French Immersion in Schools
At School Resources
At Home Resources
French Immersion (FI) has many benefits and unique challenges for students with learning disabilities. Parents can talk with their child and work with teachers to tailor support. With the right tools and encouragement, children with learning disabilities can build confidence and enjoy learning curriculum in French.
Learn From The Experts
Students with learning disabilities can succeed in FI when teachers use explicit, systematic instruction in phonics, decoding, vocabulary, syntax, and spelling. Strategies that work in English language learning also work for second language learning. This article offers practical advice for supporting students with learning disabilities in inclusive French immersion classrooms.
How learners with learning disabilities can be supported in French as a Second Language programs using clear, explicit teaching of reading and writing skills.
Parent-friendly tips, reading/writing strategies, and audio supports to make French Immersion homework easier.
National support for FSL families: resources, youth programs, advocacy, and parent/teacher tools to help kids thrive in French.
Supporting students with Special Needs in Learning French dispels myths (e.g., French doesn’t cause reading challenges) and shows how students with learning disabilities can thrive with the right supports—backed by research, practical tips, and guidance for parents and educators.
Our Favourite FSL and Francophone Structured Literacy Tools: A Bilingual Webinar
Structured Literacy in the ‘French as a Second Language’ Classroom
Action
Ways to Support Your Child in Learning French
Learning French can be fun and rewarding. Here are some simple ways to bring French culture and language into your daily life:
- Sing French songs together. Music helps learning stick.
- Watch French TV or listen to French radio, even for short amounts of time.
- Experience favourite movies with French audio and French subtitles.
- Borrow French books from the library. Aim for variety - picture books, decodables, comics, and short stories.
- Travel to French speaking places in Canada or abroad, as real-life practice builds confidence through experience.
- Listen to French audiobooks together.
- Ask your child to teach you French letters and sounds, vocabulary, and common phrases.
Become a “learning partner” with your child – pick a new French word each week to focus on with your child and talk about the pronunciation, spelling, and meaning of the word together.
Considering a transfer to an English-only school?
Having difficulty deciding whether to keep your child in a French Immersion program, or transfer to an English school? The following article notes a switch to an English program may not remove the challenges and stresses a students experiences. Careful consideration must be given to a child’s strengths, frustrations, emotional well-being, and needed supports.
Action
Talk with your child about their experiences of French Immersion. You might ask:
- What things do you enjoy about learning in French?
- What do you find difficult about learning in French?
- How do you feel learning in French most of the day? Is this different from how you feel during English class?
- What do you like most about school? Least?
- What could your teachers help you with to make learning in French better for you?