Getting ready for school when your child speaks two languages
School readiness is far more about asking for help, taking turns and holding a pencil than it is about reading. A gentle checklist for the year before school.
What actually matters in the first term
Teachers rarely worry about letters. They worry about whether a child can say when something is wrong, wait a moment for attention, manage a lunchbox and separate at the gate. Those are practisable at home, and they are the skills that let learning happen.
Rehearse the sentences that unlock help
"Can you help me?", "I don't understand", "I need the toilet" — and their French equivalents: « Peux-tu mâaider ? », « Je ne comprends pas », « J'ai besoin dâaller aux toilettes ». Rehearse them in role play so they arrive automatically under stress.
Keep the home language strong
When school starts, the school language surges and the home language can wobble. Protect a daily French moment — a story, a meal, a walk — so the child keeps both. A strong first language supports, rather than competes with, the second.
Hands before handwriting
Pencil control comes from strong hands: tearing paper, threading beads, squeezing pegs, rolling dough. Pre-writing line sheets are useful, but they work best after ten minutes of real hand work.
Printables that go with this
Stage Three Pack
Counting, nature words and school-readiness sheets for the year before school.
View the pack