How Expat French-Speaking Kids Can Learn to Read and Write in French

Why phonetics is essential for expatriate French-speaking children

French has many sounds that are written in different ways, and combinations of sounds, that is, sounds that, when combined, become new sounds. Working on sounds (phonemes) and their correspondence with letters is, in this sense, indispensable for the child to decipher words and write them correctly, step by step.

The ideal progression:

• Understand, recognize, and be able to repeat the sound

• Identify the letter or group of letters associated with that sound

• Combine the sounds into syllables

• Form words

• Read and write sentences and texts

This phonetic approach allows for a clear link between oral and written language, very useful for children who already speak French but do not yet read. They can thus quickly make the connection with words they already know.

Main methods and their advantages

1. Syllabic / phonetic

• Principle: learn the sound of each letter and assemble syllables.

• Advantages: very logical, solid, ideal for expatriate French-speaking children.

• Disadvantages: repetitive, requires (almost) daily practice.

2. Borel-Maisonny

• Principle: each sound has an associated gesture.

• Advantages: multisensory and playful, facilitates memorization. It is a method similar to Montessori in the sense that gestures, associated with learning, are recognized for strengthening memory. We wrote an article on this subject concerning Montessori sandpaper letters and the learning of complex sounds in French.

• Disadvantages: it is necessary to practice all gestures regularly.

3. The Alphas

• Principle: small characters that represent sounds.

• Advantages: playful, stimulates visual and auditory memory, characters are endearing for children.

• Disadvantages: the transition to concrete writing can be a bit tricky, requires an adult who knows the method well.

4. Mixed / semi-global method

• Principle: combines phonetics and sight words.

• Advantages: flexible, adapted to the child’s needs.

• Disadvantages: less systematic than the syllabic method, can create confusion if not properly guided.

5. Global method

• Principle: visual recognition of whole words.

• Advantages: allows quick reading of familiar words.

• Disadvantages: not effective in the long term, almost abandoned in French schools (we do not recommend this method but thought it was interesting to mention because it was widely used in the French education system).

Recommended educational tools

1. Calimots CP:

   Complete activities for reading, writing, and oral expression using the syllabic method (widely used in French CP classes)

2. Réussir son entrée en grammaire CE1 (Retz Editions):

   Progressive sequences for grammar and conjugation

3. J’aime lire / J’apprends à lire avec Olive:

   Motivating stories for beginner or intermediate children

4. Le Petit Chaperon rouge (Céline Alvarez):

   Montessori approach to reading and comprehension

5. Calamity Mamie:

   Fun texts and a funny (and endearing!) character to help progress in reading

6. Pour comprendre CP, CE1, CE2 Spécial DYS (Valérie Viron):

   Iideal for children with learning difficulties or specific needs

Practical activities at home or in Kidioma workshops

1. Discovering sounds with Borel-Maisonny gestures through play

• The child needs to know the sounds and gestures beforehand.

• Pronounce a sound or make a gesture.

• The child reproduces the gesture and writes the letter they think corresponds.

2. Games with the Alphas

• Distribute “Alpha character” cards and ask the child to form words by combining the characters. This can also be done directly with the physical Alpha characters.

3. Daily mini-reading

• Choose an appropriate text (Calimots, Olive, Calamity Mamie, or other depending on the child’s preferences).

• Read together, then let the child read on their own.

4. Creative writing

• After reading, suggest rewriting the story in their own words or inventing an alternative ending.

• You can also ask the child to draw whatever they want from the story and add words or letters.

• You can use a journal or old magazine and invite the child to cut out letters or words to form sentences.

5. Playful dictation

• Say a simple word or sentence, the child writes it. Then switch roles.

• Depending on the child’s level, you can also play “Scattergories” (or similar) afterwards. Very fun for both children and adults!

Getting support

Learning to read and write in French requires time, patience, and regularity. If this is too much for you, do not hesitate to seek professionals, either through online courses (there are ones for children) or in-person (check if there is a FLAM association in your city, or contact us for more info if you are in Madrid).

Some practical advice for parents

• Read a few minutes each day to create a reading habit and share a moment of connection with your children. Encourage them to read on their own, without pressure or judgment (without correcting if they do not know all the sounds), just to give them a love of reading.

• Write sentences or short stories to strengthen memory and comprehension. This can be done in everyday actions, for example by creating a chart of daily tasks (see our article on this topic).

• Associate sound, gesture, and visual cues for better memorization (using songs, mimed stories, etc.).

• Praise every progress!

Conclusion

Learning to read and write in French abroad is a challenge, but it is also a wonderful opportunity for children. By combining phonetics, appropriate methods, playful tools, and support, your child can progress calmly while having fun and strengthen their bilingualism. With regular follow-up, at home or with professionals, French becomes accessible and motivating, even far from their home country. And remember, it’s never too late to learn a new language!

Do you live abroad, are you French-speaking, and is your child in the local school system? It is not always easy to know how they can learn to read and write in French, especially when the local language is very different.

However, speaking two languages from childhood is a real advantage! Cultivating reading and writing in French allows your child to strengthen their bilingualism and maintain a strong connection with their mother tongue.

For example, Spanish is very phonetic: you almost write the way you speak. French is a bit more complex… But good news! Proven, playful, and phonetic methods allow children to make progress while having fun. In this article, we present the main methods, their advantages and disadvantages, as well as concrete resources and activities to help your children read and write, either at home or in a workshop.