CANADIAN PARENTS FOR FRENCH

IMMERSION EN ACTION

Nathalie Dunn

French Immersion Learning Leader

William Aberhart High School

Falling into French Canmore, Alberta

2015

1540 students 770 in French Immersion program 178 in Spanish Bilingual program

592 in English program

Fact – In 2002 The FI program had under 400 students register.

OUR French Immersion VISION @ ABE

French Immersion students have the opportunity to create their

learning experiences that are:

ü  connected ü  flexible ü  successful ü  personalized ü  relevant

WHAT DOES IMMERSION DO ? ü  It allows students to interact in French with confidence ü  It makes a student proud to be bilingual ü  It allows students to complete several subjects while

learning French ü  It gives students an opportunity to continue post-

secondary study and to continue to improve the French language.

ü  Bilash 2003: « In other words, output activities should be: interactive, creative,

personal and spontaneous - developing automaticity »

AUTHENTIC !

THE CULTURE

A culture = the way people live

The teaching, the integration and the comprehension of the French culture throughout the language acquisition

are KEY for a successful French Immersion program.

POURQUOI en FRANÇAIS?

French Immersion enables students to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to communicate in French in a variety of contexts

like school, travel, leisure and job related.

Approximately 300 million people around the world speak French as their primary or second

language and it is spoken in 68 states and governments around the world.

Researcher Jim Cummins says :

o Students achieve a high level of functional fluency in French by the end of Grade 12.

o No detrimental effects on students’ English language skills have been found in studies of late immersion. In fact, some research tends to suggest that first language skills are enhanced by second language study.

o Immersion students do as well as their English-program counterparts in subject areas.

o There is a positive association between second language learning and academic development.

French Immersion Program @ ABE

¢ Students are expected to make the commitment to remain in the program for the three years in high school. @ ABE we have OPTIONS !

¢ Students decision to continue in Immersion should be based on the student’s achievement and motivation in the continuing junior high or late Immersion program.

French Immersion Program @ ABE

¢ Speaking French at all times in all classes where French is the language of instruction.

¢ Aberhart has many resources and options in place to help students with their success.

¢ Students enrolled in FI will follow a FI learning tool process before being considered for a program transfer.

LEARNING TOOLS ¢ Guidance – learning profile ¢ Learning Center – learning strategist ¢ Career Center ¢ Math, Social Studies & FLA teachers

�  Questions: �  Tutorials �  Peer tutoring �  Level of course �  Completion center

¢ Certificate or Letter …

French Immersion Courses

¢  French Language Arts (FLA) : 10-1, 20-1, 30-1 & 20-2, 30-2

¢  Études sociales: 10-1F, 20-1F, 30-1F & 20-2F, 30-2F

¢  Mathématiques: 10CF, 20-1F, 30-1F & 20-2F, 30-2F ¢  Mathématiques Advanced Placement: 10CFAP, 20-1FAP, 30-1FAP ¢  Mathématiques: *31F (*for a 50 credits CBE certificate)

Math 31F cannot be substituted for any 30 level FI courses.

é Enrolment = é Options

TRANSITION FROM JR. HIGH ¢ Year-round è semester system fast pace

¢ é University requirement

¢ é Anxiety – mental illness

¢ Struggling in 1 subject

¢ Transition within a program of studies (K-12)

¢ Sciences, options, arts…

¢ Myths …

BUT MOM…!!! ¢  I have been in Immersion for the last 7 years, I

can already speak French…

¢  If I switch out of Immersion, it will be easier and my marks will improve …

¢ My friends are not in my class. If I switch to the regular steam, I will be with them…

¢  I will be going to university in English and I won’t manage if I learn classes like math in French…

http://www.fsj.ualberta.ca/fred/

CBE - CERTIFICAT DE COMPÉTENCES EN IMMERSION

FRANÇAISE Students need 45 crédits

ê 15 FLA + 15 Études sociales + 15 Math.

ê 375 hours of instructions per year for 3 years

= 1125 à 1250 heures +

Distinction = 80% or higher in all courses 50 credits = Math 31

CBE - CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT IN FRENCH

IMMERSION ¢ Aberhart recognizes all French Immersion students

and their certificate/letter at the Aberhart grade 12 graduation spring ceremony.

¢ Could a Provincial body, like CPF, also recognize French Immersion students ?

