Get help with French as a Second Language 8 (Nine-Year Program)
Most tutoring makes you sit through material you already know. MapleMind flips that: pick the exact skill that's causing trouble — any of the 20 below — and the tutor teaches just that one, step by step, as many times as it takes. Ask questions in plain words, any time of day, in English, French, or 12 other languages.
The official Alberta French as a Second Language 8 (Nine-Year Program) curriculum
Alberta defines French as a Second Language 8 (Nine-Year Program) by strands and outcomes. MapleMind teaches the same curriculum reorganized for one-skill-at-a-time tutoring — the table shows exactly where every official strand lands, and the ministry's own wording is quoted under each unit below.
Official source Alberta's official programs of studyRead it on the government site — alberta.ca ↗| Official strand | Outcomes | Where MapleMind teaches it |
|---|---|---|
| Language | 2 | La boîte à outils — Grade 8 Expansion |
| Communication · Field: Animals | 2 | Les animaux |
| Communication · Field: Clothing | 2 | Les vêtements |
| Communication · Field: Food | 3 | La nourriture |
| Communication · Field: Four Holidays and Celebrations | 2 | Fêtes et célébrations |
| Culture | 1 | Une langue vivante |
Every skill below, taught one on one.
Try the first session free
How MapleMind teaches French as a Second Language 8 (Nine-Year Program) — every unit, lesson, and skill
Every skill below runs as a short session: a plain-words lesson, a worked example, solving it together, then a five-question skill check that earns up to three stars. Guided Mode keeps it teaching instead of answer-handing — turning it off needs a parent's password.
Unit 1La boîte à outils — Grade 8 ExpansionOfficial strand · Language
The Grade 8 grammar expansion: all three verb families, the imperative, the pointing and exclaiming adjectives, the partitive for food and quantities, the adverb families, and stronger ways to say no.
Les trois familles de verbes + l'impératif
- Present tense of –er, –ir and –re verbs8.L.1 — Know the conjugation patterns of regular and irregular –er, –ir and –re verbs in the present tense, and use them with all subject pronouns.
- The imperative8.L.2 — Give commands and advice with the imperative, affirmative and negative (Choisis le bleu. / Ne mettez pas trop de sel.).
Les adjectifs qui montrent
- Demonstrative and exclamatory adjectives8.L.2 — Point at things with ce, cet, cette, ces and exclaim with Quel/Quelle (Quel animal ! / Quelle belle chemise !).
- Plural possessives: notre, votre, leur8.L.2 — Use the plural-owner possessive adjectives notre/nos, votre/vos, leur/leurs.
Le partitif et les quantités
- The partitive: du, de la, des8.L.2 — Talk about "some" of something — the partitive articles du, de la, de l', des — the food articles of French.
- Quantities and avoir expressions8.L.2 — Use expressions of quantity (une boîte de, un kilo de) and the avoir expressions of need and feeling (J'ai faim/soif; J'ai besoin de…; Tu as peur des serpents ?).
Les adverbes et la négation avancée
- The four adverb families8.L.2 — Use adverbs of manner (bien, fort, lentement), time (demain, souvent, tard), quantity/intensity (assez, beaucoup, très, trop) and place (à droite, ici, là-bas, loin).
- Stronger ways to say no8.L.2 — Go beyond ne…pas with ne…jamais (never), ne…plus (no more), ne…rien (nothing) — and start explanations with parce que.
The official wording — 2 outcomes in this unit
- 8.L.1
irregular verb conjugation patterns in the present tense
- 8.L.2
the imperative in the affirmative and in the negative with regular and irregular –er, –ir, –re verbs
Unit 2Les animauxOfficial strand · Communication · Field: Animals
The first field of experience: pets and their care, animal families, wild animals and zoos — understanding animal French and finding your way around a zoo.
Nos amis les animaux
- Understanding French about animals8.C.1 — Understand the main idea and a few specific details in spoken French about animals — pets, their care, wild animals.
- Directions at the zoo8.C.3 — Give directions orally in a structured fashion — give someone directions to a specific area of the zoo.
The official wording — 2 outcomes in this unit
- 8.C.1
understand, in guided situations, by identifying key words or expressions previously taught, the main idea
- 8.C.3
give someone directions to a specific area of the zoo
Unit 3Les vêtementsOfficial strand · Communication · Field: Clothing
The second field of experience: clothing choices, design and care — reading clothing French and describing what's in your closet.
Dans ma garde-robe
- Reading French about clothing8.C.2 — Understand the main idea and specific details in written French about clothing — labels, descriptions, care instructions.
- Describing your wardrobe8.C.3 — Describe clothing orally with detail — itemize and describe one's wardrobe (colours, styles, this vs that with ce/cette).
