EXTENDED FRENCH Grade 5 to Grade 12

1. EXTENDED FRENCH Grade 5 to Grade 12 DUFFERIN-PEEL CDSB

2. National History of French Immersion and Extended French • Immersion programs in Canadian English-language school systems began in the mid 1960s in the Montreal area. • French Immersion and Extended French enrolment in Ontario is the highest in Canada. It constitutes approximately 50% of the Canadian immersion enrolment of 300,000. • The total elementary Extended and Immersion enrolment in Ontario has remained stable over the last several years.

3. Background • FSL is compulsory for English-language schools from Grades 4 to 8 at the elementary level. One FSL credit is compulsory for obtaining the high school diploma. • There are three types of FSL programs: core, extended, and immersion. Core French is the study of the subject French. Extended and immersion are second-language programs where French is not only taught as a subject but is also the language of instruction in one or more other subjects.

4. Differences in French Programs • School boards must offer at least Core French from Grade 4 on. All students must take FSL from grade 4 to 9. • The delivery of extended and immersion programs is optional. Boards are not mandated to offer Extended or Immersion programs. • Immersion and Extended programs replace the need for core French for students enrolled in those programs. • The difference between immersion and extended is the total number of hours of instruction. As per Ministry guidelines, Immersion has a minimum of 3600 hours and Extended has a minimum of 1260 hours by Grade 8.

5. Extended French in Dufferin-Peel • First offered in 1984, by application, starting in Grade 5. • Open to all Grade 4 students currently eligible to attend Dufferin-Peel schools. • Prior to 2002: sometimes referred to as “French Immersion” or “middle immersion.”

6. Rationale for Extended French Programs • French is one of Canada’s two official languages and one of Ontario’s two official languages of instruction. • Knowledge of a second language strengthens first-language skills. • Ability to speak two or more languages generally enhances reasoning and problem-solving, as well as creative-thinking skills. • Research shows children educated in content subjects(like science and geography) in two languages develop higher reasoning and analytical skills. • Knowledge of French provides students with an advantage in a number of careers, both in Canada and internationally.

7. Recent Dufferin-Peel EF graduates are: • Teachers in Dufferin-Peel • Employees of Federal and Provincial government (bilingual postings) • A bilingual officer with an airline • An Official French Language Monitor • Translator /Technical Writer for a Software Company • A student in Sciences at U of T • A FedEx employee who required bilingualism • A university student in France

8. Aims of Extended French Programs • To develop strong skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in French. • To be functionally bilingual by the end of Grade 12. • To provide students with an understanding of the cultures of French-speaking societies by integrating cultural study into daily language instruction.

9. Aims of Extended French Programs Students in our Extended French program attain the middle level of competency which is considered to mean that the student, after at least 2670 hours of French instruction during his/her school career can: • participate adequately in conversation; • understand radio and television news and other programs that are of personal interest; • read newspapers and books in which he/she is interested, with the occasional help of a dictionary; • demonstrate knowledge of the culture, society, customs, economy, government and institutions of a French-speaking community; • function quite well in a French-speaking community after residing in the community for a few months.

10. Program Delivery Dufferin-Peel • Dufferin-Peel program starts in Grade 5, after Grade 4 Core FSL (120 hours). • French is the language of instruction for 50% of the total hrs. of instructional time at every grade level from Grade 5 to Grade 8. • Extended French delivers 1900 hours of instruction as the language of instruction • A total of 2020 hrs. of instruction in French by the end of Grade 8. (120 hrs Gr4 + 1900 hrs Gr. 5 to 8)

11. Program continued Dufferin-Peel • The following are taught in French: Junior level: French Language Arts, Science, Social Studies Intermediate level: French Language Arts, Science,. History, Geography Plus one of the following in French: • Visual Arts • Drama • Music • Dance • Physical education

12. Program continued Dufferin-Peel • The following are taught in English: • English Language Arts • Mathematics • Religion and Family Life

13. Other Program Considerations • No provincial admission criteria in the ministry policy. • The Ministry specifies that EF is open to all students, including English as a Second Language and exceptional students. • Students should have good organizational skills as two classrooms, two teachers and more homework are the norm. Please consult the form “Is Extended French Right for my Child?”

