Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask for bilingual DC to do something else during French lessons?

92 replies

StarlingBirdsong · 15/09/2016 10:58

DC in question is year 2, age 6. We are a bilingual family (French/English). DC has come home saying they've had french lessons, this is the second week so looks like its going to be a regular thing one afternoon a week.

DC is complaining that he bored (understandable) and that the teacher says some of it wrong (it's not a native french speaker so the 'r' letter in particular is likely not to sound correct to him).

WIBU to ask that DC is either set a different task, or that i can send him in with a book and he can do quiet reading for this lesson? (He is a free reader and would sit in silence with his book, no issue).

I'm worried that his boredom will soon turn into disruptive behaviour - and i wouldn't blame him, they are literally learning the basics 'bonjour, comment ca va' etc - DC is fluent!

DO i approach his class teacher? or the actual french teacher?

OP posts:
WorkAccount · 15/09/2016 12:04

a bit of a tangent but funny story.
a german family used to come to yorkshire every year for the summer.
Their kid had problems in English lessons as he would pronounce many thing wrong.

arranged · 15/09/2016 12:04

He also kept saying "hallo, my name is..... Dagmar" in an accent that sounded very similar to the Spanish guy on The Princess Bride.

I kept expecting him to finish off with "you killed my father. Prepare to die".

Obsidian77 · 15/09/2016 12:24

I know someone who, at secondary school, didn't let on to the French teacher that he was actually a native French speaker because he thought it was funny. He didn't say a word in class and handed in no homework. (His name wasn't French sounding.)
By the time parents' evening came, the teacher was pretty fed up with him and started going on to the parents about how their son was a bit of a dunce and obviously didn't understand a thing. To which the parents replied "what the fuck do you mean, we're from Paris"
The teacher was mortified. (And my friend got grounded).

butteriesplease · 15/09/2016 12:30

not read whole thread, however, my DC are bilingual too. DS1 has just started secondary. They all do three languages in year 1 - german, french, spanish. He started with german (which he speaks) and was still doing the basic stuff. We raised this with the school and he got the option to do year 2 german (sigh) or an extra term of spanish. He opted for the spanish. surely, this must be an option at your school?

butteriesplease · 15/09/2016 12:31

ah, your kids are in primary. but still, other languages must be available? if not, they could help the teacher a bit? I'd contact the school directly.

ItsJustNotRight · 15/09/2016 12:37

Obs Grin. The teacher could make such good use of him so make sure s/he's aware that he speaks French. if the school really wants to encourage a second language there are numerous ways in engage him in the lessons and also help the rest of the class at the same time. I'm not suggesting they use him as unpaid labour but an imaginative teacher shouldn't struggle to include him rather than have him excluded at your request.

derxa · 15/09/2016 12:44

What a fuss about nothing. The time spent on any language teaching in primary is very little. It is likely to be half an hour a week. Surely it will look odd if your DC doesn't join in. It will likely be a bit of conversational French with lots of repeated phrases. No written at Y2. Please help the school to improve their language teaching by getting your son to be a language model and maybe getting your DH to come in to school. I speak as an ex primary teacher and French graduate.

Original poster
StarlingBirdsong · 15/09/2016 12:50

SOme really good suggestions - i think i will try and hint that he may like to be a helper for these lessons, he would thrive on that i think. and he may see doing extra maths or similar as a punishment for already knowing the french.

and as someone upthread said - it would be really hard for DC to 'force' the french with someone they normally speak english with - they just 'know' who they should use which language with, like a reflex.

again as someone said, DH is worried it will effect his accent if he is taught anything by a non-native speaker. DH already gets ribbed by his family for his 'english accent' (sounds very french to me!) when he speaks to them and he is concious of trying to make sure the DC learn the particular nuances of french pronunciation correctly.

will speak to teacher hopefully after school today and report back!

OP posts:
Original poster
StarlingBirdsong · 15/09/2016 12:52

derxa its hardly a fuss about nothing if DC is bored, not being involved in the lesson and therefore being disruptive. half an hour is a long time for a 6 year old when they are bored. i'm trying to find an approach that allows him to either be doing something else or involved in the class.

OP posts:
dowhatnow · 15/09/2016 12:53

The class teacher probably has only basic words and phrases remembered from their own age 16 education. Talk to them and discuss a solution.

Ds might like being the expert and a willing helper if he is utilised correctly or he may prefer to just read or do his dads work. Whoever suggested him reading a book written in french, was on to a good idea.

arranged · 15/09/2016 12:59

I speak as an ex primary teacher and French graduate

Well that's worrying as fuck isn't it?

Let's hope most primary language teachers can see the value of stretching all kids and not using one as slave labour to make up for their own teaching inadequacies?

(Although having also trained as a primary language specialist, sometimes I doubt it)

Mistigri · 15/09/2016 13:02

It's probably 30-60 mins a week? I'd just ask the teacher to encourage him to participate, by demonstrating pronunciation etc.

My kids do EFL classes in their French, they are of some minor use to DS (for spelling) but none whatsoever for DD. Over the years, teachers have occupied her variously by getting her to help out with pronunciation and vocab in class, by allowing her to mark the other students' work (!!! This was in equiv. Y9, she loved it), and by getting her to write documents and other materials for use in class.

These days (she's at senior high with a v heavy timetablr) English class is time for a nice rest ...

GarlicMist · 15/09/2016 13:02

My first thought was that they could be making use of him!
Approach the French teacher and just begin the conversation in French

My first thoughts, too!

