Homework in French....but I don't speak French!

What can I do to help my child with homework?
Many parents either have a limited background in French or do not speak the language at all. If this is the case, please don't feel alarmed. The most important factor is your encouragement and the positive support you are able to give your child. You should make homework a top priority at home; assignments should take no more than 30 minutes to complete each night at the elementary level, not including daily reading of 15 minutes each night. You should provide necessary supplies and a quiet homework environment, set aside a time everyday when homework should be done. Provide praise and support and contact your French Immersion teacher if you notice a problem. You and your child's teacher must work together as a team that is committed to your child's progress. The secret to building and maintaining that relationship is through communication. Remember if a child is having problems in the French Program they would likely be having the same problems in the English Program. Find out what these problems are and address them immediately!

French Immersion parents can help with homework, too. The difference in language can be daunting, but the purpose is still the same...the attitude of the child to homework is influenced by the parents. If homework is seen as an arduous task, a punishment for not finishing in class, it will become a negative
experience. You, as parents, should encourage a positive attitude towards homework; if you are positive they will more than likely follow your lead and enjoy the experience of a second language, even at difficult times.

What can parents do:

1. You can start by establishing a good rapport with your child's immersion teacher in a spirit of collaboration and support. Discuss with the teacher and the child the reason for homework - most teachers will have an information session at the beginning of the year. Ask what to expect in homework and how much.

2. Ensure your child has a quiet, well lit place to work, away from the TV and distractions.

3. Treat homework as your child's responsibility, with yourself as a helper, if needed. Try to encourage your child to use the dictionary - an excellent resource to have.

4. At home, your child should be free to read for pleasure in French or in English and encouraged to talk about his/her experiences at school. Showing interest in what your child is doing at school and providing encouragement and support is of the utmost importance.

5. For example, you can help by sitting with your child and encouraging him/her to complete their work or studying their lessons. This will help your child in the short and long run. It is particularly easy to work with your child in math, social studies, science or art because they can be done in English at home.

6. Discuss with your child, the rules of studying, lay down and STICK to the rules and consequences for poorly done or undone homework. Know the teachers rules and try to reinforce them.

7. Set a regular period for homework to be completed -reinforce the fact that if the homework is completed first the rest of the day/evening is theirs.

8. Be interested in the work your child has accomplished...notebooks, worksheets, especially quizzes and tests...develop a system for remembering assignments and test dates so you can both plan for them.

What can I do to help my child in Math?

1. Add to your child's mathematical vocabulary by using everyday situations to demonstrate the meaning of such words as "bigger than," "square," etc.

2. Show interest in your child's work instead of telling him or her about the negative feelings you might have had about mathematics when you were in school.

3. Multiply the words of encouragement spoken to your child so that he or she will have a positive attitude towards mathematics.

4. Accept that the responsibility of stimulating your child's interest in mathematics be divided between the home and the school. Play your part by listening, asking questions, and suggesting activities where your child counts money, measures objects, calculates numbers, etc.  Naturally, parents and educators are also concerned that immersion students might have difficulty learning academic material when it's taught in French, or have difficulty transferring that knowledge to English. The scores of studies that have looked into these students mathematics, science and social studies achievement all conclude that early total immersion students do as well as their English-program counterparts. While their productive skills (speaking and writing) take longer to develop, their comprehension of French (listening and reading) very quickly reaches the level needed to receive instruction via that language.

The technical terms of mathematics in French are very similar to those used in the English language. In fact, quite a number of words are spelled in exactly the same way, such as "addition" and "fraction". This can facilitate the transfer of mathematical skills from one language to another.

What can I do to help my child in Science?
1. You and your child can plan outings to the zoo, the museum, the planetarium, and to interpretive centres.

2. You and your child can go hiking on self-guided trails.

3. Interest your child in natural phenomena and the environment surrounding us, i.e. the river near your home, the birds that visit your backyard feeder, the animal tracks in the snow.

4. You and your child can watch science programs on television, i.e. Science-réalité Nova, The Nature of Things, National Geographic Specials, or Omni-Science Découverte.

5. Subscribe your child to a science magazine, i.e. Coulicou for 4 to 8 year olds, Hibou and Je me petit-débrouille for 8 to 11 year olds.

6. Encourage your child to participate in the school science fair and support his or her research efforts.

7. Introduce your child to science books written for children.

Encourage and support your child's scientific hobbies if he or she shows a special interest, such as collecting shells, rocks, or butterflies, or caring for a pet, an aquarium, a little garden.

Science is basically the process by which we collectively define our conception of reality. In grade 1, the study of science may unfold through activities that help the child distinguish between living things and inanimate objects. In grade 4, the study may deal with electrical circuits and their properties. In grade 7, it may revolve around such themes as motion, the composition of matter, and technology in our lives.

Studying science in French is really not more difficult than it is in English. Since the language of science has developed from Latin and Greek roots, the vocabulary is very similar in both languages: for example, "biologie" for biology, "cellule" for cell, and "carbone" for carbon. Science concepts are essentially identical in both languages: for instance, the concept of the cell is no different in French, than it is in English. Students who have completed their science requirements in French will likely encounter little difficulty in adjusting to university level science courses taught in English.

What can I do to help my child in Social Studies?
Suppose your child in grade 3 is studying his or her "surroundings" as part of the social studies curriculum. You can plan trips by car, bicycle, or on foot with your child, and thus:

1. Explore the boundaries of your community.
2. Visit public institutions and historical sites.
3. Get to know the neighboring communities.
4. You can introduce your child to the various media forms by:
   -Discussing the subject matter of a newspaper article.
   -Selecting informative radio or television programs.
5. You can also get involved in your child's research project by helping him or her:
   -Draw a map of your neighborhood.
   -Find a resource person who could assist him or her with the project.
   -Take your child to the local library.

The teaching of social studies will enable your child to:
• Retain what they learn thanks to the activities they experience in class.
• Learn to be observant, to ask questions, to make comparisons, and to arrive at their own conclusions.
• Frequently use maps, graphs, and time lines in order to gather, analyze, and communicate information on their study topics.
• Develop positive attitudes towards people from other cultures, the elderly, and the environment surrounding them.

How can I get the most from parent-teacher conferences?
Think about what you want to learn from the meeting. Write down a list of your questions and comments; don't rely on your memory! Some examples could be:

• What is meant by _______?
• How much homework is expected?
• What testing methods are used?
• Have there been any incidents at school involving my child?
• Does he/she have good work habits?
• Are there any missing homework assignments?
• What do you see as his/her strengths and weaknesses?
• How well does he/she work with other students?
• Did you know he/she is especially interested in ______?
• Is extra help available? What can I do at home to support his learning?
• If you are not sure of what the teacher means, ask questions. If there is not enough time to discuss everything that you think is important, make another appointment with the teacher.

Discuss the conference with your child. Talk about both his/her strong and weak points in school. If he/she needs help, talk about what will be done to provide this assistance, or what you can do together. Remember that teachers are human too! Some get even more nervous about these meetings than certain parents. Always remember that your objective is for you and the teacher to become partners in supporting your child's education.

BUT most of all BE POSITIVE....let your child know that your role is not to police homework, but to help them to complete assignments properly and on time....sometimes a little reward always helps!

More that parents can do...read, read and read some more, is strong advice from teachers. Parents who read to their children at home enrich their child's vocabulary, as well as improve their comprehension skills. They also indicate to their children that reading is fun as well as for learning.

By joining Canadian Parents for French you will receive Provincial/National newsletters, be kept aware of and involved in your child's activities and many more resources are available to you!

FUN IN FRENCH!