My introduction and elementary French

[burckeri]

Hello. I've already posted a couple times and I thought I should introduce myself. My name is Erin. I'm an American married to a Canadian, living in Ontario, Canada. I have a 5-year-old son who currently attends a French-language school full-time for la maternelle (junior kindergarten). I "afterschool" him by doing (English) reading and math lessons with him, along with Sonlight read-alouds. The plan is for him to attend school again next year for le jardin (senior kindergarten) and then be fully homeschooled starting in grade 1. My husband and I have been approved to adopt a child from foster care and are waiting for a match; we don't know when it will happen, but at some point we'll have another child (age 2-4) join our family. French is my second language. I would guess that my reading and writing skills would rate about average compared with native speakers, but my skills in oral comprehension and speaking lag behind--mostly due to lack of practice. I feel comfortable enough that I could teach my son one or more elementary-level subjects in French, and I think that would be good for both of us.

I've very excited about homeschooling, but my greatest concern is supporting my son in maintaining and improving his French language skills. It has been amazing to see his ability to communicate in French develop over this school year. Since he was born, I have spoken to him in French part of the time. Before he started school, he would respond through actions, with one-word answers in French for very simple things (numbers and colors), or by simply answering in English. I could probably count on one hand the number of times he used French spontaneously. Since starting at a French school, he sings in French, he talks to himself in French, he answers me in French when I talk to him in French, and he sometimes starts conversations with me in French. He has a beautiful accent that I will never have and he speaks French so naturally, even if his grammar is sometimes off (he just needs more exposure).

I have learned a lot by reading posts in this forum and I'm sure I'll learn more as time goes on. For now, I have a few questions:

What is the process like for requesting approval for the subsidized CNED program? I poked around a little on the French embassy in Canada's website and didn't find anything about it. How long does it take? (I'm not sure it's right for us, but I'd like to know more about it.)

Does anyone use the online CNED workbooks for the elementary grades? How do you use them? Just read them online? Print them off? Is there any way to buy the printed workbooks without the grading service?

Or alternatively, are there any other good sources for French-language elementary textbooks/workbooks?

Thanks for all the wonderful information you have shared.

Erin

[jld]

I really don't know anything about CNED or EAD or any other French educational institution. We are just having the kids use Chouette's grammar and spelling books (chosen because they have a pretty streamlined look to them, the best I saw at Carrefour, lol), and read as much French as I can talk them into.

Dd15 and ds8 and ds4 are in France right now and their language is improving greatly. Dd15 and ds8 spent 6 weeks at Christmas there, and the three of them have been there for 6 weeks this time, plus have another 3 weeks to go, and we're seeing lots of improvement the longer they are there. Dd was already very good, and now I would suspect she would pass for a native speaker (I may have her tested when she gets back), although her vocab doesn't include teenage slang, but reflects the words her grandparents use, lol. Ds8 has improved tremendously, and just seems to have no trouble functioning in French, albeit with some grammar errors. And dh says ds4's accent is completely native (!). Ds4 barely said anything in French before he left, though he understood it okay.

I would just keep doing what you're doing, and find some kids, maybe in a Francophone playgroup, to have your son play with. It sounds like you are highly motivated and off to a good start!:)