Yes! This blog summary is like “SparkNotes” or “CliffsNotes” except for French listening skills and French music! Win-win! Almost as yummy as peanut butter and chocolate (#reesespeanutbuttercups).
This blog is a summary of my previous 5 blog posts that recommend how to improve students’ French listening skills at each level by using differentiated fill-in-the-blank French music as a bellringer routine. In this blog, I will summarize:
- the WHY of developing French listening skills
- the HOW of developing French listening skills
- the WHAT of developing French listening skills with songs for French 1 to French 5
You are in the right place. Each of the previous blogs has specific details for each level although most every tip to improve students’ French listening skills is applicable from French 1 to French 5. Heck, if you teach a language other than French, these suggestions are also valid for your classroom. Scroll to the very bottom of this blog to find those specific links.
The tips, French songs, and tricks summarized here reflect what works with my instructional delivery style, my students, and their personalities. Take, adapt, try, and rework any and all ideas below to fit you, your students, and their personalities. Let’s get to it!
French Listening Skills – the WHY
French listening skills are not the same as French comprehension skills. I need to develop both. I define French listening skills as the ability to hear a string of French words and be able to pull out a word or two from the long (and fast) string of words being heard.
Comprehension skills are making sense of or understanding the entire sentence (or string of sentences). This is why I start the songs in French 1 and the French music I choose is appropriate for their novice listening skills.
Students are more engaged with French music than with my hand-made listening activity. Nothing more to be said there. I’m not offended that they prefer French music.
With the bellringer routine of French music at the beginning of each class, I have carved out 4-7 minutes to:
- take attendance
- collect tardy passes as students arrive
- finish conversations with students from the previous class
- connect with students who have been absent
- circulate to see how students are progressing through the song
- and sometimes … it’s ALL OF THE ABOVE
The most important WHY: every student – struggling or strong, absent or present – has an entry point every day to improve their French listening skills. With other listening activities, the struggling or absent students can’t jump in because they have been gone and missed key vocabulary/structures or they give up. Every student finds success at their own level because:
- I have 2 versions for each song (one with more blanks, one with fewer blanks)
- I have 2 vocabulary lists (the challenging alphabetized list and the less challenging list which is divided by each verse of the song)
- I explicitly explain how these songs improve their French listening skills at whatever pace their ears and brain allow. Just be engaged and enjoy.
French Listening Skills – the HOW
Each fill-in-the-blank song is played once per day for 7-12 days. Students are expected to fill in around 80% of the song (with general accuracy).
French listening skills are refined, not taught. I provide opportunities for students to develop these listening skills.
On the day of a test, we might skip the routine and we might not – I let students vote.
During March, we shut down this routine and instead use Manie Musicale as our daily bellringer. No one complains or goes in reverse with their French listening skills during March. They are even more engaged with French music at this point.
I do not grade their fill-in-the-blank song sheets. If a student attains 80% completion with approximately 50% accuracy, then I give them 100% of the points. If they were graded, that would drive them instantly to the internet to copy words. Besides,I can’t grade French listening skills because those are developed and refined over time, not just at the end of each song.
This daily bellringer is very teacher-directed in French 1 and into September of French 2. After that, there is a gradual release of responsibility for students to start using my tips and suggestions. This is very hard because students will wait for you to help them or tell them where the word goes. It’s like the waiting game with a toddler, who will cave first?
During this transition of “whose responsibility is it to hear the word?”, this bellringer becomes a 6-10 minute French listening skills activity because I am explicitly teaching – and waiting – for them to “prep” their ears before we listen. Read the blog about French 1 songs for tips on how to prep their ears. In the blog about French 4 songs, I suggest how to change it up to keep students motivated to continue improving their French listening skills.
French Listening Skills – the WHAT
Here are the lists for each level of French with a link to the specific blog on my website. Each blog has different implementation tips and ideas to improve French listening skills.
- Me Voilà (du film “Spirit”)
- L’Oiseau et L’Enfant (Kids United)
- Je suis Ton Ami (du film “Toy Story”)
- Le Lion est Mort Ce Soir (Pow woW)
- Ça va ça va (Claudio Capéo)
- Ava (Coeur de Pirate)
- St Laurent (Coeur de Pirate)
- J’ai Cherché (Amir)
- Je l’aime à Mourir (Francis Cabrel)
- Dommage (BigFlo & Oli)
- Papaoutai (Stromae)
- Ensemble (Coeur de Pirate)
- Je Vole (du film “La Famille Bélier”)
- En Feu (Soprano)
- For Me, Formidable (Charles Aznavour)
- On n’est pas à Une Bêtise Près (Renan Luce)
- On a Mangé le Soleil (Céphaz)
- La Vie (Ichon)
- Je Veux (Zaz)
- Vois Sur Ton Chemin (du film “Au Revoir, Les Enfants”)
- La Corrida (Francis Cabrel)
- La Même (GIMS ft Vianney)
- La Reine des Neiges (du film “Frozen”)
- La Lettre (Renan Luce)
- Est-ce que tu m’aimes (GIMS)
- Je Tu Ils (Zazie)
- Dernière Danse (Kyo)
French Listening Skills – Final Thoughts
What is there to lose on my part? Time creating the fill-in-the-blank songs.
What is there to gain on my part? Using the song year after year. Instant entry point for every student in class. Improved French listening skills for my students. Increased student engagement.
How can you find some of these fill-in-the-blank songs to improve French listening skills? In my TPT store: L’Essentiel French Resources. For less than $3.00, you can try out a song or buy the growing bundle of songs.
Thank you for making it to the end of this blog/video. Please consider liking this video and follow me on YouTube (L’Essentiel French Resources) for the video versions, follow me on Instagram (L’Essentiel French Resources), follow me on X/Twitter (@EssFrResources), find me on BookFace (L’Essentiel French Resources), or on TPT (L’Essentiel French Resources). My name is Lisa and I enjoy being your new French colleague. How can I help you tomorrow?
