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?

am still reeling from learning about reading ages....surely children just WANT to read regardless of "needing" to. What about developing a love of books from an early age? Are they not missing out by not being able to?

'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?'

Um, no. very rarely in fact. That's why we have to teach reading in school, rather than hoping that osmosis will happen and they will assimilate it as they breathe.

but surely the desire to read comes from being read to?

So my ds1 who is 5.8 and not able to read very well should be fine because he's fluent in 2 languages?

OP - As long as your son's enjoying French I would stick with it. YA only BU to worry about what might happen at school because it's so far away. If it's a huge concern that they won't be able to keep him challenged for 1/2 hour a week then either speak to the school to get the facts, or stop the lessons.

My DD did la Jolie Ronde from about 8-11. While it did not turn her into a fluent French speaker, she gained confidence in the subject and developed a very good accent. She was ahead of other pupils when she started secondary school but the teacher gave her some additional work. All her French teachers at school have commented on her accent, she has taken the GCSE a year early and is happy to use French when in France.

Catgirl1976
Have you discovered phonics? It isna system of grapheme sound correspondances which is taught in many, many primary schools because:

-- reading is a skill which needs in most cases to be learnt, it does not just follow on naturally from being read to by an adult
-- most children cannot read on arrival in Reception

Do you live in the UK?

It is beneficial to expose children to different languages, as early as possible. There's a ceiling point at which children stop being able to distinguish new phonological sounds (I think around aged 7), but the younger they are, the more efficiently they incorporate them into their system. Even if they don't learn loads of vocabulary, they will benefit from hearing competent adults speak a different language, with all the subtleties of sound that that involves.

Whatever happens along the line at school, I'm sure the fact he's enjoyed these classes now will have been beneficial in some way shape or form.

Reading is hard for many. Much nicer to be read to and share a book.
Not all children want to learn to read.

Sorry catgirl but if this leaves you 'reeling' then I hope you are a little bit more understanding of why some schools do better than others. Yes they are missing out, and yes I would love for it to improve. I am not fussed if they can't read when they get to school (in some ways it is actually preferable), but it would be fantastic if more had more early literacy experience. And no, not all children want to read at 4, even if they enjoy stories. As I said not all have the cognative ability so starting too young can be counterproductive, as their early experiences are filled with frustration at not 'getting' it.

I am surprised at the reference to class. My nursery welcomes all children regardless of class (unsurprisingly)and everybody takes part. Don't see that class bears any relevance to this topic. And even if it was middle-class, is that bad TheFlyingOnion? What's your point? I can understand your reference to pushiness much better, though I do disagree.....

Well I did think it was a joke! It had all the ingredients - pushy, middle-class mother; showing off disguised as a problem; posted in AIBU. Even the name of the French school sounded fake!

I've said sorry, didn't mean to offend the OP. My reply was in the spirit of what I thought was a joke.

Right, got to go. It's time for the cat's History of Art lesson.

You're easily shocked.I really wouldn't expect the majority of four year olds to be able to read before they go to school,and there's no need for them to do so.They will learn at school,and can enjoy reading from looking at books,even if they don't understand them, they can look at the illustrations and shapes of the letters,and have parents read to them.

I don't see why there should be such a rush to get children to read,write,speak another language, take sport or dance classes before they've started school.At that age their main focus should be on being a child and on playing,they learn a lot from just being in the world,they don't need to have activities forced on them,and I'm not referring to the OP here btw.

catgirl The Nursery attached to my local Infant school has for the last 3 years, reported a higher intake every September of children who can't even speak coherently. More and more 3 to 4yr olds have quite severe speech and language delay.

Therefore, a lot of the first year is spent trying to get them to speak properly. Learning to read has to take a back seat for these children.

just to clarify the part I think they are missing out on is not enjoying sharing books and stories, not not being able to read.

well said, letthereberock

I speak as an infant teacher. The kids have busier social lives than I do!

Rhinestone have a on me......

Continue with the lessons. He'll be v good and hopefully his teacher will recognise this by giving him appropriate material, if not, never mind, he'll still be good! It is NOT pushy (or being a show off!!??) to teach children languages from an early age. They are so much more receptive at this age. My DCs are completely bilingual and most of their friends speak at least 3 languages without a pushy parent in sight.
Learning a foreign language does not need to be done from an academic angle btw.

Why are you giving me a biscuit Mare?

I am amazed that anyone would expect a child to be able to read before starting school - I honestly have never met a child that could, and that's after 3 DCs going through pre-school in a really lovely (pushy parent) area.

Regarding the french, I think if you have sent your child for lessons from such a young age, you are just going to have to accept that the rest of the class are going to have to catch up. It's the same if they have learnt to swim, play tennis etc outside school.

actually I thought that was quite funny, Rhinestone

Right, got to go. It's time for the cat's History of Art lesson

I would wait until year 3 to see if it is still an issue. By that time there will be so much going on at school, that the french he learned at 4 may be a distant memory. If not, then deaL with it at the time.

If what he is learning through La Jolie Ronde is the same as my DD has been doing since she started Y1 (she's now Y4) then I wouldn't worry - it doesn't seem very thorough to me, more fun.

FWIW there was, until recently, a french girl in DD's school. She did french lessons with the rest of the class despite being fluent. Was never an issue in the slightest. She just enjoyed the lessons and helping others, esp with pronunctiation.

catgirl are you serious?!

In response to the post by LetThereBeRock. I agree in not sending children to too many classes and being pushy. I particularly don't agree with forcing children to do something they don't like. My DS does swimming and gymnastics. That's it. He loves both and would be upset if I didn't take him. Wheres the harm in that? The gym teacher wanted to put him up a group which is more structured, he didn't enjoy it so I stopped it. My son has shown an interest in football, but I won't send him because I think that would be too much. I have sent him swimming because I think it's a valuable life skill to have - I couldn't give a shite about certificates and swimming badges, although it is nice when he gets them.
So I don't see how it can be said that pre-school sports/activities are unnecessary or a waste of time when they are pre-school age.