We are pleased to share the success of our recent visit to Pembina Valley Childcare Centre as part of the Early Footprints project. This initiative promotes early literacy and a love for reading in French among young children.
Event Overview
As part of the event, a Grade 5 French Immersion class walked over to a Pre-K class (4/5-year-olds). The Grade 5 teacher read a story about starting Kindergarten, and then the children formed groups of four (2 Grade 5s and 2 Pre-Ks) to read French books together. This setup allowed the older students to guide and engage the younger ones, who were excited to learn about starting school. Some Pre-K students will be the first Kindergarten class at École Discovery, while the Grade 5s will be the oldest as Grade 6s next year.
Promoting French Literacy
The goal of the Early Footprints project is to foster a love for reading in French and emphasize the importance of French as a second language from an early age. By making storytime interactive and enjoyable, we aim to show children that French books are a valuable source of knowledge and enjoyment. After the reading activity, everyone enjoyed ice cream sandwiches as a treat.
We left French Footprints handouts and a French book in each Pre-K student’s cubby to take home, while the rest of the books will stay with the daycare. Additional books will be provided to the new school’s daycare and Kindergarten classes.
Looking Ahead
Encouraged by our success in Morden, we plan to visit more daycares and early learning centers to continue promoting French literacy.
If you would like to host an event like this in your community, please contact kgreen@cpf.com
Bonne lecture!