Today I am sharing French films and short films with Muslim representation for the Core French classroom. You can show these in the French Immersion classroom as well.

These films and short films are a great way to humanize Muslims, especially Francophone Muslims, and foster empathy among our students.

Students need to see and hear stories about Muslims because it helps humanize their experiences, fosters empathy, and challenges stereotypes, allowing students to see the richness and diversity within Muslim communities. This kind of representation is essential for building a more inclusive and understanding world.

I also have a blog post with French picture books (that I love and adore) with Muslim characters. You can read it here.

À pleine voix – Saida Ouchaou-Ozarowski (ONF/NFB)

The first documentary is a 52-minute film featuring the stories of four Muslim Canadian women. They share their personal experiences of being Muslim in Canada and discuss how they navigate stereotypes and generalizations from society and the media.

Three of the women are Francophone and one is Anglophone.

The stories of these women are both compelling and highly relevant to today’s society, especially when it comes to the humanization (or lack thereof) of Muslims. In my opinion, it’s a must-watch.

À pleine voix, Saida Ouchaou-Ozarowski, offert par l’Office national du film du Canada

Au secours! Clichés de la Terre entière. Des filles et des règles.

This is a really fun series on TV5Unis. This particular episode is all about periods, a relevant and taboo topic.

This would also be a great episode for International Women’s Day or Women’s History Month!

Banlieusards on Netflix (Street Flow in English)

Banlieusards is the story of a Senegalese family living in a French banlieue. This is hands down one of my favourite French films because of the way it weaves the story of young people living in Banlieue and the immigrant experience in France. I showed this film to my Grade 10s last year and they were obsessed!

Please do note that there are some swear words in the film.

If you know any other French films or short films with Muslim representation, please leave them in the comments below!

The post French Films and Short Films with Muslim Representation for the Core French Classroom appeared first on FLE Avec MmeD.

Are you a French teacher looking for creative & meaningful French Back to School bulletin board ideas? I’ve got some really creative ideas for you in this blog post!

If you’re looking for more French Back to School ideas & inspiration, here’s a blog post you can read about fun & effective French classroom decor. Looking for engaging French icebreakers for the first week of classes? Don’t miss this blog post on my top recs!

French Back to School Bulletin Board #1 – Music Bulletin Board – Francophone Singers

In 2020, I immersed myself fully in French music with my Grade 8 Core French students. That year, I learned that French music is one of the best ways to get students excited about learning French.

After years of listening to French music and getting my Core French students PUMPED about French music, I decided to create these Francophone musician posters!

I had these up the whole first year I created them. When I took them down, my students begged me to put them back! “But Madame, I love those posters.”

Are you kidding me? My teenage students not only noticed that I took the posters down, but they wanted me to put them back up.

What a MASSIVE win for me as a French teacher!!

Grab your copy of these French posters here

Francophone Trailblazers – Remarkable French-Speaking Individuals

This next French Back to School Bulletin Board set is a valuable learning opportunity for French students!

Celebrate and teach about la Francophone with these inspiring posters of Francophone trailblazers.

Brighten your teaching space with purposeful and meaningful French classroom decor to inspire your young French learners!

These inspiring French posters go beyond French culture and celebrate the accomplishments of diverse Francophone figures.

These French posters come up with editable descriptions in both French & English.

Inspire your students with this poster set

The post French Back to School Bulletin Board Ideas appeared first on FLE Avec MmeD.

French picture books are an incredible tool to use in the Core French and/or French Immersion classroom. Particularly since 2020, teachers have recognized the role that diverse picture books play in providing mirrors and windows, and eventually sliding glass doors, for all of our students. Today I am sharing with you French picture books with Muslim and/or Arab characters. This blog post is the first in a series where I share some of my favourite French picture books with diverse characters.

Dear French publishers – this isn’t good enough

This blog post is very short and I am incredibly saddened by it. I have searched for French picture books with Muslim and/or Arab characters for a very long time. I am talking about years.

There are dozens and dozens of incredible books that are coming out in English with Muslim and/or Arab characters. These books, written by Muslim authors, are not just about trauma and war. As a matter of fact, they often have to do with celebratory messages and stories that Muslims and non-Muslims alike need to be exposed to.

