Frequently Asked Questions

Do students have to know French to attend your programs?

Most of our programs accept complete beginners except where specifically indicated. See specific program info page for this information or feel free to contact us anytime to inquire.  We have students from all different backgrounds attend our programs like French immersion, core, private, homeschool, and more who come to us at various levels.

Can my child attend your programs if they are a complete beginner?

Most of our programs accept complete beginners except where specifically indicated. See specific program info page for this information or feel free to contact us anytime to inquire. 

Where can I view FAQ’s for specific programs like camps and tutoring?

There are further specific FAQ’s for each program listed on their respective pages.

Who are your French teachers? How do you choose them?

Our teachers for our programs consist of native French and FSL speakers. Many are currently completing their French degrees in pursuant of a teaching degree and also current teacher’s college students that are on route to becoming French teachers. Our teachers are chosen because they are  energetic, enthusiastic, and motivated to help your child succeed in French. They also display the qualities found in our core values.

Do you speak French 100% of the time?

NO we do not speak French 100% of the time. At Les Petites Pommes, whether it is during our in-person or online programming, we have chosen to use a bilingual approach to language learning. This means that while we will speak French the majority of the time (and our teachers are fluent in both French and English), we will use English to support the teaching of new concepts and not penalize children for not being able to communicate 100% in French. We find that this creates an inclusive, accessible and supportive environment for language learning as students are not constantly called out for being at different levels of their development and language learning journey. We can quickly identify students’ levels and if we notice for example, they are not communicating in French to their potential, we will encourage and motivate them positively to try again en français. Data shows that students using a bilingual method of language acquisition score just as well on tests but more importantly to us, as we consider that language learning is a practice that takes years of study and self motivation on the students part outside of their time with us, a bilingual approach leaves a student feelings more confident by increasing their instances of positive interactions and ultimately more satisfied with their learning experience. This will increase their success as they go on to other stages of their language learning like back to school in September, exchanges in Quebec or France, high-school, post-secondary etc.

Can we attend online camp even if we don’t live in Ontario?

While we are based in Hamilton, Ontario, we welcome students from all over Canada and beyond to participate in our programs. Please note that all sessions are listed in Eastern Standard Time (EST) and the time difference will have to be taken into account for your participation.

How does the referral program work?

When a new participant to our programs completes a registration purchase and names referring client in their registration form, both the referrer and the referee will receive an email from us to let you know that you are receiving a $50 credit towards purchase of future programs. If you know which programs you’re interested in using them with, we can easily set that up for you.

Where can I view your Refund Policy?

Our Refund Policy can be viewed by clicking here.

Where can I view your Privacy Policy?

Our Privacy Policy can be viewed by clicking here.

Where can I view your Terms & Conditions?

Our Terms & Conditions can be viewed by clicking here.

Have other questions or concerns?