Early French immersion programs, designed for students who don’t speak French as a first language, are offered in every province and territory in Canada, except Nunavut..

The starting point, anywhere from pre-kindergarten to Grade 2, may vary between regions. Programs highlight the importance of oral language development, particularly in the first few years.

I conducted a recent pan-Canadian study of French immersion kindergarten curricula for the Association canadienne des professionnels de l’immersion (the Canadian Association of Immersion Professionals). In the study, teachers identified vocabulary and oral language development as top learning priorities for their students.

Given this finding, it’s important for educators and families to understand what oral language development looks like in early French immersion, and how to effectively support this during students’ earliest years of French-language exposure.

Many kindergarten curricula (for example, Ontario, Québec as well as Newfoundland and Labrador) mandate a play-based approach to learning.

Particularly in these contexts, teachers should capitalize on opportunities for oral language development through play in French immersion instruction.

What does the curriculum say?

Early French immersion curricula across the country include sections related to oral language development. While French immersion teachers report focusing on vocabulary development in the early years, specific words are not typically listed as learning targets.

Instead, the focus is on skills or competencies related to oral language development. Because curricula mandate learning skills (rather than vocabulary),........

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