Teaching French in Higher Education

Teaching French in Higher Education

Explore our selection of pedagogical resources designed for instructors of French as a World Language at the university and adult education levels.

As the second most widely taught world language in American higher education, French offers powerful pathways to global engagement in diplomacy, international business, scientific research, and the arts. With over 300 million speakers across 28 countries on five continents, learning French gives students and adult learners a competitive edge in today’s multilingual, multicultural workforce. It also sharpens critical thinking and intercultural communication skills, increasingly valued in every professional field.

Recognizing both the importance and the challenges of teaching world languages in the U.S., Villa Albertine has curated a collection of professional development opportunities and free, high-quality instructional resources to support French language educators working with adult learners and university students. Special attention is given to professional French, preparing learners to use the language confidently in the workplace and international contexts.

Discover our selection of pedagogical resources and opportunities below.

Professional Development

  • French in Higher Education Program (FIHE)

The French in Higher Education program supports innovation at university French departments through best practices in teaching, professional development for faculty, and internships in France for American students. By providing grants of $2,000 to $20,000, this program enables the development of transformative projects, job fairs, and internship opportunities that strengthen French programs, increase enrollment, and enhance students’ career prospects.

In a rapidly evolving educational landscape, investing in innovative approaches, such as professional internship centers, specialized courses like French for Health Professions, and global engagement programs, ensures that learning French remains dynamic, relevant, and accessible. To sustain the future of French language education, it is crucial to support initiatives that foster long-term impact, interdisciplinary connections, and real-world applications.

  • CCI Paris Île-de-France Training and Webinars

Paris Île-de-France Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) has long been working to promote the French language. A pioneer in certification, assessment, and training in professional French, the CCI Paris Île-de-France platform receives more than 1.5 million visitors per year. There you will find:

Hundreds of pedagogical resources, from lesson plans to communication task lists to incorporate into your courses by field and by level, and bibliography per theme: Fiches pédagogiques en français professionnel – Le français des affaires and Ressources pédagogiques FOS – Le français sur objectif spécifique.

CCI Paris Île-de-France also offers the Test d’Evaluation de Français (TEF) and Diplômes de Français Professionnel (DFP) with nearly 114,000 candidates each year in close partnership with a network of more than 500 centers worldwide.

  • LISEO – France Education International’s Observatory and Resources

LISEO stands for Langues, International, Systèmes éducatifs, Observatoire. This portal managed by France Education International aims to inform you about education policies and the teaching of French around the world.

Additionally, it offers access to thousands of references, including publications, conferences, pedagogical resources, and methods for teaching French as a Foreign Language (FLE) and French for Specific Purposes (FOS).

LISEO allows users to subscribe to thematic alerts and monthly newsletters once they create a free account, keeping them informed about the latest developments and resources in their areas of interest. Their monthly Politiques éducatives dans le monde and Politiques linguistiques et didactique des langues might interest you.

Additionally, existing resources are sorted by themes, with one for Français sur objectifs spécifiques (FOS).

Cultural and Media Resources

  • Albertine Cinémathèque by Villa Albertine for Adults and Universities

Albertine Cinémathèque is an educational and grant program of Villa Albertine and Albertine Foundation, supported by the CNC and the Franco-American Cultural Fund. This initiative is designed to expand access to French cinema and support film programming at American colleges and universities.

Albertine Cinémathèque’s annual film selection engages with some of the greatest issues of our time, while fostering a lasting appreciation for this diverse and evolving art form. By offering grants and providing extensive resources, the program helps to enrich educational environments and deepen the connection between French culture and American audiences through cinema.

Free Membership  for US higher education faculty to Albertine Cinémathèque allows you to:

    • Book films from our COMMITTEE PICKS list for on-campus events or festivals
    • Apply for our FESTIVAL GRANT to help fund your very own French film festival on campus
    • Access semi-annual virtual FILM SERIES, available to members and their students online to build into in-class curriculum and discussions
    • Invite FILMMAKERS for post-screening conversations with students, whether in-person or virtually.
  • TV5 Monde – Teach with Authentic Videos and Cultural Programming

The French-language network TV5 Monde contains numerous online resources: categorized by levels and topics, including educational videos, articles, and authentic documents.

TV5 Monde also offers rich programming, including premium films, new series, and engaging documentaries changing every month. Villa Albertine publishes a monthly round-up of must-see programs.

