STOP!! Listening to popular French music is not just for background noise during homework time! Participate in Manie Musicale to engage your students! Wondering how to introduce popular French music during the Manie Musicale season? Read on….
You’re reading this in December? Or March? Or July? No problem – take a look at my previous blog post “3 Steps to Use Popular French Music in your classroom – at any time of the year!”, yes?
In this blog, I break down exactly what to say in English and in French on the very first day of Manie Musicale. The English script (at the end of this blog) is what I use for my French 1 students. There is a very good chance that up to 40% or more of my students do not know what March Madness is to the basketball world or how the Manie Musicale song bracket competition works. Therefore, I am very direct in my explanation of it.
(Are you a visual person? Here is the video version of this blog:)
Popular French Music Introduction – Day 1
Going through this Manie Musicale script and checking for student comprehension are equally important. Even though I am speaking in English during French 1, I ask listening comprehension questions every 2-3 minutes to make sure that we are all on track together. Additionally, at the end of my 10-minute explanation, I ask students to explain it back to me from the beginning. Beginning French students will explain the Manie Musicale song bracket, what it is, why we’re doing it, and what happens at the end for the winners.
After the entire French class has re-explained the popular French music competition Manie Musicale back to me, in English, for French 1, then I ask them to explain to a partner. One person listens, one explains, and then they switch. When the partner explanation is done, I might re-ask some of the French or English listening comprehension questions but call on different students to answer.
We also watch one or two music videos of winning French songs from previous years. I always throw in a Francis Cabrel video as though it won and the students look at me like, “???????”. I just think that every child needs to know who the Neil Diamond of France is…. Just sayin’….
For beginning French 1 students, I dedicate 15-20+ minutes of Day 1 to introduce Manie Musicale and ask those comprehension questions, let them explain it to each other, watch a couple of music videos, and maybe even start filling in the brackets. This time spent on Day 1 of Manie Musicale helps with the buy-in. The second day is when we use 35-45 minutes of class to actually fill out (or finish) the Manie Musicale song brackets. I do not recommend sending the bracket home as “homework”. The best of intentions can be derailed by math homework, babysitting younger siblings, or just forgetfulness.
Popular French Music Introduction – Day 2
Day 2 of my explaining how we use popular French music to participate in the French Manie Musicale is dedicated to listening to the music videos and filling out the competition bracket. If I want 100% participation, then I commit class time to this. Who knows, this popular French music competition could be the one activity that hooks the student that I was trying to scoop in and now we’ve made a connection.
Besides, there are always a few absent students and need time to get back on track with everyone else on Day 2. My Day 2 goal is to collect completed song brackets at the end of class. If students are really engaged and they just can’t finish in those 45 minutes, then I extend the deadline to one more day.
Why?
Because I want as close to 100% participation as possible – this makes the voting more exciting and personal for students which provides increased student engagement in French class.
Popular French Music with French 2 and above
By the time my French 2, 3, 4, and 5 come to class for the first day of Manie Musicale, I use the French version of the script. I note whether or not I have new students who have moved into the program to decide the extent to which I explain it. Even then, I do little to no talking and instead ask the French comprehension questions in French to guide my students to explain the competition to others. Depending on their French proficiency level, students answer in English or in French – your students and your choice.
I follow the same routine with French 2 and upper level French classes but it goes a bit faster:
- Introduce with explanations in French (as needed) and French comprehension questions (for sure)
- Watch 1-2 music videos of previous winners
- Give opinions on this popular French music (“J’aime ___.” , “Je n’aime pas ___.”)
- Fill out the competition bracket in class
For French 2 and above, I still dedicate class time to fill in the brackets because, again, I want 100% participation from students which will increase the engagement when voting starts.
Popular French Music – Final Thoughts
After close to 100% of students turn in their Manie Musicale song bracket to me, we start the voting. If students are sick at home, I ask them to send me pictures of the completed brackets so that they can still be eligible for prizes. I post the bracket and calendar of voting on the wall and I score the points daily myself or ask a student to help me. I start this popular French music routine well before the official online voting begins so that we’re on track.
