The fourth-graders, including Micah, serve as café waiters and entertainers. They greet their fellow students, take their orders, give them the bill and say goodbye - all in French.
The third graders serve as shopkeepers at pet shop (where donated stuffed animals are sold), a jewelry shop (where donated costume jewelry is sold), a bakery (where French pastries baked by parents are sold), etc. All the financial transactions are conducted in French, using "money" the students earn throughout the school year by speaking French in and out of school, or by taking photos of French signs or landmarks, or even bringing in labels with French on them.
Every year I'm so impressed with the French Festival. Not only is it a great cooperative effort among the teachers and parents, but it's also amazing to hear how much French these young children are able to learn with just a few hours of lessons each week. All the elementary schools in our district offer French or Spanish (depending on the school) and the children are able to continue and/or add onto their foreign language curriculum all the way through high school.
Studies show that children who begin learning a foreign language early in elementary school outperform students who start later and also show a more positive attitude toward learning the language. (http://www.celebratelanguages.com/PDFEduDocuments/EarlyVSLateStartinFLEdu.pdf) and (http://www.lingref.com/isb/4/037ISB4.PDF). There's also evidence that children who learn a second language early do better in school in general.
Even if your child doesn't attend a school that offers a foreign language, there are other ways to give him or her the gift of learning. Check with neighbors or baby-sitters to see if they can teach your child a few words in a language they know. Point out foreign words on labels or signs. Look them up together. Watch shows on television - like Sesame Street or Dora the Explorer - that use non-English words.
It's a big world out there, and the more people you can prepare your child to communicate with, the better.
Read more Parenting Perspective blogs by visiting the Parenting Channel on 6abc.com.