2014-2015 @ ABE

Over 500 students graduated with a HS diploma

225 students graduated with the CBE FI certificate

65 students with distinction (average of 80% or more

in the 9 FI courses)

35 students with 50 credits

15 students with a school letter

Aberhart is proud to celebrate 34 years of French Immersion !!!

Explore – 16 yrs. Rencontre du Canada

(14 to17 yrs). YMCA jeunesse– 16 to 17 yrs.

Alberta - Québec – summer/work exchange

OSEF – Organisme Séjours Éducatifs Français

Immersion en action !!!

EXCHANGE OPPORTUNITIES

Le Passeport francophile invite les

étudiants à parler français et à découvrir, dans des contextes variés et stimulants, la richesse culturelle de la

francophonie.

The Passeport francophile gives our students a doorway for authentic

cultural experiences.

The Passeport is also a learning tool for parents !

PASSEPORT FRANCOPHILE

It connects the community and making the language a reality !

ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES

IMMERSION EN ACTION

¢  Monthly “Superstar certificate” in all FI subjects

¢  Immersion en action: cabane à sucre, restaurants, fabrication de Macarons, Film (1 vendredi par mois), invités, visite des Jr high…

¢  DELF B1 et B2

¢  French Advanced Placement

¢  CBE International Certificate

¢  Partnership with an international DELF school in the Netherlands where the common language is French

POST SECONDARY IN FRENCH

¢  Representatives of French Faculties from diverse Universities across Canada come and speak to the students about their options with post-secondary French education.

Most Canadian Universities have a French

department, center and offer enticing bursaries!

PARTNERSHIPS

Maurick College, Vught, Netherland (DELF)

Université de Calgary - Centre Français

Université d’Alberta – Campus Saint Jean

Canadian Parents for French - Chapitre Calgary

All of the sponsors for the Passeport francophile !!!

WHAT CAN DO DO TO HELP ? ¢ Watch the news, magazines, movies, music, singing

in French.

¢  Invest in French learning tools (Antidote).

¢ Encourage your child to participate to French activities = Immersion en action.

¢ Use social media in French…

¢ Make sure your child has a balanced schedule = 1 or 2 French class each semester.

¢ Encourage your child to participate in an exchange, home-stay & summer programs etc…

DOES IT WORK ? ¢ There is no doubt that in the short term, the French

Immersion is a very successful program.

¢  In the long term, it is only successful if the student finds a purpose to the language, an intrinsic motivation to continue studying, travelling or working with the French Language.

¢  It is why Immersion en action is the KEY to not only retain students in their high school FI program but it is equally important that all along their journey in FI. Students will adopt the language and culture into their daily life while being confident of their competencies, proud to be bilingual and motivated to speak French whenever one desire.

FROM COMMUNICATIVE TO

ACTION-ORIENTED APPROACH ¢ An approach focusing on the task:

�  Activer – Acquérir - ancrer

¢ Linguistic competency: �  PO – CO – PE – CE – IO (Blog) – IE (Google doc)

¢ Key role in the evaluation : student will….

¢ Communicative activities: �  Receptive – productive - interactive - mediate

¢ Strategies focusing on the process ¢  Intercultural awareness

Dr. Enrica Picardo http://www.curriculum.org/fsl/accueil

LA TIRADE DU NEZ CYRANO DE BERGERAC

WHY continue in FI ? ¢ Learning one language is not enough. ¢ French & English are the only languages spoken

on all five continents. ¢ A career asset. ¢ An introduction to an incomparable cultural

universe. ¢ A language for studying abroad or travel. ¢ A language for higher education. ¢ The other language of international relation. ¢ A language that opens up the world.

…WHY continue in FI ? ¢ A language of reasoning and debate. ¢ A high standard of teaching. ¢ A creative language. ¢ Many exchange opportunities. ¢ A language for learning other languages. ¢ A unique linguistic diversity in today’s globalized

world. ¢ The language of love and reason …

WHY NOT?

What does a FRENCH IMMERSION PROGRAM

gives you ? “ It gives you mobility. It gives you flexibility.

It gives you a whole other way of seeing things, Two attitudes,

Two approaches.” John Ralston Saul

REPORTAGE

Français et/and English : Une histoire de dualité

QUESTIONS

NATHALIE DUNN NRDUNN@CBE.AB.CA

MORE ON JIM CUMMINS' RESEARCH