Canadian Parents for French -Manitoba- <French for Life> FAQ's

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

French Immersion FAQ's | Basic French FAQ's | Intensive French FAQ's

French Immersion FAQ's

1. How will my child react to being in a class where no English is spoken?
2. How important are extra-curricular activities in French?
3. Can I help my child with homework if I don’t speak French?
4. Is French Immersion for all children?
5. What about College and University?
6. How do we know Immersion works?
7. What happens if we move and there is no French Immersion?
8. What about help for learning difficulties?
9. Why should I choose French Immersion for my child?
10. What can I do to help?

Answers

1. How will my child react to being in a class where no English is spoken?

Immersion teachers use many gestures as they speak, so the children are able to follow what is said, even if they do not understand all the words. Children try French words and phrases to communicate with the teacher. They progress at varying rates through the stages of language acquisition. Some will start using French while others are still only using English.

2. How important are extra-curricular activities in French?

The more French-language activities the children can be involved in, the better, to give them everyday experiences in French. Clubs, camps, TV and theatre provide opportunities to learn and use French outside the classroom, with different language models.

3. Can I help my child with homework if I don’t speak French?

Most help at home will be in English. Parents can help with Math operations, English spelling, writing and reading. Answering questions, explaining concepts and encouraging good study habits enhance learning in both languages.

4. Is French Immersion for all children?

With few exceptions, Immersion is suitable for all children. Any child who can learn to communicate in one language can acquire a second language through the French Immersion Program.

5. What about College and University?

French Immersion grads have many options. They can study in French or English, at universities in Canada and abroad. Universities recognize French Immersion courses for admission. Scholarships and bursaries are available for study in French in other parts of Canada or abroad.

6. How do we know Immersion works?

Children progress in language learning at different rates but by the end of high school they can speak, read and write French, work or live in a French environment and take post-secondary education in French or in English. Grads have the added benefit of being bilingual and many study other languages, such as Spanish or Italian, which are related to French.

7. What happens if we move and there is no French Immersion?

If Immersion is not available, children do very well in the Basic French program. If they have enrichment opportunities, they will continue to develop their French skills. Students moving into the English program make a smooth transition.

8. What about help for learning difficulties?

Many Immersion schools have bilingual support services who help children with learning difficulties. Research and experiences show that students with a variety of abilities do as well academically as they could in an English program, provided they receive equivalent assistance. Language is not usually the cause of a learning difficulty. The same problems also arise in other educational settings.

9. Why should I choose French Immersion for my child?

Graduates of a full Immersion program have an increased appreciation of other languages and cultures, enhanced career potential and a key to learning other languages. It opens one more door for their future.

10. What can I do to help?

Encourage good study habits and provide French reference materials for use at home. Enjoy French TV, radio, music games, software and videos with your children. Read to and with your children in English. Encourage them to read to you in French. Keep in touch with the teachers. Check out summer camps and exchanges. Visit some French websites together. Try taking a French class yourself. You’ll enjoy it!

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Basic French FAQ's

1.How does Basic French differ from Immersion?
2.Has Basic French changed since I went to school?
3.What should happen in a Basic French classroom?
4.What will my child be able to “do” in French?
5.Why Basic French – why not another language?
6.How can I help my Basic French child?

Answers

1.How does Basic French differ from Immersion?

There are two principal differences between Basic and Immersion French programs: the kind of exposure to French, and the amount of it.

In Immersion, instruction is mostly in French. Subject areas, like math, music, and science, are taught in French. The second language is the medium and not the object of instruction. Basic French curriculum, on the other hand, concentrates on speaking, listening, reading, and writing in French. It teaches these language skills through themes designed to spark student interest. The other difference between the programs is the duration and intensity of exposure to French. By the end of grade 8, the average early immersion student has had over 4000 hours of instruction in French. Late immersion students accumulate between 1200 and 200 hours in French. A typical immersion student also gains between 1000 and 1500 hours in French high school courses. In comparison, a student who studies Basic French from grade 4 to grade 12 is exposed to a maximum of about 1100 hours of French instruction.

2.Has Basic French changed since I went to school?

Yes, Basic French now aims to expose students to more spoken French; Basic French curricula now require students to use their linguistic and cultural knowledge to communicate in real-life situations. Newly- created teaching materials support the new curriculum, and most schools are now using these materials at all grade levels.

3.What should happen in a Basic French classroom?

Basic French should be much more than grammar drills and translation exercises.

Learning activities should balance listening, speaking, reading and writing. In the beginning, the curriculum emphasizes listening and speaking. Later, the emphasis on and reading and writing increases.

Students should actively participate in tasks and projects.

The curriculum should be based on fields of experience or “themes” that consider the learners’ life experiences, intellectual development, and interests. The curriculum should also integrate learning about Francophone culture, with an emphasis on French-speaking Canada, especially in the beginning. Teachers should encourage students to think about ethnic diversity and stereotypes. Programs should also include student reflection on their learning, self-and peer-evaluation, and strategies to enrich learning and communication.

