True Cognates | Des vrais amis

Cognates are words that sound and/or look the same and have the same meaning between two or more languages.

Scanning a text for cognates helps a child:

  • make predictions about the topic or theme of the text
  • make reading texts less overwhelming
  • better understand the text
  • focus on “What do I know” rather than “I can’t read French”

Ideas to Try at Home:

Word Sort:

  • Write sets of cognates on cards – one with the French word and one with the English word
    Have your child sort the words, then ask him/her what the word pairs have in common

Cognate Day:

  • Once a week, have your child participate in a ‘cognate day’ where he/she tries to locate as many
    cognates as he/she can, at home, using media (television, radio, posters, cereal boxes)