English Language Support for Kids in French Immersion

Growing up in rural Ontario, where everyone was bussed to the one local school, I was really excited for the different educational options that were available for my daughters in the metro area where we live. I’ve always been a bit of a language geek so I had my eye on the fantastic network of French Immersion public schools since before our eldest was even conceived. She is now in grade 2, and while her French is incredible, one of my biggest concerns (along with many parents with children in French Immersion) is how to maintain their English learning at the same time. Obviously we speak English at home, and often read English books, but how do we encourage her English writing and reading skills?

How To Encourage English Reading and Writing Skills

Enter Ooka Island, a fantastic game based reading program that teaches mastery of the five foundational reading skills through 80 hours of educational games and 85 eBooks, which will enable your child to read confidently. On the Island, children are tasked with finding missing books and helping the Ooka Elves learn how to read with a variety of fun and interactive games. It is the perfect way to engage your child in language activities without any tears or fuss.

My 6 year old has been “working” on Ooka Island for a few weeks now and is totally obsessed. I have tried many different programs, both in French and English, and it is always a chore to get her to engage with them. The first time she tried Ooka Island, her dad walked into the room and asked her what she was doing. I answered “work” as I didn’t want her to be distracted, and she looks at me disdainfully and replies “It’s not work Mom….. can I play again?”

Of course, what big sister does, little sister has to jump in as well. My 2 1/2 year old can never be left out, and I love that she is learning alongside her sister. While my youngest has her own profile that she uses independently, she can always be found hanging over her big sister’s shoulder watching, copying sounds and gigging along.

I’m excited to see the progress she makes, both as I watch her engage in the program and through the weekly reports from Ooka Island that show me exactly where she is excelling and in which areas she has difficulty. It makes me feel confident that her French and English are developing equally and the fact that she has fun while doing it is the cherry on top!

Stay tuned over the next few months as I share her progress as she continues learning to read with Ooka Island.

All on the table disclaimer: While I did receive free or discounted products/services, all opinions are completely honest and totally my own and you know I would never share anything less than superbly stellar with all my fave readers.