I’m still in Osaka, Japan on the last portion of my honeymoon, what a whirlwind of a trip it has been!
While I’m still away, I asked John if he could guest write an article for all of our awesome parents here further elaborating on how he developed our upcoming DELF course and how it can provide another option as a path to success in French for our students. Here’s what he said:
DELF preparation for young students!
Not too long ago, we asked ourselves as a team “How can we help students see their wins? What can they proudly show to celebrate their learning?” We have lots of ways to answer this and we found another new and exciting one too!
DELF (French Language Study Diploma) is a mark of success in French that can be used across the world. Both teenagers and adults take one of the 6 leveled tests and when they pass, receive a diploma recognizing their achievement. As it turns out, there are also special tests for younger students!
We got to work putting together a program that would help students to be prepared for these tests, even if they are young. Using the best parts of the Ontario French Curriculum, pulling details from DELF’s own tests, and organizing it so that learners will have the chances to practice before they even see the test – voila! Our DELF Prep A1.1 and A1 were born! These two starting levels give a wide range of learners an opening into adding an extra boost to their growth while building on what they are experiencing in their day-to-day lives.
You may ask yourself a few questions about this program:
- Is this only for the DELF tests? No, it builds on the foundations of French language learning to strengthen a student’s skills for use in life and what they will be learning at school. The test is a race the student can choose to run.
- Can anyone join? To help students get the most out of the program we will complete a gaps and goals assessment with you once you sign up to decide which program is the best fit for your young learner.
- What if my learner is just starting? We have other programs set up to get them ready and we can direct you to them during the initial assessment.
- What’s the difference between A1.1 and A1? Most of the core concepts are the same, but A1.1 has simpler goals and A1 has more complex ones. Age and development do play a part in if a learner is ready for A1.
Now let’s pretend you’ve run that race, got that medal – you’re learner passed their test. Yahoo! But, what now? My friends, we are all lifelong learners here and we’re ready to provide you with guidance for the next steps. Learning is about starting again on a new journey and you can reach out to get a tutoring assessment, do a gaps and goals assessment with our staff, or jump into opportunities to practice your French and bring your mastery to new heights! The DELF tests are one step in your ambitious journey to your biggest dreams!