Grade 9 French Immersion: how to help at home
What your child learns in Grade 9 french immersion in the Alberta Curriculum, and simple things to try at home.
The Big Ideas this year
- Listening and speaking in French grow every day when French is the language of learning.
- Reading French texts of many kinds builds comprehension and the habit of reading for meaning.
- Writing in French for a purpose and an audience uses the conventions of the language.
- Understanding how French words, sentences and texts work helps students choose the right words and forms.
- Learning in French connects students with Francophone communities in Alberta, Canada and the world.
Easy ways to practise french immersion at home
- Read French novels, comics or articles on topics your child enjoys.
- Ask your child to explain a grammar rule to you, with an example.
- Have your child write a short French note or message to a relative or pen pal.
- Use a French dictionary or conjugation tool together when revising a draft.
What each unit covers
Registres et exposés oraux
Registers of language (colloquial, standard, formal) and speaking to an audience: intention, organization, clarification and explanation.
La fable
Characteristics of the fable (moral, literal and figurative meaning, manners and customs), using an original fable.
Le roman et ses personnages
Characteristics of the novel (modes of narration, function of characters, point of view, setting) and character portrayal (physical and psychological).
Les figures de style
Stylistic elements: personification, metaphor, alliteration, comparison and hyperbole.
La séquence descriptive
Descriptive sequences: introduction, central subject with aspects and sub-aspects, conclusion; enriching a text with varied vocabulary and types of sentences.
Les temps du passé
Choosing among the passé composé, imparfait and plus-que-parfait, and making past participles agree.
Les pronoms compléments
Direct pronouns (me, te, se, le, la, les) and indirect pronouns (me, te, nous, vous, lui, leur, y, en).
Les phrases hypothétiques
Hypothetical sentences with si: matching the tense after si with the tense of the result.
Passé simple et plus-que-parfait
Using the pluperfect (plus-que-parfait) tense and recognizing the simple past (passé simple) in stories.
What the report card levels look like at home
- Beginning
- Just getting started with this idea. Short, regular practice with lots of support helps most.
- Approaching
- Understands parts of it and is building confidence. Keep practising the tricky parts.
- Meeting
- Has it! Mixed review now and then keeps it strong.
- Exceeding
- Applies it confidently, even in new or harder situations. Try challenge mode and real-life problems.
Your child’s teacher decides the level on the report card. Read the Alberta report card guide.
Common questions
How can I help my Grade 9 child with french immersion?
Read French novels, comics or articles on topics your child enjoys. Ask your child to explain a grammar rule to you, with an example. Keep sessions short, about 10 to 15 minutes, and stop on a success.
What does my child learn in Grade 9 french immersion in Alberta?
The Alberta Curriculum Grade 9 french immersion units include registres et exposés oraux, la fable, le roman et ses personnages, les figures de style, la séquence descriptive, les temps du passé.
Free printable Grade 9 french immersion practice sheet
Questions from every unit, with an answer key.