Teaching rhyming words in French might seem like fun and games, but it’s actually an essential skill to learn in first grade or when learning a second language! Rhyming is a part of phonological awareness, which allows students to break down and manipulate words. Teaching French rhyming words is essential for students to master the language and demonstrate that they have knowledge of these word parts!
There are three strands to phonological awareness: syllable awareness, intra-syllable awareness, and phonemic awareness. Syllable awareness is being able to segment words into syllables and blend them together to form words. Intra-syllable awareness is also called onset-rime, and it’s about noticing patterns in the first and last sounds. Phonemic awareness is all about phonemes, including identification, manipulation, etc.
Let’s expand on how you can use French rhyming to expand on phonological awareness.
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Does it Rhyme?
When teaching about French rhyming, it’s best to start with identification. That means simply asking yes and no questions. Do these words rhyme? Do these words have the same ending sound? You want students to get used to hearing rhyming words in French and listening for the final sound in each word.
To make this fun, I like to play a French rhyming game with nonsense words. Start by coming up with nonsense words that rhyme with student names. If the student’s name rhymes with the nonsense word, have them do an action, like raise their hand or jump 5 times.
You can also do a Does It Rhyme? read aloud. Find a book with French rhyming words and have your students notice which words are rhyming in the story! Dix Petits Cochons Affamés and 5 Petits Canards are my favourites!
For more practice with French rhyming, try this French Rhyming Pocket Chart Centre. This resource is a fun pocket chart sort you can use with a whole group, small group, or teacher station. There are two words on each card, and students must determine if it does or does not rhyme.
Matching Rhyming Words
Moving up from identifying French rhyming words from yes or no questions, students need to identify which words rhyme together. For example, you might ask students, “Which one rhymes with beau? Chaud or singe?”
Splat! is a fun game to play with this. Put several French rhyming words down on the carpet and give two students fly swatters. Say a word out loud, and the student who hits the card that rhymes wins!
Another fun way to practice rhyming words in French is with French songs. First, implement this activity as a class, then have students practice in small groups. Can the students find rhyming words in the lyrics? Where are they usually found? Is there a pattern?
Give each group a different song and have them repeat the activity and present the French rhyming words they found. Then have fun listening to the songs together! Bonus: this is a great cross-curricular activity!
Which One Doesn’t Rhyme?
With this activity, students will identify the odd one out. For example, give students a list of three words. Have them identify which one does not belong based on the rhyme. This is a step up from the last skill, where you asked students to identify the word that rhymes with another. This time, you’re not giving them the target ending sound. You might ask them “which 2 words rhyme? Loup – château – cou.”
You can practice this with a small group or use the Splat! game again. Lay out three words on the rug and have students smack the word that doesn’t match.
Want more French rhyming practice? Try these French Rhyming Worksheets. It includes interactive activities like matching, cutting and pasting, and identifying the odd word!
Generating Rhymes
When your students have shown mastery of the other French rhyming activities, it’s time to take it to the next level. Start by giving students a French word. Then, have them provide their own word or words that rhyme with it.
This is particularly challenging for second language students because they have limited vocabulary to choose from. If they don’t have the words in the language, they can’t provide a rhyming word – whether or not they understand the concept! Keep this in mind when choosing a word for them to rhyme with.
Try out these rhyming activities with these FREE French Rhyming Worksheets!
Want to check out the resources listed?
All the links above lead to TPT, but the resources are also available on our website. Here are the resources available here for purchase in CAD. Don’t forget you can also buy credits for an additional discount (up to $15 off).
