Specialties at CGS: French Language
The Specialty Educators are an integral part of our CGS curriculum and community. Through language, music, drama, physical education, mindfulness and art, we empower children to communicate, represent, and express their thoughts, feelings, and perceptions. All of our specialties provide opportunities to enrich the child’s understanding of our world and the diverse cultures within it.
We’d like to introduce and re-introduce our Team and hope you’ll learn something new about each member, and their specialty.
Xaviérine Dubois, French Language
Xaviérine joins us from TFS – Toronto French School where she worked as a Teaching Assistant for JK – Grade 5. She’s lived in Canada for over 5 years, yet France is home. She was born and raised in the city of Versailles where her family lives and she visits regularly.
Xaviérine is clearly a dedicated student, herself, who demonstrates a love for learning and a passion for international travel while studying! A focus on French Literature earned her a two-year degree followed by a Master of Political Sciences, with a speciality in Communications, from the Institute d’Etudes Politiques d’Aix-en-Provence. Her extensive studies allowed her to complete an exchange program in Australia. She continued her travels and studies to earn her Master of Arts Global Media and Communication from the University of Warwick, UK.
Currently, she is happily settled in Canada, and studying for her last year of a Master of Education, specialized in teaching French as a foreign language, from the French University of Aix-Marseille.
The children at CGS benefit from Xav’s experience and positive attitude. She believes that language should be fun and dynamic with opportunity to connect French language to students’ everyday experiences, like in sports and in home life.
Using movement through the AIM method, (used across independent schools in Ontario) – gesture is key to learning new words and students use it heavily to create their own sentences when speaking.
“Learning a language should enhance your everyday experience and that is the mindset I like to approach my classes.
Making mistakes is key to learning, and I want to empower CGS students in their learning journey to give them confidence in expressing themselves.” ~ Xaviérine
Xaviérine is known for her ability to collaborate with other CGS teachers; following their curriculum and ensuring students have the appropriate knowledge and skills to engage in their daily activities using the language outside the classroom, too.
Perhaps as a direct reflection of her own love for travel, Xaviérine’s students are introduced to music, cultures and dialects of other French speaking countries, like creole. Using music and sound is effective when learning language and using it in context. This skill is especially helpful when our CGS students perform at school assemblies!
Merci, Xaviérine for all that you do for our CGS Students!