French Footprints: Podcasts - Canadian Parents for French

French Footprints: FSL in the Early Years

PARENT RESOURCE PODCAST

French Footprints: FSL in the Early Years in partnership with Families Canada and 123 Petits Pas, introduces a 4-episode podcast series, hosted by Mme. Amy from 123 Petits Pas.

Dive into important topics alongside subject-matter experts and guest speakers!

Introducing French to Your Child During Their Early Years

By learning French at an early age, children are put in a position to succeed as they continue to learn and grow. Amy explores some tips and tricks that are accessible to any parents—whether they speak French or not. She identifies easy daily activities where French can be incorporated, understanding that young children are sponges and pick up linguistic differences quickly. Learn how you can begin today.

It’s Never Too Early: the Importance of Bilingualism from Birth

It’s never too early to introduce a new language to your young child. Amy is joined by Silvia Nuñez, a seasoned early childhood educator, principal, and proud mother raising a multilingual family. Together, Amy and Silvia explore why bilingualism is important from a social perspective, and how learning a second language like French can contribute to cultural agility. Silvia shares why mindset matters when introducing a new language and that trying new things means knowing it’s okay to make mistakes.

Mythbusting Concerns About Starting FSL at a Young Age

Parents are naturally concerned about what’s right for their children. Amy is joined by Lauren Barlow, a speech and language pathologist, to discuss and dispel some of the common concerns of teaching French at an early age. They chat about the benefits of bilingualism, the common practice of code-mixing and why a child’s brain is primed from birth to accept multiple languages. Amy and Lauren also highlight how early exposure to French helps to create confidence once your kids are school-aged.

It Takes a Village: Building a French-Speaking Support Network

Helping your child with a new language doesn’t have to be a solo endeavour. Amy is joined once again by Silvia Nuñez to chat about tips and strategies for engaging your child in French, while also engaging with a community of support. Amy and Silvia discuss the importance of being a good role model for your kids by being willing to learn with them. There are immense benefits of modelling for your child the courage to be imperfect and normalizing the emotions that come from making the mistake.