French Day 2026: “Coupe/s du monde” (March 20)
Join us for a half-day program of interactive workshops in French! Intended for students with at least two years of experience in the language, this immersion program incorporates interactive learning techniques designed to build vocabulary and improve comprehension skills. This year’s theme (Coupe/s du Monde) celebrates the arrival of the World Cup to our region this summer while playing on the many senses of the word “coupe” and “couper” in order to provide participants with a cross-section of contexts in which French is used in the world today (tapping maple syrup, dance moves, acts of independence, fashionable “cuts” of clothing, trophies, and more).
Please register here as soon as possible and no later than February 13. Space is limited and confirmed on a “first come, first served” basis once payment is received.
French Day 2026 Schedule
9:00-9:15 AM: Welcoming remarks and logistics
9:30-10:20 AM and 10:30-11:20 AM: Workshops
11:20-12:10 PM: Lunch
12:15-1:30 PM: Film Competition (see description below).
2026 Workshops
La coupe sucrée: Découverte du Québec et du sirop d’érable
Dr. Pascale LaFountain, Montclair State University
In this workshop, students will explore the Québecois tradition of making le sirop d’érable [maple syrup]. Through French-language activities, they will learn about the process of tapping maple trees (la coupe), collecting sap, and transforming it into syrup and sugar. Students will practice vocabulary related to nature, seasons, and cultural heritage while engaging with the rhythms of Québec’s springtime. The workshop concludes with sensory and creative activities inspired by the sugar shack experience. Accessible to all levels of French.
Song, Dance and Pop Culture in Francophone Africa
Dr. Daniel Mengara, Montclair State University
This presentation uses short film and video excerpts to show the transition from sung and spoken African culture to the culture of song and dance now practiced in youth pop culture throughout Francophone African cities. It shows how youth in Sub-Saharan Francophone countries have engaged in transpositions, adaptations, reappropriations and modernization of traditional musical African genres even as they have embraced such popular music styles and genres as Hip-Hop and Rap. This session may include African dance demonstrations and contests by representatives of the schools in attendance. Accessible to all levels of French.
La “coupe” de la mode 2026: Paris Fashion Week
Natalie Vigorito, Montclair State University
“La coupe” has numerous meanings in French, including “cup” (prize) for sports and “cut” as in fashion! We will explore the latter meaning in this workshop, as we discover “La Semaine des créateurs de la mode,” the official name of “Paris Fashion Week” (March 2026). Videos and podcasts will bring the event to life, as will vocabulary and resources for creative design and further exploration. Participants will learn how clothing items are designed and “cut” and then use this knowledge in their very own “Coupe de la mode,” where fashion designs will be evaluated and compared for the top prize of our French Day fashion competition! Accessible to all levels, but most beneficial to those with intermediate and advanced levels of French.
Déclarations d’indépendance au-delà des frontières
Bertange Sévère and Dr. Kathleen Loysen, Montclair State University
In honor of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, students will explore the Haitian revolution of 1791, inspired by the fundamental beliefs in liberty and resistance expressed in the 1776 document and in the French Déclaration des droits de l’homme. Successful in their revolt, leaders of the Haitian Revolution established a Republic that would serve as model for other Atlantic colonies. Through creative activities, students will learn new vocabulary to reflect on the meaning of freedom and revolution across cultures, increase their understanding of Haitian culture, and taste a Haitian delicacy. Most accessible to those with intermediate and advanced levels of French.
FIFA en français: La Coupe 2026 et le monde à travers le football
Dr. Elizabeth Emery and Maxime Irie Boli, Montclair State University
In this hands-on workshop, students will explore the global history of FIFA (founded in France in 1904) and the World Cup, with a special focus on the upcoming 2026 North American tournament and its New Jersey matches. Through interactive activities, students will learn key French vocabulary and concepts related to le foot and to the cultural impact of the sport, while practicing their French speaking and writing skills. While the weather may not support outdoor events, we’ll engage in some friendly school competitions during this session. Most accessible to those with intermediate and advanced levels of French.
Professional Development
Teachers may enroll for 3 credits of Professional Development on the registration form.
Film Competition
Spring 2026’s competitive events will consist of ways for intermediate and advanced students to engage with French language and culture while celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and its influence on the French and Haitian Revolutions. Prizes will be attributed to the strongest submissions in both categories and screened during the afternoon session.
Tableaux vivants (for Advanced Students)
Riffing on “tableaux vivants”—a late nineteenth-century parlor game—participants will bring life to a painting or photograph playing with the sense of “coupe,” “coupes,” or declarations of independence in the French-speaking world and produced by a French-speaking artist. The filmed performance of this “living painting” should last no more than five minutes, including credits, and must have a clear narrative development: beginning, middle, end. Good sources for selecting French paintings include the Musée d’Orsay, the Centre Pompidou, the Museum of Modern Art, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, among many others. The painting will serve as a starting point, but feel free to let your imagination run wild. View the “Tableaux vivants” submission form for more details and registration information. Submissions due by February 27.
La Poésie en images (for Beginning and Intermediate Students)
Individuals or teams of students should select a poem written in French in which the central tension treats issues of independence, liberty, freedom, or triumph. They should create a filmed adaptation of that work (no more than 3 minutes including credits). Feel free to use still images, animation, or live action (people, puppets, animals, paper cut-outs, etc). Wheaton College’s “Vive Voix” site [https://wheatoncollege.edu/vive-voix/] provides a selection of poems with accompanying readings. View the “Poésie en images” submission form for more details and registration information. Submissions due by February 27.
For more information or questions about French Day 2026: msufrenchday@gmail.com).
Archived French Day Programs
French-Day 2024
French Day 2022
French Day 2020
French Day 2019
French Day 2018
French Day 2017