Your Child’s French Reading Could Look Completely Different in Just 3 Months… Here’s How

As we approach the final stretch of the school year, many parents are wondering how to set their children up for success before summer hits. If your child is enrolled in a French immersion program, you might be thinking about how to boost their French reading skills in the short time remaining before the end of the year.

The good news? It’s not too late to make a big impact. With just three months left, there’s plenty of time to help your child gain confidence in their French reading and set them up for success in the upcoming year.

Here’s how we can achieve tangible results in the next three months:

1. Mastering the Fundamentals

If your child is struggling with some of the basics—whether it’s recognizing letter sounds or reading simple words—now is the time to get those fundamentals solid. At this stage, it’s all about revisiting and mastering essential skills, like:

• French vowels and their sounds

• Common consonant blends (like “ch”, “on”, “ou”)

• Letter-sound correspondence

Once your child feels confident with these building blocks, they can start reading simple words and sentences more quickly and fluently.

Mastering the basics, like French vowels, consonant blends, and letter-sound correspondence, is key to building a strong foundation for your child's reading success.

2. Developing Reading Fluency

Reading fluency is about more than just sounding out words; it’s about building confidence so that your child can read smoothly without stopping to decode every word. By focusing on:

• Frequent practice with familiar texts

• Guided reading sessions

• Increasing complexity gradually

Your child can move from struggling to read single words to fluently reading simple sentences and even paragraphs. The key is consistent practice.

Building fluency, one page at a time! Every practice session brings your child closer to reading with confidence and ease.

3. Expanding French Vocabulary

A strong vocabulary is essential for understanding what your child reads. When children struggle with comprehension, it's often because they don’t know enough words in French to make sense of the text. In the next three months, we can:

• Introduce high-frequency words commonly used in beginner French books

• Use picture-word associations to help words stick

• Practice themed vocabulary (seasons, school, food, family, etc.)

• Play fun word games to make learning engaging

The more words your child recognizes, the easier for them to understand and enjoy what they’re reading.

Building a strong French vocabulary is the first step to reading comprehension!

4. Boosting Confidence

One of the most important aspects of reading is confidence. When children feel that they are making progress, they are more likely to push through challenges. By celebrating small wins and helping your child experience success along the way, they will build the self-assurance they need to tackle more complex material in the coming school year.

Why Act Now?

As parents, it’s easy to assume that if your child isn’t making huge strides by now, there’s not much that can be done. But in reality, the final months of the school year are a golden opportunity for growth.

• The last few months are critical. With targeted intervention, children can make tremendous progress.

• Summer is the perfect time to consolidate gains. By working on their French reading skills now, your child will be ready to continue growing over the summer.

By taking action today, you can ensure that your child finishes the year on a high note, feeling confident and ready for whatever the next school year brings.

📩 Contact me now for a free consultation, and let’s discuss how we can make this final stretch of school a turning point for your child’s French reading journey.

5 Common Mistakes Parents Make When Supporting Their French Immersion Reader

As a former French immersion classroom teacher and the founder of our MpM French Reading Academy, I’ve seen firsthand that supporting your child’s French reading journey can be both rewarding and challenging.

Navigating the ups and downs of a child's French reading journey together.

Learning to read in French immersion involves unique challenges that differ from reading in English. While many parents worry about differences in language structure and pace, it’s important to note that some of the skills your child develops through reading in English do transfer to French. Research supports this idea:

“The cognitive and literacy skills that students develop in their first language can serve as a solid foundation for acquiring literacy in a second language.”– Jim Cummins (1981)

This means that while your child is building new French phonics and vocabulary skills, the decoding strategies and comprehension skills from English reading are not wasted—they actually provide a useful foundation.

Below are five common mistakes parents make when supporting their French immersion reader—and how you can avoid them:

1. Expecting Reading to Develop at the Same Pace as in English

Many parents worry when their child isn’t reading fluently in French as quickly as they did in English. However, learning to read in a second language takes time. Immersion students are acquiring both the language and the reading skills simultaneously.

What to do instead: Be patient and celebrate small wins—whether it’s recognizing sounds, blending syllables, or understanding a simple sentence. Progress might be gradual, but every little improvement counts.

2. Over-Relying on English Phonics Rules

Even though English and French share the same alphabet, they have different phonetic rules. For example, the letter “i” in English might sound like /ai/ (as in time), whereas in French, it’s typically pronounced /ee/ (as in lit). Relying solely on English phonics can confuse your child when tackling French words.

What to do instead: Encourage your child to focus on French phonics. While the decoding strategies from English reading do transfer, it’s crucial to practice the specific sounds and rules unique to French.

3. Guessing Words Instead of Sounding Them Out

It’s natural for young readers to sometimes guess words based on pictures or context. However, relying too much on guessing can hinder the development of robust decoding skills. This becomes especially problematic as texts become longer and vocabulary grows more complex.

Encourage your child to take their time! Sounding out words and breaking them into syllables builds strong phonics skills.

What to do instead: Guide your child to slow down and sound out each word. Breaking words into syllables and blending them carefully can strengthen their phonics skills. If they encounter difficulties, work together to identify patterns rather than jumping to conclusions.

