CinéSchool is an innovative program that brings together cinema and education, making it easy for teachers to integrate French-language and Francophone films into their curriculum.
More than a film program, CinéSchool offers students a window into French-speaking cultures and an opportunity to discover, understand, and discuss stories from different parts of the Francophone world.
For each film, participating teachers receive pedagogical resources designed to support students before and after the viewing. These resources help students build vocabulary, understand cultural context, strengthen comprehension, and express their ideas in French.
CinéSchool’s educational resources are evolving to align more closely with the ACTFL World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages, widely used by language educators in the United States. The activities are designed to support the three ACTFL modes of communication through a complete film-based learning sequence.
Before and after the viewing experience, students develop Interpretive Communication by understanding and analyzing what they hear, read, and view through the film, the workbooks, and the Genially comprehension activities.
After the film, students strengthen Interpersonal Communication through guided exchanges with classmates, where they share reactions, ask questions, compare opinions, and discuss the themes of the film.
Students also practice Presentational Communication by sharing their opinions and reflections through short video, audio, or written responses on Padlet.
By integrating these three modes, CinéSchool helps teachers connect film-based activities to recognized language-learning standards while supporting listening comprehension, vocabulary development, cultural awareness, oral expression, and student confidence in French.
To enrich this cinematic experience, CinéSchool provides activities that guide students through the film in two main stages: before and after the viewing.
1. Before the Film
Before each screening, teachers use educational resources to prepare students for the film (teacher guides and student workbooks). This preparation phase usually takes about one hour in class and includes activities that introduce the film’s themes, characters, vocabulary, cultural context, and visual universe. The goal is to spark students’ curiosity and help them approach the film with greater confidence and understanding.
2. After the Film
After watching the film, students complete online activities that help them deepen their understanding and express their reactions in French. This follow-up phase usually takes about one hour and focuses on comprehension, reflection, and oral expression.
– Genially: For each film, CinéSchool provides interactive activities on Genially. These self-correcting activities are designed to check students’ understanding of the film in a fun and engaging way. They may include quizzes, comprehension questions, vocabulary activities, matching exercises, sequencing tasks, and short reflection tasks. Genially allows students to work at their own pace while reinforcing key elements of the film, including plot, characters, themes, and language.
– Padlet: After each screening, students are invited to share their reactions on a private and moderated Padlet page dedicated to the film. They may record a short video or post an audio message. These activities encourage students to express their opinions and practice French, either individually or in small groups. When possible, students may also use Padlet to submit questions to filmmakers, creating a unique connection between young audiences and the creators behind the films.
Through its combination of films, workbooks, Genially activities, and Padlet discussions, CinéSchool offers teachers a structured and engaging way to bring French-language cinema into the classroom.
The program supports language learning, cultural discovery, critical thinking, creativity, and active student participation.