Grade 5 Core French: how to help at home
What your child learns in Grade 5 core french in the Ontario Curriculum, and simple things to try at home.
The Big Ideas this year
- Listening to French and responding to it builds understanding, one step at a time.
- Speaking and interacting in French uses familiar words and sentence patterns.
- Reading a range of French texts builds comprehension and an eye for how texts are put together.
- Writing in French for different purposes and audiences uses the conventions of the language.
- Learning French opens a window on French-speaking communities in Canada and around the world.
Easy ways to practise core french at home
- Practise a few minutes a day: greetings, numbers, then simple sentences about yourself.
- Say your answers out loud in French, even if you are not sure. Speaking is how it sticks.
- Watch French videos with subtitles and spot words that look like English (cognates).
- Look up a Francophone festival or community in Canada and share one thing you learned.
What each unit covers
Salutations
Greetings, introductions and polite phrases: bonjour, comment t'appelles-tu?, merci, de rien, à bientôt.
Sounds and accents
French sounds (including nasal vowels), accents (é, è, ê, ç) and silent letters.
Numbers 0 to 30
Reading and saying numbers from 0 to 30, and giving small sums in French.
Masculine, feminine, plural
An introduction to gender (masculine and feminine) and number (singular and plural) in French nouns and adjectives.
Likes and dislikes
Saying what you like, love, prefer and dislike, and asking others the same.
Describing people and things
Simple descriptions of people and objects, with adjectives that agree in gender and number.
Francophone Canada
Where French is spoken across Canada, Francophone festivals and celebrations, and a connection between First Peoples and the French language.
Giving credit, showing respect
The ethics of plagiarism and cultural appropriation, at a Grade 5 level: name your sources and learn about cultures respectfully.
What the report card levels look like at home
- Level 1
- Just getting started with this idea. Short, regular practice with lots of support helps most.
- Level 2
- Understands parts of it and is building confidence. Keep practising the tricky parts.
- Level 3
- Has it! Level 3 is the provincial standard. Mixed review now and then keeps it strong.
- Level 4
- Applies it confidently, even in new or harder situations. Try challenge mode and real-life problems.
Your child’s teacher decides the level on the report card. Read the Ontario report card guide.
Common questions
How can I help my Grade 5 child with core french?
Practise a few minutes a day: greetings, numbers, then simple sentences about yourself. Say your answers out loud in French, even if you are not sure. Speaking is how it sticks. Keep sessions short, about 10 to 15 minutes, and stop on a success.
What does my child learn in Grade 5 core french in Ontario?
The Ontario Curriculum Grade 5 core french units include salutations, sounds and accents, numbers 0 to 30, masculine, feminine, plural, likes and dislikes, describing people and things.
Free printable Grade 5 core french practice sheet
Questions from every unit, with an answer key.