The stories that tend to be translated into French are almost always about war and trauma. These stories are also incredibly important. However, only publishing picture books about war and trauma paints the false (and dangerous) narrative that the Muslim and Arab world only have one story – that of tragedy.

Since the death of George Floyd in 2020, there has been a lot of effort to ensure that there are diverse French picture books being published. There has been a ton of progress. However, we fall VERY short when it comes to French picture books with Muslim characters and Muslim representation.

Disclosure #2 – the Muslim world is very diverse

Before we proceed with this blog post, please understand that the Muslim world is incredibly diverse in terms of race, ethnicity, language, culture, and more. There is no single French picture book that could represent that diversity.

I am a South Asian woman who is friends with, and have always been friends with, Muslims from all over the world. I am very well aware of the diversity.

My dream is that this blog post will soon have French picture books with representation of a very diverse Muslim world.

Also, please note that I am fully aware that not all Muslims are Arab and not all Arabs are Muslim. I fully understand that there is so much diversity within the Muslim and/or Arab world.

I will continue to update this blog post with new French picture books with Muslim characters as they become available.

Do you have recommendations of French picture books with Muslim characters?

If you know of French picture books or graphic novels that exist out there with Muslim and/or Arab representation, please DO leave me a comment below! I’d love to add more French picture books to this blog post.

We need to explicitly counter dangerous stereotypes of Muslims and Arab people

Look, the Western world has carefully constructed the very dangerous narrative that Muslims are terrorists, especially Muslim men. The classroom is a radical environment in which we must deconstruct these narratives and humanize the Muslim world.

In the 21st Century, the West has also normalized the pain and suffering that Muslims have been forced to experience. If we are sharing stories of war and tragedy in our classroom, we must balance the narrative by also sharing stories of joy.

Muslim children deserve to live and experience joy and happiness. End of story.

Where should you buy these French picture books from?

I really encourage you to purchase from your local independent bookstores. One of my favourite bookstores is located a block away from my school.

I will be linking all of these books through Les Libraires which is an independent bookstore in Québec.

Zaha Hadid par María Isabel Sánchez Vegara, illustré par Asun Amar

Zaha Hadid is the true story of a little girl from Iraq who knew she wanted to be an architect at the age of 11.

When Zaha was a little girl, she loved both art and math. She loved exploring with unique shapes and forms to create unique art.

Zaha’s story is an inspiring story of a woman who broke through the glass ceiling. In 2004, Hadid not only became the first woman to be awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize, but she was also the first Muslim woman to win such a prize.

Themes: art, math, careers, women’s history

Year published: 2019

French level: Intermediate. mostly in passé composé/imparfait

Le plus beau des Aïds par Zeba Talkhani et Abeeha Tariq

Eid, or aïd en français, is the celebration that occurs post-Ramadan. In this book, we meet little Safa who is beyond excited about Eid!

In this book, we learn all about the traditions and customs that Safa and her family partake in on Eid.

Traditions include wearing new clothes, decorating one’s hands with henna, getting together with family, praying, and so much more!

Safa learns at the end of the book that a really important part of Eid is the act of giving selflessly. Thus, Safa and her mom take sweets and gifts to all of their (very diverse!!) neighbours.

In my opinion, every single classroom in Canada needs to have this book. Children need to be exposed to celebrations other than Christmas since our classrooms are very diverse places.

Themes: celebrations, Eid, traditions, and customs

Year published: 2022

French level: high novice. Present tense.

Le Bibliobus by Bahram Rahman, illustrations by Gabrielle Grimard

In Bibliobus, we meet Pari and her mom who are Afghan. Pari and her mom live in a rural Afghan village nestled in the mountains. They live a short drive away from a UNHCR refugee camp.

Pari’s mom drives the Bibliobus to the refugee camp every day to ensure that the girls who live at the camp have access to free books.

Pari’s mom teaches her daughter about the importance of being educated and how their liberty (from war and violence) is intricately connected to their education.

Themes: education and the importance of access to education, girls and women’s rights

Year published: 2020

French level: high novice to intermediate French

While the story is evidently set during the United States’ war on Afghanistan post-9/11, there is no outright mention of violence and war. The author subtly alludes to the consequences of this war, such as the illustrations of the UNHCR refugee camp. As such, this story is suitable for elementary years.

