Teaching French

Here you’ll find some of my creations for teaching French.

Building Proficiency for World Language Learners: 100+ High-Interest Activities
Discover over 100 dynamic activities to make world language learning interactive and fun. I wrote this book with some of my favorite activities for educators aiming to build proficiency with high-impact strategies.
Learn more and get your copy here.

5 Weeks of No and Low Prep Fun
Need quick, engaging activities for your class? This free guide includes 25 no-prep and low-prep ideas to save time while keeping students excited about learning.
Download your free copy now.

French Fluency Practice Tasks for Intermediate High/Advanced Low

You’ll find below a list of French fluency practice tasks for the intermediate high/advanced low level (ACTFL range). These will likely be beyond what you’ll see in most school settings. Some advanced IB, AP French Language and Culture and AP French Language and Literature may be at this level – especially if they are native…
Practical Paper-Based Language Teaching Activities for Every Classroom

Paper can be one of the most powerful tools in your toolkit for classroom engagement. If you are looking for language teaching activities that require minimal prep, plenty of interaction, and that work across levels, these paper-based ideas will get your learners speaking, listening, and writing with confidence. Why use paper for language teaching activities?…
Reading to Learn Languages: Practical second language acquisition strategies

Reading to Learn Languages: Practical second language acquisition strategies Reading is one of the most underused tools in language learning in my humble opinion, yet it offers huge leverage when used intentionally. If you want effective second language acquisition strategies that fit into a busy life, reading is where to start. The key is not…
Sanity Savers: Research Projects for World Language Classroom Management

World language classroom management often comes down to finding activities that keep students active, curious, and using the target language without demanding hours of prep. A small set of short, repeatable research projects will preserve your energy and deepen cultural learning at every level. Why short research projects work Short, focused research tasks let students…
Travel-Inspired Activities for Proficiency-Based Language Teaching

Travel offers rich, real-world contexts that map perfectly onto proficiency-based language teaching. When learners plan a trip, write a postcard or read a menu, they practise authentic tasks that mirror what they will need to do outside the classroom. These activities make language meaningful, recycle useful structures and vocabulary, and provide easy opportunities for formative…
Improv and Languages: Low Prep World Language Activities for Teaching Greetings

Teaching greetings does not have to be scripted or dull. These low prep world language activities are designed to get learners speaking, moving and laughing from the very first minute. They work with a variety of levels, require minimal materials and help students practise core greeting language in memorable, communicative ways. “It makes it more…
Practical Sub Plans for Language Teachers: Simple Steps for Communicative Language Teaching

When a teacher is unexpectedly absent or you simply need a low-prep class that still moves learning forward, strong sub plans can make the difference between wasted time and meaningful practice. These ready-to-run activities are built around the principles of communicative language teaching so students keep producing language, interacting with peers, and deepening their vocabulary…
Communicative Language Teaching: Build Vocabulary with Themed Lists

Communicative language teaching thrives on meaningful, purpose-driven practice. One of the simplest and most powerful exercises you can use is creating themed lists. Lists focus your attention on vocabulary you actually need, help you personalise learning, and turn passive words into usable language for everyday tasks. Why themed lists work for communicative language teaching Themed…
Fake Text Generators: Creative World Language Teaching Strategies

World language teaching strategies that centre on meaningful input and low-stress production can be simple and playful. Using fake text generators to create believable conversations that students can read, react to, and recreate is simple, easy and provides great comprehensible input. It feels modern, familiar and gives plenty of opportunities for comprehension checks and personalised…
Best activities for world language class: Family Speaking Practice

Looking for a simple, high-impact activity that gets students speaking from minute one? This family speaking practice is one of the best activities for world language class. It focuses on everyday vocabulary, builds confidence, and gives every student a chance to talk about people they know using meaningful, personalised language. What this activity achieves The…
World language classroom management: How to teach a set of words quickly

Strong world language classroom management makes it possible to teach a set of words quickly without chaos or wasted minutes. When routines are clear and activities are tightly structured students acquire vocabulary faster and remain engaged. Below are practical techniques to introduce, practice and retain a small vocabulary set in one compact lesson. Why structure…
Compare and Contrast: A Flexible Group Project for the World Language Classroom

Comparing and contrasting is one of the most powerful tasks for building cultural understanding and developing communicative skills. This group project is designed to work with any level, any theme, and any language, making it ideal for Spanish, French, or world language teachers looking for adaptable materials. Below you’ll find an overview of how to…
Proficiency Progression for French Learners (Novice-Mid to Advanced-High)

(With Example Tasks and Student Responses) See below some information on the ACTFL proficiency ranges/levels. This can be helpful for both teaching and learning French. I was able to do a check in with my French after what felt like years of not speaking it. Novice-Mid / Novice-Milieu Checklist of Novice-Mid Features Uses memorized words,…
French Chat Mats: Homes

