Did You Know? – Resources Every Parent Should Know About

One of the biggest concerns that parents have sending their child to French Immersion is ... “How will I be able to help them? I don't speak French!” Well say no more – here are several resources that every parent should know about. And remember, I am more than willing to meet with you at any time if you are concerned about your child's progress or if you just want to check in!

Tool of the Month

September – Class Website

• Updated regularly (we do this as a class at the end of the day as they fill out their agendas)
• Written completely in English
• Has a section exclusively for homework
• Contains a newsletter about what we have done throughout the past month
• Includes a calendar for the current month and key dates for the month ahead

October – Word Reference

• Online French-English Dictionary
• Offers verb conjugations (regular and exceptions)
• Includes slang and common expressions
• Encourages your child to look at the parts of speech in addition to the word in order to use it appropriately

November – Bon Patron

• French grammar editing program
• Allows for personalization (ex. 'I' is feminine)
• Free and immediate display of errors
• Your child must correct his/her own mistakes in order to learn what they did wrong

December – Reflex Math

• Math practice program that your child can play in French
• Games are individualized and cater to the math needs of your child
• Your child will be encouraged to set goals and play regularly to improve on basic math facts and concepts

January – DSBN Online French Tutoring

• Personal one-on-one French tutoring available online for all French Immersion students
• Tutoring is conducted by an OCT certified French teacher
• Site also has additional resources for parents and children
• Available during evenings and weekends to help your child with his/her homework

February – Quia

• French games based on different learning skills
  • Grammar
  • Vocabulary
  • Sentence Structure
  • Writing
• Quizzes allow you to monitor your child's progress

March – Reading A-Z in French

• Books written in French based on reading level
• Your child has access to an account where s/he can track the books read
• S/he can challenge him/herself by selecting an appropriate book
• Your child can teach you some basic French by choosing a basic book and 'playing teacher'

April – Canadian Parents for French

• Site that contains resources for parents interested in helping their children with French language learning
• Contains a multitude of resources for both you and your child
• Available in both French and English and is updated regularly

May – Google Drive

• Check out your child's e-portfolio on Google Drive
• Ask him/her about his/her work and look at the progress made since September
• Discuss next steps with your child and set goals that you can work together to achieve

June – Kidblog

• Your child has been working hard on his/her blog all year – take a look and see what they have done!
• Take a few minutes and write a post of praise and encouragement on your child's blog. It will be greatly appreciated!
• Encourage your child to continue blogging throughout the summer. It will help keep his/her French language skills from slipping and is a fun way to practice writing in a second language.