4. Not Reading Aloud Enough

Many parents believe that independent reading is the quickest route to fluency. In reality, reading aloud is one of the most effective ways to build pronunciation, fluency, and comprehension skills. Listening to fluent reading helps your child internalize the rhythm and sound of French.

What to do instead: Spend time reading aloud together. Take turns reading pages or sentences, and model expressive and clear pronunciation. This shared experience not only improves reading skills but also builds confidence and a love for the language.

5. Sticking to Books That Are Too Hard

Pushing your child to read material that is too challenging can lead to frustration and a loss of confidence. While it’s important to provide a healthy challenge, consistently choosing books that are just beyond their current level may set them up for repeated failure.

The right book makes all the difference! Choose decodable books that match your child’s level and spark their interest for a smoother reading journey.

What to do instead: Select decodable books that match your child’s current reading level and interests. Sometimes, it’s perfectly fine to opt for simpler texts—even if they seem “too easy.” Confidence grows with success, and gradually, your child will be ready to tackle more challenging material.

You’re Not Alone—We’re Here to Help

It’s important to remember that while reading in English does help as many underlying skills transfer to French, supporting your child’s reading journey is a collaborative effort. You don’t have to navigate it alone. Our academy is dedicated to providing expert guidance and tailored strategies to ensure your child’s success in French immersion reading.

If you ever feel overwhelmed or unsure about the next steps, please reach out. Together, we can create a nurturing learning environment where your child not only overcomes challenges but also develops a lifelong love for reading.

Ready for More Support?

At our academy, we believe that every child can thrive in a bilingual environment with the right support. Whether it’s refining phonics techniques or finding the perfect book level, our team is here to help you and your child succeed.

📅 Book a free reading assessment today and let’s work together to build a strong foundation for your child’s future in French reading.

When Do French Immersion Students Start to Read? Understanding the Learning Process

I often get questions from parents of French immersion students about when their child will start reading in a second language and if their progress is “normal.” While it’s true that many kids begin reading full sentences and simple books in Grade 1, it’s important to remember that every child’s journey is different. Each child develops at their own pace, and that’s completely okay!

French immersion comes with its own unique learning processes, where students aren't just mastering sounds and letters—they’re also building their language skills in a whole new environment.

French immersion comes with its own unique learning processes.

Key Stages in Learning to Read in French Immersion

The process of learning to read in French immersion unfolds gradually, and it’s truly a beautiful thing to witness. Here’s a closer look at the typical progression:

• Recognizing Sounds (Kindergarten to Early Grade 1)In this initial stage, your little ones will learn to recognize and differentiate French sounds, including combinations that may not exist in English, like ou, an, and é. It’s all about listening, repeating, and connecting these sounds with the letters they represent. Phonemic awareness is a critical foundation for reading in any language, and this step lays the groundwork for decoding words later on. By the end of Kindergarten, some children may even start blending simple sounds together, and that’s a huge milestone!

  
  

• Blending Sounds into Words (Early to Mid Grade 1)

  Once students have mastered those individual sounds, they move on to blending them into words. This phase often involves decoding simple words, such as lama, while also picking up high-frequency vocabulary. At this stage, phonics instruction becomes crucial, as children practice blending and sounding out words—skills that are essential for developing their reading fluency. It’s exciting to see their confidence grow as they begin to read aloud!

  
  

• Reading Simple Sentences (Mid to Late Grade 1)

  As children gain confidence in reading individual words, they start reading simple sentences. This stage introduces them to French grammar and sentence structures, which can be quite different from English. They often work with decodable texts that feature repetitive sentences and familiar vocabulary to reinforce their skills. By the end of Grade 1, many students will be reading simple books independently, which is a proud moment for both them and their families.

  
  

• Reading Books Independently (Late Grade 1 to Grade 2)

  By the end of Grade 1 or early Grade 2, your child may be ready to tackle short, simple books on their own. These texts are designed to reinforce vocabulary and sentence structures they’ve learned earlier, allowing them to gain confidence and fluency in reading longer sentences and more complex stories. It’s wonderful to see their love for reading blossom during this time!

  
  

Supporting Your Child's Reading Journey

As I always remind parents, each child progresses at their own pace. French immersion students often face unique challenges, such as building an entirely new vocabulary, mastering unfamiliar sounds, and navigating different sentence structures. These hurdles can sometimes slow their learning process, but it’s essential to celebrate every success—whether it’s recognizing a new sound, decoding a tricky word, or reading a sentence independently. Each step forward is a victory worth celebrating!

Each student learns to read at their own pace.

Why Choose MpM French Reading Academy?

At MpM French Reading Academy, we understand these challenges and are passionate about providing personalized online programs to support your child at every stage of their reading journey. Our approach is designed to help your child build confidence in reading French by offering:

• Online Classes: Convenient, expert-led sessions that allow your child to develop their reading skills from the comfort of home.

• Personalized Learning Plans: Tailored lessons that focus on your child's unique needs, whether they’re just starting or need support in building fluency.

• Professional Support: Our experienced team of French immersion reading specialists is dedicated to providing the strategies and tools your child needs to become a confident and fluent reader.

With the right support, your child can successfully navigate each stage of reading development.

Learning to read in French immersion is a rewarding yet gradual journey. With the right support, your child can successfully navigate each stage of reading development, paving the way for a strong foundation in French. We are excited to be part of this journey with you and your child!