4.What will my child be able to “do” in French?

You might ask yourself this when deciding on an FSL program, or you may wonder if your child is meeting the program’s objectives.

Many studies show that most Basic French students meet the objectives set for them. Speaking skills have sometimes been reported below expectations. Research also shows Basic French students generally have positive attitudes toward the French language, French-speaking people, and learning French. Current research does not describe what students are able to do in French, because program objectives were not designed to describe student performance when this research was done. Now most provinces and territories in Canada have articulated these expectations for Basic French.

5.Why Basic French – why not another language?

Ideally, students would learn a variety of the languages alive in Canada’s diverse communities. Sadly, language education is not valued as highly in Canada as it is in Europe, for example, where students commonly study three or four languages.

For many reasons, it makes most sense for French to be the second language taught in most Canadian schools:

French is one of our official languages, spoken by approximately 9 million Canadians and more than 250 million people world-wide.
Teacher-training programs are established for teachers of French, but for few other languages.
There is an infrastructure for French: teacher organizations, parent support, and advocacy groups, for instance.
Resources are readily available for Basic French programs.
Federal funding enhances the program’s potential.
Many jobs in Canada require French-speaking skills.

6.How can I help my Basic French child?

Even if you don’t speak French, or aren’t confident in your rusty skills, you can help.
Try some of these ideas:

Establish rapport with the Basic French teacher. Make an effort to talk with him or her at parent interviews.
Ask your child what he or she enjoys about Basic French. Focus on the positive!
Buy, rent, or borrow French books, magazines, videos, and software that interest your child.
Watch French TV with your child. Remind yourself and your child that it is not crucial to understand every word.
Tune the radio to a local French station, and let it play in the background at breakfast or in the evening.
Take a French course to refresh your old skills or to start from scratch – if your child can do it, you can too!
Encourage participation in French extracurricular activities: school clubs, public speaking, summer camps.
Talk to adolescents about the careers opened up by knowing French
Around grade 7 or 8, or when Basic French becomes optional, encourage your child to keep a positive attitude towards French class.
Read to your child in English to help him or her develop a love of language.

Intensive French FAQ's

As a parent, do I have to know French?
What can I do to help if I don’t know French?
Will my child have a lot of homework to do?
What happens to the skill level in English?
What happens to other subjects?
How is language taught?
Will the teacher speak French all the time?
What happens if my child cannot keep up with the French?
What happens if my child already has difficulty in school?
How is Intensive French different from Basic French and Immersion?
Has Intensive French been offered in areas where there are immersion programs?
What will my child be able to do in French? What level of French will my child attain?
What are the proven “benefits” of Intensive French?
What happens in the non intensive semester?
Will the report card be the same, or different, for French?
What will happen in the other grades after the Intensive French program?
How many students have dropped out of Intensive French?
Is Intensive French new? How did it get started?

Answers

1.As a parent, do I have to know French?

No, it is not necessary for you to know French.

2.What can I do to help if I don’t know French?

You can support your child by listening to him/her read in French, watching TV in French, etc. It is important that he/she knows that you are encouraging him/her to learn French.

3.Will my child have a lot of homework to do?

No. Much of the activity in the classroom is oral. Homework consists generally of completing a written work already started in class, reading books, listening to appropriate TV or radio programs and organizing or collecting materials for projects. Of course, the usual homework will be assigned in mathematics and any other subjects that still may be taught in English. In the non-Intensive semester, homework will follow the normal pattern.

4.What happens to the skill level in English?

As indicated by research, there will be no negative effect on the skill level in English because literacy skills can be transferred from one language to another. In fact, provincial assessment results show that students in Intensive French score higher on the tests than students who have not participated in Intensive French.

5.What happens to other subjects?

Even if time is reduced in some other subjects, such as science and social studies, results achieved are the same. Many cognitive processes are similar in French and in other subject areas (example: problem solving, hypothesis testing, etc.) and can be transferred from French to the other subjects.

6.How is language taught?

Language is taught through using it in authentic situations. Activities are centered on a theme that has been selected in accordance with the interests of the students (my family, hobbies, etc.). The children work together to complete projects related to the theme, for example, surveying music preferred by their classmates.

The children learn language orally first, using correct forms and structures. In this way they build an internal grammar that guides them to construct sentences. This internal grammar is necessary for them to be able to speak accurately and fluently. Once writing activities are introduced, attention is given to the aspects of written language that they must know in order to write accurately, for example, verb forms, number and gender agreements, spelling, etc. Thus, children learn the external aspects of grammar in the context of learning how to write what they can say.

7.Will the teacher speak French all the time?

Yes. English will be used by the teacher for the first day or two at the beginning of Intensive French program. The rest of the time, the teacher will speak French.

8.What happens if my child cannot keep up with the French?

