Dave Ozzie

Hi , Is there anyone on here who may have sent their child to any of the schools in Mortain ,Normandy? or any of the neighbouring areas?
I have a 3 year old and a 1 year old . And to be honest im worried about how they will get on at school although im always told they will be fine . my three year old talks English and the thought of leaving her with a class full of kids that she cant communicate with scares me.
Are the schools good ?are they better than the uk?
Regards
Dave

Tweedpipe

Interesting comment, but although the thought scares you, I'd bet that it won't worry your 3 year old in the slightest - unless of course she sees or senses that you have a problem! Make a game of it many months before the move, tell all the positive aspects and how rewarding it will be - this tactic rarely fails.
Our son attended 5 schools in 3 different (non-English speaking) countries between the age of 2 and 5 years old. Never had a problem, and now at 30+ he looks back on these as marvelous childhood experiences.
Good luck, it will work if you want it to!

Dave Ozzie

Its important also that not only will they speak and write in French but to speak and write in English is so important for them also. and that also was my concern .English is the world wide business language,

dennerlymum

hi there

They will be fine in their new french school!

To keep up the English read to them at home in English; watch uk tv and if necessary when they are older teach them a little of how to write at a high level in English

Good luck

Novocastrian

When my sons were 4 and 2, we moved to Germany. None of us spoke more than a word or two of the language.

Kids at that age are extremely well adapted to language acquisition and have no difficulty in dealing with multiple codes. Lucky bastards.

You should have absolutely no concerns over their taking to both languages comme les canards dans l'eau.

Edit: My half-french wife says it should be "comme les grenouilles dans l'eau" but I'm not sure if she's taking the piss.

Ka Ora!

You have "Water off a duck's back" which is the normal metaphor the only Frog one I know is about boiling one alive if you chuck em in hot they jump out, But boil them from cold and they fail to notice. So you are probably right she is taking the piss

Novocastrian

Jolly good, but I was aiming for "take to it like a duck to water". <She often takes the piss, but I'll show her>.

And the boiling frog thing is of course an anecdote (however true), not a metaphor.

Ka Ora!

After half a crate of Heineken everything is a metaphor

MillieF

Your kids are young, and children of that age don't get 'trapped' by the constraints of grammar and language in the way that adults do - they communicate! Friends of ours were German/Lebanese with a French nannie but mostly English speaking friends and the child grew and thrived in a linguistic soup for many years till they moved. Our son was born in France, but we are both English speakers at home. He was quiet for a long time when he started school but gradually started to speak more and more. I asked the teacher what songs etc they were doing and we practised them at home (the libraries are full of help and song tapes). The maternelle and early Primary years at school here were a fun and positive learning experience for all our family. Don't worry about the English....you will speak it at home, yes my kid watched Cbeebies, it's enough. You automatically correct your kid's bad grammar it is second nature, once one alphabet is mastered it's not a great leap to master the other. Thank's to the diversity of Britain the bookshops are crammed with books to help kids to master English, and the BBC websites. Relax, and enjoy with your kids...they are young enough to cope.

elice_in_oz

"Comme un poisson dans l'eau" is the expression

Novocastrian

Merci. I'll drop that into a sentence this evening. That'll show her.