Boost Your Child’s Confidence in French Immersion this Fall!

With the cool autumn breeze rolling in and October fast approaching, French immersion students must find a way to balance their regular schoolwork with learning a new language. Their enthusiasm might be waning, and some children might feel overwhelmed by the workload they are encountering. Whether your child is just beginning their immersion journey or continuing from previous years, this period is crucial for their progress.

If your child is struggling to keep pace, you're not alone. But here's the good news: with the right support, your child can overcome these obstacles and thrive.

Is your child is struggling to keep pace in French Immersion?

At this point in the school year, teachers are moving beyond the basics and introducing more advanced concepts. As a result, any gaps in foundational skills tend to become more apparent. If your child faces challenges with phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, or reading comprehension, now is the ideal time to step in and offer them the support they need before they start feeling overwhelmed or frustrated.

How We Can Help

At MpM French Reading Academy, we specialize in supporting French immersion students by reinforcing the core building blocks of language and reading. Our personalized lessons are designed to help your child strengthen these crucial skills and grow their confidence in a nurturing and encouraging environment.

Our experienced team of French immersion reading specialists works closely with each student to focus on fundamental reading and language areas, including:

• Phonological Awareness: We help children understand and work with the sounds in spoken language, a vital skill for becoming a strong reader.

  
  

• Alphabetic Principle & Letter-Sound Correspondences: Mastering the connection between letters and their corresponding sounds is the foundation of reading. We emphasize this skill to ensure students can confidently recognize and apply letter-sound relationships.

  
  

• Decoding: We teach students to sound out new words, allowing them to break down unfamiliar words and improve their reading fluency.

• Sight Recognition: Recognizing frequently used words on sight helps students read faster and more accurately. Our proven methods help students quickly identify high-frequency words, improving their reading comprehension.

  
  

• Vocabulary Development: A strong vocabulary is essential for success in French immersion. We incorporate engaging stories and activities that introduce new words in ways that are both fun and effective.

October is a crucial time to address any challenges your child may be experiencing in French immersion.

Why Choose MpM French Reading Academy?

At MpM French Reading Academy, we understand that every child is unique, and we tailor our approach to meet the specific needs of each student. Here's why our program stands out:

• Small Group and One-on-One Tutoring: Whether your child thrives in a small group setting or benefits from one-on-one attention, we offer flexible options to suit their learning style.

• Convenient Online Classes: Our online tutoring sessions make it easy to fit classes into your family’s schedule without leaving home.

• Experienced French Immersion Specialists: Our tutors have extensive experience in French immersion education and understand the unique challenges students face. We're here to support your child every step of the way.

Your child CAN thrive in French Immersion!

Don’t Wait—Help Your Child Thrive in French Immersion This Fall!

October is a crucial time to address any challenges your child may be experiencing in French immersion. Your child can develop the skills they need with our tailored support to feel confident and succeed.

Ready to get started? Contact us today for a free consultation, and let's talk about how we can help your child excel in French immersion!

Bilingualism is a SUPERPOWER!

When you decided to enroll your child in the French immersion program, you may not have fully realized the benefits that your child would experience. It might have seemed like the right thing to do because their friends or siblings were in the program, but being bilingual truly is a superpower when you consider the various benefits children will experience in their lifetime resulting from that decision. 

Fostering bilingualism in children unleashes their potential, developing cognitive, social, personal, and economic superpowers.

1. Improved Cognitive Abilities

Bilingual individuals often experience enhanced cognitive abilities and improved problem-solving skills due to constantly switching between languages and needing to understand and interpret different language patterns.

2. Enhanced Communication Skills and Cultural Awareness

Being bilingual can improve communication skills and increase cultural awareness. It helps individuals connect with and understand people from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds, fostering tolerance and empathy.

3. Better Job Opportunities and Earning Potential

Proficiency in more than one language can open the door to expanded job opportunities and potentially higher earning potential as the demand for bilingual individuals in the workforce grows. This skill set can also lead to increased creativity and flexible thinking, which are valuable in various career fields.

4. Increases creativity and flexibility in thinking

Learning a second language can increase creativity and flexibility in thinking as it exposes students to different linguistic structures, cultural concepts, and ways of expressing ideas. This cognitive flexibility can enhance problem-solving skills and the ability to think outside the box.

5. Better Memory and Multitasking Abilities

Studies have shown that being bilingual can lead to enhanced memory and multitasking abilities, which can also delay the onset of age-related cognitive decline, offering long-term benefits as individuals age.

6. Improved Academic Performance

Being bilingual has been linked to improved academic performance and higher educational achievements.

7. Greater Adaptability and Travel Opportunities

Bilingual individuals may experience greater adaptability to new environments and situations, enhanced travel experiences, and more meaningful intercultural interactions.

8. Increased Self-Esteem

Being bilingual can lead to increased self-confidence and personal growth. As individuals navigate the complexities of language and culture, they develop a unique and valuable skill set that can enrich their personal and professional lives.

Fostering bilingualism in children unleashes their potential, developing cognitive, social, personal, and economic superpowers. Let's work together to support our students and ensure that they reach their full potential.

Should you pull your child out of the French Immersion program?

I get this question a lot. When your child encounters academic challenges, it may be tempting to consider withdrawing them from the French Immersion and transferring them to the English program. While it may seem logical that learning in their native language would ease their struggles, research suggests otherwise.

The transfer could impact their self-esteem, leading to feelings of inadequacy and failure.

Grades will not improve

Studies show that when transferring to the English program, students encounter the same learning challenges, and it's unlikely that their academic performance will improve. They may even need to invest extra effort initially to grasp the subject-specific vocabulary and at the end of the day. From my personal experience, I have never seen a student's grades improve when transferring to an English program. 

Their self-esteem might be impacted 

When a child is pulled out of the French immersion program, the ramifications could extend beyond their academic performance. It could impact their self-esteem, leading to feelings of inadequacy and failure. The social repercussions are also significant, as their peer group will likely change, potentially affecting their sense of belonging.

They might have less «teacher time»

You also might want to consider the fact that most English classes have a higher number of students with diverse learning challenges, and teachers and specialists have less time for one-on-one or small-group interventions. 

They will miss out on all the benefits of being bilingual

Switching your child to an English program may not only fail to improve their grades and affect their sense of self, but they would also miss out on the cognitive, social, and economic advantages of being bilingual. Read more about in this post: 

Be your child's advocate and insist on getting the support they need.

Before deciding to transfer your child from the French immersion program to the English program, consider the reasons for the potential transfer. Keep in mind that the transfer may not result in improved grades. Initiate a conversation with your child's teacher, seeking their guidance and recommendations. As a parent of a French Immersion student, remember that you are entitled to expect full support from the school. If necessary, don't hesitate to seek assistance from sources outside the school. You are not alone in this process.