Learning a language can also mean discovering culture, sharing personal interests and enjoying the process. With this idea in mind, Secondary French students at Mirasur School have developed the project \u201cDepuis la biblio\u201d, an educational podcast in which students from different year groups \u2014 from Year 7 to Sixth Form \u2014 worked on their favourite French-language songs as a starting point for learning the language from a fresh and engaging perspective. <\/p>\n
Throughout the term, students researched songs of their choice, analysing lyrics, artists and cultural contexts, and transformed this work into a radio-style format recorded outside the classroom, in the school library. The project helped them improve their language skills, pronunciation and confidence when speaking French. \u201cSpeaking continuously in French and pronouncing everything correctly was a real challenge, but in the end it turned out much better than we expected!\u201d says Carlos Peiro, a Year 10 student. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe had a lot of fun doing it and we were free to choose the songs,\u201d explains Celia Ortiz, a Year 8 student who took part in the project. \u201cEveryone had a voice within the group.\u201d<\/p>\n
Music also became a gateway to French and Francophone culture. Through artists such as Louane, Stromae, \u00c9dith Piaf and Grand Corps Malade, students discovered that \u201ceach song has its own identity\u201d and that many lyrics convey social, emotional or cultural messages that go beyond rhythm. \u201cAs well as learning new vocabulary, the podcast helped us better understand what the songs are about and why they are important. Many of them had a purpose beyond being catchy, often linked to fighting inequality,\u201d explains Yeray Metzger. <\/p>\n
The project was coordinated by Ximena Pantale\u00f3n, French teacher at Mirasur School, who highlights its cross-curricular approach: \u201cWith projects like this, we aim to encourage respect among peers as well as collaboration in the classroom, not only within a single group but also with students from different year levels.\u201d For the teacher, the main objective was to show that \u201cit is possible to learn about French culture through something as everyday and widely loved as music.\u201d<\/p>\n
Beyond linguistic learning, \u201cDepuis la biblio\u201d also helped students develop key skills such as oral expression, active listening, collaborative script planning and respect for others\u2019 contributions. \u201cWe didn\u2019t feel any pressure; we were learning while having fun,\u201d sums up Adri\u00e1n Saez, a Sixth Form student. \u201cI really like music, and being able to use it to contribute and learn was great,\u201d he adds, highlighting how this approach increased engagement and enjoyment.<\/p>\n
With this project, Mirasur School once again demonstrates its commitment to meaningful, real-world learning, where a single experience brings together language, culture, research, creativity and teamwork, taking learning beyond the classroom and turning it into a shared experience.
You can listen to the podcast by clicking here<\/a>.<\/p>\n