Family-Friendly French (& Spanish) Music for Children: Recent Finds

May 21, 2014 by Michele Cherie in French Language Learning, French Resources, Teaching French

We normally listen to French children's music in the car, but a few months ago my five-year-old daughter started pleading for English music. I temporary complied, trading Petit Ours Brun for Raffi, but pondered why the French music no longer appealed to her. I theorized that it wasn't the language that mattered, but the music itself. The English music she likes had more complicated lyrics and melodies than the French comptines we'd heard over and over.

My theory was right: Since then, I've found more age-appropriate French children's music, and she hasn't asked for English music since. I'm thrilled to return to French music immersion!

Here's what we're listening to:

Teaching Reading in French: Our Homeschooling Plan

April 24, 2014 by Michele Cherie in Education, French Language Learning, French Resources, Learning Resources, Teaching French

My daughter is a witty five year old who adores books, so I think she's on the cusp of learning to read. But beyond our daily habit of reading together and occasionally reviewing alphabet sounds (in French and English), I haven't pushed her to learn to read (and my two-year-old son has several years before he reaches this milestone). Yet unless our family moves closer to one of the French immersion schools in Oregon, we'll most likely be homeschooling this fall. Read on for more about how we'll approach learning to read in French and the resources we'll use.

French & American Children's Fiction: Comparing Cultural Clues

April 22, 2014 by Michele Cherie in American Culture, Cultural Reflections, French Culture, Teaching French

As my children grow towards school-age, we're reading a larger variety of short stories in French and English, and I'm delighting in the subtle differences along the way. Fiction stories are culture capsules--they rarely reveal culture overtly, but the more one reads, the more one sees how the stories reflect cultural tendencies. At the risk of wading into stereotypes, I'll share the key differences I've noticed:

Disney's Frozen in French: Music & Film Clips from "La Reine des Neiges"

April 09, 2014 by Michele Cherie in French Language Learning, French Resources, Teaching French

As a fan of quality animated films, my husband was quick to purchase Disney's Frozen on DVD for the benefit of our five-year-old daughter. She adores the story, though I wish that the Blu-ray version we purchased had a French audio option. As a next-best alternative, I'm featuring some official film clips here from La Reine des Neiges, the French version, so that you and my daughter can enjoy portions of this sweet story and its music in French.

Classic French Nursery Rhymes & Finger Games: Videos, Lyrics, & Music

March 27, 2014 by Michele Cherie in French Language Learning, Teaching French, French Resources, Education

You may have forgotten most of the nursery rhymes of your childhood, but most likely, those simple songs and rhymes helped you learn the rhythm and sounds of your native language. Whether you're simply curious about French comptines (nursery rhymes) or are serious about wanting to play in French with your little one, these videos of simple French songs with fingerplays will make you smile:

A French Magazine for Early Childhood: Toupie + Chansons

March 03, 2014 by Michele Cherie in Teaching French, French Resources, French Language Learning

Bonjour, les amis! If you're searching for a French children's magazine for ages 3-6, my four-year-old and I highly recommend Toupie et Chansons. (If you prefer a French magazine for toddlers, try Popi; for other ages, here's how to subscribe to other French children's magazines.) We've subscribed to Toupie for two years now, and my daughter re-reads the issues several times per week. Well, technically she can't read yet, but she spends impressive amounts of time staring at the pages and re-reading them with me.

Making Your Children's Books Bilingual

February 26, 2014 by Michele Cherie in French Language Learning, Teaching French

When I began reading to my infant daughter, her books weren't difficult to translate into French because the vocabulary was so simple. As she grew a bit older, the texts became a bit more difficult, of course, but my translating became more habitual and effortless. Now that she's about to turn five, however, I'm more concerned that the text on the page consistently matches the words that she hears, because I want her to make the phonetic connections that will eventually lead to reading on her own.

So when I spotted Les œufs verts au jambon--the French version of Green Eggs and Ham--at Anthropologie last year, I was tempted to buy it even though we already own the English version. But my daughter saw me ogling the book and pointed out that we already own it. She didn't care that our version wasn't in French, because I had always read it in French anyhow. Point taken. But I'd also wanted it because my oral translation is never as good as the written translation--especially when it comes to the rhyming lines of Dr. Seuss.

Ironic Comedy: Speaking a Foreign Language in America

February 21, 2014 by Michele Cherie in Reflections on Parenting, Teaching French, French Language Learning

As a non-native French speaker in America, I find that using French with my children provokes amusing responses from others. Never mind that I'm a certified French teacher--when family members first heard me speak to my children, they stared at me like I'd walked into the room dressed as Marie Antoinette with her signature wig. Some of my in-laws hadn't even realized I knew French, apparently.