French Chat Mats: Homes Talking about homes is an essential part of everyday communication in French. Whether students are learning to describe where they live, talk about different rooms, or compare homes across cultures, the French Chat Mats: Homes give learners the vocabulary and structure they need to communicate confidently—all in French. With clear visuals…
French Health Chat Mat

French Health Chat Mat Talking about health is an essential communication skill for French learners, especially when navigating everyday situations like feeling sick, visiting the doctor, or describing symptoms. The French Health Chat Mat gives students the vocabulary, phrases, and sentence starters they need to communicate clearly and confidently—all in French. It’s a practical, high-utility…
French Chat Mat: Vacations

French Chat Mat: Vacations Talking about vacations is one of the most exciting and motivating topics for French learners. Whether describing past trips, planning future adventures, or sharing favorite destinations, the French Chat Mat: Vacations gives students the vocabulary, structures, and confidence they need to communicate—all in French. This chat mat supports meaningful, real-world language…
French Chat Mats: Where Are You From?

French Chat Mats: Where are you from? Asking and answering questions about where someone is from is one of the most foundational communication skills in French. The French Chat Mats: Where Are You From? provide learners with clear vocabulary, sentence starters, and visual support to help them talk about origins, nationalities, and cultural backgrounds—all in…
French Chat Mat: Transport

French Chat Mat: Transport Talking about transportation is an essential part of everyday communication in French—from getting around town to planning a trip or giving directions. The French Chat Mat: Transport gives learners the vocabulary, sentence starters, and visual cues they need to confidently discuss how they travel, where they go, and the different ways…
French Chat Mat: Our Community

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…
French Chat Mat: At a Hotel — Essential Language Support for Real-World Communication

Checking into a hotel is one of the most practical and confidence-boosting scenarios for French learners. Whether your students are preparing for travel, role-playing in class, or building interpersonal communication skills, a French Chat Mat for “At a Hotel” provides the perfect scaffold. These chat mats offer structured vocabulary, useful sentence starters, and clear support…
Chat Mat for French Learners: Weather and Seasons

Talking about the weather is one of the most universal, practical, and student-friendly ways to build confidence in French. With a Weather and Seasons Chat Mat, learners get the visual support and vocabulary they need to discuss daily weather, compare seasons, and communicate naturally in simple French. These chat mats offer sentence starters, essential phrases,…
French Chat Mat: What’s in My Locker?

Talking about school life is one of the most relevant and engaging topics for French learners—especially when it involves something as familiar as a locker. The French Chat Mat: What’s in My Locker? helps students learn essential school vocabulary, practice everyday communication, and describe what they keep with them during the school day. This chat…
French Chat Mat: Meeting for the First Time

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…
French Chat Mat: Leisure

Talking about leisure activities is one of the most enjoyable and meaningful ways for French learners to build real-world communication skills. The French Chat Mat: Leisure helps students express what they like to do, ask others about their interests, and carry on simple conversations about pastimes—all in French. With clear themes, visual support, and student-friendly…
French Chat Mat: Emotions

Helping students talk about their feelings is an essential part of building real-world communication skills in French. The French Chat Mat: Emotions gives learners the vocabulary, sentence starters, and visual cues they need to describe how they feel, ask others about their emotions, and participate in simple interpersonal conversations—all in French. Clear, student-friendly language makes…
French Chat Mat: Chores

French Chat Mat: Chores Talking about household chores is a practical, everyday topic that helps French learners build useful vocabulary and practice high-frequency structures. The French Chat Mat: Chores gives students the language support they need to talk about responsibilities at home, describe routines, and ask or answer questions about who does what. With clear…
French 1 Review Project

Have fun with this French review. Several ways to use this: Students write an essay. Students use this as a chat mat. Students use the prompts to create a presentation. Have them narrate it and share with the class. Autobiographie 5 Weeks of No and Low Prep Fun Need quick, engaging activities for your class?…
How I Used ChatGPT to Evaluate My Language Proficiency (And How You Can Too)

Here’s how it went. I took transcripts of my spoken responses and pasted them into ChatGPT. Then I said, “Okay, evaluate my language proficiency.” One important note—if you try this yourself, make sure to tell ChatGPT that your transcripts are from spoken responses. That’s key. A writing sample is usually more polished and doesn’t reflect…
French Chat Mat for Learners: Sports

Talking about sports is an exciting, high-interest way to get French learners speaking right away. Whether students are discussing their favorite teams, weekend activities, or school athletics, a French Sports Chat Mat gives them the structured vocabulary and sentence starters they need to communicate confidently. With clear visuals and accessible language, this chat mat helps…