Melissa B will you please share with me more about Easy French...

[Kfamily]

when you have had a chance to look it over more. I am really considering this program and am finally realizing that it might be better to pay a little more and get something that will really work for us. French is not getting done mostly because I don't know how to create it all and First Start French and some french songs are not enough.:001_smile:

 

Also, I noticed that you are using this with older dd and younger dd. I have a dd5 and dd11 so will I need to buy the 1A program for older dd and the junior for younger or could I get one that I could use with both?

 

Thank you so much for your help!:001_smile:

[Melissa B]

I switched over from First Start French as well. I wanted to, but I could not get that program to work for us. My dd11 is doing Galore Park SYRWTL French 1 as well (not sure why that isn't in my signature.) She is doing Easy French, Jr along with her sister for the added vocabulary - she doesn't do the projects.

 

We've only done the first few lessons, but I really like it.

 

There are about 15 or so new vocabulary words or phrases per chapter.

You hear all of the words in a dialogue as well.

The Cds have all of the dialogues, all of the vocabulary lists, the abc's, the numbers and six songs.

There is a coloring page for each lesson that I give to dd5. A major part of each lesson is a page for the book about him/herself that the student is putting together. You can print off each page and have the student do it. It is usually drawing a picture and filling in vocabulary. But we use blank paper instead. I have dd9 write all of the sentences in French (there are usually two) and not just fill in the blank. We also add pages, usually at least one extra per week, using the vocabulary we have learned.

There are also activities for at least one (usually two) lapbooks for each lesson. We do not "lapbook" but do many of the projects as notebook pages and that works just fine. They are things like an opposites page (or lapbook) a family tree page (or lapbook) a cat page (or lapbook) etc.

There are games and additional activities as well. There is also a short list of picture books that take place in France and a list of about a dozen famous people from France with a biographical note on each in case you want to add these to the curriculum. I think it is plenty for dd9 and she is enjoying it. Dd5 listens to the songs and sometimes the vocabulary and she colors the pictures. I will have her go through it again around age 7 or 8 (and her younger brother can listen in and color the pictures. :))

 

I am considering buying Level 1 for dd9 next year. The program is working well and I think SYRWTL French will be too much for her anyway.

[amsunshine]

Sorry to hijack, but I have to ask: do you feel that introducing reading/writing in French undermines reading/writing/spelling skills at all for your younger dc who are just starting out with those skills in English? I chose a primarily oral program (Ecoutez, Parlez, minus the workbook) for my dc, mostly because I want them to be exposed to the language orally for now.

 

My dd 5.5 is still on ETC 2, while my elder is a fluent reader, but she's on ETC 6, and will go thru 7 and 8 to ease my own mind that she is solid in English phonics. My logic was that in a couple of years, I will switch to either First Start French or The Easy French, to add in reading/writing and more formal french grammar, etc. Am I not thinking this through correctly? Or are there different theories of learning a foreign language I need to be educated about (i.e., "I need to relax about foreign language study undermining a child's ability to read/write in native language"). :bigear:

 

Thanks for your advice. I'm clueless.:confused:

[Strawberry Queen]

From what I understand about language learning, learning to write in a 2nd language shouldn't have a huge impact on writing skills. There may be some occasional mix ups, but in general a 2nd language done for a short time each day won't pose a problem for a typically developing child.

 

Now if you do immersion, then their 1st language reading and writing skills will lag behind their peers until around grade 3 or 4.By immersion I'm assuming all instruction is done in the second language.

 

I took french as a second language starting in grade 4 and then went into immersion in gr. 7-9. My english writing skills were just fine and there were no serious mix ups. Although I always had problems trying to remember which language spelled future with an 'e' and which one left it out. :D

[Kfamily]

Your post was very helpful!

 

:001_smile:

[Matryoshka]

(i.e., "I need to relax about foreign language study undermining a child's ability to read/write in native language"). :bigear:

 

My dds all learned to read in German almost simultaneous with English, with Spanish following close on their heels, and their reading and decoding skills in all three languages are excellent. Even when they don't understand all the vocabulary in the other two languages, they can read text fluently and with the correct accent. If anything, I think it strengthened their English reading skills.

