“One language sets you in a corridor for life. Two languages open every door along the way.”
‒Frank Smith
‒Frank Smith
Bienvenue! Welcome!
Welcome parents, students and families!
This is an exciting time here in our core French classes. We're opening doors and seeing what the world has to offer.
Luckily for us, the world is a much bigger place when you can communicate in more than one language, and your children are on their way to not only opening doors, but to breaking down language and cultural barriers.
Here is a small sample of what learning French can be for your child:
A world language
Travel through the five continents and you'll discover 220 million people who speak French.
(While you're at it, challenge your child to name all five continents in French!)
A language for the job market
Being able to speak French when looking for a job is a definite bonus whether it's a part-time job as a student or a full-time post-graduate job here in Canada and internationally.
(Challenge your child to discover bilingual job markets that interest them globally, and learn the name of the position.)
The language of culture
Wine and cheese in France? Poutine in Canada? Chocolate in Belgium? Voltaire, Hugo, and Sartre.
(Plan a stay-cation with your child and learn about festivals, favourite foods, and drinks in a French-speaking country. Plan a French meal and challenge the family to use all of the French they know!)
A language for learning
Did you know learning French can help your child with their English learning as well? Learning a second language boosts their comprehension of the English language, helps them learn added vocabulary, and assists in the development of literacy skills and creative thinking.
(Try to find as many English words as possible that have their roots in the French language. See how many are "des mots amis".)
The language of critical thinking
Not only is French a rich, musical, and deeply historical language, it is also a well-structured language that encourages your child to develop critical thinking skills.
(Learn a popular song or poem with your child and have a race to see who can say it the fastest!)
What you can do to help your child learn and succeed in the core French classroom? (Parent responsibilities)
- Be interested in what your child is doing in school. Ask questions and expect answers. The more interested you are in what they do, they more excited they'll be to show off what they know.
- Go online and read through the FSL (French as a Second Language) Curriculum document for your child's grade. By knowing what your child is learning year by year, you'll be able to stay current and talk to your child about what they're learning.
- Keep in touch with your child's French teacher. Send a note in agendas, through email, phone or a quick visit and ask about your child's progress and any areas of difficulty they may be having. Attend parent teacher interviews and together you may be able to discover a problem, or find solutions.
- Speak frankly with your child about the benefits of speaking a second language. French teachers are always telling our students about the benefits, but the more they hear it, the better it is!
- Encourage your child to speak French at home and to teach you. The more they use their new skills in real-world situations, the better they become.
- Encourage your child to read and write regularly using their first language. A solid base in this language makes the acquisition of a second language easier.
- Read aloud to younger children, or have your older child read aloud to you!
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Strategies/Resources
for parents
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How to
use them
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Impact on
FSL learning
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Visit this website on a
daily basis to read about news, interesting stories, and cultural events
geared towards children and teens.
(Advanced)
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These activities allow
your child to be informed, cultivate opinions, learn about different
societies and cultures, and become an active citizen in a bilingual
environment. Your child will strengthen their
problem-solving, reasoning and creative thinking skills.
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TFO
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You’ll find multi-platform
media content with a variety of interesting choices on this website. Geared towards
students of all ages, there are games, videos, television series, music,
etc. Parents will also find teaching resources
in English.
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TFO provides opportunities
for development and learning in literacy, vocabulary, listening, writing, and
speaking. TFO provides rich a varied
content targeting all strands in FSL. Your
child will strengthen their problem-solving, reasoning
and creative thinking skills, while
building vocabulary and comprehension skills.
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The Government of Ontario
FSL Curriculum pages
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The Government of Ontario
provides all curriculum documents online, including the FSL curriculum for
all grades.
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Parents can use these
documents to keep up to date on what their child is learning year by year in
the FSL classroom. This allows them to discuss their child’s learning with
the child, provides them with the information needed to thoroughly discuss
their child’s progress with teachers, and to make sure their child is
progressing.
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Provide children with many
opportunities to use what they have learned.
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Encourage and help
children to perform every day tasks in French instead of English. Have them write out a grocery list in
French, keep a to-do list in French, keep track of chores, back accounts,
homework, and tests.
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By engaging children in
everyday tasks in French, you will help them to strengthen vocabulary and
writing skills, by using prior learning as well as new learning. Having them explain what they have
accomplished targets and strengthens speaking skills and will encourage them
to learn new words, incorporating them into their knowledge base.
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Take a French course
yourself!
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Many post-secondary
institutions offer beginner French courses.
There are also many computer-based language programs.
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Become an active
participant in your child’s FSL learning by joining them in the learning
process. Not only will you have the
chance to share an experience with your child, but your child will benefit
from your knowledge. They will have the opportunity to reinforce their own
learning through discussions with you, while sharing their “expertise”. This will undoubtedly reinforce their
learning, and will target reading, writing, oral, and listening skills.
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