Why are hands-on activities important in the FSL classroom?

 Why are hands-on activities important in the FSL classroom?

Engaging students in French class can involve a variety of strategies, including incorporating multimedia resources such as videos, music, and images to make the learning experience more interesting and dynamic or organizing group activities that require interaction and communication among students, such as debates, role-plays, and games. Today, I’m going to introduce you to another way to keep French class exciting - hands-on learning!

What are hands-on activities? 

Hands-on activities are educational or recreational activities that require active participation and manipulation of materials or objects using one's hands. They are designed to engage learners in a practical and tangible way, promoting experiential learning, problem-solving skills, and creativity. Examples of hands-on activities include building models, conducting experiments, making crafts, cooking, gardening, and playing with toys or games.

Hands-on activities are important in the FSL classroom for several reasons:

1. Active learning: Hands-on activities promote active learning, which is when students are actively engaged in the learning process rather than passively receiving information. Active learning helps students retain information better and deepen their understanding of the material.
2. Engagement: Hands-on activities are often more engaging than traditional lectures or presentations. By participating in hands-on activities, students are able to put their knowledge into practice and make connections between what they are learning and the real world. This can help keep them motivated and focused on the material.
3. Vocabulary acquisition: Hands-on activities can also help students acquire vocabulary in a meaningful and memorable way. For example, a hands-on activity in which students use real objects to label and describe their features can help students better understand and remember vocabulary related to those objects.
4. Pronunciation practice: Hands-on activities can provide students with opportunities to practice pronunciation in a supportive and low-stakes environment. For example, role-playing activities can help students practice their pronunciation and fluency while speaking in the target language.
5. Cultural understanding: Hands-on activities can also help students gain a deeper understanding of the culture and context in which the target language is used. For example, cooking activities can provide students with a taste of the local cuisine and help them understand the cultural significance of food in the target language.

Here are some hands-on activities for French class that you can try with your students:

French conversation starters fortune teller

This French fortune teller game is a fun and exciting way to help your students practice their French conversation skills. 

French getting to know you fortune teller

Your students will construct a fortune teller with French ‘getting to know you’ questions and use their creations to speak in French with their classmates. Use in partners, small groups or even as a whole class!

Pop-it French verb conjugation activity

Make French verb practice a part of your learning centers or French class routine. There is a high chance these days that you have a plethora of fidgets in your school or classroom. Why not utilize them for teaching too? 

French verb pop it

Your students will place a pop-it on the page, press the bubbles according to the instructions and write out their verb conjugations.

French verb clip cards

These hands-on French grammar ‘clip and write’ review activities make great learning centers, small group activity or early finisher task. 

French verb clip cards

Your students will use the task cards to identify the correct vocabulary for a provided image or phrase. Each card has 4 possible responses. Students will ‘clip’ the correct answer using a clothes pin or a paper clip (not included) on each card. Then, they will use the provided recording sheet to write and submit their responses.

Overall, hands-on activities are an important tool for language teachers as they can help students develop language skills, increase their engagement and motivation, and deepen their understanding of the target language and culture.