Oh, I love it when a simple recap activity does more than just review—it bridges into a reading and breaks stereotypes at the same time! Intrigued? Read on.

Background

In the previous lesson, my Novice learners investigated what they know about the Francophone world by answering a few key questions and completing a KWL chart. We then visited the observatoire.francophonie.org to find the answers. Finally, we consolidated our newly-acquired knowledge with a “Write & Discuss” (I call this a Shared Writing).

Bridge activity

This bridge activity taps into some of my middle school students’ favorite things to do: jumping out of their chairs and guessing a mystery—this time, a country.

I present a series of statements about a mystery country. After reading the clues, my students jump out of their chairs to guess the answer. As part of the clues, I also show a picture of people from the country—either someone they know or a celebrity. Once the country is revealed, we explore pictures from the region, and I repeatedly ask the same question: “Are there cities in this country? Are they big cities or small cities?”

This activity not only recaps what students have learned, but also provides vivid imagery that challenges and counters the stereotypical narrative of “deserts, villages, and huts” often associated with Africa. It also provides an opportunity to receive a lot more oral input and natural repetition of the word “city”, a key word in the article we are about to read.

Reading

We are now primed to read “La plus grande ville francophone du monde“, an article from Le Petit Journal Francophone. Indeed, when students are asked where the biggest Francophone city in the world is, they immediately answer Paris. Our previous lesson on Francophone countries and this bridge activity has primed them to revisit where they think Francophone people live.

Check it out!

If you want to watch a few minutes or the entire bridge activity, here is a video I filmed for a student who was absent that day.

Let me know what you think of this bridge activity—packed with input, cultural insights, connections to people they know, and stereotype-breaking moments!

Finally, if you are interested in teaching about the Francophone world in a way that encourages your Novice learners to think critically and centers people from the global majority, check out this free series of mini cultural units.