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Overview
In French immersion language arts and literature, students develop the ability to communicate in French as an additional language. Students read, write, listen, speak, view, represent and use strategies for understanding and communicating clearly and fluently in a variety of situations.
By exploring a wide variety of texts from local, national and international sources, students are exposed to diverse viewpoints and cultural experiences. Students enrich their understanding of the Francophonie around the world, develop open-mindedness, and increase their sense of belonging to various communities.
French immersion language arts and literature allows students to experience Canadian linguistic duality, to develop a positive image of their own bilingual/multilingual identity, and to experience the cognitive and social benefits of learning a new language.
What is new: May 17, 2022
Starting in September 2022, school authorities may choose to pilot the updated draft K to 6 French immersion language arts and literature curriculum.
We are continuing to take a balanced and measured approach to piloting and implementing updated draft K to 6 subjects based on insight and advice from the Curriculum Implementation Advisory Group.
Engagement timeline
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Open
Accepting feedback on updated draft subjects until Feb. 2023
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Results under review
Survey and virtual engagements complete
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Completed
Resources (updated April 2022)
- How to use New.LearnAlberta.ca (video)
- Read the new and draft K to 6 curriculum on New.LearnAlberta.ca
- Download the new K to 6 curriculum fact sheets
- Download the draft K to 6 curriculum fact sheets
- Draft K to 6 social studies blueprint (PDF, 294 KB)
Draft curriculum content update summary
Current curriculum and updated draft comparison
The following list shows how elements in the current K to 6 French language arts curriculum, published in 1998, compare to the updated draft. The comparisons provide examples and do not represent all the changes that were made.
Current curriculum (1998) examples | Updated draft curriculum (May 2022) examples | |
---|---|---|
Learning French as an additional language | There are limited opportunities for students to learn the value of learning French.
The relationship between a student’s first language and French is only referenced in Kindergarten. |
There are opportunities to develop a sense of belonging and a bilingual/multilingual identity throughout the curriculum.
There are clear references to similarities between languages to support students’ learning of French. |
Oral communication | Oral language is generally addressed through listening and speaking. | There are clear expectations for students to develop oral language skills by understanding, speaking, interacting, and collaborating. |
Phonological awareness The ability to identify and manipulate sounds in oral language |
There is a limited emphasis on recognizing and manipulating sounds. | There is a strong emphasis on spoken sound recognition and manipulation in grades K to 2 to support reading and writing. |
Phonics | There is a limited emphasis on understanding the relationship between sounds and letters (phonics). | There are clear expectations for students to learn phonics from K to 4 then apply this learning to reading and writing in later grades. |
Vocabulary | There is limited emphasis on learning skills that help to develop vocabulary. | Students learn to develop and use vocabulary through understanding word formation, meaning and spelling. |
Reading | Reading comprehension strategies are not presented in a clear progression.
There is limited emphasis on literary works from diverse sources. |
Reading comprehension strategies follow a clear progression to enable students to understand information and ideas.
There are opportunities to explore a variety of traditional, classical, and contemporary works from local, national and international sources across K to 6. |
Text | The term text is not clearly defined.
There is limited emphasis on the function, characteristics, and structure of texts. |
The term text is clearly defined to be more inclusive and diverse and to support digital and non-digital learning. It includes information and ideas provided in books, reports, websites, media, diagrams, pictures, oral stories and more.
The functions, characteristics, and structures of various forms of fiction and non-fiction texts are clear and explicit. |
Writing | The writing process is not clearly defined or developed. | The writing process is clearly and explicitly developed to support fiction and non-fiction writing. |
Grammar | Content is not clearly defined and is based on traditional French grammar. | The new French grammar is presented in a clear and detailed sequence and supports learning a new language. |
Snapshot by grade
In the updated draft K to 6 French immersion language arts and literature from May 2022, students explore interdependent organizing ideas that develop essential content for communicating, learning, reflecting and making connections with others. (Note: Examples are loose translations that capture the meaning of the original French text rather than word-for-word translations.)
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Kindergarten
- Explore verbal and non-verbal language to show understanding and communicate using a few familiar words in French
- Make connections between French words and their meaning
- Recognize connections between spoken and written language
- Notice clues to support a general understanding of messages
- Recognize letters and a few French words
- Communicate ideas in different ways
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Grade 1
- Experiment with listening to understand and speaking French on very familiar topics
- Use new words and make connections between spoken and written language
- Manipulate sounds, syllables and words when speaking
- Make connections between letters and the sounds they represent to develop reading and writing
- Use clues to understand short message on familiar topics
- Represent ideas using a few sentences and referring to examples
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Grade 2
- Identify the overall meaning of spoken messages on familiar topics
- Speak using basic French sentences on familiar topics
- Recognize spelling patterns and use new words to communicate
- Make connections between letters and the sounds they represent to read and write
- Explore the organization and features of fiction and non-fiction texts
- Demonstrate an understanding of the overall meaning of messages in short fiction and non-fiction texts
- Write short fiction and non-fiction texts to express ideas, using basic sentence elements
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Grade 3
- Identify important ideas within spoken messages on a variety of familiar topics
- Speak in French on a variety of familiar topics in spontaneous and structured communication situations
- Use knowledge of words, letters and sounds to expand vocabulary
- Identify features and structures within different types of written texts
- Use reading strategies and demonstrate understanding of fiction and non-fiction texts
- Use the writing process and basic sentences to express ideas in fiction and non-fiction texts
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Grade 4
- Speak and understand messages on a variety of topics in different contexts
- Use knowledge of words, letters and sounds to support understanding and communication
- Recognize text types based on purpose, features and structure
- Apply reading strategies to understand a variety of fiction and non-fiction texts
- Use the writing process and complete sentences to express ideas in fiction and non-fiction texts
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Grade 5
- Listen to understand the main and secondary ideas in spoken communications
- Communicate consistently in French in spontaneous and structured situations, considering the topic, intent and context
- Examine the characteristics and structure of texts
- Select and apply comprehension strategies and demonstrate understanding of various texts
- Consider texts and purpose to generate, plan and write ideas using sentence grammar
- Set personal language learning goals
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Grade 6
- Interpret the meaning of messages in spoken communications based on the topic, purpose and audience
- Speak consistently in French and consider strategies for improving language skills
- Analyze words to enrich vocabulary, comprehension and expression
- Use comprehension strategies to analyze and interpret various genres and types of texts
- Generate, plan and write ideas, respecting text form requirements and sentence grammar
- Demonstrate perseverance in the pursuit of personal goals
Stay informed
Stay informed about K to 6 renewal and feedback opportunities.
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