Aya Nakamura | French Reading Comprehension at 3 Levels + Infographic

Bring contemporary Francophone culture into your French classroom with this differentiated reading comprehension activity about Aya Nakamura, one of the best-known French-language pop artists in the world!

This resource introduces students to Aya Nakamura’s life, Malian roots, rise to international fame, music, use of French slang and African and Caribbean influences, and her memorable performance at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games opening ceremony. Students will learn about a contemporary artist while practicing interpretive reading skills and exploring questions of language, culture, identity, and modern France.

⭐ Three Differentiated Reading Levels

The same general content is presented at three proficiency levels, making it easy to differentiate within one classroom:

• Novice High
• Intermediate Low
• Intermediate Mid

Students can work with a text appropriate to their proficiency level while still participating in the same class discussion and completing the same comprehension activities.

📖 What Will Students Learn?

The readings explore:

• Aya Nakamura’s childhood and Malian heritage
• Her path from posting music on social media to international success
• The story behind the name “Nakamura”
• The enormous success of Djadja
• Her creative use of French, slang, and expressions from Africa and the Caribbean
• Her awards and international popularity
• Her performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics
• The controversy surrounding her Olympic appearance
• The relationship between her music, modern France, and her Malian roots

The Intermediate readings provide additional language and detail for more proficient students while maintaining the same core subject matter.

✏️ Comprehension Activities Included

Use the activities with any of the three reading levels. The resource includes:

• 10 True/False questions in English
• 10 Vrai/Faux questions in French
• 5 short-answer questions in English
• 5 short-answer questions in French
• 10 multiple-choice questions in French
• 10 multiple-choice questions in English
• Complete answer key

This gives you the flexibility to conduct the lesson primarily in French or provide English-language comprehension support when appropriate.

🎵 Extend the Lesson

The resource also includes a colorful Aya Nakamura infographic/timeline and a page of links to music videos, her Olympic performance, and French-language articles for teachers who want to extend the lesson into listening, discussion, research, or cultural exploration.

💡 Perfect For

French 2, French 3, French 4, mixed-level classes, Francophone culture units, interpretive reading practice, music and pop culture units, sub plans, or lessons exploring contemporary France and the Francophone world.

Rather than giving every student an identical text, you can assign the version that best matches each learner’s reading ability—different texts, same topic, same class discussion.

Make French reading more accessible while introducing students to a contemporary Francophone artist they may already recognize from music, social media, or the Paris Olympics!