BIENVENUE 1ère année!
Bonjour parents, guardians and students!
Welcome to another year at St. Gabriel Catholic Elementary School! We look forward to teaching your child and sharing in all their learning experiences. We are partners in your child’s education; members of this year’s learning team. What an exciting and busy year it will be!
French class is a caring environment where your child can feel comfortable while they speak, read, write, and participate in French. We aim to encourage your child to communicate and interact in French with confidence in a safe and supportive environment where he/she develops language skills that are continuously practiced and consolidated. We also aim to instill the belief that reading and learning another language is an important and enjoyable part of our lives.
The Extended French program for Grade 1 includes 4 sections:
The Grade 1 student is expected to:
- Oral Communication: Use every day sentence structures & vocabulary; To express him/herself using complete sentences; Ask simple questions.
- Reading: Recognize letter combinations that create certain sounds within a word (“a” in papa or “on” in ballon); Read words and simple sentences.
- Writing: Copy words and sentences; Create products such as mini-books and activity sheets related to in class topics & vocabulary.
-Listening: Listen attentively; Recognize various sounds and; Understand the general meaning of an oral message, as well as questions & instructions.
This year, the students will listen to, read and respond to a variety of short, simple texts and media works. They will learn how to express their ideas and opinions on familiar topics, produce a variety of short simple pieces of writing, and use appropriate language conventions during oral activities and in their written work. Some themes we will be covering are: Alphabet, Seasons, Weather, Colours, Holidays, School, Adjectives/Feelings, French letter sounds (on a weekly basis) etc. The vocabulary learned in french will also be applicable to some concepts in Social Studies.
Social Studies:
1st Strand: Heritage and Identity: Our Changing Roles and Responsibilities
2nd Strand: People and Environments: The Local Community
Homework
Homework is a means to practice skills, consolidate knowledge and to prepare for the next class or upcoming assessments. Each Monday, students will bring home their yellow homework (devoirs) duo-tang, and it is expected to be returned each Monday. Homework will consist of practice and review of learned vocabulary/concepts taught in class along with an online French book to go along with the topic/theme on the Lecture Enfant French Levelled Reading Program (Username and Password is on this website). It is very important it is reviewed with your child as there will be in class assessments based on the homework concepts (reading theme-based vocabulary or matching pictures to the appropriate word).
**The weekly homework will be posted on our class website (www.frenchprimary1.weebly.com) along with a recording of each word/sentence to help you and/or your child with pronunciation. Your child can also listen along to our recordings as you practice together**
We encourage you to read French books with your child, listen to French songs, watch French movies, videos or television programs with them each week to help with their language development and increase their French language proficiency. Developing an interest in French early on and learning with your child will instill confidence, appreciation of the French language and a positive attitude in learning French for the years to come!
Simply reading each week is an important way to support language learning. Picture books with simple texts are great and are especially good for our grade 1‘s.***(Many helpful links on my class website, see address below to view French online books, practice French vocabulary, watch French videos, listen to French songs etc)*** Further, the Ottawa Public Library offers a variety of French books as well as online resources (Tumblebooks) through their website http://biblioottawalibrary.ca/en/main/find/download/how You may also find plenty of helpful activities/common vocabulary on: www.FSLHomeworkToolbox.ca under the ToolBox tab.
Class Website
We have created a class website as a great tool for you to stay updated on your child’s French program. We have many helpful French resources (vocabulary lists, songs, videos, online worksheets, online books, interactive games) for you and your child to enjoy. It is a great way to practice and review concepts learned in class. We encourage visiting our class website often with your child as it is a very useful resource filled with fun and educational activities, games and videos which will ultimately help your child improve on his/her French oral, listening, written and reading abilities.
Have Fun! :)
Please visit: www.frenchprimary1.weebly.com
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us by e-mail: [email protected],
[email protected] or call us at the school: 613-271-6181. Thank you for your support! We look forward to working with you and your child this year!
Your partners in education,
Madame Feraco
Madame O'Reilly