First of all, you are not alone in this situation! In minority settings, these things happen and often leave parents in disbelief, not quite knowing how to support their child in French language transmission.
Creating an emotional connection with French from a young age is one of the secret ingredients to support your child in their learning.
How to do it on a daily basis?
- Adopt an encouraging attitude in all circumstances.
- Avoid constantly telling the child that they must speak in French.
- Help your child learn the French vocabulary for the words they say in English.
- Avoid excessively correcting them.
- Praise them when they speak in French.
It is crucial for parents to understand that children are simply reflecting their reality, where English dominates. Therefore, it’s essential to find ways to counterbalance this by providing them with a Francophone environment at home and outside, as much as possible. Exposure to French in a pleasant context or environment will increase their chances of imitating their parents and those around them.
Possible courses of action:
Make sure to listen to the child and respond naturally with the correct vocabulary, without emphasizing the mistake.
Here are some examples:
“Juice, maman, juice.”
- “ Tu veux du jus? Du jus de pomme ou du jus de raisin? ”
“Je suis quatre ans! ”
- “Moi aussi, j’ai quatre ans! Ben non, c’est pas vrai, j’ai trente ans! ”
Would you like more information on the different ways to support your child in this situation?
Visit our resource: “1 enfant, 2 langues”
