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La Fédération des parents de l’ÎPÉ Inc. wants to take a more active role in supporting anglophone parents who we know want to be involved in their child’s French education as much as a francophone parent would. As a pilot project and based on parent feedback, here is some content that may be helpful to you, divided in the following 3 categories: French learning resources, Helpful information for parents, Important cultural events on PEI.

FRENCH LEARNING RESOURCES

Alphabet – letters and sounds

Knowing the letters and sounds of the French alphabet is important for learning how to read and write in French. We strongly encourage you tu use this educational website on a regular basis at home with your child. Kids learn best while playing, so turn up the sound and have fun while learning!

3 French Public Libraries

All 6 French school-community centres have a library, but 3 are considered public libraries where French programming, books, movies, music and games are available for all!

Bibliothèque publique d’Abram-Village
Bibliothèque publique Dr.-J.-Edmond-Arsenault à Charlottetown
Bibliothèque publique J.-Henri-Blanchard à Summerside.

Where to buy French books

The Bookmark : bookstore in Charlottetown
Indigo/Coles : bookstore in Charlottetown and Summerside
Archambault : online store
Indigo : online store
Librairie Pélagie : online store
Renaud Bray: online store

Books

Songs in the house – 0 to 8 years old

One of the best ways to engage your family with the French language is through music. To add some French music in the house that children enjoy (and possibly already know from daycare and school), simply click on the titles and names below to be guided directly to each page.

Songs in the house – 9 years old+

Playlist of 100 songs by various francophone artists
Playlist of modern French music

TV shows

Bring STEM discovery at home – Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (all ages)

Labo Créatifs (Brilliant Labs)
Parlons sciences

LES EXPLORATEURS is a fun website with videos, activities, science experiments, games, quizzes and contests for kids from 6 to 10 years old.

The magazine LES EXPLORATEURS talks about animals, nature, the environment, technology and far away countries. In every number you will find an easy and fun science experiment, a recipe or an arts and crafts project to do. Collectible sheets are included. $42.95 for 11 magazines.

LES DÉBROUILLARDS is a fun website with videos, activities, science experiments and games, quizzes and contests for kids from 10 to 14 years old.

You can also subscribe to the the magazine LES DÉBROUILLARDS that gives information about nature, space, the environment, technology, communications, history and the future. In every number, there are new and fun science experiments, games, comics and illustrated reporting. $42.95 for 11 magazines

CURIUM is a website for teenagers where Science, Technology, Health (mental and physical), and International issues are all covered on their page. Curium is also on Instagram and has a blog page.

The magazine CURIUM is all about Science, Technology and Society for teenagers aged 14 to 17 years old. In every number, you will find articles on issues that affect today’s youth, chronicles on new technologies, solutions to environmental problems, international scientific news, video game reviews and great comics! $42.95 for 11 magazines.

French organizations for kids and teens

Cap Enfants actively contributes to the well-being of children and their families. This organization’s mission is to offer help and resources to Acadian and francophone families on PEI that have kids age 0-6. What a great opportunity to enrich your baby or child’s life skills by exposing him/her to French language activities.

Check out their website or their Facebook page for their all-in-French weekly activity calendar which offers a diverse programming (EX: cooking class, baby club, exercise group, game group, read-alouds, etc.).

JAFLIPLE stands for Jeunesse Acadienne et Francophone de l’Île-du-Prince-Édouard. This provincial organization if managed by and for young acadians, francophones and youth that can speak french age 12 – 25. Their mission is to offer various opportunities for them to live, prosper and lead in the French language.

Check out their website and encourage your teenager to get involved in this active community group!

HELPFUL INFORMATION FOR PARENTS

2021-2022 School Calendar – Government of Prince Edward Island

School calendar 2022-2023

Why all parents should attend « Voir Grand » events

Voir Grand (which translates to « Dream Big ») activities are interactive and fun evenings which aim to support families in creating a home and a community where they can feel proud of their French identity – whether this is in a French speaking family, a bilingual family, or an Anglophone family. In other words, these evenings are helpful for ALL parents and kids attending a French-language daycare or school.

During a Voir Grand session, practical ideas, key messages and tools are delivered to parents to help with their children’s language development and sense of belonging. You will leave better understanding what a crucial role you play, as a parent, when it comes to building your children’s francophone identity. Never forget, that you are not alone in this responsibility! In order to « Dream Big », three groups have to work together:

The home (parents / grand-parents/kids)
The daycare and the school (Teachers, Educators, Staff)
The community (school-community centre staff)

Although every Voir Grand evening is different (having different age groups and goals in mind throughout the year) it often follows this format :

Supper together
Fun activities/games/ in French for kids (supervised by teachers & educators)
Key message and tools delivered to parents by a knowledgeable spokesperson
Gathering of the kids and adults
Gift given to every family who participated (EX : french CD, board game, book, etc.)

The 6 French language school-community centres on PEI are leaders when it comes to hosting these innovative Voir Grand evenings. We have already seen great results in many of the children and parents that have participated in these evenings.

The concept of « School Community Centres »

On Prince Edward Island, we have 6 school community centres that allow us to have fun, learn and live in French under one roof. Each of the 6 centres includes: an early childhood centre, a school, a community centre and a public library (in 3 of the centres). These partners are interconnected and share the same goal of offering services where living one’s language and culture to its fullest potential in our own island community is possible.

Registration at la Commission scolaire de langue française de l’ÎPÉ (PEI French school board) and at l’Association des centres de la petite enfance francophones (PEI French Early Learning Centres) for 2020-2021 school year.