14. Curriculum for Other Subjects Taught in French • There is no unique curriculum for subjects (other than FSL) taught in French in extended programs. • For subjects like Science or Geography, the expectations in each grade are essentially those outlined in the English-language subject curriculum documents. Learning resources provided in French follow the Ontario English language curriculum. • Students will be expected to achieve the regular English language curriculum expectations before the end of Grade 8.

15. Assessment Policy • The Achievement Chart from the Ministry policy is designed to promote province-wide consistency in assessing and evaluating students’ achievement of the expectations. • Students’ assessment of the curriculum expectations is based on four levels of achievement. Level 3 represents the “provincial standard”. • The “provincial standard” identifies a high level of achievement of the expectations. • The Dufferin-Peel Board’s Assessment policy applies for all EF students. All EQAO tests in Grade 6, 9 and 10 are written in English.

16. Eligibility at Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board • VERY IMPORTANT: In order to apply, either the child or a parent/guardian must be baptized at the time of application. • If your child (children) presently attend(s) an elementary Public school, and, one child is successful in obtaining placement in the Extended French program, all siblings must transfer to the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board. A Family can only provide tax support for either the Public or Separate School System, but not both. • If one child is successful in obtaining placement in the Extended French program, siblings may apply for flex boundaries. However, transportation is provided to students in the Extended French program only.

17. Application Process: Grade 5 entry • A completed application package is required. It must be handed in by February 21, 2017 3:00 p.m. • The completed application package will not be numbered. • The application will be date/timed to document that it was submitted prior to the deadline, and a copy given to the parent/guardian. • A copy of all applications is kept in the files of the Language Coordinator. • In the case of an application by same-age/same-grade siblings, the parent/guardian shall submit one application per sibling. • A successful placement in the French Immersion School does not guarantee placement of younger siblings in future years.

18. Description of a Complete Application Package A complete application package consists of: • A completed Application form • Documented consultation with the principal, classroom and FSL teacher, using the form : “Is Extended French Right for my Child?” This form will be available after this presentation. The student and parent/guardian also provide input. • A copy of the Grade 4 report card

19. Making a decision: Random selection process if necessary • After the deadline, the principal of the Extended French school will advise the board if the number of applications exceeds the school Grade 5 EF capacity. • Following board approved guidelines, a committee of board administrators will make the decision on whether or not to hold a random selection process, in consultation with the principal.

20. If a random selection process is not needed • In schools where the number of applications received is less than the school capacity, all students will be placed. • For one class, the capacity is 27 students. • Parents will receive a letter confirming the offer to place the student no later than six school days after the deadline. • In schools where two classes of Grade 5 are possible, the board reserves the right to cancel the second class if the total number of applications is too low.

21. Random Selection Process • A random selection process will only be held if the number of applications exceeds the places available for one class(27) or two classes (54) where approved. • The random selection process will be conducted by the EF principal at a pre-determined time and date which will be announced at the Parent Information Night. • Every application submitted by the deadline will be pulled and numbered. This is the only time that applications will be numbered. The numbering will continue until all applications have been pulled. The wait list will be set up based on this numbering. • Parents will receive a letter no later than six school days after the random selection process is completed, informing them that their child is placed or wait listed.

22. Demittance • In the event that placement in the Grade 5 Extended French program is declined, or, that the student demits from the Extended French Program at any time, the student will return to the home school. • In the event that a Grade 8 student demits from the Grade 9 Extended French program, the student will attend the secondary school for which the home school is a feeder school.

23. Transportation • The board’s transportation policy is reviewed annually. • Currently, transportation is provided to the locally designated EF school only.

24. Applications received after the deadline • Applications received after the deadline will be accepted, dated and timed and set aside. • In schools where a random selection process has taken place, late applications will be placed at the end of the wait list. • Grade 5 Extended French wait lists are in effect until November progress reports. • If places are still available, students will be placed in the EF program in Grade 5 on a first-come, first-served basis.

25. Questions?