By Lily ’23
Bonjour! Bienvenue à Harvard-Westlake! As you can probably guess, I always look forward to French class. French is such a beautiful language, and the teachers at Harvard-Westlake immerse students in the French language and culture from day one.
In middle school, I loved learning about French current events and about other countries where French is spoken, such as Canada and Rwanda. Through fun projects and conversations in French, I learned vocabulary, grammar, and about the incredible French cultures around the world.
All of my French teachers have been excellent and are very welcoming during class and office hours. They give us such interesting projects with the opportunity to be creative. Last year, we participated in a national French music contest, where everyone voted for their favorite French song each week. My teacher also found a French “Just Dance” game and we took breaks and danced to French songs. We also experienced traditional French cuisine (my favorite were the chocolate crêpes!). Another memorable project was creating a class fashion show presentation. We chose outfits and each of us had to dress up and also describe our classmate’s clothing as if we were announcing outfits at a fashion show.
This year, in French III Honors, it has been interesting to study the environment from a French perspective. In order to become more fluent, we watch French videos and read French news articles to help us use and understand the language in a modern context.
There are different levels of French classes including beginners classes in 7th and 9th grade for brand new speakers as well as AP Literature and AP Language classes at the Upper School for more advanced students. I have enjoyed taking every level because each year is truly a different and amazing experience.
Through my French classes, I have made wonderful friends who share my love for foreign languages.
Another fantastic part of the French program is the trips that are usually planned during spring break and summer. Last year, French students traveled to Quebec and I hope that we have the opportunity to go on a trip to Paris next year!