[amsunshine]

From what I understand about language learning, learning to write in a 2nd language shouldn't have a huge impact on writing skills. There may be some occasional mix ups, but in general a 2nd language done for a short time each day won't pose a problem for a typically developing child.

 

Now if you do immersion, then their 1st language reading and writing skills will lag behind their peers until around grade 3 or 4.By immersion I'm assuming all instruction is done in the second language.

 

I took french as a second language starting in grade 4 and then went into immersion in gr. 7-9. My english writing skills were just fine and there were no serious mix ups. Although I always had problems trying to remember which language spelled future with an 'e' and which one left it out. :D

 

My dds all learned to read in German almost simultaneous with English, with Spanish following close on their heels, and their reading and decoding skills in all three languages are excellent. Even when they don't understand all the vocabulary in the other two languages, they can read text fluently and with the correct accent. If anything, I think it strengthened their English reading skills.

 

Good to know, all. Thanks so much!

[Sarah CB]

Sorry to hijack, but I have to ask: do you feel that introducing reading/writing in French undermines reading/writing/spelling skills at all for your younger dc who are just starting out with those skills in English? I chose a primarily oral program (Ecoutez, Parlez, minus the workbook) for my dc, mostly because I want them to be exposed to the language orally for now.

 

My dd 5.5 is still on ETC 2, while my elder is a fluent reader, but she's on ETC 6, and will go thru 7 and 8 to ease my own mind that she is solid in English phonics. My logic was that in a couple of years, I will switch to either First Start French or The Easy French, to add in reading/writing and more formal french grammar, etc. Am I not thinking this through correctly? Or are there different theories of learning a foreign language I need to be educated about (i.e., "I need to relax about foreign language study undermining a child's ability to read/write in native language"). :bigear:

 

Thanks for your advice. I'm clueless.:confused:

 

The Easy French is *not* a program that heavily focusses on writing and reading in French. In fact, in the junior year the kids are mostly colouring things to reinforce concepts and words. For instance, they make a lap book of their family members and each member is labelled with the French name but I don't think the child is expected to do the labelling (I wrote the words down for my boys). They gradually learn French through daily exposure (listening to the CD), through games, through conversation, and through the exercises in the book (which are very laid back and conducive to how small kids learn).

 

The traditional level 1 is very much like this as well. It takes a Charlotte Mason approach to language learning.

 

Level 1A was developed to suit the older learner (grade 7 or so) who is ready to do formal grammar study and more reading and writing.

 

IMO the progression TEF takes is very child friendly.

[Sarah CB]

when you have had a chance to look it over more. I am really considering this program and am finally realizing that it might be better to pay a little more and get something that will really work for us. French is not getting done mostly because I don't know how to create it all and First Start French and some french songs are not enough.:001_smile:

 

Also, I noticed that you are using this with older dd and younger dd. I have a dd5 and dd11 so will I need to buy the 1A program for older dd and the junior for younger or could I get one that I could use with both?

 

Thank you so much for your help!:001_smile:

 

My daughter has been using The Easy French for a few years. We did half of level 1 (the traditional version) together and then she moved into 1B (the new version designed for older students). She's now working through 2A (grade 9) independently and doing very well.

 

I also started TEF jr last year with my two boys who were 5 and 7 at the time. It was a really enjoyable thing for us. The lessons are easy to use, short, fun, and really help to reinforce concepts and words into their heads. I love that Marie put in lots of ideas of how to bring French out of the "French lesson" and into our daily routines. I'm gearing up to start French again with them and am really looking forward to using TEF again.

 

With a 5 year old and an 11 year old I probably would do two programs separately. My dd was using TEF very independently at 11, but she's always been pretty good at independent learning. I would engage your 11 year old in what your younger child is learning as well so that she can help you (and reinforce her own French) to bring French into the home by playing and talking with your younger one in French.

 

Your other option would be to use the traditional level 1 level with both kids.

 

The Easy French has a yahoo group that Marie Filion (the author) is a very active part of so you may want to ask over there about the best course of action for a 5 and 11 year old.

 

Sarah

[Kfamily]

This is exactly what I needed to know. I was wondering about the two levels vs. the original level 1 difference. I will look into the yahoo group as well. As of right now I am inclined to to do two separate levels. Thank you so much for sharing with me!:001_smile: