How to introduce new language?

[mamandedeux]

DS1 will be homeschooled this year (just turned 4, wayyyyy too young to start school IMO). Next year, he'll be going to a French school full-time. There is only French spoken at that school, and students are expected to have a basic command of the language. It's a great school, and definitely what we want for him. Here's my problem: I have 10 months to teach him French, so that he knows at least enough to follow basic instructions. Had he started this year, he would not have been expected to be fluent, but he'll have to be by next year.

My DH and I both speak French (my mother tongue; DH's second, but he's very fluent.) We live in an English province, so by default ended up speaking only English to DS1. He's open to learning French, but I have no clue how to start teaching him. Should I teach him phonics (he reads at a grade 1 level in English), or repeat everything I say in both languages, or make part of our day French-only? He's a really smart boy who learns very quickly, so I'm confident we can do this if I can just get started.

Thanks for any help!

[SundayCrepes]

My kids are in a Spanish playgroup. I do not speak Spanish. The instructor just talks to them in Spanish. Sometimes she uses body language to get her point across. Rarely does she speak English. Just start talking to your child. Some families, I hear, speak French at home and English away from home (that's how I'd do it if I were bilingual.) Some families one parent speaks french the other english. Some do alternating days. I don't think it matters, just talk to him.

[hipumpkins]

we do Rosetta stone and I am not suggesting that you do that but here's how that program teaches.
It does not use any English in it's teaching.
It shows a picture and says what it is in Spanish. So for instance it might a show picture of a woman and say, "Mujer"
than a man and say, "hombre"
then it will have the man swimming and say, "El hombre nada"
So the kids learn it not by translation
Maybe you could incorporate your French that way.
Maybe make flashcards or look through magazine pointing out simple words and then adding on to them without ever using English.
Good luck!

[MittensKittens]

My family is trilingual. I speak four languages fluently myself, and bits and bobs of other languages. For me, the only way to "learn" a languages is by acquiring it natually, through interaction, books, and even television... but mainly interaction with other people. I think your suggestion to make part of your day French is a great one. This has worked for us too. But everyone is different, so you might need to do some experimenting. Good luck!