UoP - French Language Project 25-26
- Andrew Starr
- Nov 12
- 9 min read
Updated: 7 days ago
This page collects resources for the University of Portsmouth's SELL French Language Project 2025-26.
A shortened link to this page is rebrand.ly/uoplp25
If the above link returns an error, ajstarr.short.gy/blog will direct you to the blog index, where you can locate your page by scrolling down.
It is a page to gather links to all valuable content, so I have everything to hand.
Red Links will only work for me when signed in to my account.
Blue Links are universal and should work for you.
Burgundy links need a password, which you will have if you are in my class.
Online French Learning Resources - A Padlet where I have gathered a lot of links to various places you can find online French Resources (Mainly for ITT Students, but some will be of use to you)
This website does allow some free use to help you with the pronunciation of your scripts.
Friends in France - Some people mainly from Caen looking for 'correspondants'
If you're looking for a 'penpal' in Caen, here are some interested parties - mainly in their early 20s, studying at the University of Caen... One is a business and Economics teacher at the Lycée Malherbe in Caen. One lives in Belgium and is 77.
Please let me know if any are of interest, and I will provide you with their email addresses.
We have an exchange visit from Caen in June. There is also likely to be a day trip coming to visit Arundel on Saturday, 6th December, you would be welcome to join us and meet the French!
mercredi 17 décembre
Correspondants à Caen - voir ci-dessus...
Noël
Presentations on literature or cinéma
La littérature et le cinéma
mercredi 10 décembre
Correspondants à Caen - voir ci-dessus...
Presentations on literature or cinéma
La littérature et le cinéma
mercredi 3 décembre
Correspondants à Caen - voir ci-dessus...
Individual/group presentations on Culture, Festivities or Sport
La culture, les fêtes et les sports
mercredi 26 novembre
Correspondants à Caen - voir ci-dessus...
Les sports
Individual or group presentations on specific cherished festivals.
Today, you should choose a few of the most interesting festivals the French have. You must include one that we do not celebrate in the UK.
mercredi 19 novembre
Correspondants à Caen - voir ci-dessus...
Les fêtes (Y compris les fêtes concernant les prénoms donnés)
Individual or group presentations about festivals in general in France
Today, you should choose a few of the most interesting festivals the French have. You must include one that we do not celebrate in the UK, to make sure it is of relevance to the differences in the culture in France. You may wish to present about Saint's days which are a phenomena in some parts of France and other catholic based countries including southern Germany, Spain, Greece, and Switzerland...
Further information -
Most days are a fête for a Saint. If you have a name that a saint also had, then in catholic parts of France it is customary to be given a small celebration on your fête day...
So, when would your saint's day be? Is your name sanctified?
This website (rather religious) allows a search by name (you may need to look for a name yours may have derived from).
If you found a saint attached to your name, then what can you find out about your saint?
What is their story?
Why were they sanctified?
La fête - The named saint day
To celebrate a name saint day in France, people might receive a greeting like "Bonne fête!", children may get small gifts, and a person might buy a round of drinks for friends.
The celebrations are often less formal than a birthday, with a focus on sending good wishes, and some people may combine the celebration with a birthday if the dates are close. Towns and villages also celebrate their patron saints with annual fetes or events, and certain professions might mark their saint's day in their own way.
For individuals
Verbal greetings: Friends and family will wish you "Bonne fête!" (Happy celebration!) on the day designated for your name in the calendar.
Small gifts: While not as extravagant as birthday gifts, tokens like flowers or chocolates are common.
Social rounds: An adult may be expected to buy a round of drinks for their friends.
Combined celebrations: If a birthday and name day are close, the celebrations are often combined.
Shifting the date: It is also common to move the celebration to a more convenient day, such as the following weekend.
For communities and professions
Towns and villages: Many towns and villages have a patron saint and hold special events or "fetes" in their honor, sometimes on or around the saint's day, notes Cle France.
Professions: Certain professions are linked to a particular saint, and those working in that industry may mark the day in some way.
Public announcements: On some television channels, weather forecasters will wish a "Bonne fête à tous les..." followed by the name of the saint of the day, says The Open University.
What to know
Less religious significance: For many, name day celebrations are more about having another excuse for a celebration than a religious observance.
Feminine grammatical rule: In French, name days are grammatically feminine, even if the name is masculine, because they are referred to as "la fête" (the celebration).
Name days vs. birthdays: While both are celebrated, name day celebrations are often more low-key, particularly for adults
Over to you - can you now make a spoken presentation about Festivals in France throughout the year. It would be a good idea to individualise your presentations by adding some information about your fête. If you have no sanctified name, then what is the solution?
See the information below in this colour.
Aim to speak for no more than 2 minutes each, with visuals giving an overview of the main events in France throughout the year...
Now what if your name does not have any associated saint?
Si le prénom de votre enfant n'a pas de saint associé, vous pouvez choisir un saint par affinité avec le prénom (par consonance ou étymologie), associer un prénom chrétien, ou opter pour le saint fêté le jour de sa naissance.
Une autre option est de choisir un saint lié à la thématique du prénom de votre enfant ou un saint patron pour son second prénom s'il en a un.
Choisir un saint par affinité
Par consonance ou étymologie : Trouvez un saint qui porte un prénom similaire, comme sainte Solange pour un prénom en « Sol » ou la vierge Marie pour « Marion » ou « Manon ».
Par thématique : Choisissez un saint dont la vie est en lien avec une signification du prénom. Par exemple, sainte Fleur pour un prénom comme « Capucine ».
