Introducing yourself and meeting new people is one of the most essential communication skills in any language. The French Chat Mat: Meeting for the First Time gives learners the vocabulary, sentence starters, and simple structures they need to make a great first impression—all in French.
Perfect for novices and a useful review for intermediates, this chat mat makes basic introductions easy, clear, and confidence-building.
Why Use a “Meeting for the First Time” Chat Mat?
This theme supports students in:
- Practicing everyday conversational phrases
- Learning culturally appropriate greetings
- Asking and answering basic personal questions
- Building interpersonal communication skills
- Staying in the target language during partner activities
Because these phrases appear in nearly every beginner unit, this chat mat becomes a reliable tool students can use all year long.
What’s Included in the French “Meeting for the First Time” Chat Mat?
A well-organized chat mat for introductions might include:
Essential Greetings
- Bonjour !
- Salut !
- Enchanté(e).
- Comment ça va ?
Basic Personal Information
- Je m’appelle…
- Je suis…
- J’ai … ans.
- Je viens de…
- J’habite à…
- Je parle…
Questions to Ask Someone New
- Comment tu t’appelles ?
- Tu as quel âge ?
- D’où viens-tu ?
- Où habites-tu ?
- Qu’est-ce que tu aimes faire ?
Useful Sentence Starters
- Je voudrais me présenter…
- C’est un plaisir de te rencontrer.
- Moi aussi !
- Voilà…
Support Vocabulary
- nationalities
- hobbies
- school information
- family words
Visual Icons
Simple visuals (person icons, flags, hobby pictures) help novices choose the right words quickly and confidently.
Classroom Activities Using This Chat Mat
Here are some easy, engaging ways to use it:
1. Speed-Friending
Students rotate around the room meeting classmates using only the chat mat.
2. Introduce a Classmate
After interviewing a partner, students present each other to the class.
3. Identity Cards
Students fill out a mini “Who am I?” card based on the prompts and share with classmates.
4. Guess Who?
Students describe someone using the chat mat while the class guesses who it is.
5. Cultural Connections
Explore how greetings differ across francophone cultures—formal vs. informal address, la bise, regional variations, etc.
A Must-Have Tool for Novice French Learners
The French Chat Mat: Meeting for the First Time helps learners take their first steps into real communication with confidence. With structured support and friendly phrasing, it makes introductions smooth, meaningful, and engaging.
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