Unlocking the Power of Online Learning: Effective French Tutoring for Elementary Students

By Madame Karine, French immersion teacher from Calgary

For over 10 years I was doing private French tutoring from my home, after having already taught in the classroom 10 years prior. It was an excellent balance after having my own children. As much as I loved being in the classroom, I knew I wanted to raise my kids as a stay-at-home mom. They were now my focus. I also knew that through private tutoring I could really help each child individually.

Didn’t think we would connect: My relationship with technology

What I loved about private tutoring was the connection with my students and the depth we could go into their learning. It was truly satisfying to see their confidence grow and their learning blossom.

This was so different then trying to teach a whole classroom, with an average of 24 students, who all needed to learn the same concepts yet each one having different needs, strengths, and weaknesses.

When COVID happened; and learning became online, this changed everything.

The shift to online learning during COVID-19 brought about a significant transformation in the educational landscape.

We were stuck in Costa Rica at the time and were due to be back in Canada in a month, where I would resume my practice. However, because we were stuck, and the students at school were already doing online learning; some of my students asked if I could tutor online. There were also some new students that had gotten my contact and needed my services. Online tutoring hadn’t crossed my mind before as I had heard so many parents complain that learning online wasn’t working.

Plus, for me, tutoring is all about creating a positive learning environment where the students can regain their confidence and enjoyment of learning.

How could I create that over a screen I wondered? Especially with new students (most of them being between 6-10 years old). How could we develop an initial relationship?

I decided to try, even though technology was not my strong suit. I literally have an aversion to it to be honest. I am a human-to-human person, so this was definitely getting out of my ‘comfort zone’.

Nonetheless, I gave it a shot and was extremely surprised by the effectiveness of online tutoring.

Dispelling the Myths: Can Elementary Students Learn French Online?

I completely understand how learning online as a whole classroom can be challenging (to say the least), especially for a six-year-old. I didn’t see how it could actually be conducive to learning at all. One-on-one though and working in small groups of 4 to 6 kids, I found to be totally different.

Nurturing Confidence and Building Rapport in the Virtual Realm

To my pleasant surprise I found that students, particularly those between the ages of 6 to 10 years old, often felt more at ease in the familiar surroundings of their homes, allowing them to express themselves freely and embrace the learning process. Creating a rapport felt as simple and natural as in person.

This part is key for me as it is what builds confidence in learning. Students need to be able to feel that they can be themselves, make mistakes and learn from these mistakes. It is all part of the process, especially for struggling learners. When learning to speak, read and write in a new language it is critical to make learning a fun experience.

Since my specialties are teaching French as a second language and early French literacy; the students’ openness to learning is very important. Openness happens through connection. People in general need to feel safe and secure to be open.

Technology as an Enabler: Tools for Effective Online French Tutoring

As far as technology goes; teaching online works perfectly. The advancements in technology have revolutionized the possibilities of online education, providing tools that seamlessly

facilitate interactive and engaging learning experiences.

With platforms like Zoom, you can:

Student during class with Madame Karine

• Easily read and write together,

• Complete exercises by screen sharing,

• Share resources,

• Provide real-time feedback, and

• Engage students in collaborative activities.

It has proven to be an invaluable asset in my online tutoring practice.

Success Stories: Testimonials from Satisfied Parents

At this point, most of my students, I only ever met online. I am very pleased with how well I know them and understand their learning styles. Here is a review from one parent where their child in grade one French immersion was struggling with French speaking, reading, and writing.

"My son's French was below his grade after assessment. A couple of months after Karine's tutoring I noticed an improvement in his reading. Now my son reads, speaks, and writes French very well and wants to read his French books first before English. Feedback from his school teacher shows he's improved drastically. Karine's teaching online is convenient and effective. I will recommend Karine no matter your child's level." -Augusta Ahiabor

Conclusion: Elementary Students and Online Learning

If you thought your child couldn’t learn online, think again. I agree that an online classroom of 24 kids is not conducive for a young child, but one-on-one and small group classes are a whole other concept altogether and they truly work!

Empowering Young Minds through Personalized Online French Tutoring

Online tutoring is an excellent way to get your child excited about learning French. With personalized sessions tailored to your child's individual needs, interests and proficiency level, French tutoring can boost your child's confidence and enjoyment of French.

For more information about my one-on-one tutoring and my small group zoom

classes, check out my dedicated homepage:

French for Kids with Madame Karine