January can feel like a fresh start… but also a foggy one. Students are sleepy, routines are forgotten, and teachers are (let’s be honest) running on leftover chocolate and determination.
If you’re a French teacher looking to reset your classroom after the winter break—without spending hours planning—you’re in the right place.
This guide will help you reboot routines, re-engage students, and bring structure back with low-prep French warm-ups, speaking activities, and cultural mini-lessons perfect for January.
Why the First Week Back Matters
Think of early January as a mini “back-to-school.” The tone you set now determines how smoothly the rest of winter will go.
A strong reset week helps:
✨ rebuild predictable routines
✨ bring students back into French mode
✨ lower anxiety for beginners
✨ re-establish expectations
✨ spark motivation for the second half of the year
The best part? You don’t need complicated lessons to make this happen.
1. Rebuild Routines With Simple, Predictable Warm-Ups
After winter break, students need repetition and structure more than ever.
Here are easy warm-ups that get students back into French without overwhelming them:
✔️ Attendance Question / Question du jour
A quick “Question du jour” gets everyone speaking right away. Keep it simple:
Qu’est-ce que tu as fait pendant le congé?
Est-ce que tu aimes l’hiver? Pourquoi?
Quelle est ta résolution pour janvier?
Use visuals, sentence starters, and winter themes to reduce the pressure.
If you want ready-made January prompts click here!
✔️ 3-Minute Vocabulary Review
Choose 5–7 winter words and have students:
• act them out
• find them in the room
• draw them in mini whiteboards
• use them in a sentence
Keep it short, fast, and fun.
2. Reset Behavior & Expectations the Easy Way
Don’t reteach everything—just reteach the essentials.
👉 Establish the “Big 3”
Pick your top three routines students tend to forget:
How we enter class
What to do when finished
Voice level expectations
Practice these quickly in French or English depending on level. Students appreciate clarity after two weeks of chaos.
3. Set New Year Goals—In French!
January is naturally a month of reflection, which is why it’s the perfect moment to weave in goal-setting in an authentic, empowering way.
French Vision Board Poster resource fits beautifully here. It helps students:
✨ reflect on school, family, hobbies, travel, and health
✨ set clear goals using beginner-friendly language
✨ create a visual project that doubles as classroom decor
It’s meaningful, student-centered, and easy to implement in the first week back.
4. Add Cultural Mini-Lessons: Epiphany & Winter Traditions
January is PACKED with French cultural celebrations—but you don’t need full units to teach them.
Short, no-prep cultural snapshots work wonderfully during reset week:
✨ L’Épiphanie & La Galette des Rois
Keep it simple:
show a photo of a galette
teach 5–8 vocabulary words (la fève, une couronne, partager…)
play a short guessing game (“Qui sera le roi/la reine?”)
The Galette des Rois Quilt is a great add-on for a flexible, creative whole-class activity that requires zero prep once printed.
✨ Winter idioms
These make amazing warm-ups or exit tickets.
The Winter Idioms Posters & Activities add instant cultural flavor.
5. Rebuild Confidence With Differentiated Reading
Many students feel rusty after break.
This is the BEST moment for:
short reading passages
familiar themes
predictable structure
visual supports
The Differentiated Winter Reading Stories (“Il neige ce matin,” “Brr… Il fait froid,” and “Le ski”) help you reintroduce reading without overwhelming anyone. Beginners feel successful, and advanced students get challenge pages.
These are perfect weekly warm-ups or literacy centers during January.
6. Keep Activities Low-Prep (Because You’re Also Tired)
January teaching should NOT require hours of planning.
Here are effortless activities that still feel purposeful:
5-minute partner speaking drills
quick-write reflections (“Mon moment préféré du congé…”)
vocabulary race games
chat mats for structured conversation
mini whiteboard quizzes
short cultural comparisons
bell ringers using your speaking cards
The Chat Mat: Le Nouvel An is especially useful this month for structured, supported oral practice.
7. Make January Feel Fresh Without Reinventing Everything
A reset doesn’t mean starting over. It means:
reviewing key routines
reintroducing structure
building confidence
adding small bursts of culture
keeping activities simple but engaging
The goal is not perfection—it’s momentum.
When students feel supported, the second half of the year becomes smoother, calmer, and more joyful… for both them and you.
Final Thoughts: Give Yourself a Gentle Start Too
January teaching is not about doing more.
It’s about doing what works.
Lean on:
✔️ low-prep activities
✔️ predictable routines
✔️ cultural snapshots
✔️ differentiated resources
✔️ lots of grace—for students and yourself
Your classroom doesn’t need a dramatic overhaul.
It just needs a reset—and you’ve got everything you need to make that happen.
👉 Click here to download 30 FREE activities to help your students speak more French!