Here are some ways you can help you child at home with their French learning!
Parents' responsibilities: Communicate to students the value of learning, specifically French. Be involved in schoolactivities, such as open house and student lead conferences and stay up to date with class activities by visiting by visiting the class website. Encourage students to read and write in boththeir first language, as well as French, such as shopping lists, or letters Go to the library to borrow French books, DVDs or music and discussthemafterwards.
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Askyourchildwhattheylearned in Have a conversation withyour child about More engagement will show the student class today new vocabulary they are learning and try that French isvalued and thatthey have to learn it with them. Include older siblings to pay attention sothatthey can teachto have a more in depth conversation, you! and includeyounger siblings to start their Theywill have to have a greater learning early! understanding of the material in order to be able to teachit to someoneelse.
Here are some other resources to help at home: For grades 1-3 I recommend referencing my website and visiting the songs page to practice the vocabulary we are learning in class. Grade 1’s or anyone new to Canada or those who need a refresher, you can also visit http://madamemacdonald.com/ and go to 1er annee and play the games for more practice of some basic vocabulary.
For my grade 4’s I recommend visiting the following link form HDSB of resources to practice at home. https://www.hdsb.ca/learning-and-resources/Pages/French/Resources-to-support-your-child-at-home-with-FSL-acquisition.aspx In particular, Idello will have videos to practice oral comprehension and you can often slow down the speed of the videos so that it is easier for newer learners. Also Reading A-Z (French) is similar to Raz Kids but with leveled French books to work on reading comprehension.
For any students wanting a challenge, and especially those coming from French Immersion, I suggest borrowing a French book from the library to help maintain vocabulary acquisition and comprehension. You can also practice writing a summary of the story in French or writing your own story in French. I would be interested in what you could create!
Digital citizenship and responsibility are becoming more and more important as our world continues to rely more heavily on technology. With more reliance and more reliability on technology, it means that kids are gaining more access at a younger age to more information and digital content. We as adults need to ensure that we are teaching our children how to be safe and responsible when using technology and the internet just as we would teach them how to be safe when walking down the street, crossing the street, taking the bus, and interacting with people in public spaces. When using a new technological resource, it is important to explain how to use it properly and how to protectourselves and our personal information. When using technology, I encourage all students to access the resources and websites needed on their own to practice navigating through the HDSB elementary internet tools interface as well as simple google searches. When logging into HDSB approved websites, I walk to the students through it so that they are able to access the information themselves. When using the internet students should always be aware of safety precautions to help keep themselves and their information safe online. Following is a list of some suggestions:
Only use websites and apps that are approved by HDSB, your teachers or parents
Don't enter personal information without asking an adult first
Don't' talk to people online that you don't’ know in person
Always have an adult with you when are access a new website, app, or resource on technology to make sure that it is safe to use alone
Tell an adult if you see something strange, unusual or that makes you uncomfortable
Here is some terminology to help when communicating with the school and the teachers regarding students with special needs:
IEP: An IEP is a document that outlines the specific needs of a student when it comes to learning. It also has the ways in which we as teachers agree to help the student and any modifications of expectations from the provincial curriculum. IPRC: IPRC is a process that is designed to :
Determine if a student should be identified as an exceptional learner
Identify the exceptionality
Decide on an appropriate placement for the student, at our school or another school
Review the placement and identification at least once per school year
Modifications: Modifications are changes in the number or complexity of the expectations from the provincial grade level curriculum required of the student. Accommodations: Accommodations are extra resources or supports that the student is entitled to in order to be successful. How do I support students with IEP’s: Each student is different and so the specific supports will be different. However, I ensure that I have read all IEP’s and have access to them for reference throughout the year. I do my best to check in with these students at least once per period to ensure that they are on the rite track to complete their work.