What? Amir and Indila’s “Carrousel” didn’t win? Well, depending on which version of a song bracket you were using in 2022, this was a stunner! Even my 10th graders were shocked – and they’re a tough crowd some days!
After the dust settled on the my own classroom vote, I had to do something to get the class back on track. They loved the Amir and Indila French song so much that I created a new low-prep French listening activity for our daily bellringer routine in French class.
How do I get the students focused during the first 5 minutes? I use fill-in-the-blank listening activities of popular French music as a daily bellringer to create a calm yet upbeat atmosphere to begin each class. During this French music listening activity (which we do every day for 8-12 school days), students take out their vocabulary list (differentiated for some students) and the song sheet and fill in 4-7 words per day. Multiply that by 8-12 school days and the song is almost completely filled in. Sounds easy, huh? Well, here are 3 tips to ensure student buy-in to a daily bellringer routine of French music:
Tip #1: Watch the music video.
The day before we start a song, we watch the music video (if one is available) and I discuss the singer(s), the song, and the title. While watching it for the first time, I tell students to “Listen for the title – “Carrousel” – can you hear it?
This helps the struggling French students feel successful because before I even hand out the paper copy of the fill-in-the-blank song, they have heard the title in the song and feel confident for tomorrow.
Tip #2: Sing the song to your students.
Yeah, that’s always funny for them to hear me sing. But sometimes the singer doesn’t enunciate very clearly or sings way too fast for them to understand. So after 7-8 days, when I see they’re not “hearing” words / filling in the blanks, I take one day to sing.
They vote on which 2 verses I will sing to bump up the French vocabulary filled in and I make them ask me with more than just “strophe 2, Madame”. I make them say in French, “Pouvez-vous chanter strophe 2, s’il vous plaît?”
I sing the song acapella – birds fly away – squirrels cover their ears – 9th grade boys laugh – and I slow down the song for them to better hear the vocabulary words. This classroom strategy keeps them engaged in the French song for 1-2 more days and they feel successful.
Tip #3: Do not grade it.
Everyone gets all the points. I explain to students the purpose of a listening activity and how each person’s ears are going to hear different words, on different days, in different parts of the song.
How can I take points off for a student not hearing the passé composé “trouvé” in the French song “Carrousel”? It’s not fair so I don’t take points off. Instead, if students complete 80%+ of the song – with words close to where they’re supposed to be – then I award ALL the points. Boom – feeling of success for the struggling students.
Again, it’s a great way for me to find time to take attendance and pass back papers at the beginning of each French class. It’s a great way for students to be introduced to popular French music on a daily basis. Game. Set. Match. Boom. And before you know it, they’re asking, “Can we listen to the Amir / Indila song during work time?” Brilliant.
If you’re interested in trying this low-prep bellringer listening activity for your students, check out my Teachers Pay Teachers store – L’Essentiel French Resources.
Follow up the French music listening activities with French reading comprehension activities – easy one page French reading practice with comprehension questions. I enjoy sharing my passion for French music in the classroom with you – can you tell? Sharing ideas and tips is key to sustainability in our French classrooms. I’m glad we’re colleagues! How can I help you tomorrow?