You are asked to register your child at your local francophone early childhood centre or school during regular school hours. (Deblois, Évangéline, Summerside, Rustico, Charlottetown or Rollo Bay)

« My child is in the Francisation program at school. What does this mean? »

Francisation programs in our Francophone daycares and schools are more important than ever to give children the opportunity to learn French as early as possible in order to fully interact socially, thrive academically in the language and build on their cultural identity. Studies show that the optimal years to learn a language and build on our cultural identity/identities is before the age of 7.

How to listen to your child’s French reading in Grades 1 and 2

French language schools have two mandates

These two mandates are mandatory to all teachers working in a French language school in a linguistic minority community in Canada.

Mandate 1: Construction of knowledge and identity

Mandate 2: Promotion and development of the French language and culture.

Join the School Parent Committee

The parent committee’s role is to represent the interests of parents and their children with the French School Board as well as strengthen their relationship with the school. Your child’s school has a parent committee that meets once a month where the principal of the school is often present at the table and where ideas, needs, opinions and information can be shared. Find out who your parent committee president is and ask how you can get involved. The active involvement and volunteering from parents is needed in various forms throughout the school-year!

The right to be educated in French

It was on January 13, 2000, after a 10-year struggle, that Noëlla Cameron, Madeleine Costa (2 courageous Summerside mothers) with the continued support of the Fédération des parents de l’ÎPÉ Inc. learned of the victorious decision of the Supreme Court of Canada.

It was under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms that the parents were entitled to a French school in Summerside for their children! École-sur-Mer was obtained because of the courageous, determined parents who believed that French-language education is necessary for the survival of the language and culture.

It is thanks to this victory that the PEI French Language School Board (CSLF) was able to add a French school, not only in Summerside, but in Rustico, Deblois and later in Souris. We understand today that French-language schools are the best protection against assimilation.

Here is a colouring sheet (created by the PEI Coalition for women in government) explaining and demonstrating this victorious day for all parents, children and members of PEI’s Francophone and Acadian community.

Glen Taylor

Glen Taylor is a resource person who has visited us on PEI to offer support to parents in the past. Taylor has written FUSION: Raising a Bilingual Child in a Two-Language Household: an easy to read book full of information for parents whose children attend a minority francophone school in Canada.

*La Fédération des parents de l’ÎPÉ has a few copies of this book that you can borrow for free also.

« How can I help my kids succeed in French if I can’t understand their work? »

Mother and writer, Rae Ann Fera understood that not being able to help her child with her French homework after Grade 2 could be uncomfortable and alienating. Because of this, she became fixated on the question : « How can you help your kids succeed in school if you can’t understand their work?” She explains in her article that she realizes now that it’s less about you being French and knowing all of the answers but more about equipping them with learning skills and life skills all while helping them build onto their French/bilingual identity.

Interested in learning to speak French as a parent? Here are some options for you.

Option 1: In collaboration with us, La Fédération des parents de l’Î.-P.-É, Survival French workshops or beginner conversational French classes are offered at different times in all 6 francophone school-community centres .

Option 2: Le Collège de l’Île offers various levels of their French language training during the evening in the following regions : Summerside, Charlottetown, Deblois and Montague. Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced as well as Upgrading classes are offered.

Option 3: Check out these 8 language learning apps and download the one that is right for you! (Plus they are free!)

Option 4: Organize a time where your child (and spouse if he/she speaks French too) teaches you something new! It can be once a week, or everyday at the dinner table, or even right before bedtime. Create your own daily or weekly francophone « bubble » time where you can learn from your own children and spouse. Have fun as a family!

Myth vs Fact – Bilingual Language Development

IMPORTANT CULTURAL EVENTS ON PEI

Le Salon du livre de l’ÎPÉ (PEI French Book Fair)

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Le Salon du livre de l’ÎPÉis the biggest francophone book fair that caters to children, youth, adults, families as well as francophone and French-immersion schools of Prince Edward Island. The 4th edition of Le Salon du livre de l’IPE took place from June 6 to 8 2019 at the Carrefour de l’Isle Saint-Jean in Charlottetown. The three days are jam-packed with opportunities to meet renowned French-Canadian authors and illustrators, buy an array of high quality French books from various editors and participate in various literary activities during the day and evenings.

Phone: (902) 940-6090 / salondulivreipe@gmail.com

Les Jeux de l’Acadie (Acadian Games)

LES JEUX DE L’ACADIE , where 9 francophone delegations (PEI being one of them) made up of kids aged 10 to 17 years old from the Maritimes compete against each other in various sports such as badminton, track and field, handball, volleyball, mountain bike and ultimate Frisbee! There is also an improv and artistic event that has recently been added to the competition.

This all-in-French event celebrates and develops in your child :

Francophone pride outside of school,
Leadership skills,
Collaboration, Competition and Sportsmanship skills
Cultural identity,
Lasting Friendships

*Note that before making it to Les Jeux de l’Acadie, your child must compete at the Regional games in order to make it into the PEI delegation team. Ask your child if he/she is presently training for the Regional games at school or if he is interested in participating. Don’t hesitate to call the Physical Education teacher to require more information.

Le Congrès Mondial Acadien (World Acadian Congress)

Le Congrès Mondial Acadien (CMA) is an international gathering filled with activities , demonstrations and shows that ultimately strengthen the ties that unite all Acadian throughout the world, from France to North America! The CMA is also an opportunity to welcome all those who are interested in l’Acadie. For the very first time in 25 years, Prince Edward Island hosted the Congrès Mondial Acadien this past August 2019. We have witnessed entire communities in Maine, Louisiana, Nova Scotia…and now Prince Edward Island, being transformed and united due to this grand event of 14 days filled with dynamic culture and identity building for the whole family.