French Immersion Education in Prairie South School Division

French immersion programs in Canada are educational programs in which a child, whose first language is not French, studies in French at school. Research has shown that French immersion is the most effective way for a child to become functionally bilingual. French immersion programs in Canada allow students to learn French as a second language and thus master both of the country’s official languages (ACPI).

Depending on the type of program, English language arts (ELA) is introduced at different times. In French Immersion, the introduction of ELA may be in Grade 3 in order to maximize the benefits of learning French, the language of instruction in that program. Note: Due to the interdisciplinary structure of grades 1 and 2 French Immersion curricula, the required areas of study are integrated. As such, specific time allotments for each area of study are not required.

A minimum cumulative total of four credits taken in French is required for Grade 10, eight credits for Grade 11 and 12 credits for Grade 12.The 12 courses necessary for bilingual mention must include three French language arts courses (Français Immersion 10, 20, 30). The other nine credits can be obtained from courses in the remaining areas of study or electives that are taught in French.

Please refer to the Registrar’s Handbook(Sections 1.5 Time and Credit Allocations – French Immersion (Bilingual) and Frasaskois; 1.6 Areas of Study – French Immersion (Bilingual) and Fransaskois; 1.7 Electives – French Immersion (Bilingual) and Fransaskois) for additional information regarding French Immersion Programming requirements in Saskatchewan.

Benefits of Bilingualism

Bilingual brains are structured differently than unilingual brains. Bilinguals are able to stay more focused and better pinpoint relevant details in the vast amounts of information we encounter each day. The increased white matter in bilingual brains also slows down age-related memory loss.

Learning another language increases understanding of language structures, which positively influences the development of spelling, reading, and comprehension skills in the first language. A study of Grade 4 and 5 students in an immersion program also showed that they matched or outperformed their English-only program peers in core subjects such as math and science. Another study discovered that knowing two languages can help learners self-correct their mathematical errors.

Children growing up in dual-language environments may better understand a speaker’s intent by noticing verbal and non-verbal cues. Bilinguals also have an advantage in non-verbal creativity: they find unique ways of solving problems due to their experience with different linguistic and cultural frameworks. Additionally, they have a significantly higher tolerance of ambiguity, which leads to a higher tolerance for others. The cultural learning that accompanies language learning also contributes to building minds open to different values, beliefs, perspectives, and communicative practices. (Canadian Association for Second Language Teachers, “Why Learn Languages?”).