Ever feel like your students just aren’t speaking enough French during the day?
You’re not alone. As French teachers, we know that oral communication is one of the most important (and most difficult!) skills to build, especially in primary grades. Our students need consistent opportunities to hear, say, and play with French words in a meaningful way. But with everything on your plate, adding something new to your routine, like a French word of the day routine, might feel overwhelming.
Here’s the good news: Building oral language doesn’t have to be time-consuming. In fact, with the right 5-minute routine, you can set your students up for success and make French speaking a natural part of every day.
Let me show you how!
🗣️ Why Daily French Oral Practice Matters
If students don’t use it, they lose it. Simple as that.
For many of our young learners, French isn’t spoken at home, which means the time they spend in your classroom is critical for developing speaking and listening skills.
A daily oral communication routine helps:
- Improve pronunciation and fluency
- Expand vocabulary and sentence structure
- Boost student confidence when speaking in front of others
- Reinforce listening comprehension
It’s one of the easiest ways to make sure students are actively using the language every single day. Plus, when you’ve already got a daily oral communication routine, it’s easy to add in a French word of the day routine as part of that!
🔁 The Power of Predictable Routines in Language Learning
Kids thrive on consistency. When you have a predictable, engaging routine in place, they know what to expect, and that frees up their brain power for actual learning.
That’s why I started using a “Mot du jour” (French Word of the Day) routine in my classroom. Every morning, we kick things off with a short oral communication block that includes:
- Guessing the word of the day
- Writing the word together sound by sound
- A quick phonological awareness activity using the word
It’s short, simple, and builds so many skills at once!
💡 What Makes a Good French Word of the Day Routine?
When choosing your word of the day routine, keep these tips in mind:
✅ Start with student-friendly words
Choose vocabulary that’s useful and age-appropriate. Bonus points if it connects to a theme, the season, or your oral language goals.
✅ Include a guess-the-word element
Start with a slide that says “Que penses-tu est le mot du jour?” and offer clues. This turns the routine into a game and gets students speaking in full sentences right away.
✅ Incorporate phonemic awareness
You can do a quick sound-counting activity or play with rhyming, syllables, or beginning/ending sounds. It keeps things fun and builds decoding skills.
✅ Write the word together
I like to hide the word’s spelling and have students write it sound by sound with me. It’s amazing how much this supports spelling patterns and sound recognition!
✨ My Go-To French Word of the Day Routine (and Time-Saving Secret)
Over the years, I’ve developed a go-to system that saves time and keeps students engaged, and it all lives inside my French Word of the Day Bundle.
Here’s how it works in my classroom:
- Display the “Guess the Word” slide
I give students clues (like a category, or the first sound), and they guess the word in full French sentences (ex. « Est-ce que le mot du jour est banane? ») - Reveal the word and discuss its meaning
We use it in a sentence and talk about when we might use this word in real life. - Write the word together, one sound at a time
This part is magical for decoding and spelling. We count the sounds, then write them one by one. - Students copy the word into their notebook
This creates a growing bank of vocabulary words for at-home review! - Do a 2-minute phonemic awareness game
The slides include editable game prompts to practice syllables, rhyming, or beginning sounds.
💬 “”Where do I begin? My students adore this game! It’s getting them to practice known vocabulary, and they are always thrilled when they see Mot du Jour on the board! I love that I can customize it to my needs too. Merci beaucoup!”” – Sara L.
💬 What Does Your Oral Language Routine Look Like?
Do you already use a “mot du jour” in your classroom? Could this 5-minute routine fit into your day?
I’d love to hear what’s working for you, and any challenges you’ve had with building consistent oral communication time.
Drop a comment below or message me on Instagram @mme.andrea!
🎁 Ready to Try a French Word of the Day Routine?
If you’re looking for a simple, no-prep way to get started, my French Word of the Day Bundle has everything you need for the entire year:
- 275 editable word slides (organized by month)
- “Guess the Word” intro slides
- Student notebook versions of each slide, where students can write the word of the day, sound by sound and glue it into a scribbler or notebook
- Built-in phonological awareness games
- Editable text for full customization
👉 Grab the bundle here on TPT
or
🎁 Download a free sample to try it with your class
📝 Final Tips for Teachers:
- Keep it short—5 minutes is all you need
- Use complete sentences to model language
- Encourage risk-taking and celebrate effort
- Build it into your morning routine for consistency
Your students can speak more French every day—and you don’t need a fancy system to make it happen.
📌 P.S. Want more ideas like this?
If you’re looking for even more activities and ideas for a daily Oral Communication routine, be sure to check out my FREE guide!
👉 Click here to grab your copy
P.S. Want more ideas like this? Check out these other blog posts!
– Communication Orale Practice in Maternelle: the “How Are You?” Circle