Definitely diplomatic to open the question to his teacher instead of offering a solution :) But the teacher sounds pretty daft (or insecure?) if they're persisting with telling DS he's "wrong" given he's already fluent.

I spent about half my primary school classes working alone as my skills were ahead of the group. It was a bit shit, actually. I was cut off from the general activity, and had to work harder at the social stuff because the other kids read it as me being standoffish, thinking I was superior/different, or being punished for something dreadful!

YANBU though.

Okkitokkiunga · 15/09/2016 13:05

My DC's are bilingual as well. There is no funding for a French Speaker to come in and teach at their school, so the class teachers do it. They mostly can't do anything much more than Bonjour etc because a) lack of expertise and b) the other students don't remember words from one week to the next. But, DD who is now in year 5, helps take the class. She says the words, writes on the board and towards the end of last year, the teacher brought in some simple books in French for her to read to the class - eg The Hungry Caterpillar. DS has just started year 2 and they don't do French yet. However he was very proud last year to be called into a year 6 lesson and help with some Q&A and pronunciation. He gives lessons in the playground now Smile

rockyroad3 · 15/09/2016 13:06

YANBU OP. My dc are very proficient in French (not native, but spent time living in French speaking country) and they hate French class in secondary because the teacher speaks with a regional accent and to them mispronounces words. I would really like them to be able to drop French in school and carry on with a native speaker at home but I do realize I would look like one of those parents.

I would be asking if he can read a book in French, perhaps Asterix or Tin Tin.

My children used to be asked to demonstrate english pronounciations and when what they said contradicted the teacher they used to get into trouble or be labelled troublesome, so I wouldn't go down the "helper" route personally.

derxa · 15/09/2016 13:07

if DC is bored, not being involved in the lesson and therefore being disruptive Why would he be disruptive? You need to talk to the class teacher and explain the situation. Anyway your DS's accent will not be affected by the small amount of French they do in school. Also the teacher should be using whiteboard resources which give good modelling.
Your DH could go in and teach the class how to pronounce the /r/ sounds that a lot of British people have trouble with if he is so minded.

derxa · 15/09/2016 13:09

Well that's worrying as fuck isn't it?

Let's hope most primary language teachers can see the value of stretching all kids and not using one as slave labour to make up for their own teaching inadequacies?
Grin Get over yourself.

arranged · 15/09/2016 13:10

Yes, let's get parents who work full time to come into primary classrooms and address the appalling deficiencies in UK language teaching.

No, I have a better idea! Let's get 6 year olds to do it!

rockyroad3 · 15/09/2016 13:11

But the teacher sounds pretty daft (or insecure?) if they're persisting with telling DS he's "wrong" given he's already fluent.

IME this isn't uncommon. They probably feel quite insecure and concious of having a native speaker present. My DC were punished for the "wrong" pronounciations of words, eg their teacher said "ex-il-o-phone" for xylophone and insisted it was the correct way and my DC were incorrect Hmm

scarednoob · 15/09/2016 13:11

Bit different but I was a very early reader - I was 2 when my mum taught me and totally fluent by school at 4. I remember vividly on my first day at my new school when the reading lady kept putting her finger under the word and trying to spell it out for me - I thought she was being weird!!

Anyway as soon as the school clocked onto it, I was just given books to read and left to get on with it during reading lessons. I think if you ask then the school will accommodate it. Or rope him into teaching too Grin

Mistigri · 15/09/2016 13:11

know someone who, at secondary school, didn't let on to the French teacher that he was actually a native French speaker

This year DD wasn't going to tell her English teacher that she's a native English speaker, but the teacher realised pretty quickly.

scarednoob · 15/09/2016 13:12

(Doesn't seem to be hereditary btw. DD is 12 months and thinks books are for eating or smashing to the floor. I blame her dad!!)

derxa · 15/09/2016 13:17

Yes, let's get parents who work full time to come into primary classrooms and address the appalling deficiencies in UK language teaching.

I agree. UK language teaching is appalling. I remember having to squeeze in French into a busy curriculum. The National Curriculum was hopeless and bore no relationship to any published materials and Internet resources.
The other teachers couldn't speak any other languages and laughed at the subject. It was a nightmare. I tried to focus on fun and conversation.
It would be hard if your DS doesn't like to be the focus of attention. Perhaps then he could sit quietly with some very basic written work.

arranged · 15/09/2016 13:21

Don't forget, in primary he'll be doing stuff he learned as a baby - colours of the rainbow and count to 10 stuff.

Even once they start secondary, it's "where is the train station" for the first two years, which, as anyone with any experience of speaking another language fluently will tell you, is neither here nor there as far as having a conversation with an actual other foreigner goes.

The whole thing is a waste of fucking time for NON biligual kids. For biligual kids, they may as well spend 40 minutes in the loo for all the good it does them.

situatedknowledge · 15/09/2016 13:21

This has just reminded me of the year we had a brilliant French student in secondary. We all absolutely loved her. She was beautiful and fun, and kept everyone engaged, even the rowdy boys. i think she was from somewhere in the Pyrenees. It was the year before our exams, so we were doing quite a bit of speaking in prep for the oral. It made sense to the teachers that she should cover the speaking lessons. All went brilliantly till she had to go home sick, we got another student in for the last couple of weeks of term, this time from a posh Paris suburb, and discovered that we were all speaking with the French equivalent of a thick Glaswegian accent.

I think we all passed though.