Have you ever wondered what the importance of French week is? French week is a tradition that French teachers all over the country created to draw attention to the different places where French is spoken. French Week is from November 1st to November 8th at Oakdale High school and most other schools.
The purpose of French week is for people who don’t speak the language to learn more about the culture. French is an important language that is commonly ignored by the U.S, due to the increase of Spanish communities around the country.
In Oakdale, the French classes make a cemetery in the library for La Toussaint which means “all saints” in English. Students put graves of famous French people in there, to honor their memory and spread awareness about their lives. There are also different types of French music on the morning announcements everyday during this week.
Many activities can be done to celebrate French Week. In Oakdale High school, there’s sometimes games in the library for students to play during French week. Many people hold celebrations and it’s a great chance to learn more about the culture and how it impacts the world.
Ms. Nissa Quill, a French teacher at Oakdale, organizes all things that involve the French classes. She has strived to create an inclusive environment around Oakdale: “I think it’s just for people to understand better why French is important and we have a growing number of people at our school who come from countries where they speak French. So I think that it also helps those people have a community around them that understands where they come from and hopefully we can increase knowledge of all that,” Quill expressed.
Overall, French Week is for students interested in learning about the language and culture of France and other French-speaking countries. If interested in knowing more about French Week, see Ms. Quill in room B229.
