French at Churchill:
It's a Great Thing!

One of the main pieces of feedback we hear from local families who are considering Churchill Alternative is that it isn't a French immersion program.  This is true!  French immersion can be a positive experience for many learners but there are MANY ways of learning a second language. 

We feel that we have a very strong core French program here at Churchill, led by a fantastic teaching team. In this post, the French teachers share their thoughts on how they engage Churchill students in learning French.

We hear that kids are coming home from Churchill excited about learning and speaking French.  What do students love about being in your French classes?

Shellie and Yuri: We decided to ask the kids why they're excited about and love French. Here are a few quotes. 

 Grade 6 student: “The one bad thing about French is that it is too short.”  “It’s educational and we get to do a lot of fun activities (especially those activities that have art).” “I like French class because it has a lot of work that is pretty fun and every once in a while there is a game and there is art.” “I like Shellie and Yuri. We get to be like “ooh, I know multiple languages and that is fun.” 

 Grade 1 student: “We love making stuff in French.” “We love making pictures with French colour words.” “We love to work on little French booklets.”

 Grade 2/3 student:  “I love to learn French. I love the fact that I can sit on the carpet at a mini table or at the window.” “I love the view of Quebec from the French class window.” “I love to do French worksheets and booklets. We always do fun things.” “I love to do work and I love learning to speak French.” 

What do you love about teaching French?

Shellie: I've always loved learning French!  I started late immersion in grade 7 and by the end of grade 13, I decided I wanted to be a French teacher. I love grammar, I love sharing my love of the language and I get so excited when I see students becoming engaged and speaking to me in French, demonstrating confidence with the language. 

Yuri: I love teaching French because it is thrilling to watch students learn something that is completely foreign to them. It's also refreshing to teach a subject where I'm constantly encouraging students to make mistakes and take risks, as that is the only way they will ever learn and conquer the language.

How do you engage students in learning French? 

Our classes always start with singing. Personally, I find songs and chants the easiest way to remember lessons and vocabulary. At first, I think the kids thought they were a bit silly but now that we’ve been singing for 5 months, it’s hilarious watching how much they love singing and learning new songs. They even get upset if I try to skip a few of the regular ones! Alena’s class chose their favourite song and created dance moves to help them remember the words. They were fantastic! 

Our classes have been working on verbs. One fun way to practice the verb is to play a game using a crocodile I have in the classroom. We take turns pushing down his teeth and when he chomps on your finger, you need to answer a question about the verb. 

How does the Alternative program help children learn French?

We find that creating engaging and integrated lessons (that the students can connect with) is a great way to keep the class interested, have them actively participate and make real life connections with the lesson. 

We recently read the book WONDER: Nous sommes tous des merveilles 

A few of the students had already seen the movie, but the majority hadn't. We had just finished learning the verb être and so as we went through the book, we would highlight the verb when we found it, while going over new vocabulary. This is a beautiful book that reinforces the ageless lesson: to be kind. This story resonated with so many of our students and the stories that they would share and connect with were beautiful. They would often share in English and then we would go over what they said in French. 

To extend this lesson we decided to make a banner to celebrate all of the differences that make us so special. The children drew all sorts of people, animals, insects, and they changed them in little or big ways. The banner now hangs underneath their own self portraits. 

We also encourage flexible seating and lots of group and partner work. 

Is French incorporated into any of the school’s extracurricular activities?

Yes. We have had French songs in our Primary choir and School of Rock. French is also encouraged when students write articles for the school newspaper.

How can parents support their children learning French *at home*? 

Over the years, I've heard of many families choosing to incorporate French into daily life. For example: Have at least one French speaking meal per week. Encourage children to use French during the meal and model phrases for them. Read books together, watch shows or movies, register your kids in French camps or French programming. 

If you are a French speaker, it is highly encouraged that you speak French at home with your child! If they don’t see you trying, they won’t feel like they need to either. It will normalize it as well as allow your child to speak French in a safe space. We would suggest not to correct their French as they are trying, but to guide and model instead. What is key is having them be willing to try to express themselves in French at home. If they feel like they are being corrected every other sentence, they may not want to even try for fear of disappointing you. 

We're so glad that students are loving French at Churchill!

Published: Updated 2023

Tags: Arts and music, caring, Cooperation and teamwork, creativity, french, Innovative approaches to teaching and learning, Integrated curriculum, wellbeing