In Grade 1, students are expected to work on reading for at least 10 minutes each day with an experienced reader supporting their learning (parent, guardian, older sibling, grandpa, not the cat). 

At the end of September, students will bring home a reading bag – un sac de lecture. There will be information for parents, games, lyrics to songs and more. We encourage parents to attend the Come Read With Me session that provides tips for parents to support reading at home. Thank you to our generous PAC for sponsoring this sessions for parents!

Home reading can be: listening to an adult read aloud, listening to or following along with an audio book, reading and singing song lyrics, writing, playing sound and word games, flashcards with sight words, and reading French books from the class or library.

Each week, on Library day, students will bring home a couple leveled books to learn with over the week in their sac de lecture (large Ziploc). Leveled readers are reading texts that have been rated according to difficulty. They are used to guide literacy learners through ascending levels of difficulty in the texts they read. The level of the book is a tool for teachers – not a label or badge for students.

It is important that you find a time that works for you and your child and commit to at least 10 minutes daily. Some families enjoy books before bedtime, others right after breakfast or in the afternoon outside. 

Don’t forget to keep reading English (and/or French) books aloud too! Reading aloud to your child is one of the most beneficial things you can do. Leveled readers are far from fine literature so don’t forget to keep reading non-fiction and fiction for pleasure at home. This can become a time crunch with busy schedules but you can’t build a love of reading with leveled readers. Click here for more read aloud tips.

No need to teach your child English phonics (unless they enquire) as it will likely confuse them as they begin decoding French words. Students will begin English language instruction in grade 3.

Do not panic if you don’t speak French. Most immersion parents do not speak French. Your children will come to love correcting your pronunciation.  If you are unsure about a word, use the picture clues, context or turn to Google. 

FAQ – What if level 1 books are too difficult for my child? In this case, parents can read aloud to their child. Have them repeat the words back and point to the words as they say them. French is a syllable-timed language and words are made up of syllables strung together (ba + na + ne = banane). So when students are able to read syllables, they can read in French! If your child has not yet mastered individual letter sounds, then that should be your focus. You can also work on high frequency words; also known as sight words, these are the words that students should read immediately without relying on reading strategies (voici, avec, c’est, regarde, le, est). These are the words most frequently seen in leveled readers.

Most importantly though, try to make this an enjoyable time for you and your child.  If it isn’t working, let it go and try again the next day.

 

Click the link below for a great read!

 

French Read-Aloud Books

• Lecture Enfant –   login username: llgg1  password: lire2

  • Home reading support for French immersion students. Books available in both PDF and video formats. Print books or stream them online!  There are lists of sounds and sight words too!

• Boukili – Free, French, read-aloud books. Website and app.

• Epic! – Book for Kids

  • Lots of read-aloud options in English (like Netflix for picture books). Some French available. 30 days free.

• Bookaboo – Québécois celebrities reading picture books aloud.

• Un Autre Blogue de Maman – YouTube channel full of read aloud books. Excellent storytelling!

• Kristen Sampson – YouTube channel of a teacher and students reading a lot of the same books we have in class.