The 4 Rs (routine, rejoicing, repetition, rewarding) are an approach which parents of young children can adopt in order to promote French every day.

• Routine (an activity that is regular and predictable, such as reading a book every evening, brushing the child’s teeth, preparing a snack to take to daycare) gives the child a feeling of emotional security and enhances an appreciation of French by making it part of his or her regular activities. 

• Rejoicing (a game or activity that the child loves to do, like watching DVDs, singing, playing hide and seek, and reading) strengthens family ties, makes for wonderful memories and enhances an appreciation of French by giving it a socio-emotive dimension. The element of play also helps build the child’s knowledge of French by introducing him or her to new situations (“So, let’s pretend that you are the cashier at the supermarket and I am your customer, ok?”). 

• Repetition (repeating the linguistic “content” of an activity, for example singing “Frère Jacques” until the child knows the words and the melody, or reading the same story over and over again) provides a solid anchor for language learning while putting the child at ease.

• Rewarding is what gives the child a sense of confidence and competency. By letting the child experience activities in an encouraging atmosphere (“Good for you!”, “I am proud of you!”, “That’s great!”), the child associates French with a pleasant experience that builds self-esteem and that the child will want to repeat.