With Bastille Day falling on July 14 during the school holidays, French teacher Kylie Weightman bought forward Bastille Day celebrations for the students, who learn French from prep to year six.

“Students dressed up as either peasants, princes or princesses and I dressed up as Marie Antoinette,” Ms Weightman said.

The costumed students then explored the differences between the two groups of people – the peasants and the aristocracy – to get a feel for how unjust the peasants would have felt and the basics behind the French revolution.

Younger students played French games and learned traditional dances with red, white and blue scarves, while older students were treated to a performance from a mime artist and musician.

“We teach French from prep to year six so having a focus on this national day and these other activities is a great way to experience French culture,” Ms Weightman said.

At Ballarat Christian College, French is taught using an immersion method.

“Two of the main core values of the accelerated, integrated method we use are not speaking English in class, because no one used another language to teach us English when we were growing up, and the second is to use gestures to help students communicate,” Ms Weightman said.

Using plays, music, movement and games also made learning a new language more exciting than sitting and learning from a teacher or book.

“It gives them the context and purpose for learning a language. Especially in Australia, even though we are so multicultural, there is some resistance to learning a second language or understanding the need to learn.”