The Benefits of French Immersion Program
Give your child the advantages that come with being bilingual. Enroll your child in French Immersion.
Why not offer your child the advantages of Canada’s world-renowned French Immersion programs? The advantages go beyond learning both of Canada’s official languages. Being bilingual opens doors and produces excellent students and creative thinkers.
Being bilingual is a choice – why not give your child the advantages that come with being bilingual?
Becoming Bilingual …
- Is Easy and for Everyone
Immersion students master French in the same way that they learned English. The process is so natural because French is used as the language of instruction and as a means of communication.
Students learning in French immersion are being taught the same curriculum as if they were in an English program. No special skills are required. Children with all types of academic ability can succeed in French immersion, not just above average students. Every student can have the same opportunity and the advantage is that they all have the potential to become bilingual.
- Improves Your English
Learning subjects in French does not interfere with English language development. In fact, it improves it.
Research shows that learning a second language has a positive effect on first language achievement. Immersion students match and often exceed the English skills of other students by grade 4 or 5, even through they usually start reading and writing in French first.
English language skills are also strengthened and maintianed because students spend the vast majority of time communicating in English with family and friends.
- Fosters Excellent Students… Excellent Communicators
Students with two languages can focus more on meaning and pick out the most relevant points from information provided. They are better able to communicate their thoughts and express themselves and can answer open-ended questions more easily than those with only one language.
Bilingual people are also more sensitive to communication and are better able to understand and respond to the needs of others. Their exposure to another culture makes them respectful of differences, and allows them to communicate effectively with people of diverse backgrounds.
- Offers an Edge
Thousands of businesses in Canada operate in more than one lanugae and the numbers are growing. In today’s global economy, those who are bilingual can choose from a wider range of national and international jobs that require employees with second language skills. The Government of Canada alone has about 67,000 bilingual jobs.
- How You Can Help
The French Immersion program is designed for children of non-French speaking parents. Even if you don’t speak French, you can still make your child’s French language experience positive.
Be supportive and enthusiastic. Research shows that students whose parents have positive attitudes toward French do better in Immersion programs.
Keep in mind that skills learned in French are transferred to English, and skills learned in English are transferred to French! Read to your children in English or French, encourage them to write, and introduce them to word games like crossword puzzles, word searches and Scrabble.
Help your child to use French outside of the classroom! Watch French TV and DVDs, borrow or buy French books, and choose activities in French like plays, courses and sport activities.
- How We Can Help
Canadian Parents for French was established in 1977 by a group of parents whose goal was to promote and create French language learning opportunities for young Canadians. Currently CPF has more than 25,000 members from over 185 chapters, and supported by 11 provincial/territorial branch offices and a National office.
CPF sponsors summer camps, extra- and co-curricular activities, and cultural activities for French language students designed to support their French education. CPF provides information on resources and support materials for parents and students at all stages!