Find over one thousand TV5’s teaching guides for teaching French as a world language HERE.

  • RFI français facile – Learn and Teach French Through News and Podcasts

RFI (Radio France International) has all you need to learn French with international news, podcasts, exercises, and language tests to learn and practice French, for all levels. Also check La salle des profs sharing ready-to-use lesson plans, tips for teachers, and podcasts. It even contains an interactive map to listen to different French accents!

Easy French – YouTube est la chaîne Youtube du projet linguistique Easy Languages. Le concept est de créer des vidéos d’interviews de rue pour aider les apprenants à s’immerger dans la langue telle qu’elle est réellement parlée. Pour les professeurs de français, il s’agit d’un outil pouvant enrichir l’enseignement du français en apportant une immersion culturelle avec la “vraie langue” et des sujets variés dans la salle de classe.

Academic and Cultural Resources for French Studies

  • Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF) – Bring History, Literature, and Cultural Heritage into the Classroom

The Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF) offers a wealth of free, high-quality educational resources.

    • The Classes BnF platform provides rich pedagogical content, including exhibitions, interactive activities, and themed resources that can be directly used in teaching. Find downloadable teaching materials HERE
    • Les Essentiels pour les enseignants is a curated gateway to the BnF’s most useful tools for educators, organized by subject and level, to easily support lesson planning and student engagement.

These platforms are especially valuable for French teachers looking to integrate cultural and historical depth into their instruction.

  • Library of Congress – France and the French Collections

The Library of Congress offers a variety of open-access resources in French, including materials on U.S. history. The Open Access Resources page also contains an impressive list of external links to French resources.

  • Collège de France – Free Books and Open Lectures

Collège de France is a prestigious higher education and research institution located in Paris, France. Unlike traditional universities, it offers no degrees or diplomas; instead, it provides free and open lectures to the public, given by some of the world’s leading scholars and scientists.

Find Collège de France books open edition HERE.

You might also be interested in navigating their audiovisual content with courses and lectures HERE.

Below is a sample selection of lectures related to the French language:

  • Cairn Info – Scholarly Publications, Including Journals, Books, and Magazines, Primarily in French

Cairn Info is a leading French-language digital library specializing in the humanities and social sciences, and law and administration.

The platform, maintained by a consortium of French and Belgian publishers, hosts over 150,000 journal articles and 4,000 books from more than 150 publishers. It provides both free and subscription-based content. A significant portion of the publications is freely accessible, with over 70% of journal articles available at no cost.

  • University of Chicago, ARTFL Project – French-Language Texts for Scholarly Research and Teaching

The ARTFL Project (American and French Research on the Treasury of the French Language) is a digital humanities initiative based at the University of Chicago. The project is a cooperative enterprise of the Laboratoire ATILF (Analysis and Computer Processing of the French Language) of the CNRS (French National Center for Scientific Research), the Division of the Humanities and Electronic Text Services (ETS) of the University of Chicago.

It provides access to more than 3,500 French-language texts, from the 12th to the 20th century, for scholarly research and teaching. The public databases can be found HERE.

  • La Très Grande Bibliothèque by the ARTFL Project and la Sorbonne

La Très Grande Bibliothèque is a digital corpus developed through a collaboration between the ARTFL Project at the University of Chicago and the Observatoire des Textes, des Idées et des Corpus (ObTIC) team at the Sorbonne.

The corpus comprises over 130,000 French-language texts, primarily from the 19th century, sourced from the Gallica digital library of the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF).

While the full corpus is accessible through the BnF’s API, ARTFL has made a subset available for public use via its PhiloLogic search engine, facilitating advanced searches and textual analysis.

  • Trésor de la Langue Française informatisé – France’s Linguistic Heritage Repository

The TLFi is the digital version of the Trésor de la Langue Française (TLF), a comprehensive reference dictionary developed by CNRS (French National Center for Scientific Research) and ATILF (Analysis and Computer Processing of the French Language). It represents one of the most ambitious lexicographic projects ever undertaken for the French language.

The TLFi is a precious tool in higher education and in-depth study of French, thanks to detailed etymological information and tracking of the semantic evolution of words over time, cross-disciplinary applications, advanced search functionality, and discipline-specific vocabulary with scholarly precision.

