Reading
Challenges with Reading
As a French Teacher, I am sure that you hear the following question from parents quite regularly, " What can I do to help my child work on their reading in French if I don't speak French myself?". In the French Immersion program, this is a reality for many parents as they are not French speakers themselves. While some students are lucky enough to have siblings that speak French or they might have access to tutoring or homework clubs, this is not the reality for the majority of students. Thankfully, there is so much we can do as teachers to help support reading at home! Below you will find several reading programs that can be used in the classroom, at school as as a way to maintain the continuity of learning.
Boukili
Boukili is a free French reading application that can be downloaded on a tablet or that can be accessed on the computer. Boukili is a leveled reading program geared towards children from kindergarten to grade 3. The books are divided into reading levels and students can progress through the levels. The wonderful thing about Boukili is that the books can be read to you in French! Each word is highlighted as it is read so students can follow along and listen along. This is a wonderful app for parents that do not speak French because students are able to hear the right pronunciation and have the book "read to them" !
Click here to access Boukili
Raz-Kids Reading
Raz-Kids is another popular leveled reading program that is downloaded as an application on a tablet. This app is widely used to help students with English reading, however, many teachers do not know that there are French Books available as well! This is not a free application, however, many schools have a licence for this program. It would be valuable to purchase a school license for French Immersion students. The great thing about this program is every student has a profile that is assigned to their specific teacher. The teacher can then select the students specific reading level, monitor how many books students read, and even have students record themselves reading the book! This is a tool that parents and teachers can access and use!
Click here to access Raz-Kids.
Epic!
Epic is another reading platform. Unlike the other 2 programs listed Epic is not a leveled reading program. It is a digital library of over 35, 000 books. Among these books there is a growing selection of French books! Like Boukili, the great thing about Epic is that the books can be read to you in French, so parents can have access to authentic French texts and reading at home! Their child can be "read to" at home even if no one speaks French! The selections of books is personalized based on the child's reading level and interests.
Click here to access Epic.