Kindergarten French Immersion: how to help at home
What your child learns in Kindergarten 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
Bonjour et merci
Greetings and courtesy words in French (bonjour, au revoir, merci, s'il vous plaît, Madame, Monsieur) and good listening habits.
Mes premiers mots
First French vocabulary matched to pictures: animals, fruit, colours and counting to five.
Les lettres
Recognizing letters of the alphabet and matching small letters to capital letters.
Le son du début
Phonemic awareness: hearing the first sound of a word and matching it to other words that begin the same way.
Les syllabes
Phonemic awareness: clapping and counting the syllables in a word.
Les rimes
Phonemic awareness: recognizing words that end with the same sound.
Les histoires
Elements of a story (characters, setting, events) and parts of a book such as the cover and title.
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.
- Developing
- 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 Nova Scotia report card guide.
Common questions
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.
The Nova Scotia Curriculum Kindergarten french immersion units include bonjour et merci, mes premiers mots, les lettres, le son du début, les syllabes, les rimes.
Free printable Kindergarten french immersion practice sheet
Questions from every unit, with an answer key.