Talking about the places, people, and services in a community is an essential communication skill for French learners. A French Chat Mat on “Our Community” gives students the vocabulary, sentence starters, and visual supports they need to describe where they live, ask for information, and compare communities—all in meaningful, real-world French.
Whether used for daily practice, partner work, or a full thematic unit, this chat mat makes it easy for learners to stay in the target language.
Why Use a Community-Themed Chat Mat?
“Our Community” is a practical topic that helps students:
- Build high-frequency vocabulary
- Talk about familiar places
- Give and ask for information
- Make comparisons
- Engage in interpersonal speaking tasks
- Connect language learning to real-world contexts
This theme also ties seamlessly into cultural exploration, letting students compare their communities with francophone towns and cities around the world.
What’s Included in the “Our Community” French Chat Mat?
A well-designed community chat mat might include:
Common Places in a Community
- l’école
- la bibliothèque
- le supermarché
- le parc
- l’hôpital
- la piscine
- la mairie
- la gare
- le cinéma
- le restaurant
Useful Verbs & Phrases
- Je vais à…
- Il y a…
- C’est près de / loin de…
- On peut… (acheter, manger, jouer, nager, etc.)
- J’aime / Je n’aime pas…
- Dans ma communauté…
High-Utility Sentence Starters
- Ma communauté a…
- Dans mon quartier, il y a…
- J’habite près de…
- Mon endroit préféré est…
- On va souvent à…
Key Vocabulary
- un quartier
- les magasins
- les services
- les transports
- les activités
Visual Icons
Simple icons or illustrations help novice learners make meaning quickly and stay engaged.
Classroom Activities Using This Chat Mat
Here are some easy-to-implement activities:
1. Community Tour Partner Talk
Students describe places in their community and listen to their partner describe theirs.
2. Map Matching
Give students a simple map and have them use the chat mat to identify or describe locations.
3. Compare Two Communities
Students compare their town with a francophone community—Paris, Montréal, Dakar, Brussels, etc.
4. Where Can You…?
Students practice asking and answering questions like:
“Où peut-on acheter du pain ?” / “Où peut-on jouer au tennis ?”
5. My Ideal Community Project
Learners design a dream community and present it using the chat mat as language support.
A Practical Tool for Everyday Communication
The French Chat Mat: Our Community is perfect for helping students talk confidently about the world around them. It builds essential vocabulary, supports interpersonal conversations, and encourages meaningful cultural connections.
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