I also recommend voting during French class (not as an assignment). Again, best intentions do not always mean that everyone votes at home. If I want full buy-in on this month-long Manie Musicale activity, then I dedicate time during class to make it a priority for the students. Once started, it’s anywhere from 3-10 minutes per day for a month to complete in-class voting. After the voting ends and a winner is chosen, I continue to use popular French music to improve students’ listening skills.
Don’t let Manie Musicale slip by!
Let’s give this popular French Music competition the attention it deserves in class. We never know… maybe in 20 years, there’s an adult somewhere out there still listening to this popular French music. Game. Set. Match. I do enjoy being your new French colleague – let me know how I can help.
Script in English below. French script click here.
Today, we are going to listen to popular French music and watch their music videos. You are going to listen, watch, and then write down the name of your favorite song and singer from a list of 16 different French songs and singers. It’s a competition and it’s called Manie Musicale.
Once everyone has filled out their French Manie Musicale song bracket, then we are going to vote on the most popular French music according to our French classmates (and French students across the country). The voting will happen over the next month. (Show calendar posted on wall.) At the end of this popular French music competition, if the song you picked as your favorite French song is also what everyone else has voted for, then you can win a prize!
Comprehension checks:
- What is this called?
- What are we going to listen to?
- What are we going to watch?
- What are you going to write down today?
- How long is Manie Musicale going to take?
- What happens if your favorite French song is also the favorite French song of everyone else?
We are going to do the first one together. Here is the Manie Musicale bracket that you will fill out with your favorite French song and artist. (Do not hand out paper yet. Watch the videos of the first two songs.)
Comprehension checks:
- What are the names of the two songs?
- Do you like song #1 or song #2?
- Where do you write your favorite song of the two?
Then, you continue on to the next two songs and:
- Watch both videos.
- Listen to the songs.
- Write the name of your favorite song here on the Manie Musicale song bracket.
You continue until you have watched all the videos and write your favorite songs on this piece of paper.
(At this point, someone usually understands the bracket-style competition so I ask and let a student explain.)
Comprehension questions to guide the student who wants to explain to the class:
- What do you keep doing with the other boxes?
- What does the center box represent?
- Does everyone have the same song in the final center box?
- How does someone earn points or win?
You finish this piece of paper for _________ (day/date).
(I usually give them one day in class plus two more days outside of class to finish the brackets.)
I keep the papers. On ______ (day/date), we start to vote. Every French class of mine will vote daily on which song is the most popular – song #1? Or song #2?
Each day, only one song wins. If you have chosen the song that wins on your piece of paper, then you receive 1 point (or sometimes 3 points, or 5 points or 7 points).
This goes on for three to four weeks. At the end of four weeks, there will be one winning French Manie Musicale song as the most popular at our school.
If you have chosen the correct songs along the way, you continue to earn points. The top 10 students who have the most points at the end are going to receive either (insert prize here).
Comprehension checks:
- Who keeps the completed piece of paper?
- Can you turn one in after we’ve started? Why or why not?
- How do you receive points?
- What happens if you keep earning points for 3-4 weeks?
Before I hand out these papers, turn to the person next to you and explain in words, what we are doing and how we use this piece of paper to vote on popular French songs and singers?
(After they explain to a partner, I ask for student volunteers to re-explain the process to me. Then I hand out the French Manie Musicale bracket for students to complete. There may be time to continue filling out the brackets, maybe not. At the end of the first day, I show them a music video of a previous year’s winner OR I show them a Francis Cabrel song – my first love in French music. They roll their eyes at me.) The French-version script is also available with comprehension questions.
Don’t wait another March without starting Manie Musicale in your French classroom. My name is Lisa and I enjoy being your new French colleague. How can I help you tomorrow?
