The Awesome Language Blog
All the tools, advice & original activities you need for French in the early years!
Free activities | Printables | Downloads | Dual language recipes | Experienced advice
Why we don’t use OPOL: One Parent One Language.
One Parent One Language, or OPOL, is widely touted as THE way to raise bilingual children. To set the scene; my partner and I are both fluent in both languages (French and English) although we have different mother tongues. We live in the UK. We don’t use OPOL in our house with our three children. …
French with kids! A step-by-step guide to learning through taste
Let’s take a multi-sensory approach to learning when teaching a new language! You learn language through MEANINGFUL and DAILY interactions. That is how you learned your first language and that is how you will learn your second language. For any family dynamic, monolingual parents ‘teaching’ their baby a second language, bilingual parents striving to increase …
French with kids! A step-by-step guide to learning through tasteRead More »
3 Ways language learning is like riding a bike
Teaching Children Languages I spent most of my Saturday afternoon with my 5 year old trying to ‘teach him to ride a bike with no stabilisers’. It was hard. I had been through this experience before with my oldest child and I didn’t recall it being so stressful for either of us. Sitting on the …
What you need to know about yourself to stop holding your child back from learning
“I didn’t like languages at school. I was no good at remembering verbs and all that.” I have met thousands of families at my classes. Parents whose French abilities have ranged from fully fluent to nonexistent. What I have noticed with the second category is that they have often had to overcome some big mental …
What you need to know about yourself to stop holding your child back from learningRead More »
The importance of ‘Biculturalism’ & 5 practical steps to foster it
As ‘enlightened’ parents seeking to bring up their child with more than one language in their life we can often focus on bilingualism as the only goal. But what about biculturalism? I am fascinated by ways we can boost our kids brain function! If eating loads of amazing food, travel and enjoying cool events are …
The importance of ‘Biculturalism’ & 5 practical steps to foster itRead More »
7 simple ideas to teach your child French this summer
Sun’s out and Mini French does not have summer classes this term! Keep up the French with a few ideas here and make sure to download the summer activities French checklist below: Visit the your local library and check out the dual or foreign language book section (for books I recommend on Amazon.co.uk see here) …
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Free French Poster: Les Legumes
Up your French vocabulary at home with this cute poster! Keep it handy in the kitchen and say the words when youare cooking or eating. Leave me a comment if there are other themes you would like to see in this series? À bientôt!
4 hacks for French immersion at home
We’d all love to have a multilingual nanny or to attend a regular childrens’ language class to give our child the gift of language, multiplying their opportunities and expanding their horizons. But for one reason or another this is not always possible. The good news is there are some cool products and tech hacks out …
Thomas’ Story: When & how to start a language with your preschool child?
When deciding whether to start a language with your preschooler, hearing from other parents can be very helpful. This post will answer lots of your questions and make you giggle as well! This week I have a wonderful insight into the language learning journey of one of my Mini French families. Thomas has been enjoying …
Thomas’ Story: When & how to start a language with your preschool child?Read More »
Poster Series: Les Transports
Welcome to our mini poster series! The theme of this cute printable is Transport! Lots of vehicle vocabulary – print and stick up on the wall or keep it in the car and see if you can spot any on the road. I will be posting more posters over the coming months! Feel free …
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