Most importantly, this story is about courage, perseverance, and the heroism of Afghan teachers.

Dounia by Marya Zarif

Le Monde de Dounia takes place in Aleppo, Syria. Dounia is our main character. In the beginning of the story, we see what Aleppo was like before the Syrian war.

We see and learn about the beautiful streets and historical landmarks.

Then, the first bombs begin to fall on Aleppo and we see the world beginning to crumble around Dounia and her family.

Dounia, her grandmother, and her grandfather embark on a dangerous journey seeking shelter and safety. Upon their arrival in Greece, they are treated poorly by the soldiers.

Eventually, Dounia and her grandparents arrive in a wintery Canada and are finally safe.

Themes: Syrian war, the challenges refugees face on their journey

Year of publication: 2021

French level: high novice (all in present tense)

Salma et les saveurs de la Syrie by Danny Ramadan, illustrations by Anna Bron

This story is set in Vancouver, Canada. Salma and her mom live in a shelter for refugees in Vancouver awaiting the arrival of Salma’s baba.

Salma notices that her mother no longer laughs. She decides that she is going to make one of her favourite Syrian dishes Foul shami in order to make her mom smile.

Salma embarks on a grand adventure to make her favourite Syrian dish. However, it’s not easy. She stumbles upon many obstacles that almost prevent her from making her dish.

The generosity and kindness of every individual at the shelter eventually help her finish her dish just in time for dinner.

Themes: culture shock, allusions to depression as a result of war, kindness, generosity

Year published: 2020

Level of French: high intermediate. It’s almost entirely in present tense, however, there is very little repetition of vocabulary which might make it challenging.

Just like Bibliobus, Salma et les saveurs de la Syrie alludes to war, but there are no explicit statements. Salma et les saveurs de la Syrie is about the culture shock, PTSD, and transition children who are refugees have to experience.

Salma’s story is beautifully written as it gives the reader an inside perspective on some of the feelings and experiences that children who are Syrian refugees may be experiencing.

I will be honest – I cried my eyes out in the last quarter of the book and at the simple, but heartwarming ending.

In my opinion Salma et les saveurs de la Syrie is a must-read.

Bonus : Le courage d’Amal

Here’s a novel recommendation for French Immersion teachers looking for a diverse French read-aloud option.

Le courage d’Amal is about 12-year-old Amal. Amal lives in a rural village in Pakistan. She is the eldest in her family and adores her sisters.

You’ll probably have stereotypes of Pakistan in your head because of the mainstream media. However, it’s worth noting that the family is middle class, like most of her village. Life for this family and community is simple, but they’re all happy.

Amal loves to read, learn, and go to school. In fact, it’s everything she dreams of doing. Amal dreams of being a teacher so that she can pass on her love and passion for education to others.

However, an event at the village market changes the course of Amal’s life. Because of this event, Amal discovers that a small group has the most power in the community. This group’s power comes from wealth.

Subsequently, Amal leaves her family to become a maid for the richest and most powerful family in the village.

What follows is a chain of unjust events. Amal discovers that she must find the courage to face up to the injustices of powerful and dangerous characters.

Themes: girls and women’s rights, social classes, activism, bravery

Year published: 2018

Did you find this blog post on French picture books with Muslim characters useful?

If you have found this blog post on French picture books with Muslim characters useful, please do leave a comment below.

Let me know which of these French picture books you intend to use in the classroom. If you have recommendations of French picture books with Muslim characters not listed in this blog post, please do let me know below!

In solidarity,

Pav

The post French picture books with Muslim characters appeared first on FLE Avec MmeD.

When thinking of French class, the first images that may come to mind are those of an Eiffel Tower, cheese, poutine, and cute classroom decor. The very last thing that may come to mind is the harm that you are perpetuating with your teaching practices. Even so, you may not be considering how your content and French curriculum uphold colonial hierarchies, thus perpetuating violence against racial & religious minorities.

The time to disrupt these harmful practices is today. I hope that you take the content in this blog post as an opportunity for reflection and action. Just reading and listening is not enough. We must commit ourselves to meaningful action immediately.

Please note that this blog post is the result of my own experiences as a Core French student, French undergrad student, a full-time French teacher in BC, and a participant in French teacher social media.