Gérer le cas d'un prénom avec un deuxième prénom
Utiliser le deuxième prénom : Si votre enfant a un deuxième ou troisième prénom, vous pouvez choisir le saint patron de ce prénom.
Accoler un prénom chrétien : Vous pouvez choisir d'ajouter un prénom chrétien à celui de votre enfant, même s'il n'y a pas de saint directement associé. Cela symbolise l'accueil de l'enfant dans la tradition chrétienne.
Opter pour le jour de la naissance
Choisir le saint du jour de naissance : Vous pouvez choisir le saint fêté le jour de la naissance de votre enfant, même s'il ne porte pas ce prénom. Vous pouvez trouver cette information sur des sites dédiés au calendrier des saints.
Prendre un saint du même jour : Certaines dates ont plusieurs saints. Par exemple, le 22 mai, vous pourriez choisir sainte Rita ou saint Émile.
Autre solution
Créer un nouveau prénom : Dans certains cas, il est possible de créer un nouveau prénom de baptême qui n'est pas associé à un saint traditionnel.
Here is a YouTube clip in French, about the festival of St Andrew at the St Andrew's Church in Jerusalem! (Just FYI to show that teven nowadays there are such festivals happening in the world outside the UK.
This one even involves Scottish bagpipes as Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland!
mercredi 12 novembre
Correspondants à Caen - voir ci-dessus...
Les fêtes
Presentations about either:
Les feux de joie au Royaume Uni OR L'Armistice en 1918.
This week:
We will continue to spend a little time focusing on festivals throughout the year as they are approaching, but this week is the main study of all festivals there are in France.
Over to you - can you now make a spoken presentation about three or four specific festivals in France throughout the year.
Aim to speak for no more than 2 minutes each, with visuals giving a more detailed overview of the chosen events in France throughout the year...
mercredi 4 novembre
Correspondants à Caen - voir ci-dessus...
Individual/group presentations on Geography or Politics
Block 2: Festivities and Sports
Le jour du souvenir
La fête des feux de joie - Le 5 novembre (Royaume-Uni) - Hier soir à Southsea Common.
Le jour du souvenir pour la France, le Canada et le Royaume Uni
La nuit du 5 novembre au Royaume Uni.
« Pourquoi y-a-t'-il des feux d'artifice le 5 novembre au Royaume-Uni? »
Can you produce a short résumé in French on your findings?
Here are some articles to start you off...
Mardi prochain, c'est l'Armistice du 1918, mais en Angleterre on la commémore le dimanche le plus près du 11 novembre.
A quelle heure l’armistice a-t-il été signé ?
Qui fut le dernier soldat tué ?
Quand le 11 Novembre est-il devenu férié ?
Au Canada...
Les trois groupes principaux qui bénéficient de la vente du Bleuets de France sont les anciens combattants et les victimes de guerre, les pupilles de la Nation et leurs familles, et les victimes d'actes de terrorisme et leurs proches. Le financement sert également au soutien des actions mémorielles et pédagogiques.
Anciens combattants et victimes de guerre : Aide financière et morale, soutien au maintien à domicile et accompagnement des blessés physiques et psychiques.
Pupilles de la Nation : Soutien financier, notamment pour les études supérieures, et aide aux familles endeuillées.
Victimes d'actes de terrorisme : Accompagnement psychologique et soutien aux familles.
Actions de mémoire et de citoyenneté : Soutien à des projets culturels et pédagogiques, notamment auprès de la jeunesse, pour préserver la mémoire collective
mercredi 22 octobre
Correspondants à Caen - voir ci-dessus...
Halloween et Toussaint
Did you manage to research a French speaking region in the world for a brief presentation in French?
Programme for this week:
Politics (Historical and political contexts): Also links into Geography and La Francophonie.
Explore key historical events and political movements that have shaped Francophone countries, such as colonisation, independence movements, and contemporary politics. L’Acadie et La Nouvelle France/Québec / La Révolution française.
Can you research and prepare a spoken presentation in French about the above themes?
L'Acadie et la Nouvelle France - What, Where, When, Why & How? What links these to Québec of today?
La Révolution Française - What are the main points here the What, Where, When, Why & How? - How is this still linked to today's France - la Ve République - What key things happened between 1789 and the First Republic and how come they are now in the fifth version of the French Republic?
Cultural Research—These will help you discover Halloween in France, but what are Toussaint and la fête des défunts?
Halloween en France de France Info...
This Radio France article will give you more information about Halloween in France and its rise and fall.
Vocabulaire
1 jour 1 question
By the end of this session an you produce around a one-minute oral presentation in French about an aspect of Halloween/La fête des défunts/Toussaint for presentation?
les mercredi 1er, 7 et 14 octobre
Correspondants à Caen - voir ci-dessus...
Premier Thème - La Géographie (avec un peu de politique).
Avec cette carte (ci-dessus) vous devez être capable de choisir l'un des pays (ou régions) principalement francophone (là où il y a un peuple largement francophone)
Cette semaine, nous parlerons aussi des divers médias en langue française, pour vous aider à trouver des ressources francophones pour vos projets de recherche.
Quelques ressources :
L'Assemblée Nationale à Paris (Les parties politiques)
Travail pour la semaine 3 : choisissez deux pays ou régions différentes, pour faire un bilan d'une minute. (30 secondes par pays choisi).
Vous présenterez votre travail à l'oral au début du prochain cours.
C'est à vous de choisir de quoi vous parlerez...
La Francophonie - What do you know about La Francophonie?
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