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“C’est un… chapeau?” Your student looks up, hopeful. You gently redirect: “Essaie encore. Qu’est-ce que tu vois au début du mot?” If you teach early French readers, you know this moment well. Students guess based on the picture, the first letter, or a familiar word they’ve memorized—anything but actually decoding what’s on the page. But here’s the thing: guessing isn’t reading. And if we want our students to become fluent, confident, independent readers, we need to teach them what to do instead . That’s where the Science of Reading comes in—and why decoding strategies matter so much in French classrooms. In this post, we’ll explore: Why guessing is so common in French reading instruction What the Science of Reading says about early decoding 6 classroom-tested strategies you can teach to help your students read (not guess!) A resource that makes it all easy to implement—whether you’re just starting or already deep into lecture guidée ...

Let’s be real... your day is already packed. Between attendance, classroom management, centres, read-alouds, and everything else… who has time to plan detailed phonics lessons every day? But here’s the catch: if your students aren’t getting daily, consistent instruction in phonological awareness , they’re missing the foundation they need to decode and encode confidently once they start reading and writing. The good news? It doesn’t take 30 minutes a day. With a simple, 5-minute daily routine, you can build the sound awareness skills that lead to stronger readers... without any prep at all. Yup. No prep. Just open your computer and go! Here’s how I use a science-backed phonological awareness routine in my classroom... and how you can too. 🧠 Why Daily Practice Beats Occasional Lessons Phonological awareness isn’t something you can “cover” once and check off a list. It develops through: Repetition Explicit instruction Short, targeted...

“We’ve practiced this word a hundred times… why can’t they remember it?” If you've ever said this to yourself while teaching French reading or sight words, you're not alone. I used to feel the same frustration—spending hours drilling high-frequency words, only to watch my students forget them or struggle to apply them in context. Then I made a shift. I stopped focusing on memorization and started focusing on decoding and mapping sounds instead . The result? My students became stronger, more confident readers... and they finally understood what they were reading! Let me show you why ditching sight word drills was the best move I ever made. 🚫 The Problem With Memorization When It Comes to French Reading In many early French classrooms, sight words are taught as visual units. Students are expected to memorize how a word looks —often without understanding how it's built or what each part represents. This method works for some students, especial...

 

Have you ever had a student completely shut down during a math lesson—not because they didn’t understand the math, but because they couldn’t read the word problem? In French primary classrooms, this happens all the time . Word problems are meant to help students apply their math skills in real-world situations. But for students still learning to read in French, traditional word problems can quickly lead to frustration, confusion, and a loss of confidence. If this sounds familiar, keep reading—because there’s a simple shift that can make a world of difference: using decodable math word problems that are designed for early readers. The Problem: When it Comes to Word Problems, Reading Gets in the Way of Math Many of our young learners have the math strategies they need—especially when it comes to addition and subtraction within 10. The real struggle? Reading and understanding the actual problem. Here’s what makes traditional French word problems so challe...

The beginning of the school year is full of excitement… and pressure. We want our students to feel successful, we want routines to click, and we want to set the stage for a strong year of literacy growth. But here’s the thing—when it comes to teaching reading in French, especially those tricky complex sounds , many of our students aren’t ready to jump straight into leveled readers or memorized sight words. They need a gentler, more supportive approach. They need practice that builds confidence one step—and one sound—at a time. If you're looking for an easy way to boost decoding skills right from the start of the year, let me introduce you to a resource that’s become a game-changer in my classroom: Super Simple French Decodables – Complex Sounds Mini Books. Why Most “Early Readers” Are Too Hard Have you ever handed a beginner reader a book labeled “Level A” or "Niveau 1" only to watch them struggle with almost every word? That’s because many ea...