The official wording — 2 outcomes in this unit
- 8.C.2
understand, in guided situations, by identifying key words or expressions previously taught, the main idea
- 8.C.3
itemize and describe one's wardrobe
Unit 4La nourritureOfficial strand · Communication · Field: Food
The richest field of experience: nutrition, food preparation, ethnic cuisine and the cuisine of the Francophone world — from understanding a healthy plate to writing a family recipe.
Bien manger
- Understanding French about food and nutrition8.C.1 — Understand spoken French about food — identify the reason behind eating a healthy breakfast (Le corps a besoin d'énergie le matin) and the foods that make one.
- Reading recipes and food texts8.C.2 — Understand written French about food and cuisine — menus, simple recipes, nutrition texts — using the partitive vocabulary.
Ma recette
- Writing a recipe8.C.4 — Produce structured written French about food — write the shopping list and steps for a dish (e.g. a list of grocery items needed for a Moroccan recipe), using the imperative and the partitive.
- Expressing food preferences in writing8.C.4 — Express needs, desires and preferences about food in written form, with some details — likes, dislikes and why (parce que).
The official wording — 3 outcomes in this unit
- 8.C.1
identify the reason behind eating a healthy breakfast
- 8.C.2
the main idea(s) and a few isolated details about a variety of concrete topics contained in authentic or adapted written texts
- 8.C.4
write a list of grocery items needed for a Moroccan recipe
Unit 5Fêtes et célébrationsOfficial strand · Communication · Field: Four Holidays and Celebrations
The fourth field of experience: holidays through the calendar year — and the foods and traditions that come with them.
Les fêtes et leurs saveurs
- Reading about celebrations and their foods8.C.2 — Understand written French about the origins and traditions of celebrations, including food and celebrations.
- Describing a celebration8.C.3 — Describe a celebration orally with some details — what happens, what is eaten, what you prefer — with limited spontaneity in a structured fashion.
The official wording — 2 outcomes in this unit
- 8.C.2
the main idea(s) and a few isolated details about a variety of concrete topics contained in authentic or adapted written texts
- 8.C.3
describe, explain, ask and answer questions
Unit 6Une langue vivanteOfficial strand · Culture
French is alive and evolving — anglicismes and new words, regional variations (déjeuner in Paris is lunch in Montréal), and the animal idioms where cultures wink at each other.
Le français qui évolue
- How French evolves8.CU.1 — Recognize how the French language has evolved and is evolving — le rôle des emprunts et des anglicismes — and facts of Francophone life (per capita, the French consume the most mineral water in the world).
- Regional variations and idioms8.CU.1 — Recognize regional variations (petit déjeuner/déjeuner/dîner in France versus déjeuner/dîner/souper in Canada) and compare idioms across cultures (être fort comme un taureau; avoir un chat dans la gorge = to have a frog in one's throat).
The official wording — 1 outcome in this unit
- 8.CU.1
recognize and understand how the French language has evolved and is evolving
Printable workbook · A keepsake of the year
A French as a Second Language 8 (Nine-Year Program) workbook worth keeping
Built from the same official curriculum as this page. Before and after each skill above, your student colours in how sure they feel — so the two of you can see, on one page, what's clicking and what needs another look. It's a quiet way to follow how the year is really going.
By June it's full of their own handwriting: units worked through, confidence grown, a mid-year check-in, notes from parent-teacher night, and a certificate at the end. Less a worksheet, more a record of the year worth keeping on the shelf.
Instant download · see every page, reviews and the full description · five or more workbooks are $2.99 each
What it looks like in the app
Common questions
Can MapleMind help me with French as a Second Language 8 (Nine-Year Program)?
Yes. MapleMind's AI tutor covers all 20 skills in Alberta's French as a Second Language 8 (Nine-Year Program) — you pick the exact skill, and the tutor teaches it step by step: a short lesson, a worked example, solving together, then a skill check to show it stuck.
Is MapleMind aligned to Alberta's official curriculum?
Yes. Every skill in this course maps to an official outcome code from Alberta's Grade 8 French curriculum, and the ministry's own wording is quoted under each unit on this page — with the official government source linked so you can check it yourself.
What does MapleMind cost?
It's free to start — 5 tutoring chats and a practice quiz every day, no credit card. A Pro subscription ($9.99/month or $49.99/year CAD, 7-day free trial) unlocks unlimited tutoring, practice, and exam simulations.
What if I'm stuck on just one topic?
That's the point of skill-level tutoring: open French as a Second Language 8 (Nine-Year Program) in the app, tap the exact skill from the list on this page, and the tutor teaches just that — no wading through lessons you don't need.
Does MapleMind work in French or other languages?
Yes — 14 languages, including French. Both the app and the tutor's explanations switch to the language you choose.
Where can I see the official Alberta curriculum for French as a Second Language 8 (Nine-Year Program)?
The official source is linked on this page — Alberta's official programs of study. The outline here follows it: every MapleMind skill carries its official outcome code, and the ministry's own wording is quoted under each unit.
Keep exploring
Ready when you are
Pick a skill from this page and see it taught properly — free, in the browser, in under a minute.