Review of Bayam, the Online French Educational Game Site for Children

April 15, 2015 by Michele Cherie in Education, French Language Learning, French Resources, Learning Resources

Bonjour les amis! If you're interested in a French educational game site for children, you'll want to know about Bayam. My six-year-old daughter enjoys playing on Bayam once or twice a week because it's a fun and educational French resource. Here's how it works:

A Favorite Cultural Film Documentary Series: Families of the World

February 26, 2015 by Michele Cherie in Cultural Reflections, Education, French Resources, Learning Resources, Teaching French

Media is a fantastic way to supplement language learning--my children and I love the French children's books we borrow from Les Petits Livres, and I often stream French children's music from Spotify radio, but I rarely turn to movies or film clips because they're such a passive way of learning. However, there are a few educational films that I've appreciated for what they've taught my children about the world's languages and cultures. Here's the first of the film resources that I'd like to share with you:

Tips for Leading a Young Bilingual Playgroup

February 18, 2015 by Michele Cherie in Education, French Language Learning, Learning Resources, Teaching French

Bonjour les amis! Last fall I told you about a conference I attended for teachers of foreign languages, the ACTFL conference in San Antonio, Texas, and it was full of information about supporting language learning (of course!). One of the sessions I attended focused on "Playing to Promote a Second Language in Toddlers and Preschoolers," presented by Raul Echevarria of CommuniKids. If you've ever thought about starting a simple class or playgroup to support language learning, you'll want to read Raul's tips:

Beginning French Lesson 6: Likes & Dislikes Project

February 09, 2015 by Michele Cherie in Education, French Language Learning, Teaching French

One of my favorite activities to do with beginning French students is to help them create a likes and dislikes chart. The chart is fun and colorful, but what I love most about it is what it enables students to do afterwards: it provides a context for learning how to use a bilingual dictionary and helps students grasp basic French sentence construction. Essentially, this activity moves students beyond the early language stage of memorizing basic phrases and towards a solid understanding of how to create their own original sentences in French.

Fascinating Non-Fiction Reads of 2014

January 29, 2015 by Michele Cherie in American Culture, Education, Learning Resources

Now that I'm a homeschooling mama of three, I'm amazed that I manage to read as many books as I do, but a few hours spent reading each week--mostly at night--add up to a lot of joy and learning! Last year I shared my planned reading list for 2014, but not all of the books turned out to be titles I'd recommend. In contrast, this January I'm sharing non-fiction books with you that I've read over the past year and found fascinating. These aren't parenting- or French-related books, but they'll make you a more informed parent and enlarge your understanding of life:

College Ready Kids by Age 12? The Brainy Bunch Book Review

December 08, 2014 by Michele Cherie in Education, Learning Resources, Parenting Books

Last April, I watched a Today show episodefeaturing a family who has had six children start college by age 12. Kip and Mona Lisa Harding homeschooled their children and published a book about their family's educational journey entitled The Brainy Bunch: The Harding Family's Method to College Ready by Age Twelve. I was intrigued by their story and read The Brainy Bunch over the course of a few hours during my flight to Texas a few weeks ago.

Beginning French Lesson 5: Numbers, Likes, & Dislikes

December 04, 2014 by Michele Cherie in Education, French Language Learning, Teaching French

This lesson was the fifth weekly class for beginning French students (ages 8-12) after a two-week break. We focused on reviewing conversational phrases and playing BINGO to reinforce numbers through 79. We also began an activity that helps students learn basic sentence structure and gives them familiarity with using a bilingual dictionary (online and printed versions). This lesson was designed for a 50-minute class.

Our First Autumn Homeschooling: Rhythms & Realities

November 20, 2014 by Michele Cherie in Education, French Resources, Learning Resources, Reflections on Parenting

Winter doesn't officially arrive here in Oregon until next month, but strangely, we've already had our first light snowfall and an ice storm, so it feels as though autumn is already past. In addition, my daughter has started learning a Christmas song on violin, so I've been reflecting on how our first autumn of homeschooling went now that we're transitioning into winter.