partnership- find a French-speaking partner class via People to People International or another organization and get to know a class from a different culture! See my post here for tips on cultural exchange.