The District’s middle school and high school French students are perfecting their French language skills through a Pen Pals Exchange experience. Seventh and eighth grade students enrolled in the middle school’s French 1 and French 1a classes are writing and receiving letters from Madame Veronique Leclerc’s seventh grade students enrolled at the Collège Guillaume Baudé, located outside of Paris. Similarly, high school French 2, French 3 and French 4 students are corresponding with Linda Ayd’s 11th grade students at the Lycée Maurice Eliot.   

Foreign language teacher Laura Balkam explained that by exchanging letters and messages the students are practicing real-world language skills while building meaningful, age-appropriate connections beyond the classroom. “This experience fosters cultural awareness, motivation and confidence in using French for genuine communication,” Ms. Balkam said.    

After structured exchanges, students can choose collectively to continue corresponding with their pen pals, allowing relationships and language growth to develop naturally. Later this spring, there are also plans for the district’s French students to hold a Zoom call with the French students. 

Madame Leclerc’s class recently sent a class photo, holding the Shoreham-Wading River students’ correspondence, as well as a video to say hello.