Keeping up with the French is not a problem. The approach is one that appeals to the concept of multiple intelligences, and the teacher uses many different learning strategies to ensure that all children are participating in the learning process.

9.What happens if my child already has difficulty in school?

- with core French?

Intensive French is a new approach to the teaching of French which is based on authentic communication and the development of literacy skills. The teacher models the language for the children, and engages them in conversations about themselves, using the structures and vocabulary she has used. In this way, children develop language competence through use. The children do not need to analyze the language and there are no aspects that have to be ‘learned’ or memorized. This makes the learning of the language much easier, particularly for those students who have difficulties with academic learning.

- with English?

Results in all provinces have shown that children experiencing difficulty in English are able to cope successfully with the Intensive French program, and in most cases, improve their English language skills as well. This improvement is due to the increased time spent on literacy development, in addition to the chance to re-learn strategies necessary for reading and writing successfully.

Students with special needs are able to see themselves as “good” students, at least compared to other students in French at the same, or even at a higher, grade level. This perception contributes to the development of a significant degree of self-esteem and self-confidence, important factors contributing to success in learning. There is much use of project activities which enables students of varying levels of ability to work together to achieve the learning goals.

10.How is Intensive French different from:

- Core French?

In Intensive French, teaching the language is based on the way English is taught in the primary grades, that is, on a literacy approach. Children use the language to speak, read and write what they want to say, to create with the language. They can more easily see the practical value of learning a second language because they are able to use French to communicate. In the regular Core French classroom, the children do not have enough time to use the language enough to be able to internalize it.

- Immersion?

In French Immersion, children learn subjects, such as mathematics, science or social studies, in French. Children are doing two things at once; they are learning French at the same time as they are learning a subject. In Intensive French, no school subject is taught in the second language. The focus is on the learning of the second language.

11.Has Intensive French been offered in areas where there are immersion programs?

Yes. The objectives of the programs are different and the expectations for the French language development of the children are not the same.

12.What will my child be able to do in French? What level of French will my child attain?

At the end of the school year, children will be able to carry on a conversation in French on topics related to their age and interests with spontaneity, read short stories in French, grasping the general idea, as well as simple articles in newspapers or magazines at an appropriate age and interest level. They will also be able to write one or two paragraphs, for instance, write a short narrative story, reply to a letter from a friend, and write messages to people of their own age, asking questions and giving information.

Program results have been tested in seven provinces. In general, children are able to attain a level of at least Basic Low on the New Brunswick Middle School interview scale and write a composition similar to Quebec francophones at the grade 3 level. Usually, this means that the students are able to use French at the same level as those students who have followed a Core French program to the end of grade 9 or 10.

13.What are the proven “benefits” of Intensive French?

Children increase their literacy skills in both French and English. They are able to communicate in speaking and writing with considerable fluency and accuracy in French. They develop a more positive attitude towards French, and there is an increase in their motivation. In addition, the Intensive French program is an overall enhancement of the regular school experience: children increase their level of self-esteem and self-confidence, their overall responsibility for learning and become more autonomous learners.

14.What happens in the non intensive semester?

During the non intensive semester, the children go back to their regular curriculum, including regular periods for French. However, in many cases these periods are longer, or are blocked together. In these periods, the children continue with the same kind of learning activities they have used in the intensive program, including working in groups and project activities. The emphasis is still on communicating in French, and because the children are already able to speak spontaneously in French, they can do much more than is normally accomplished in a Core French program.

15.Will the report card be the same, or different, for French?

The report card for Intensive French will be different. The first report card will give progress for French, mathematics and any other subject that are being taught in English (art, music, physical education). For French, it will be like the English language report card, with results given for all four language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. The second report card will also be similar, as the students have only just begun their work in English, or it may be delayed till somewhat after the non-intensive semester is under way. In the non-intensive semester an assessment will be given for all the subjects in the manner that is usually followed by the school.

16.What will happen in the other grades after the Intensive French program?

There are two options. The first is called le français approfondi, which means that students will follow a program that continues the same kind of learning activities and teaching strategies as those used in Intensive French; however, periods of French will be blocked, so that children have French for one to two hours twice a week. The second is called le français intégré, which means that students will study French and one other subject in French; these two subjects will be blocked together so that the students maintain an intensive exposure to French in the school day. The option chosen depends on the province or the school district.

17.How many students have dropped out of Intensive French?

Out of 7,281 children who have participated in Intensive French up to March 2006, a very small number (perhaps 5 or 6) have dropped out of the program. Children generally enjoy the experience, feel that they are making progress and are able to communicate in French.

18.Is Intensive French new? How did it get started?

It started in 1998 in Newfoundland and Labrador, although there was a previous experiment in Montreal area in the 1970’s. It was introduced in order to improve the core French program. It began as a three-year research project undertaken by Dr. Joan Netten, Memorial University of Newfoundland, and Dr. Claude Germain, Université du Québec à Montréal in four schools in two school districts, one urban and one rural. In 2003 it became an official option for French in the province.