Yeah! You made it to the Upper Level French Songs blog! These fill-in-the-blank French songs continue to improve and develop students’ listening skills – this is still necessary at upper levels of French. I have used them for over 20 years and highly recommend this daily French bellringer routine to start French class. This blog has more reasons and tips to use fill-in-the-blank songs as well as a list of 5 upper level French songs that complement a literature unit.
This partial list of upper level French songs fits my students, my teaching style, and my curriculum. As always, change or adapt the tips and French music to fit your instructional style, your students, and their personalities. It can’t hurt to consider new viewpoints on current routines, right?
(Scroll to the bottom of the blog for links to blogs about French 1, French 2, French 3, and French 4 songs.)
Upper Level French Songs – Reason #1
I don’t teach listening skills. Listening skills are developed over time.
These fill-in-the-blank upper level French songs create opportunities for students to develop their listening skills. I honestly can’t think of another series of activities that I would be able to efficiently and sustainably create year after year that would continue to engage all students and foster student independence at a very low level of risk.
One reason that all students are engaged and participating in these songs is because of the multiple entry points. Any student can begin the upper level French songs at any point.
Gone for a week? No problem. The student starts the song from scratch and gets as far as they can. There is no point deduction for being absent. I just ask the student to write “AB – 5 jours” (absent – 5 days) at the top of their paper. They still receive full points. I do not penalize students for not hearing enough French words. That just seems ridiculous to me since listening skills are developed – not taught.
An overachiever? No problem. Give the student the tough version of the song (more blanks to fill in) along with the more difficult alphabetized vocabulary list.
A struggling student? No problem. Give the student the tough version with the categorized list of vocabulary. Or give the student the easier version (fewer blanks) with the more difficult alphabetized list.
The multiple entry points are endless and give all students a feeling of success as they develop their listening skills (and interest in French music) at their own pace.
Upper Level French Songs – Reason #2
Improving student listening skills is REAL. And remember: listening skills are not the same as listening comprehension. I still have listening comprehension activities (newscasts, YouTube videos, podcasts, audiobooks, etc…). These upper level French songs continue to help decrease student fears of listening to authentic French in a video or movie while still improving students’ ability to isolate a word they’ve heard and put it in a blank on a song sheet.
By the time students sign up for French 5 with me, I’ve spent years creating opportunities for them to dial in to a string of French words in a song, pick out specific information, and drown out the rest.
And yet each day allows students to progress at their own pace of developing their French listening skills. Of course, I help them along and push them towards independence with my tips and expectations:
- Don’t wait for the word to arrive in your ears. Choose the word(s) that you want to listen for on that day.
- I sing the song towards the end and I repeat myself if it is a fast section.
- With the upper level French songs, I sometimes let students listen with their earbuds because they want to hone in / zero in on a particular section of the song.
Upper Level French Songs – Another Tip
“But the French music is so old, Lisa. Where are the 2024 upper level French songs?”
Just because the French song is new doesn’t mean it is good or appropriate to use in class. I choose French music based on the ability for students to increase their listening skills, not because the song is #1 on the charts. I love GIMS, Soprano, Vianney, and Cabrel – but not everyone of their songs work in the classroom.
Additionally, it takes 2 hours to create a strong, viable version of a song (multiplied by 15-20 songs per level of French multiplied by 2 or 3 differentiated versions of each song). Time crunches are real so even though there are a ton of awesome French songs out there, I’m not able to create and introduce 10-12 new songs each year. Slow and steady wins the race when creating new upper level French songs – or for any level of French!
This does NOT prevent students from accessing new upper level French songs – their Spotify lists grow and grow. I encourage them to take a French artist and listen to their music. They often come to me and say, “Oh, Madame – you have to hear this new song by Black M!” And the most exciting part is that my student just came up to me to share upper level French songs with me.
So what is the tip in this section? Stay the course. Keep it sustainable for you and right for your students. Slow and steady wins the race.
Upper Level French Songs – The List
#1 – La Reine des Neiges (du film)
There is a YouTube video of this song being sung in many different languages – all spliced together and it is so cool! There is solid repetition and patterns which help students and this can be a song used if you have a movie unit in the upper levels.
#2 – La Lettre (Renan Luce)
Students enjoy this French singer and remember him from the title song of the movie Le Petit Nicolas. Once the song is over, they also enjoy understanding the words in the song and rewatching the official music video. This song (and songs #3-#5) pair well with a unit you might have on the fragility and strength of friendships / relationships.
#3 – Est-ce que tu m’aimes? (GIMS)
GIMS is a huge hit with every level of French! This is one of his songs with which my students have success. They thoroughly enjoy singing this in front of their friends and family when they know all the words!
#4 – Je Tu Ils (Zazie)
The topic of the song is delicate and needs to be vetted by the teacher (a broken family) but students are always intrigued by the simplicity of the title. They have a different point-of-view after working through this song and then talking about family dynamics. The simple title does not reflect the complex topic.
#5 – Dernière Danse (Kyo)
This might have been the one-hit wonder for this boy band but year after year this song surprises me and is a hit with students. Perhaps they enjoy the beat, perhaps it is the video clip, perhaps it’s the memory of a boy band, and perhaps it is the twinge of romance in the meaning. Or maybe it’s all four??
Upper Level French Songs – Final Thoughts
If you are interested in clumping all of the movie songs together, it’s just a matter of pulling them from one level and dropping them into French 5, for example. The full list of movie songs that I have (and in which blog I mention them) are:
- On n’est pas à une bêtise près (Le Petit Nicolas) – the French 3 songs blog
- Je Vole (La Famille Bélier) – the French 3 songs blog
- Vois Sur Ton Chemin (Au Revoir, Les Enfants) – the French 4 songs blog
- La Reine des Neiges (Frozen) – this blog
Even if you do not add these upper level French songs to one particular unit, I still strongly encourage you to give fill-in-the-blank songs a try. The benefits at all levels of French are clear:
- a routine for the first 5-7 minutes of every day, all year long
- increased student engagement because it’s French music
- there are no penalties for a student whose listening skills are behind their classmates’ listening skills – each student receives 100% of the points for each song (see my detailed grading tips in earlier blogs)
- the differentiated songs (more or fewer blanks and different types of vocabulary lists) provide an access point for all students at all levels
- the 5-7 minute bellringer each day gives me time to take attendance, connect with absent students, and accept tardy passes
Previous blogs about French music at each level are found here:
- “3 Tips for French Bellringer Activities”
- “4 Perfect French 1 Songs as Bellringers for Beginning French Students”
- “6 Effective French 2 Songs to Engage Students and Improve Listening Skills”
- “8 Memorable French 3 Songs to Improve Listening Skills”
- “French 4 songs – 3 Reliable Tips to Keep Upper Level Students Listening”
I appreciate your time and interest in these blog topics on teaching French and World Language. Please continue to read my blogs at www.essentielfrenchresources.com and consider following me on TPT, YouTube, Instagram (@essentielfrenchresources), X (@EssFrResources), or Bookface (L’Essentiel French Resources).
My name is Lisa and I enjoy being your new French colleague. How can I help you tomorrow?
