to wonder if he will be too advanced when his class starts learning French?

[GoingLoopyLou]

DS is 4 and has been having French lessons for the last six months through La Jolie Ronde, once a week for half an hour. He loves it and is doing really well.

He starts primary school in September and his school don't start teaching French until he is in Year 3.

I'm just a bit concerned that they will be being taught to say Bonjour and count to ten in French etc and he will have done that 4 years previously. Has anyone else had this problem and what did you do?

Well, it sounds as though he does love it, so I hope the school sorts something out. You don't sound like a pushy parent (unlike some on here ). All I am saying, in a friendly way, is that while it is nice for parents to have a little clever-clogs, it does have its disadvantages!

It's great that he loves learning another language! I don't see it as a waste of money at all.
Try to get some kind of report of what he's done- even if it's just a chat, so that you can let the teacher at school know.
More likely he'll feel really confident and be able to move on than too advanced.

worraliberty for that to actually happen the two classes would need have French at the same time, which may well not happen (and almost certainly not for one child if it is inconvinient in other ways). I also doubt it would be classed as SEN just for French, however he may be put on the G&T register for French, which may have a lunchtime club attached, but that would be it. I have taught in a school where French was a high priority, but no specific provision was made for classwork, only a club with a native speaker. Most schools won't even have that, MFL is pretty much bottom of the priority list for most schools.

Thanks all. I know I am probably being a bit unreasonable for worrying about it now but that's the way I am, have to have an eye on the future.

Rhinestone - Yeah course you did.

ffs

hockey it doesn't necessarily have to work that way. The SENCO at my son's school works out rotas for children so they can go to different classes...without missing the same lesson in their own class every time.

It does take a bit of planning, but it can be done if the school puts their mind to it.

My son plays the violin but they've staggered his violin lessons across a timetable...so he misses a different lesson every week (has to catch up in his own time though)

wooraliberty yes you are right, it can work like that, however for the vast majority of schools they will not do this for French. One individual's music lesson is much easier to put on a flexible timetable than a whole class's subject.

True, but I'd like to think they'd give it a go...say shared between 3 or 4 year 6 classes...depending on how big the school is.

But it's often the difference between a 'good' and 'outstanding' school whether they're willing to go that extra mile (or able to)

However worraliberty the reality is most schools are one or two form entry, plus having a random child in your class for half an hour once a month is, I doubt, is the most productive learning experience. I wish I could share your belief that it is the difference between an Ofsted Good and Outstanding, however in my experience it would make bugger all difference.

I have those show-off parents.

why in the world would you give a preschooler French lessons?

Its completely pointless to give any preschool child academic tutoring imo... they will simply be bored to tears in school when they cover the same stuff again.

You are being pushy.

They say the earlier the better when learning a new language though.

My MIL is Spanish and her 7yr old GD is virtually fluent because she's taught her from the age of around 2 or 3yrs.

The earlier you learn a language the better- it is far easier for a young child to learn a new than an older child. By that logic would you suggest parent do not teach their children to read but leave it until they go to school? They would be 4 years old by that point!

four? for christs sake, when do kids get chance to just be kids?

I see 6 year olds in my class doing Russian, music, tennis, kumon. They are exhausted and its totally ridiculous.

And no, there is no reason for children to read before they get to school...

Jesus - am genuinley shocked at the thought of a 4 year old not being able to read. Would this not hold them back educationally? How would they keep up with the rest of the class? Am really not being funny - I honestly would not see how they would cope. Agree that children can be pushed far too much with all the "extra" activities which are often more for the parent than the child but I don't think you could class being able to read the same way as suzuki violin or whatever

catgirl1976 by the vast majority of the world's standards having a 4 yo unable to read is very normal, if not desirable for most children. It's only in small pockets of this country where it is seen as a bad thing.

er, they are 4!!!

Reception teachers will teach a child to read once they start school. A bright child will pick it up in no time, a slower starter will get extra help.

How can they be held back educationally in reception? There's 14 years til A'Levels you know!

And teh mojority of 4 year olds can't read in this country! We expect them to come to school unable to do so.

All my 3 could read before the age of 4yrs. Not because I particularly pushed them (didn't bother me) but because it's almost impossible to stop a child from learning if they show a big interest in it.

With regards to learning another language at an early age, it would be almost impossible if the child wasn't ready to learn.

Am honestly shocked to learn that the majority of 4 year olds cannot read. I genuinley did not know that. I would have assumed a child who went to school unable to read would be in the minority. Surely this just develops naturally on from being read to? I am [shocked]

OP, please ignore the likes of Rhinestone and TheFlyingOnion, I don't Think the OP was asking for general advice as to whether it was right or not to send her child to French....what is wrong with some people on here?? My son does French at nursery, I pay no extra for this it's just something they do. So do the negative posters on here think it's appropriate for me to take my son out of those classes just because he is a pre-schooler and apparently therefore "doesn't need it?" Therefore segregating him from others? Get a grip.

OP, my son also enjoys French and I have had similar concerns to yourself. Perhaps if the school are not setting him extra work you could send him to an additional class supplementing his school classes? Or try some activities at home.

We have many bilingual children in school, the language lessons are differentiated. I see no problem with an infant doing 'la Jolie Ronde,' it teaches through activities and games and songs.
I do think that you are worrying a little prematurely, it would be more understandable as a concern if you were raising him bilingual.

Lots of 4 year olds can't read. They learn at school. Does not hold hem back.

Lots of children in the world are bilingual (Inda, where haing a home language and a school language is common, for example). Children thrive in bilingual environments.

French lessons for pre-schoolers? Probably, alas, a waste of time. Unless it is an immersion programme, the one hour a week will not be enough for a preschooler to learn much more than days of the week, nursery rhymes, a few songs and counting. When they start learning languages in earnest (and by thay, sadly, I mean secondary school), the advantage of a few years of French as a small child will be negligible.

Doesn't mean your son shouldn't do French classes, just like a child can and should take ballet or tennis lessons if they enjoy them. For fun.

catgirl1976 sorry but I think you are being a bit naive. At my school the majority can't speak English when they arrive, so not being able to read is not a disadvantage. Unfortunately a lot of children aren't read to for a whole range of reasons, and even if they are, many are just not cognitivally ready to read at 4. Yes some are able to read at 4, and it will be higher if they have a lot of pre-reading experience, but the majority aren't.

Mare11bp please calm down. Who said you should segregate your son?

Preschool French is middle class and pushy. This is merely my opinion. you are, of course, entitled to disagree...

Maybe if the school isn't setting him extra French work you should remember that lots of schools require class teachers to teach French, who barely speak the language themselves. Your son is quite possibly more advanced than they are...