1. What are the benefits for my child by learning French?
French opens many doors for your child. It will help them in travelling all over the world, and will open up many opportunities career-wise for your child. There are also studies that show that second language students have better problem solving skills and it will also help them if they choose to study other languages such as Italian and Spanish.
2. Will my child be officially bilingual?
Unfortunatly no. This is only an introductory course to help your child become fairly proficient in the language, however they will need to continue on with French and learn much more before they are considered bilingual.
3. How much time will my child spend doing homework?
French is something that will need to be practiced every night. This is for several reasons. One is that your child will not have French class everyday, so they need to practice especially when they do not have class. Two, they only have French class for one hour so they need to practice and review that days lessons. This review however could be as easy as watching an hour of French television or listening to a French radio program, so that your child gets used to hearing French.
4. Will this affect the way my child speaks English?
Because this is not an Immersion program, there will be no effect on the way your child speaks English because the majority of the day will be spent speaking and writing in their first language.
5. How can I help my child?
Even if you cannot speak French you can help your child. Watching a French program with them will help. As well, showing that you believe in the program will encourage them that they are making a good decision by studying French.
6. What kind of careers are available to my child if he/she can speak French?
Many career opportunities for your child include federal positions with the Canadian government, international opportunities, travel positions, and even positions in the arts such as film, art and dance.
7. What exactly will my child be learning about?
The main focus of the course is for your child to have a basic knowledge of the French language and the ability to speak it. There will also be a focus however, on French culture as well. IT is a course on everything French, not just the basic grammar rules.
8. My child is shy and does not like speaking in class. Is speaking out loud a necessity?
Yes. The only way to learn a language is to practice speaking it so there will be times when your child will have to speak out-loud. However, my main objective is to make the class a safe and positive learning environment so that students feel comfortable speaking in front of their peers.
9. Will there be a trip planned to a French-speaking community?
That is something that will have to be determined by the class and administration at a later date. It is a goal though, because it is a great learning tool to immerse students in a complete French-speaking community.
10. How long will it take for my child to become fluent in French?
That will depend entirely on your child and how hard they are willing to work and how long they want to proceed with French. It will not happen in one course though. They will need to continue on next year to attempt fluent in the language.
Reference: Canadian Parents for French FAQs , http://www.cpfnl.ca/about/faq#faq3
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