Simply adding diverse resources to our Core French or French Immersion curriculum isn’t enough

Ever since the murder of George Floyd, I have seen so many French teachers commit to diversifying their French curriculum.

However, simply adding diverse resources to your existing units is not enough. This is especially the case if your teaching practices, on the whole continue, to reinforce colonial hierarchies.

It’s like putting a bandaid on a broken leg.

We must examine why some of our teaching practices are problematic and how they continue to uphold colonial hierarchies.

Your content and resources are still eurocentric

Eurocentric French curriculum and content are deeply problematic as they play a major role in perpetuating racism and white supremacy. Continuing to teach French using eurocentric resources legitimizes the history and heritage of your white students, whilst rendering invisible the existence of your BIPOC students.

To put it simply, eurocentric resources reinforce racial, ethnic and religious stratification in society.

Many French teachers still rely heavily on the use of outdated textbooks. These textbooks teach the French language from a white, French perspective. Most of the content revolves around Paris, France, “French culture” (stereotypes) and the lives of white Parisians.

Additionally, these textbooks often entirely neglect the lives, cultures, and experiences of racial and religious minorities living in France. Given the policies of universalism and colorblindness in France, this history of marginalization and oppression is not at all surprising.

French-speaking African countries, the French Antilles and French Overseas Territories are entirely neglected in FRIMM and Core French curriculum.

Remember that French textbooks aren’t the only resource that can be eurocentric. Your choice of literature, picture books, music, and content must be thoroughly analyzed.

Marginalized voices continue to be left out of the conversation

Think of the classics taught by French language arts teachers in high schools. Or the French novels studied by elementary and middle school French immersion classes. How many of those French classics are written by francophones from diverse racial and religious backgrounds?

Did francophones from diverse racial and religious backgrounds just not exist during this period? Or was it that they didn’t experience success due to their race and religion?

I understand that white FLA teachers may feel that these French classics are a part of their heritage or the “French Patrimoine”. However, this French Patrimoine neglects the very people the French Empire colonized and subjugated for centuries. Why are their works not considered to be worth reading and studying in the French classrooms?

There is also the fact that French classics, filled with white characters, do not represent all our diverse students. How can book after book about medieval white characters be relevant to the lives of our BIPOC students?

The French literature chosen in FLA classes must be reflective of the students in that classroom. In fact, French literature must :

• inform white students about the lives and experiences of BIPOC
• empower BIPOC students

Questions to consider when selecting French literature for the classroom :

• What problems do your racialized students encounter in life?
• How does your reading list ensure that your students are heard and seen, and that their peers learn about their lives?
• What trials and tribulations have the families of your students endured? Also, what stories need to be shared in the classroom?
• How does your reading list contribute to a society that is more empathetic, informed, critical and trauma-informed?

Therefore, the answer is pretty simple. French Language Arts teachers must diversify their reading list.

You are promoting colonial hierarchies in your French curriculum

Here are some examples of colonial hierarchies you may be upholding as part of your French Immersion or Core French curriculum :

• linguistic superiority – promoting French, or even standard French, as a superior language
• avoiding teaching about racism, genocide, police brutality, colonialism because your students ‘don’t have the language to do it in French’
• only teaching about standard, hexagonal French
• centering Christianity

Do you leave space in your French curriculum to teach about Creole, Michif, Chiac or Verlan?

Also, do you teach about how the Arabic spoken in Algeria and Tunisia differs from the Arabic spoken on the Arabian Peninsula? Do you listen to stories and read articles about how empowering these languages and dialects are to the minorities who speak them?

Or do you only teach the standard, Hexagonal French?

Do you center Christianity in your pedagogy? I know you may say that Christianity is a part of the French patrimoine. However, Francophones and francophiles can also be Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Jewish, Buddhist. Are they not part of French patrimoine? And if they aren’t, why not?

Remember that Christianity was a violent means through which racialized people were conquered. Christianity meant rape, genocide, murder in the colonies. By continuing to only promote Christianity, and to avoid all talk of other religions, you are partaking in this violent colonial legacy.

And if you are reading this and you are Christian, I want you to ask yourself what biases and colonial hierarchies you are bringing into your classroom. Are these biases and colonial hierarchies preventing you from celebrating and teaching about your students’ religions? About the religions of people who live in the same society as you?

