French as a Second Language Programs
Core French
 French language instruction
Immersion
 French
is the language of
instruction
 % of total instructional time:
 Minutes per week:
Grades 1-3
= 160
Grades 4-5
= 200
Grades 6-8
= 160
Grades 1-3
= 85%
Grades 4-8
= 50%
 Early entry: grade 1
 Early entry: grade 1
 Available in both elementary
 Available in elementary with a
and secondary
secondary pathway in place
French Immersion Classroom
Program Delivery
Grade
1-3
French
English
Language
Religion
Mathematics
Physical Education
Science
Social Studies
Arts
4–8
Science
Religion
Social Studies
Family Life
Physical Education
Math
(Health/Dance)
Music
Arts
Language
Curriculum:
For Subjects Taught in French
 Students will be taught the Ontario Curriculum
 Expectations in each grade are as outlined in the English-language
subject curriculum documents
 Learning resources provided in French align with the Ontario
English language curriculum.
 Students will be expected to achieve the English language
curriculum expectations before the end of Grade 8
 Assessment and Evaluation of students is consistent with Board
procedures and practices for all students
Is the French Immersion Program
right for my child?
Research suggests that children who are
successful in French Immersion are:
 Risk takers
 Interested in learning
 Attending school regularly
 Positive in their attitude toward school
 Able to communicate well verbally in their first language
 Able to read at grade level or beyond
 Effective listeners
 Capable of good memory skills
Application Process
1. All students interested in the French Immersion program must
apply online by completing and submitting the YCDSB French
Immersion on-line application form at www.ycdsb.ca by February
4th, 2015. If you are experiencing any difficulty accessing the online application, please contact the school.
2. In the placement process, student applications will be prioritized
as follows:
• Siblings of students presently in the French Immersion program
• Students within the English school boundary of the French
immersion school
• Students within the school’s French Immersion boundary
• Students outside of the French Immersion boundary but within the
York Region.
Application Process
1. If the number of applications exceeds the number of available
openings, a public lottery process will be conducted here at 5:00
p.m. on February 10th, 2015.
2. Approved applicants will be notified by the school between
February 13th – 17th, 2015.
5. Approved applicants must register at the school no later than
February 24th, 2015, to confirm their child’s placement.
Top 10 Frequently
Asked Questions
YORK CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOLBOARD :: Collaborative Learning Inspired By Jesus
1. Why Early French Immersion (EFI)?
Research shows that Early Immersion leads to the highest
fluency in French
1. How does the French Immersion program impact student
achievement in other subjects such as mathematics?
Research indicates that the performance of French
Immersion students in other subjects is equal to the
performance of students in the English program.
1.
How do students perform on standard provincial assessments
(EQAO) in grades 3 and 6?
French Immersion schools exempt students from writing the
grade 3 EQAO test in English and write only the mathematics
section in French.
Across the province, results show that schools with French
Immersion Programs tend to exceed the provincial and board
average on the grade 6 EQAO test in English.
4.
Will my child’s English skills suffer ?
There is a certain lag in English Language Arts in
grades 1-3, specifically spelling skills in English.
However, the gap is minimized with the introduction of
English in grade 4.
5. What type of French will my child be learning?
Standard French vocabulary and structures are taught.
A variety of accents exists in all languages; during a
school career a child will probably be exposed to
teachers from various parts of the world who are
models of well-spoken, standardized French.
6. Will my child be bilingual after grade 8?
No. A young person who has completed an
elementary French Immersion Program often appears
quite comfortable and competent in the French
language. While this is expected, students are not
considered to be functionally bilingual until the end of
grade 12.
7. Is it important for someone at home to speak French?
The program is designed for children of non-French
speaking families. All communication from the school to
parents will be in English, including report cards.
8. How may I help my child with homework when I do not
speak French?
While it may be helpful, it is not necessary, for parents to
speak French. Research studies confirm that children
achieve greater academic success when parents read daily
to their child in the child’s first language.
Currently, all FSL students and parents in YCDSB have
free access to Voila’ Learning, an online French
homework help site.
9. What will happen if my child experiences
difficulties in French Immersion?
The classroom teacher will provide additional
assistance to the student. If this does not
address the difficulties, then the classroom
teacher will consult with the special education teacher,
principal, and parent to discuss a plan of support.
If special education intervention is recommended,
then the support will be delivered in English.
10. How can I learn more about French Immersion research?
The following website links provide information on French
Immersion research studies:
Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of
Toronto (OISE) Immersion Education for the Millennium:
What We Have Learned from 30 Years of Research on
Second Language Immersion by Jim Cummings
http://www.carla.umn.edu/cobaltt/modules/strategies/
CUMMINS/cummins.pdf
University of Michigan:
http://sitemaker.umich.edu/356.hess/research_on_frenchimmersion_programs