What is French Immersion?
French Immersion is an educational program that provides students whose first language is not French with the opportunity to learn and become fluent in French. The program was first developed in Québec in the late 1960s, in response to demands from English-speaking parents who wanted their children to be fluent in both English and French. Today, over 100,000 students in Ontario are enrolled in French Immersion programs.
Three general types of French Immersion programs can be offered: early, middle and late. They may go by different names, depending on the school board in which they are offered. Dufferin-Peel’s Extended French program is an example of a middle French Immersion program, in which students first spend a significant portion of their day learning in the French language starting in Grade 5. In contrast, the new pilot French Immersion program in Dufferin-Peel is an early French immersion program, starting in Grade 1. Students in this program will receive 90% of their instruction in French in Grade 1. In Grades 2 and 3, 70% of the instruction will be in French, with the proportion of English increasing to 50% in later years.
Why choose French Immersion?
There are many academic, cultural and future career benefits associated with learning to communicate in another language. Learning a second language has positive effects on first-language skills and can help make the acquisition of other languages easier. Learning a second language can also help students develop appreciation and tolerance for other cultures. Learning a second language can also be an asset in a variety of career areas in the current global economy. French Immersion is an effective way to help students learn French as a second language so that they become bilingual. Many parents choose French Immersion for their children for this very reason.
How will French Immersion affect my child’s skills in English?
Research has shown that French Immersion programs improve children’s French language skills without any negative impact to their English or first language skills. In the early years of French Immersion, some students may lag in English language skills, but this gap is temporary and usually disappears with the introduction of English language arts in later grades. In fact, a study of the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) elementary assessment results indicated that Grade 3 students in French Immersion programs had similar levels of performance as their non-immersion peers, and that Grade 6 students in French Immersion actually out-performed students in the regular English program in both literacy and mathematics.
[1] Canadian Parents for French (Ontario). (no date). Why choose French immersion? Available at www.cpf.ca.
[2] Turnbull, M., Hart, D., and Lapkin, S. (2001). French immersion students’ performance on Grade 3 and Grade 6 provincial tests: Potential impacts on program design. Paper presented at the Canadian Association of Immersion Teachers Toronto Symposium 2001.