Feeling unsure about how to prepare your child for French Immersion? The best advice we can give when enrolling your child in an early French immersion program is to prepare them for school just as you would if they were entering the English stream! This can include:
1. Ensuring that they can manage their own jacket and shoes. 2. Making them comfortable spending time away from you. 3. Anything you can do to familiarize them with the school, the playground, the teacher, future classmates, the route to and from school, and the routine they will follow in the fall will make the transition that much smoother. 4. Be positive and casual in your discussions about school: this isn't a really big deal, but a normal event for a child his age. 5. Last but not least, read, read, read! It is so important to read to your child (English or French) as this will promote early reading skills. Most, if not all, of the children in their class will have no prior knowledge of French, so don’t feel it’s necessary to put them in a French preschool or daycare. On the other hand, it’s a good idea to expose them to a little French beforehand so that they can enjoy some familiarity with the sound of the language: a French cartoon on the TV, a segment of Sesame Street, a bit of French music on a children’s tape or compact disc.
Au Chapeau
If you are interested in a French preschool, Au Chapeau offers a great program and it is located in École Connaught School. To read more about this program, click the button below.