By Michelle Crean

Learning all about French life was a fun day at school for primary school children last week.

Mike Finnegan's fourth class with Hélène Olivier-Courtney

Mrs Murphy's class with SNA Elaine Cronin on the left Mrs Murphy on the right.

Third Class with French teacher Hélène Olivier-Courtney class teacher and Deputy Principal Mrs Rosemary Moynihan and SNA Kathleen Moran enjoying the recent French day.

Third to Sixth Class pupils in Fossa National School celebrated the end of this year's French module organised by Post Primary Language Ireland (PPLI) 'Say Yes to Languages', an eight week programme that aims at promoting languages and cultural diversity in Irish primary schools. This is the school’s second year running the module.

"On the day, children dressed as bakers, artists, footballers, mimes, fashionistas or just in their own clothes as French pupils don't wear a uniform," Hélène Olivier-Courtney from French For All, told the Killarney Advertiser.

"The course was about celebrating eight weeks of learning not only French but about the French and Francophone culture and the appreciation of languages in general in our multicultural society."

Last year’s six-week module was extended to eight weeks, she explained.

"The added two weeks have allowed children not only to learn more French but also to engage in a reflexion about diversity and the benefits of learning languages on a community and personal level and we can only hope that it will be extended again next year!

The success of the initiative relies on an all-school approach and the active involvement of class teachers, SNA and management, she added.

"The whole staff in Fossa certainly helped make this new journey a special and enjoyable experience for the children!"