Grade 1 French Immersion: how to help at home
What your child learns in Grade 1 french immersion in the Nova Scotia Curriculum, and simple things to try at home.
The Big Ideas this year
- French Immersion is first and foremost a language program: French is both the language students learn in and the language they learn.
- Early French Immersion begins in Primary and Late French Immersion in Grade 7, and both follow Français arts langagiers.
- Students listen, speak, read and write in French for real purposes and audiences.
- Reading a range of French texts, including texts from Acadian and other francophone communities, builds comprehension and a love of reading.
- Learning in French builds a proud, confident, plurilingual identity and a connection to francophone communities in Nova Scotia, Canada and around the world.
Easy ways to practise french immersion at home
- Read French picture books together, even if you are learning too. Let your child tell you what is happening.
- Sing French songs and nursery rhymes in the car or at bath time.
- Name things around the house in French, and ask your child to teach you the words.
- Clap the syllables in French words and play “What rhymes with chat?”
What each unit covers
Je me présente
Speaking about oneself and one's daily life with simple sentence patterns: my name, age, likes and feelings.
Majuscule et point
Writing conventions: capital letters, spaces between words and end punctuation.
Est-ce que…?
Forming questions with “est-ce que” and recognizing the question mark.
Les verbes d'action
Present-tense endings of common action verbs, matched to the person doing the action.
Couleurs et adjectifs
Colours and simple adjectives to describe people, animals and things, including feminine forms.
Histoire ou texte?
Telling a story apart from an informational text, a key reading skill in Grade 1.
Dans l'histoire
Elements of a story (characters, setting, events) and putting events in order to retell a story.
What the report card levels look like at home
- Needs development
- Just getting started with this idea. Short, regular practice with lots of support helps most.
- Developing as expected
- Understands parts of it and is building confidence. Keep practising the tricky parts.
- Well developed
- Has it! Mixed review now and then keeps it strong.
- Well developed and extending
- 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 Nova Scotia report card guide.
Common questions
How can I help my Grade 1 child with french immersion?
Read French picture books together, even if you are learning too. Let your child tell you what is happening. Sing French songs and nursery rhymes in the car or at bath time. Keep sessions short, about 10 to 15 minutes, and stop on a success.
What does my child learn in Grade 1 french immersion in Nova Scotia?
The Nova Scotia Curriculum Grade 1 french immersion units include je me présente, majuscule et point, est-ce que…?, les verbes d'action, couleurs et adjectifs, histoire ou texte?.
Free printable Grade 1 french immersion practice sheet
Questions from every unit, with an answer key.