Learning to speak French, as with any new language, takes years of dedicated study. But students, eager to use their new language skills in meaningful communication, enjoy playing with their new language in a variety of contexts.
Students who study French can use the context of the Christmas holiday to learn vocabulary and improve their ability to speak French. Creating holiday greeting cards is both a motivational and a practical lesson which will help French language students to increase their French vocabulary.
Create Holiday Cards with a French Flair
Students can create holiday cards out of simple construction paper by drawing, or cutting and gluing, symbols that are popular in France and other French speaking parts of the world during the Christmas season. Some French holiday imagery includes:
- Father Christmas - Pere Noel
- Christmas tree - le sapin de Noël / l’arbre de Noël
- Christmas wreath - la couronne de bienvenue
- holly - le houx
- ivy - La Lierre
- mistleto - le gui
- silver bells - les cloches d'argent
- candles – les chandelles
- stars – les étoiles
- angel – un ange
- snow – la neige
- reindeer – un renne/ les rennes
- the three kings – les trois rois
- Baby Jesus - Enfant Jésus
- manger (scene) – crèche
More Christmas Words and Phrases to Make Learning French Fun During the Holidays
The following French words and phrases are often associated with the Christmas holiday season. Students can use these mots de Noel to create poems and other holiday sentiments to write in their Christmas cards.
- holiday - un jour férié
- joy - joie
- wonder - émerveillement
- peace on earth - paix sur la terre
- grace - grâce
- happiness – bonheur/ félicité
- glory – gloire/ magnificence
- gifts – les cadeaux
- best wishes – meilleurs vœux!
- blessings – benedictions
- hope – (n.) espoir (v,) espérer
- I hope ... – J'espère que ...
- celebrate – célébrer
- season of new hope – saison d'un nouvel espoir
- beauty of the season – beauté de la saison
- the most wonderful time of the year - la meilleur saison de l'année
- good will to all – bonne volonté à tous
- all the world – tout le monde
- all creatures great and small – toutes les créatures, grandes et petites
- Son of God – Fils de Dieu
- Happy New Year! – Bonne Année
Students learning French can put their new vocabulary into practice by creating Christmas poems and by designing holiday cards using holiday themed words and phrases. Make studying French fun during the holiday season by allowing students to put their efforts learning French words and phrases to good use and by encouraging a bit of creativity.
Challenge French language students to learn even more vocabulary by having fun with French versions of familiar Christmas song titles and lyrics.
Joyeux Noel !
Margaret M. Williams - Margaret M. Williams (Peggy) has been a teacher for over 25 years. She currently teaches first grade in a classroom that combines native ...
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