Every March, like clockwork, students fill out their brackets–deciding which artists’ songs are worthy enough to move up until just one remains.
Founders Michelle Fournie and Stephanie Carbonneau’s goal in creating Manie Musicale was to immerse students in French culture, helping them improve their listening, comprehension, speaking, and writing skills.
Despite Manie Musicale having an academic goal, students have found joy in listening to songs in foreign languages, which has helped them better understand the culture.
When voting for songs, sophomore Caroline Demas paid close attention to the creativity and vibe of the music videos to make her decision. In her eyes, this makes Manie Musicale the best part of French class.
She attributes this to the activity’s ability to engage students with French culture while at the same time strengthening their vocabulary.
“The more you hear a language being spoken by native speakers the easier it is to learn,” Demas said.
World language teacher Señor Alvarez reiterates to his students daily the importance of cultural understanding when learning a new language.
“The goal of learning a new language is to be able to understand the culture too so you can effectively communicate with native speakers,” Alvarez said.
Alvarez also believes that Manie Musicale is a great way to immerse oneself in a new culture while simultaneously increasing comprehension of a language.
“Listening to authentic songs is a very effective way to learn a new language,” Alvarez said.
Although this activity is a highlight for most students, some perceive it as just another assignment they need to complete. Junior Nico Caputo feels as though some of the peers in his French 4-H class don’t enjoy participating in Manie Musicale.
Nevertheless, Caputo enjoys participating because it’s a “nice break in the day” and allows him to experience French culture through a new lens.
While taking part, students are encouraged to keep an open mind and to focus on the small details that make each culture unique.
From now until April 8th, students will be seen intensely defending their favorite artists in class each day until the champion is announced.
