Praksisfaglighed i franskfaget - nye veje at gå?

Abstract

This position paper explores the integration of praksisfaglighed (practical subject knowledge) into French language teaching in Danish primary and lower secondary schools. Drawing on experiences and findings from the project Tidlig sprogstart i fransk(“Early Start in French”), the authors examine how playful, multisensory, and movement-based learning activities can enhance student engagement and language acquisition. The paper situates its inquiry within a practice-theoretical framework and responds to recent educational policy shifts in Denmark, including the development of new subject plans for 2027. It argues that practical subject knowledge offers a promising didactic approach, informed by the continental European Didaktik tradition, that aligns with holistic and inclusive pedagogies, particularly in small subjects like French. Through a detailed presentation of a three-phase teaching model and a climate-focused teaching sequence based on the fairy tale genre, the paper demonstrates how embodied learning and student agency can be fostered in language classrooms. The authors call for a redefinition of French didactics that incorporates practical, aesthetic, and problem-solving dimensions through praksisfaglighed, and advocate for further research into praksisfaglighed across language subjects. This contribution aims to support teachers in navigating curriculum reform and to inform the broader discourse on multimodal and practice-oriented language education in Nordic contexts.