Frequently Asked Questions: This page contains answers to common questions
of students and parents.
- Why French ?
- How can I help my child ?
- How is the language taught ?
- Are there different kinds of French ?
- Why is my child not speaking French at home ?
Why French ?
Mostly for historical reasons. French was once THE language of
the huge Louisiana that was sold by Napoleon to the United States
in 1803 and is still alive in a part of Louisiana that is called
Acadiana. That's a cultural heritage. Besides, the legislature
and the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education endorsed the
efforts of the CODOFIL to maintain and rejuvenate the French
language in Louisiana.
How can I help my child ?
Please don't take it in a negative way but unless you are
yourself fluent in the language there is not much that you can
do. However, having a positive attitude (enquiring about what is
done in the classroom, asking for some "show and tell" in French,
etc.) is certainly what will contribute the most to your child's
enjoyment and success . Also, being aware of the teaching
approach (see How is the language taught ? ) and understanding
that learning a foreign language is not an easy task (even though
it may not be THAT hard) is really important too.
How is the language taught ?
The language is taught in compliance with the Caddo Parish
Curriculum Guide for Foreign Languages and the recommendations
from the Louisiana Department of Education. Among these
recommendations are the following :
- meaning is conveyed through visuals, objects, and gestures
rather than translation ;
- a situational approach to teaching is used(teacher gives the
student a reason for learning) ;
- several activities are present in one lesson ;
- there is little or no use of English by the teacher.
Source :
LDE (2003), A guide for administrators of elementary level second
language and immersion programs in Louisiana schools, p. 15.
Teaching this way is often referred to as using a " communicative
approach". Your child will not be learning sets of rules that
s/he would have to try to painstakingly apply to utter a simple
request in the foreign language (classroom related requests, for
example). Instead, s/he will acquire the language more naturally
by being exposed to it in real life situations (being asked to
erase the board, for instance) and by having the opportunity to
use the language for a purpose (actually requesting to erase
the board and being granted or denied permission to do so).
I use several techniques in the classroom in order to reach as
many learning styles as I can. Following are some examples :
Total Physical Response (TPR),dialogues, songs, nursery rhymes,
games, manipulatives, etc.
Are there different kinds of French ?
Yes ! There is what is called "standard French" which is the
French spoken in France and the others : Canadian French, Belgian
French, Cajun French, the French spoken in Africa, the one spoken
in Switzerland, etc. How do they differ ? It's mostly a matter of
vocabulary and accent. For example, when it comes to numbers, the
French, the Belgian, and the Swiss use different words when they
reach seventy, eigthy, and ninety ; Cajun French has incorporated
Indian words in its vocabulary as well as sentence structures
from English. It may create some misunderstandings but a lot of
laughter too ! The French taught at South Highlands is
mostly "standard" with Belgian spices added to it since that�s
where I come from originally. If, later on, students have
a teacher from a different country, they usually adapt quite well
to the differences which often spark off interesting discussions.
Why is my child not speaking French at home ?
Probably because s/he does not have an audience ! It is unnatural
(and sometimes considered rude) to use a language with people who
do not understand it. But, if you are ready to play, why don't
you let your child teach you some of the things we do in class ?