French as a Second Language (FSL) Storytimes: Fostering Language, Literacy and Lifelong Love of Reading

Abstract

Canada is a unique country with two official languages. While the majority of Canadian children are brought up in the Anglophone school system, they are still taught French at school in the form of core French classes, French immersion, or extended French programs. Storytimes at the public library have a time-honoured tradition of introducing children to books, developing early literacy skills, and fostering a lifelong love of reading. Combining research on the positive role of storytimes in the development of a child’s reading proficiency and success at school with literature on second language instruction, such as French immersion programs, the author explores the value of French as a Second Language (FSL) storytimes in public libraries. FSL storytimes emerge as a tool for introducing children to the French language through fun activities, including stories, songs, rhymes, and games. The author discusses early observations based on the experience of running an FSL storytime program on a trial basis in a mid-sized public library in Ontario. She also makes a number of practical suggestions about the evaluation of the program effectiveness in the future. The author hopes that this article will benefit other library practitioners seeking to create educational and entertaining reading programs and activities for their youngest clients and start a dialog on integrating FSL storytimes into library programming.