  • ATILF – Collaborative Excellence in French Language Research

ATILF (Analysis and Computer Processing of the French Language) is a research laboratory, the product of a fruitful collaboration between the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) and the University of Lorraine (UL). This reference institute is dedicated to the in-depth study and digital processing of the French language in all its dimensions.

In addition to the already listed resources, we encourage you to navigate their “projects/resources” pages listing multiple tools and ongoing research.

  • Yale University Library – Web Directory for French Language and Literature

The directory lists major French-language databases, such as Les Classiques des sciences sociales, Bibliothèques Virtuelles Humanistes, the ARTFL Project, and more. While some of these resources require Yale affiliation, the directory also features several open-access websites that can benefit independent educators looking for freely available French-language content.

  • (Canadian Resources) Le Centre de la francophonie des Amériques offers the Bibliothèque des Amériques.

Free, unique, and 100% Franco-Americas! The Bibliothèque des Amériques provides access to thousands of digital books by Francophone authors from the Americas. Its unique offering is both diverse and specialized. It stands out by gathering, preserving, and sharing the documentary heritage of Francophone communities or related to Francophone communities across the Americas.

Created in 2014, the Library of the Americas is an initiative of the Centre de la francophonie des Amériques, an organization of the Quebec government. It is accessible free of charge if you become a member, whether you are from Brazil, Colombia, Haiti, the United States, Canada, etc.

Universities Open Educational Resources (OER)

  • University of Texas at Austin, Collaborative OER “Français interactif”

Academic and technical professionals at the University of Texas created Français interactif. This Open Educational Resource is the result of over ten years of collaboration.

From the full PDF textbook to practice activities and assessment: Teachers, start your journey HERE!

  • University of Houston, LibreTexts Humanities – Elementary and Intermediate French

The University of Houston offers four open-access elementary and intermediate French University modules called Improvisations. It also offers an amazing French Pronunciation module with its full book. Our favorite lesson is this advanced-level Fast French lesson. Buckle up!

  • University of Florida – French and Francophone Studies OER

The University of Florida Libraries offers a comprehensive guide to Open Educational Resources (OER) for French and Francophone Studies. You will find listed below some of the shared resources:

    • NE.S: An open-access textbook focused on conversational French, promoting active engagement and cultural awareness.
    • Histoires d’Avenirs: Science-fiction pour le cours de français niveaux intermédiaire et avancé: A creative approach to language learning through science fiction narratives, suitable for intermediate to advanced learners.
    • Sons & Lettres: A pronunciation method for intermediate-level French: A focused guide to improving French pronunciation, tailored for intermediate learners.
  • University of New Hampshire – Languages OER

The University of New Hampshire (UNH) provides a curated selection of Open Educational Resources (OER) tailored for French language learners and educators. You will find listed below some of the shared resources:

    • Tex’s French Grammmar: An engaging pedagogical grammar resource that combines detailed explanations with humorous dialogues and illustrations, making complex concepts more approachable
    • Liberté: A communicative approach to first-year college French, focusing on real-life contexts and cultural insights to build language proficiency.
    • French in Action: A multimedia series offering 52 half-hour video programs, audio materials, and coordinated textbooks, providing an immersive language learning experience.
    • Boise State University, French Ancillary Activities and OER

The Pathways Project at Boise State University offers a comprehensive collection of Open Educational Resources (OER) tailored for French language instruction. These resources are designed to support both novice and intermediate learners, providing educators with adaptable materials to enhance classroom engagement and promote intercultural competence.

With Let’s Chat! French, the university shares a compilation of nearly 100 classrooms (face-to-face or online setup) – with speaking activities covering various themes such as food, daily routines, health, environment, and art.

Want more? Boise State University also collected 35 websites to consume authentic French content: Pathways Project Digital Humanities  and Authentic Materials Site Index

  • University of New Hampshire – Languages OER

The Université Numérique des Humanités (UOH) is a French digital university established in 2007 dedicated to providing open-access educational resources in the fields of arts, letters, languages, and social sciences.

The UOH Resource Portal serves as a comprehensive database, featuring over 2,100 resources categorized by discipline, educational level, and resource type. Users can explore materials across various subjects such as French language and literature, philosophy, psychology, and more.

