Table of contents

Overview

Students take language arts and literature classes in French to develop speaking, listening, viewing, reading, writing, and representing skills.

By understanding how to connect thought and language, they are able to communicate in different ways in a variety of situations.

Students also learn to appreciate the richness of the French language and the diversity of Francophone cultures within Canada and around the world.

Learning French as a second language can be beneficial for daily activities, choosing career paths, or working or travelling within Canada or internationally.

Engagement timeline

  • Open

    Feedback open until Spring 2022

  • Completed

Resources

Shifts in K-6 French immersion language arts and literature

These are the main shifts in knowledge and skill requirements to the new K-6 French immersion language arts and literature curriculum from the current curriculum.

  New curriculum Current curriculum
Foundational literacy skills and knowledge Reading and writing skills start in Kindergarten.

From Kindergarten to Grade 2, students must learn to identify and adjust sounds when speaking, and apply these skills to reading and writing in later grades.

Clear expectations for students to learn phonics from Kindergarten to Grade 3, then apply them to reading and writing in later grades.		 Reading and writing skills are not mentioned for Kindergarten.

In early grades, there is limited focus on students learning to identify and adjust sounds when speaking.

Learning the relationship between sounds and letters (phonography) happens in a general way through reading.
Vocabulary / morphological awareness
The study of words and their parts, such as prefixes, suffixes, and base words		 Clear expectations for students to learn vocabulary and develop knowledge and skills to form and use words in speaking and writing. No focus on developing and using new vocabulary.
Reading comprehension Detailed thinking processes to develop reading skills and knowledge. Thinking processes for reading comprehension are not developed in detail.
Reading fluency
The ability to read text accurately, automatically, and with expression		 Students are expected to develop accurate, automatic, and expressive reading skills in all grades. No mention of reading fluency.
Literature There are opportunities for students to study great works of literature from many world cultures. No focus on works of literature.
Oral communication Clear expectations for students to develop listening and speaking skills in a variety of situations. Oral communication is addressed separately in oral comprehension and oral production.
Grammar Knowledge and skills are developed in a clear and detailed sequence. Knowledge and skills are not described in detail.
Francophone cultures and perspectives Opportunities for students to understand Francophone cultures, perspectives, and diversity throughout the curriculum in every grade. Francophone perspectives are developed only in one section of the curriculum.

Snapshot by grade

  • Kindergarten
    Kindergarten
    • Communicate in a variety of situations using familiar words and non-verbal communication.
    • Recognize text in their surroundings.
    • Understand messages that are seen, read, or heard.
    • Identify some letters and words with speed and accuracy.
    • Represent ideas in various ways.
    • Recognize oral and written sentences.
  • Grade 1
    Grade 1
    • Listen, understand, and speak about familiar subjects using simple sentences in French.
    • Notice distinct features of diverse texts.
    • Use text clues to understand messages in short texts on familiar subjects.
    • Recognize letters and some words rapidly and accurately in short texts.
    • Create texts that represent ideas and information using a few sentences and referring to a model.
    • Create texts that represent ideas and information using a few sentences and referring to a model.
    • Develop an understanding of how sentences are formed and use models to produce oral and written sentences in French.
  • Grade 2
    Grade 2
    • Listen actively, understand, and speak in French using complete sentences in both spontaneous and planned interactions.
    • Associate text features to a variety of fiction and non-fiction texts.
    • Use reading strategies and show an understanding of messages in a variety of fiction and non-fiction texts.
    • Read words and sentences rapidly and accurately and begin to read short texts with expression.
    • Create short fiction and non-fiction texts to express ideas and share information.
    • Begin to understand and apply grammar rules for words, syntax, and punctuation to produce simple oral and written sentences.
  • Grade 3
    Grade 3
    • Listen actively and understand important ideas in a variety of interactions in French.
    • Identify text features and structures that apply to a variety of fiction and non-fiction texts.
    • Use reading strategies and show an understanding of fiction and non-fiction texts.
    • Read with accuracy and experiment with rhythm, speed, pitch, vocal patterns, and emphasis in speech.
    • Apply the writing process and consider the purpose and audience to express and share ideas, and create fiction and non-fiction texts.
    • Understand and use grammar to speak and write sentences of various forms.
  • Grade 4
    Grade 4
    • Listen actively, understand, and speak in French in a variety of spontaneous and planned interactions, for a variety of purposes, in spontaneous and planned interactions.
    • Recognize different fiction and non-fiction texts according to purpose, structure, and features.
    • Apply reading strategies based on the text, and show an understanding of a variety of fiction and non-fiction texts.
    • Read with fluency and use some rhythm, speed, pitch, vocal patterns, and emphasis in speech.
    • Apply the writing process and consider the purpose and audience to share ideas and create fiction and non-fiction texts.
    • Understand and use grammar and strategies to speak and write sentences of various forms and types.
  • Grade 5
    Grade 5
    • Listen actively and understand different speakers in a variety of situations and speak in French, considering the purpose.
    • Identify text features and structures of various text genres.
    • Select and apply reading strategies based on the text and purpose and show an understanding of a variety of text genres.
    • Read with fluency and expression and self-correct as needed.
    • Organize and write ideas according to text type.
    • Understand and use grammar and strategies to speak and write a variety of sentences.
  • Grade 6
    Grade 6
    • Manage listening behaviours, understand different speakers in a variety of situations and speak in French, applying strategies to improve language abilities.
    • Analyze text features, structures, and functions to identify genres.
    • Analyze and interpret various texts genres using reading strategies to show comprehension.
    • Read with fluency, expression, speed, and accuracy in a variety of situations.
    • Organize and write ideas while respecting text genre and language conventions.
    • Understand and use grammar to speak and write a variety of sentences in varied situations.

Have your say

Share your thoughts on the draft
K-6 curriculum.

Take the survey

Was this page helpful?

All fields are required unless otherwise indicated.

Your submissions are monitored by our web team and are used to help improve the experience on Alberta.ca. If you require a response, please go to our Contact page.

You will not receive a reply. Submissions that include telephone numbers, addresses, or emails will be removed.