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How Kids Learn French
by Ruth Taylor
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Language Processing
When babies first hear spoken language from their care-givers and those around them, they start to process and classify sounds and eventually words. As their brains start to recognize and respond to language, they form neural connections, which strengthen as language abilities improve. In a similar fashion, as children are exposed to French, they are initially listening to unfamiliar sounds. However, the more language exposure that kids receive from educators, care-givers and peers, the more their brains can distinguish speech patterns and sounds and start to form neural connections. These connections are dependent on each other, and the more a child learns French, or any other foreign language, the more connections the already established neurons will make. This allows kids to relate new words to words, concepts and experiences they already have.
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Brain Interconnectivity
The right and left hemispheres of the brain work closely together, and the neural connections, paths and networks can evoke sounds, tastes and smells related to certain language concepts. Building and establishing these connections take time and practice. Kids' brains use this interconnectivity in two ways: they can learn new language concepts as a whole or as parts. For example, students learning to spell animal vocabulary words in French are focusing on a part of the language. But if they watch a short video in French about a zoo visit and then fill in the animal names on a picture of a zoo, they benefit from whole language experience. Balancing whole and partial language learning allows kids to reinforce and strengthen their French learning abilities.
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Implications for French Teachers
An elementary school French teacher who teaches part of the day in French can easily adapt these learning concepts into her curriculum. Kids will learn vocabulary implicitly if it is presented as part of a whole concept that they can relate to their everyday lives. Review the whole language concept by grouping words by subject, not just in random lists. For example, if you want your students to learn animal and pet vocabulary in French, have them perform a skit of taking care of a pet, using a stuffed animal. As they act out pet care, kids will learn not only the word for the animal in question but also the words for food, water, walking, sleeping and anything else you include in your lesson plan. When kids use words and hear how words are used, they will remember them and be able to use them again. At first, young students' oral expressions will be simple, but these will gain complexity, and students will learn to speak in complete sentences and encounter alternate ways to express themselves in French.