  • Universities – OER

Many universities offer and share OER materials in addition to the ones already listed. Find more in the list below:

Teaching Materials

  • IFprofs, Access Content from the Institut français and its Members

IFprofs offers nearly a thousand pedagogical resources dedicated to teaching French, organized by level, by theme, by country, and more. Explore Français sur objectifs universitaires – Ressources – IFprofs and Français professionnel – Ressources – IFprofs.

Create a free account to access all available content.

  • La Boîte à outils pédagogiques – An Open-access Digital Platform Developed by the Fédération Internationale des Professeurs de Français 

La Boîte à outils pédagogiques (BOP) is designed to support French language educators worldwide by providing a rich collection of pedagogical resources.

It offers a wide array of materials to assist teachers in delivering engaging and effective French language instruction, with teaching guides, exercises to enhance student engagement, cultural resources, and professional development tools.

The website also hosts the Grammaire actuelle et contextualisée du français, a collaborative online grammar resource developed by a group of educators and researchers from various countries.

  • Le Point du FLE – A Directory to Find Materials for Your In-Person Class

Le Point du FLE is a directory containing 8,400 up-to-date links to free resources and teaching guides to help you prepare your lessons. Despite advertisements popping up, the website offers an overview of the great wealth of materials available online and highlights the remarkable work of resource creators:

    • Each link has pedagogical value and serves a purpose in the process of learning and teaching French.
    • Every exercise or activity can be completed independently, meaning that the elements it contains (audio, video, supplementary documents, corrections, etc.) and their corrections are accessible.
    • Each link is accessible for free, with no password or email address required.

The resources are well-organized and easy to navigate with “Activities/Languages competencies,” “Themes/Vocabulary,” “Grammar,” “Culture,” “Conjugation.” “Language Tips and Expression,” “Specific Audiences,” and “FLE universe.”

This website is worth spending time exploring to help you create your next lesson.

  • Les Zexperts FLE – Worksheets and Games to Energize Your French Class

Les Zexperts FLE offer numerous ready-to-use educational resources for the classroom and online: grammar worksheets, conversation courses, games, and more. The free version provides access to 300 resources, while the paid version offers over 1,100 resources.

  • Fleuron –  Specialized Resources for University Students in France

Fleuron is an online educational platform developed by ATILF in collaboration with the University of Lorraine. Designed for international students who wish to study in France, this free, no-registration-needed resource offers study tools to help learners understand the French language and university culture.

Note that the interface can be set in French, English, and Spanish.

  • Fonetix – Specialized Resources for Phonetics Instructors of French

Explore a website dedicated to training phonetics instructors.  With a focus on improving pronunciation and listening comprehension of French, discover free resources in addition to their paid training and a pronunciation training platform.

  • Lingua – collection de ressources authentiques pour compléter l’enseignement en classe

Lingua est une plateforme en ligne conçue pour faciliter l’apprentissage et la pratique des langues étrangères, notamment le français. Elle propose des exercices gratuits de lecture et compréhension pour apprendre des langues en ligne et recommander aux élèves pour renforcer leurs points faibles de manière autonome.

  • Lawless French – large sélection de textes accompagnés de ressources pédagogiques

Créé par Laura K. Lawless, une linguiste américaine spécialisée dans l’enseignement du français, ce site s’adresse aussi bien aux étudiants qu’aux enseignants. Lawless French – Reading Practice offre des lectures classées par niveau A1 à C, des quiz de compréhension, et des liens vers des fiches explicatives.

  • Podcast Français Facile – Audio Lessons and Printable Activities to Teach French

Created by a French teacher based in Japan, podcast Français Facile offers free content for learners of French. The platform provides a wealth of resources, including dialogues, texts, MP3s, PDFs, and exercises. It is designed to help users practice grammar, conjugation, and pronunciation. All materials are available at no cost, making it an interesting tool for FLE teachers with beginners and intermediate learners. Start HERE to navigate the platform.

  • Ensemble en France by France Terre d’Asile

France Terre d’Asile offers on its platform Ensemble en France, a wide range of engaging, humorous, and moving resources to help you learn about school life and intercultural experiences in France.

You’ll find a sometimes surprising list of social situations from everyday life, along with clear explanations.

You’ll also discover colorful idiomatic expressions—trust us, they’re commonly used in everyday conversation. So have fun learning them!

Finally, some general culture on France cannot hurt. Particularly when it’s a quiz, from easy to relatively hard. Dare to test your knowledge!