Remember that every opportunity you take to inform your students about diverse religions may mean that an innocent family is spared from violence.

Your content and resources do not address colonialism and the violence that preceded “la francophonie”.

When looking to bring culture into the classroom, many French teachers immediately think to do a single “francophonie unit”. This single unit cannot begin to cover the complex history of the French Empire.

Before we even begin to teach about all of the countries and places that speak French, we must address why they speak French. We must create a space where our students can listen to the stories of those who were subjugated for centuries.

While it may seem as though colonization occurred long ago, remember that people and countries all around the world continue to deal with the legacies of colonialism. These legacies are political, social, economic, and environmental.

Human rights violations and justice in French curriculum

There must be space within Core French & French immersion curriculum and content to address human rights violations and the search for justice.

To only present francophone people and places in a positive light is to teach your students 50% of the topic. To understand la francophonie, our French as a second language students must also learn about the adversity, resilience and the ongoing fights for justice occurring in many francophone communities.

The post How your French curriculum reinforces & upholds colonial hierarchies appeared first on FLE Avec MmeD.

The last few weeks have been very heavy on my heart. The murder of 6 Asian women and the rise in violence against Asians have made me feel very powerless. Whenever I feel powerless about injustices, I remind myself of the power I have as an educator in shaping the the minds of youth. For this reason, I put together this article to help French teachers address this rise in anti-asian racism.

Why should we teach about anti-asian racism in French class?

First, these tragedies cannot be ignored in the classroom. In fact, the rise of violence against Asians must be addressed in schools.

Secondly, if you teach Asian students, this is an incredibly frightening and stressful situation for them. As a matter of fact, some of them may have already experienced racism.

On the other hand, others may already know stories where their loved ones faced violence. It is our job as teachers to not only comfort our students, but also to do them justice by ensuring that their peers know what they are experiencing.

Finally, if you teach white students, you have the incredibly important task of opening their eyes and hearts to a topic they may have no knowledge of.

Which age groups should learn about anti-asian racism?

There is no age too young to discuss racism. Here is an article discussing age appropriate ways to talk to your children/student about racism.

Free resource for middle/high school French teachers

I have created a free resource for teachers to address this topic in their classroom. This is not a “one size fits all” resource. Please use this blog post to find supplementary resources that fit your own needs.

As a matter of fact, my resource is ideal for Canadian students and classrooms. However, I have included links to global resources in this blog post.

Videos about anti-Asian racism

Anti-Asian violence in Vancouver

When acts of violence against minorities occur, Canadians can be quick to state “Oh, but we’re not that bad. Racism isn’t as bad here”. I am especially calling out white people for being so quick to make comments like these.

These kinds of comments gaslight and silence the lived experiences of visible minorities in Canada.

For this reason, if you are Canadian, I encourage you to analyze this video with your students. This video analyzes racism experienced by Asians in Vancouver and how the Covid pandemic has impacted Asians living in the city.

Anti-Asian hate in France

Anti-Asian hate in Québec

Ils témoignent du racisme anti-asiatique en France (Brut)

This is a short video on being Asian in France. At the time of writing this article, I was not at all surprised, but still disheartened to see the racist comments in response to the video.

These comments can be studied in class in order to have a better understanding of why they are inappropriate.

Podcasts

Asiattitude

If you teach French Immersion Secondary students, it may be worthwhile to explore this topic deeper. Asiattitude is a podcast focusing on the lived experiences of Asians in France.

Reading material on anti-Asian racism

TC2 – Vie quotidienne des Canadiens d’origine chinoise sur le chemin de fer

If you teach Social Studies, you may be interested in exploring the contributions of Asian Canadians in the CPR construction and the racism they faced. It also includes primary sources.

Do you know any resources that teachers can use?

To conclude, I hope that you found these resources to be helpful. If you come across resources not shared in this article, please feel free to share with us in the comments below.

If you are looking for more diverse content for French classes, I have entire blog posts dedicated to representation and anti-racism in the French classroom.

Looking for a Facebook Group to continue learning?

Join our FaceBook community where French Immersion & Core French teachers share the resources we use in our own classrooms. Click here to join.

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