French Immersion is the program of studies in which French is the language of instruction for a significant part of the school day. All subjects are taught in French (except the formal study of English). French Immersion is designed for students whose first language is not French. The objective is full mastery of the English language, functional fluency in French, as well as an understanding and appreciation of French culture.
The French Immersion program is open to all children. Students of all abilities can be successful in the program. Generally, children begin the program in Kindergarten or Grade 1. However, students may be permitted to enter the program in later elementary grades if they show an interest in French and are motivated to learn.
In a typical French Immersion Kindergarten classroom, the teacher speaks French most of the time, using repetition and role modeling. The children may respond in English.
Children learn to be good listeners, paying close attention to the teacher’s gestures, movements, intonation and expressions.
Between the first day of Kindergarten and about the middle of Grade 1, the child’s language skills evolve from listening to understanding, to responding with words and phrases, to being able to carry on a simple conversation.
Students do not just study the language, but use it in meaningful ways.
Students who complete the French Immersion Program are allowed to challenge the French 10, 20, and 30 exams, receiving high school credits when successful.
Cognitive development: Bilingualism strengthens brain function, improving skills like problem-solving and critical thinking. The mental practice of learning vocabulary and grammar exercises memory, which can benefit learning in other subjects as well. Bilingual individuals are also often better at switching between tasks, thanks to the mental flexibility gained from managing two languages.
Academic achievement: Studies show that students who learn a second language often perform better on standardized tests in reading, math, and vocabulary. Learning a new language reinforces grammar, vocabulary, and language structure in their first language, too.
Career advantages: Bilingualism is highly valued in today’s global job market, offering more career options and higher earning potential. Thousands of industries and organizations operate in more than one language, such as travel, hospitality, import/export, as well as the public service sector. All of these areas require and value linguistic and intercultural skills afforded by having learned other languages. Those who have fluency in other languages have access to more opportunities, face less competition for roles, and earn higher wages. A 2010 study at Guelph University found that bilinguals earned on average between 3.8% (males) and 6.6% (females) more than their unilingual counterparts. (Harris, P. (2015) Thinkopolis VII: How Relevant is bilingualism to your career in Canada in 2015? Workopolis, Toronto)
Cultural awareness: Learning a new language deepens understanding and appreciation of other cultures, making students more open-minded and globally aware. Knowing a second language also makes travel more enjoyable and accessible, allowing for deeper connections with people in other countries. Within the Aspen View French Immersion program, students have the opportunity to participate in cultural experiences such as French language field trips, la tire d’erable (making maple sugar taffy), and the annual Grade 9 trip to Quebec.
Self-confidence: Mastering a second language provides a sense of accomplishment and can improve self-confidence, especially in social and academic settings.
Enhanced communication skills: Learning a second language improves listening and speaking skills, including in one’s first language. Second language students typically read, write and speak their first language better than their single-language counterparts. This can lead to better overall communication abilities.
Social Connections: The number of students in each grade of French Immersion is usually fairly small, so students typically remain classmates from the time they enter the program, right through Grade 9, building friendships that can last a lifetime. At the same time, Aspen View’s Athabasca school are all ‘dual track’ (offering both English and French Immersion), which provide a balanced language learning approach that supports academic success and social integration. Students collaborate on projects, share spaces, and engage in English Language Arts classes, promoting interaction with English-speaking peers. Special events enhance cross-cultural understanding and friendships. This combination of language immersion and English instruction creates a supportive environment for developing strong language skills and valuable social connections.
Generally, children begin the program in Kindergarten or Grade 1. However, students may be permitted to enter the program in later grades at WHPS if they show an interest in French and are motivated to learn.
Yes. French Immersion follows the same curriculum as the English program. Only the language of instruction is different.
French immersion teachers know that many parents don’t understand the target language. You can help make your child’s language-learning experience positive and lasting by being supportive and enthusiastic. Research shows that students whose parents have positive attitudes towards the target language do better in French immersion programs.
Remember that most skills learned in the first language are transferred to the second (or third). Read to your children in English, encourage English writing, and introduce English-language word games like crossword puzzles, word searches, Scrabble and Password. Provide opportunities to use the target language outside of the classroom: borrow or buy books and videos, find educational websites, watch second-language TV with your child, and expose your child to second-language events and activities like cultural/ community events, sports activities, summer/weekend immersive experiences, etc.
Research suggests that learning French does not have a negative impact on English skills. In fact, studies have shown that children in French Immersion programs perform comparably to their peers in English-only programs in areas like English phonological awareness, word reading, and reading comprehension. While first-language English speakers may have a slight advantage in English vocabulary, English learners in immersion programs demonstrate significant growth in this area.
Researchers have found that diverse learners (including those with lower academic ability or particular learning needs) in French immersion perform at the same level as diverse learners in the English program on English language and academic achievement tests, and some actually outperform them on second-language tests.
Reviews of research studies found that French immersion students met or exceeded English program students’ performance in mathematics and science, and provincewide assessments in three Canadian provinces found that, at Grades 6, 8, and 10, respectively, French immersion students did as well as or achieved at a significantly higher level than those in the regular program.
Aspen View Public Schools gratefully acknowledges the following for providing content for this webpage:
French Immersion Regional Alliance and Network for Central Alberta (FRANCA)
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