The Aquila Resource program is amazing. It is a secure website with access to a multitude of reading comprehension stories that meet the Ministry curriculum expectations across all grades and strands for the FSL program. The audio is a fantastic opportunity to have students listen to the stories and they also includes visuals which help with their reading comprehension.
All stories have complete activities that are clear and pertain to each theme and level and can be accessed and completed in class together using the PDF which you can easily type on. With unlimited usage throughout the subscription, this program is one of the best out there. It truly engages students through their various themes and makes learning French fun and easy. My students love the readers!
J.G., York CDSB - Books listened-to and read over 2,280 times (streams)

... Students see what the word looks like as it is being read to them. The words highlight as they are spoken. Students also benefit because they learn the proper pronunciation of the words. Often, I find it is difficult to read a French story out loud to an entire class due to random noises and interruptions.
To be able to assign an Aquila book where I know that the student is learning how the words are supposed to be pronounced, I can confidently test them on not only comprehension of the text due to the activity pages associated with each book, but also pronunciation. So I get 2 Reading marks out of it.
M.H., Simcoe-Muskoka CDSB - Books listened-to and read over 4,900 times (streams)

I have been using these easy French readers for over 15 years: Oral Communication Most of the books include dialogues, with students taking on the roles of the characters. By repeating their roles, even students with difficulties will improve their reading fluency and expression, and focus their attention on comprehension. Reading and Subject Knowledge Comprehension questions are one of my students' favourite activities, and I personally love them because I use them in class and give them homework. These activities don't leave anyone behind. For example, children with difficulties are comfortable with multiple-choice questions and "true or false". Writing These books also devote a small section to "À toi..."/"Et toi..." writing. The students give their opinions, and they love it because I tell them there are no wrong answers. Advanced students can write entire pages. Supply Teachers Most of my substitutes find the activities in the Aquila books very easy to follow and well organized, because there is no time wasted in class - students dive right into their task. Parents Parents who don't speak French thank me for giving them access from home. They tell me how important these books are for their children's individual learning pace. A.K., Peel DSB

I love using the Aquila Bandes Dessinées with my students because they are so accessible - even for novice-level learners. The pictures, simple dialogue, and extensive use of cognates create a highly comprehensible reader. I've had students who are brand new to the study of French find success when reading these high-interest comics.
Nathan Lutz, Primary School French Teacher, Global Learning Coordinator, Kent Place School, NJ

In using Aquila stories for assessments, I love how the accompanying activities lend themselves to not only reading comprehension, but also the fundamental mechanics of the reading process. That is such a built-in gift! Thank you for that wonderful tool, Aquila Communications! Love your materials and resources! Thanks so much for their high quality and spot-on levelling! French and Fine Arts Teacher, NE Ohio - Books listened-to and read over 1,520 times (streams)

As a 39 year veteran teacher in an American high school, I think reading in the content area is an important foreign language skill. Reading helps reinforce what is taught. Reading is also motivating. Unlike immersion learners, high school students can read at a higher level than their receptive skills of listening and speaking. I always searched for appropriate readers for high school students. Most readers that say they are written for beginning students are either boring or way above students’ reading level. I was delighted when I found Aquila books to be neither boring nor above level. I have used the Collection Lire books with 3rd year high school students and beginning college level students. Students particularly loved the fiction titles and the book Horreur. I added to my Aquila collection each year through department funds and grants and eventually had a library of books for my 3rd and 4th level class to choose from. Among them the series, Grand Défis de la Nature, Récits, Légendes et Mystère and for the more advanced readers, Les chefs-d’œuvre illustrés. Aquila had added many easier lower level titles (Bandes Dessinées, Lectures Juniors, Lectures Jeunesse, Lectures Ados) since I started buying from them. I’ve only seen a few of these, but they were short, easy and fun. Aquila books really keep students interested and give them confidence in what they are learning. Annice Wetzel Hickman High School, Columbia, MO (retired) Coordinator of Elementary French, University of Missouri

What a great way to cover all 4 strands of the curriculum using these books and audio-visual ebooks by Aquila. Students are engaged!!! They are using technology (which they love; whether the chromebooks or computer lab) to access the online A-V readers. The new curriculum emphasizes the importance of oral communication within the French as a Second Language classroom. I see students using these A-V books to practice their oral French at home and at school. Students are getting a faster understanding of the story because they are reading and listening to the story at the same time. In turn, these resources save me time and make my job easier. Kids are finding French fun. M.P., Windsor-Essex CDSB

I have been using the Récits-Légendes-Mystères series for my intermediate core classes. It is very difficult finding reading material that is interesting for students but core/grade level appropriate. The kids enjoy this series and get a lot of learning out of it! A win win situation!

As a grade five extended French teacher, I have found that Aquila products are easy to access for students beginning in their study of their second language. The themes are engaging and easy for students to relate to, and the visuals and graphics help to scaffold the reading strategies that students need to build in order to become confident, independent readers. Mandi Kofira, Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board

"Aquila is a well-designed digital learning platform. Whether used in primary or secondary classrooms, Aquila supports effective teaching and learning with a range of features that align well with curriculum standards. Teachers and students can navigate the platform with ease, and the clear layout ensures that key features are all within easy reach. Minimal training is required. Activities can be differentiated based on ability levels or learning objectives, allowing teachers to personalise learning without needing to create multiple versions of the same task, as they are already created for them. As well, Mike has been an integral part of why we purchased this resource as he provided a learning session to my teachers and was able to answer any questions they had regarding the platform. He was able to provide data of usage to help me to provide guidance and support to those teachers to see the value of this resource." Mary Vetere, French as a Second Language Consultant, K-12 Niagara Catholic District School Board