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M E E T Y O U R R E A D I N G S P E C I A L I S T
Bonjour ! My name is Nicole Balston, and I'm the creator of French Immersion Success.
I've talked to so many families with kids in French Immersion, and here is the common thread:
Parents want to be able to help their children. They want to be able to open up a book and read with them - and if their child is struggling, they want to help. Most parents don't know French - and in the FI program, they hear over and over again: "you don't need to speak French in order for your child to be successful." Sometimes, though, there's a nagging thought in your head, saying if I did know French, if I knew more, they would be doing better.
I've had parents tell me they wish they had taken French in high school so at this point, they could could help their child. I have parents tell me they wish they had the time to learn now, but no one has time to take on an extra obligation in a busy family, especially if it's learning an entire language! Hard to find the time and energy for that when driving kids between dance lessons and soccer practice!
Finally, I've talked to some families who have found the time to learn French together. The idea behind it feels great - you spend time together, learning with your child and connected to their school experience! However, there's a snag - where do you go to learn? Duolingo? Youtube tutorials? GoogleTranslate? That green Bescherelle that has been sitting on your shelf since high school French class?
In the beginning, it feels doable - you find some French colours, numbers, and use them to point, repeat and count.
Eventually, though, it can get a little tricky. There are so many sites that will give you common phrases to use in French, but that doesn't connect to what your child is learning at school. And when the French books come home, you lean heavily on the recording. If it doesn't come with audio, there's always GoogleTranslate.
Here's what I know:
Instead of this, I want to give you the foundation you need to help your child learn to read in French.
You don't need to know the entire French language to help your child...
You learn only what you need to know to help your child succeed.
My speciality is teaching students (and parents) the rules behind the French code so they can read confidently in French. I am passionate about giving parents concrete strategies to support French Immersion...even if they don't know French themselves! Working with parents is incredibly powerful as it develops a toolbox of skills for the family to continue to use. The more I work directly with parents and families, the more I see its amazing, powerful impact.
I've talked to so many families with kids in French Immersion, and here is the common thread:
Parents want to be able to help their children. They want to be able to open up a book and read with them - and if their child is struggling, they want to help. Most parents don't know French - and in the FI program, they hear over and over again: "you don't need to speak French in order for your child to be successful." Sometimes, though, there's a nagging thought in your head, saying if I did know French, if I knew more, they would be doing better.
I've had parents tell me they wish they had taken French in high school so at this point, they could could help their child. I have parents tell me they wish they had the time to learn now, but no one has time to take on an extra obligation in a busy family, especially if it's learning an entire language! Hard to find the time and energy for that when driving kids between dance lessons and soccer practice!
Finally, I've talked to some families who have found the time to learn French together. The idea behind it feels great - you spend time together, learning with your child and connected to their school experience! However, there's a snag - where do you go to learn? Duolingo? Youtube tutorials? GoogleTranslate? That green Bescherelle that has been sitting on your shelf since high school French class?
In the beginning, it feels doable - you find some French colours, numbers, and use them to point, repeat and count.
Eventually, though, it can get a little tricky. There are so many sites that will give you common phrases to use in French, but that doesn't connect to what your child is learning at school. And when the French books come home, you lean heavily on the recording. If it doesn't come with audio, there's always GoogleTranslate.
Here's what I know:
- Parents want to support their children with French.
- Parents want to have the tools to deepen what their child is learning at school.
- Right now, though, those tools are limited to sight word flashcards and GoogleTranslate.
Instead of this, I want to give you the foundation you need to help your child learn to read in French.
You don't need to know the entire French language to help your child...
You learn only what you need to know to help your child succeed.
My speciality is teaching students (and parents) the rules behind the French code so they can read confidently in French. I am passionate about giving parents concrete strategies to support French Immersion...even if they don't know French themselves! Working with parents is incredibly powerful as it develops a toolbox of skills for the family to continue to use. The more I work directly with parents and families, the more I see its amazing, powerful impact.
F A Q
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Who do you work with?
I focus on foundational reading skills - so if you're working on developing your child's literacy, we might be a good fit. Most of my students are K-3 EFI (Early French) or 5-7 LFI (Late French), but I've worked with students Pre-K through grade 9. I also work directly with parents to give them the tools they need to support their child in French at home - no previous knowledge of French necessary. In select cases, I also work with children with no French experience not attending French Immersion and develop a custom program to meet their language learning goals. |
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What are parent workshops?
I run a "French Essentials Parent Bootcamp" as a crash course to French. Use it to start from scratch, or to refresh what you learned in high school! I promise that you will learn something new, regardless of your level of French, because we also teach grammar rules and go into the why. This resource is completely free and has been designed for parents who want to know more about supporting their child in French. Click here for more information! I teach parent workshops to take families from knowing no French to being able to read decodable French sentences in only 3 days, one hour per day! |
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What can I do to help my child if I don't speak French?
It can be difficult for parents to sit on the sidelines, especially if they see their child struggling in French. I've also noticed that other than hiring a French tutor, parents do not have many resources available to them if they don't know French themselves. I work with a few parents 1-1 to teach them what they need to know to meaningfully support their child in French. I am also currently developing a course to support parents who want more tools for supporting their child in French Immersion! |
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I submitted the form above. Now what?
You will receive an email, setting up a time for us to speak to learn more about your/your child's language goals, and answer any questions you might have. If you have any trouble, contact me at [email protected] |
