DD1 (3½) is learning french - but where do we go next?

[katzg]

DH had been teaching DD1 some french for the past few weeks and she is picking up quite a lot, she can count to 10 and knows about 25 - 30 words.

We have a couple of French books for her, the osborne first 100 french words and the collins french picture dictionary and we also have the Osborne DVD. She has seen the muzzy ones and finds muzzy too scarey.

The question is where do we go next?

Hi Katz

My family use the OPOL (one person one language) approach. My son is 4 and now speaks French fluently although most off the time he responds in English. My 2 year old twins use both French and English. I bought him French DVD'S from amazon.fr and since he was 2 and half he attended Le club francais which he enjoys.

DH's french is ok, he learnt at school and is no where near fluent.

My big concern is that she will exceed his capabilities and then get bored.

is there a french club eg club tricolore near you?

don't think so but will google and have a look

Definately try to go on holiday to France. I know loads of german kids here who go on holiday to France with their familiy and learn loads of french. Very impressive how quickly they pick it up andthe accent too. When I teach my 2 french they repeat it with exactly my slight english accent which isn't too strong but still original would be better. Even my sisters kids who get no language education of any kind have picked up lots of french from holidays and german from visiting us. Last time they were ordering drinks and food in german and asking for the bill - with no effort!

Why would you want to teach a child another language so young? Seems a bit hot housey to me.

when does she start school? a lot of primary schools organise french clubs (you'll prob have to pay) - we have found these to be v good and our kids love them

we also have a lot of french native speakers at school here (in London, are you in a city with lots of other nationalities?) which is v good for the kids as if they go round to play the parents speak french at home so it's great practice

Because you might want to live or work in Europe later and the best time to familiarise a child with a different language is when they are still young OO?
I want ds and dd to grow up with a basic knowledge of spoken French because I feel very strongly that as Europeans we should all speak at least one other European language. French is the natural choice for us because we live near France, love the country, I speak it OK and we go on holiday there.
Parents like katzg and me and lots of others know what a travesty the teaching of modern foreign languages has become in the UK in recent years, and want to give our children the grounding, and a pro-European outlook, before they are exposed to the accepted viewpoint that MFLs at school are dispensible and risible.
I have no intention of hot-housing my children (sure katzg hasn't either) just passing on my love of France to them in a fun way and encouraging them to speak when we visit.
I really do feel that in principle being able to speak a language other than English is as important to encourage as sport, music or any other out-of-school activity. I view it as a life skill.

but 3 is surely too young?

is imo anyway

honestly marina, I've felt embarrassed this week as a nation - all the world cup interviews with fans and players of other countries and ALL of them speak English. Not just a bit of English, enough to have a proper conversation and in many cases, debate about football etc. We are dreadful as a nation when it comes to learning other languages.

Not to start with the basics, no. Can't speak for katzg but I certainly only mean making sure she can say hello and goodbye to people. IME the delighted response from French people when small English children make even that gesture is enough to convince your average preschooler that making the effort reaps dividends . It took about 30 seconds for dd to clock that!
I am not sold on Muzzy either, tbh.

Get french versions of your dd favourite films - might even be on the dvd version already. See if you can get french tv - is this possible by satillite? - & put this on instead of uk tv.

Do you know anyone with french mother tongue that has kids? invite the kids to play.

I could not agree more FIS.
It is an unlikely parp I know but if there is going to be one area where I really crack the whip over ds and dd it will be feeling and living and being educated European. I just feel the attitude in this country to being able to converse in a language other than English is a national disgrace.
Already thinking ahead to international Bac and Socrates if they both turn out to want to go on to HE.
But before anyone starts flaming me for hothousing them, I would have identical MFL expectations of any child. Dutch factory workers, French mechanics, German roadworkers can all speak passable English - whatever my children end up choosing to do academically or career-wise, fluency in another language is achievable IMO.

milward, a good option in that line for older children reading confidently is to make sure you get an original voice DVD with English subtitles. We've got Les Aventures de Blake et Mortimer, books ds loves, with English subtitles. He will love the films, follow the plot, hear French being spoken.

