Bonjour!
If you have been following my blog for awhile, you may have already read my previous post about playing mainstream music in the classroom. If you have, you may want to skip this little intro and scroll right to the videos! :)
If not, I just want to start my post by explaining why I think it’s so important to play mainstream French music in your immersion and/or French first language classroom.
It is of course also important to play French nursery rhymes and children’s songs if you teach in the primary grades, but I do truly feel that mainstream French music is an incredible way to expose your students to some French culture and help them feel proud that they speak French.
As you probably already know, I teach kindergarten at a francophone school in a minority community in rural Nova Scotia. French is rarely spoken in our community, and (despite all of our encouragement to speak and live in French at home), many students only experience French at school and during school activities.
As teachers, part of our jobs at my school is to help our students develop pride around their francophone and Acadian heritage, and to celebrate their “francophonie.” One way that we can do this is by playing mainstream French music in our classrooms, because not all of our students may have the opportunity to listen to the radio in French at home.
I think that mainstream music is a very important thing to share with your students, even if you teach in an immersion setting. Music is FUN, and it is wonderful to show your students examples of French celebrities and to allow them the opportunity to sing along in their second language.
French music is cool, too! :)
I try to play some mainstream French music in my classroom every day, often during snack time or free play. I do play other types of music at other moments in the day, but the mainstream stuff with catchy lyrics generally happens during times when it is okay to talk with a neighbour, get up and dance, etc.
I usually don’t show the video while I play the music, or I pick the lyrics version/version with just one, static picture. I don’t want anyone questioning the appropriateness of certain music videos, as everyone has different ideas of what is and isn’t appropriate for five year olds. If I am totally sure the video is okay, I will sometimes show it if we are playing freeze dance or during snack.
My first post about songs we like to listen to was so popular that I wanted to make another one for you guys. Here are 10 more songs that my students love. You can easily make a playlist on Youtube with all of the songs from both posts and have a total of 24 different songs to choose from!
(I would also like to say that the following songs are NOT translations of English songs in French, aside from the bonus idea at the bottom. The idea is to promote authentic French culture and show to our students that being able to speak and understand French is a wonderful, special thing and will provide them with cultural opportunities not necessarily available to everyone else. They can already listen to mainstream English music in English… let’s open some new doors for them!)
2. Sinsemilia – Tout le bonheur du monde
3. Roch Voisine – Le grand pommier
4. France Gall – Sacré Charlemagne
5. Tricot Machine – Pas fait en chocolat
6. Damien Robitaille – On est né nu
7. Magic System – Magic In the Air
*This song is in bilingual (French & English), so that might be something to keep in mind.
But it’s SUPER catchy!
8. Les Cowoys Frigants – Octobre
9. Gabrielle Goulet – Arc-en-ciel
Bonus idea – My students LOVE Disney songs (who doesn’t, really?!) and most of them are available in French on Youtube if you type in “French (the title of the movie you are going for) song.”
It honestly blows their minds that Disney songs exist in French, too!
Let me know in the comments if you have any other great songs to share – we love new ones!
PS – Are you a member of my FREE Resource Library for French primary teachers? If not, what are you waiting for?? Sign up below for access to every freebie I’ve ever made… and will ever make!