Core French
Chris Hadfield Public School runs a Core French Program starting in Grade 4. Students receive 200 minutes of French per week, accumulating 600 hours by the end of Grade 8. Students develop fundamental French communication skills and an understanding of its culture.
Language classes aren't what they used to be. Gone are the days of verb sheets and grammar lessons. The new French curriculum is focused on action oriented tasks. This means that students are given tasks that resemble real world activities and they work toward achieving them. The idea is, and the research supports it, students will learn the necessary grammar and vocabulary by actually performing a task, as opposed to doing verb sheets and oral tests. The new curriculum is based on the Common European Framework of Reference for languages or CEFR for short.
The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
Addressing Parent’s Frequently Asked Questions
The new French as a Second Language curriculum is heavily influenced by CEFR guidelines. We would love to share more about our pedagogical fundamentals and approaches with you. Below is some information to help get you started.
Q: What is the CEFR?
The Common European Framework of Reference is a framework for describing how well a student can speak, read, write and use a language. It is comprehensive, internationally recognized, practical and hands on.
Q: How can the CEFR help my child learn French?
The CEFR helps the students by:
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Emphasizing learning through real-life tasks
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Offering students goals that are specific, identifiable and attainable
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Helping students recognize and situate their progress
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Making it easier for students to provide evidence of their language achievements
Q: How is it used in my child’s classroom?
The CEFR is used by policy makers, textbook creators and teachers to plan and design language learning. The framework allows these educators to create material that is tailored to the individual students, and that is focused on action-oriented, communicative and authentic learning.
​Q: How is it organized?
The CEFR divides learners into three broad levels, covering progression from the beginner stages to complete mastery. The levels are divided into:
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Level A: Basic User (A1, A2)
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Level B: Independent User (B1, B2)
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Level C: Proficient User (C1, C2)
Q: Why isn’t my child doing more grammar exercises?
The CEFR’s action-oriented approach recognizes that although grammar is important to language learning, the ability to communicate in real-life situations is essential. At times this means that teachers will focus less on perfect grammar and more on fluency.
Q: How can I be involved in my child’s education?
Some of the ways you can help your child with their French language education include:
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Keep in touch with the teacher and chat with your child about the learning taking place in class.
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Help your child practice by using the straightforward CEFR “can-do” statements
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Share your enthusiasm for language learning and provide French language opportunities for your child such as travel, French language television, radio and magazines or device application
*Based on information from “CEFR: A guide for Canadian Educators”, Hermans and Piccardo, RK Publishing, 2012
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