The reason we have stared to teach her a second language is because she wants to learn, she loves Dora the explorer but neither DH nor I speak spanish so DH suggested some French to her and she loves learning, she loves to count in french and loves the word for Dolly and sweets.

I also agree with what others have said and that having a second language is very useful, i feel so bad that in my office i have french, polish and sweedish colleagues and we all converse in English, my German would not be good enough to do the same.

3 is definitely not too young. Ds2 is 3.5 and does Spanish twice a week at nursery (one of the Mums is Mexican and she goes in to teach) - he has mastered the basics too and it's brilliant. I've asked my friend if she will continue to teach him once he goes to school (I don't think they start doing languages till Juniors and I think it's French, but I could be wrong...) - she's going to do a lesson a week for a small group of about 4 of them and I think it's great. No better time to start learning a language than when you are young and like a little sponge - I wish I had.

Good luck to your dd katzg!

Get some nice songs in French.

Get out the finger paints and teach colours.

Get out some toy animals (say 2 to start with) teach the names and then when you shout the word, dc has to run and throw it into a shoebox. 2-3 new words a day like that.

So long as dc is laughing and enjoying it, you're not doing anything wrong.

Do it!
My dd1 (6) is inGaelic medium education in scotland and is almost fluent in gaelic after one year. My ds is in Gaelic nursery adn dd2 will also go there.
Whatever language they learn (and I know gaelic is aminority language that might never help them much) the benefits of another language are huge - kids with a 2nd language are better at verbal and non verbal reasoning, maths, even English!, and learn the next language with more fluency (we are introducing Spanish as I know quite a lot anf there is a chance w might end up ina Spanish speaking country).
My dd1 is amazing - after 1 year of immersion at school she can chat to anyone in gaelic. Now is the time to do it!

My ds (4.10) is very interested in learning French too as we've been to France a couple of times on holiday. I bought him an Early Learning French cd which he loves - children's songs are sung in French, then English, plus children are taught some simple words and phrases.

I've just found a web site which looks interesting (but I've absolutely no idea at all how to do links!!!) - it's Leapfrog.com. There are quite a few Leapfrog toys/books available in French and Spanish.

hi ladies. interested read! can i bore you with my thoughts on this?! am french living in london married to a brit. i speak both french and english to dd - maybe not a good idea but there we are; i do try to speak french most of the time but it does not come easily. dd currently on holiday in france with her cousins. she is 27 months. somehow they understand one another, no idea how and i find it amazing. my french nephew came to london at christmas (3 months older than my dd) and by day 3 was speaking english (it's mine!!!!!!). learning another language is great and should be encouraged. i make dd watch dvds in french and it has paid off. she understands everything. also great dora fan and the other day dd repeated in spanish after dora. at that age, they don't understand that there are different languages they are just communicating. we are the ones making a big deal... also i read somewhere that those kids use some part of their brains that kids with one language only don't. dont think your dd will get bored katzg since she is having so much fun! tv books holidays... you are doing well!!!

My ds learned some French at nursery and absolutely loved it - I think it is a real shame he will not learn it again at school until secondary level. I am planning to look into some after school clubs for him but didn't want to take on too much in his Reception year.

I too think it is a very important skill and easier to pick up the younger you start. My other ds already has a good few Spanish words from watching Dora! My dh has started a new job with a company with an office in Paris - he has already made a good impression with his French colleagues because he has made an effort to comminicate with them in his O-Level French - but most of the UK staff are of the typically arrogant assumption that the rest of the world should speak their language

Well we have done all those things mentioned and have got ourselves a French Au Pair for the summer to bring ds language on.

Really recommend Fun With French CD from ELC shops or online at £5. We always have children's song and story CDs in the car and I sing along with dds so now we're singing in French and dd1 can count up to 10 and sing Frere Jacques and le Pont d'Avignon etc.

Immersion is the best approach, even if it only comes from one source.

At some point, you have to realise, that Disney's Winnie the Pooh, and Sponge Bob Square Pants are better tutors of a foreign language for your child, than any number of carefully designed books with educational pictures labelled in the other language.

I think it is a mistake to give a toddler any sort of course - they wont pick it up in the same way that an older child or adult will, and its hard to keep their interest. Small children who go to another country naturally use their ability to pick up a language, without any gentle introductions.