Transcript PowerPoint Presentation - Late French Immersion PowerPoint

Late French Immersion
Parent Information Meeting
February 2004
Prepared by Kelly Burt
Coordinator, Delta School District
“The key is that through
Immersion they (students)
are making their own lives
more interesting. They are
entering the room of their
own lives and designing it
with two doors instead of
one; two doors leading to
twice as many ideas,
books, films, societies,
indeed friends. It is a
profound form of selffulfillment.”
John Ralston Saul
CPF National Issue
No. 82, Winter 2000
Program Objectives
The major goal of Delta’s French Immersion programs is to
provide the opportunity for non-Francophone students to
become bilingual in English and French. A student who
has successfully completed a French Immersion
program can be expected to
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participate easily in conversations in English and French;
take post-secondary courses with French as the
language of instruction; and
accept employment with French as the language of the
workplace.
Immersion Across Canada
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Started in Saint-Lambert, Québec in 1965
 In Delta School District since 1981
% of total enrollment in French Immersion
Year
B.C.
Delta
Delta K-12
Fr.Imm.
Population
2003-04
5.4%
8.3%
1420
2002-03
5.1%
8.0%
1396
2001-02
4.9%
8.0%
1399
2000-01
4.8%
7.6%
1358
1999-00
4.7%
7.7%
1393
Source: BC Ministry of Education
What is Immersion?
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A second language is acquired primarily by using the
language for meaningful communication and instruction
in other subjects
The students all begin not knowing the second language
and instructional strategies and materials are designed
with that in mind
The program begins with intensive instruction in and via
the target language by teachers fluent in that language
Instruction of the subject material is never repeated in
the two languages
The program is expected to take several years to
achieve its objectives
The Late French Immersion Program
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Additive, bilingual 7 year program
101 students in Grades 6 & 7 at Chalmers Elementary
First language not French
Goal: functional bilingualism
Parallel academic standards
Initial emphasis on language acquisition
Strong focus on building classroom community
Challenging option
Students graduate with a bilingual Dogwood diploma upon
completion
The Elementary Years
Late French Immersion
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Grade 6 : 100%
French instruction
 Grade 7 : English
Language Arts reintroduced
 Grade 7 : 80% French
instruction
The Secondary Years
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Grade 8 : Join Early Immersion students
Grades 8/9/10 : French Language Arts and a
minimum of two other courses in French (currently
Social Studies and Science)
Grade 11 : French Language Arts and a minimum of
one other course in French (currently Social Studies)
Grade 12 : French Language Arts only required
course in French
Secondary French Immersion currently offered at
Burnsview Jr. High, North Delta Sr. High, and South
Delta Secondary
Teachers
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Bilingual from all
over the world
 Speak with a variety
of accents
 Teach standard
French
Frequently Asked Questions
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What are the differences between Early and Late French
Immersion?
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Is Immersion for all children?
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How can I help at home?
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Will French Immersion have an impact on my child’s success in
English or in subjects taught in French?
What are the differences between Early
and Late French Immersion?
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EFI students tend to have more authentic accents
EFI relies on children’s natural abilities; LFI involves more conscious
acquisition of language
By 9 years of age, students can think logically enough to apply
problem-solving skills to linguistic concepts; LFI students may have
a better mastery of sentence structure than of oral communication
skills
EFI students have more vocabulary when entering Grade 8
However, EFI and LFI students are hard to distinguish from one
another by Grade 9
With EFI, registration is the parent’s choice; in LFI, the student’s
opinion counts in the decision
Is French Immersion for all children?
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Optional program for all learners - children with learning
challenges to gifted
No screening
Some children have difficulties regardless of language
Process when considering transferring to English
program - school-based team
Parental support and commitment
Characteristics for suitability
(attitude, motivation, personality, physical)
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Desires to learn another language
Wants to register in the LFI program
Motivated to work hard on homework
Able to manage time & organize work
Enjoys working in groups
Makes a sincere effort to speak French
Listening skills
Enjoys language and willing to experiment and take risks
Aural/oral program - important to have good verbal/hearing abilities
Focused and on task
Receptive to change and able to cope with ambiguity
Handles frustrations; able to “muddle through” situations and try new things
How can I help at home?
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Establish good rapport with your child’s teacher
Encourage your child to read for pleasure - in English or French
Be enthusiastic and positive
Encourage your child to use a buddy system
Provide a positive environment for study, homework and reading
Buy a few simple French books and some French CDs suitable to their
age level
Provide opportunities for your child to speak French outside of the
classroom
Continuing education - even though French Immersion is designed for
children whose parents don’t speak French, parents may want to learn
enough French to count, to know colours and other basic words, and to
pronounce children’s vocabulary lists
Will French Immersion have an impact on my
child’s success in English or in subjects taught
in French?
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No, in fact research over the past 30 years has consistently shown that
children who are in foreign language immersion programs are not
disadvantaged in any way when it comes to performing adequately in their
native language
First two years, may temporarily lag in some skills (e.g. spelling) - usually
disappears when English language arts is introduced
Phenomenon of transfer
Delta’s data and results support research that shows that immersion
students perform as well as or better than their monolingual English peers
on all standardized measures of mathematics, English writing and English
reading comprehension
Foundation Skills Assessment
Grade 7 Students Meeting or Exceeding Expectations
Delta School District, 2003
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
French Immersion
All students
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Reading
Writing
Numeracy
Foundation Skills Assessment
Grade 10 Students Meeting or Exceeding Expectations
Delta School District, 2003
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
French Immersion
All students
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Reading
Writing
Numeracy
Canadian Parents for French
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Non-profit organization - support group for
parents of children in French Immersion
 Membership funds are used for socio-cultural
events, scholarships, summer camps and
District & Provincial French Public Speaking
Contest
 Annual membership is $25
 Visit Delta CPF website - www.delta.cpf.bc.ca
Our French Immersion
Elementary Schools
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Chalmers Elementary (Late
French Immersion)
Devon Gardens Elementary
(Early French Immersion)
Sunshine Hills Elementary (EFI)
Richardson Elementary (EFI)
South Park Elementary (EFI)
Ladner Elementary (EFI)
Benefits of Being Bilingual
Learning a second language…
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Has a positive effect on intellectual growth
Enriches and enhances a child’s mental development
Leaves students with more flexibility in thinking, greater sensitivity to
language, and a better ear for listening
Improves a child’s understanding of his/her first language
Gives a child the ability to communicate with people he/she would
otherwise not have the chance to know
Opens the door to other cultures and helps a child understand and
appreciate people from other countries
Gives a student a head start in language requirements for university
Increases job opportunities in many careers where knowing another
language is a real asset