My son will start grade 1 from september. We have heard some great feedback about french immersion program from his kindergarten teachers and we are considering to have him admitted in the program. However, none of the kids in our social circle attends french immersion, hence a bit confused. If any of your kids go to french immersion prog, can you please share your experience?
Thanks much.
Location: Western Hemisphere
Posted on: 28-03-11 15:00:38
Quote:
Originally posted by bee_g
My son will start grade 1 from september. We have heard some great feedback about french immersion program from his kindergarten teachers and we are considering to have him admitted in the program. However, none of the kids in our social circle attends french immersion, hence a bit confused. If any of your kids go to french immersion prog, can you please share your experience?
Thanks much.
My son attends JK french immersion. It's great. Lot of our neighbors' kids attend french immersion and are naturally bilingual.
Besides, when my wife asks him to speak in her mother tongue, he simply retorts and asks her to speak French
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Dimple2001
Thanks Dimple.
Did you notice any difference in reading/writing english skills compared to other kids? Also, we don't know french; does it matter in your experience (though I am not sure if you are french speaking or not)?
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Location: Western Hemisphere
Posted on: 28-03-11 21:09:28
Quote:
Originally posted by bee_g
Thanks Dimple.
Did you notice any difference in reading/writing english skills compared to other kids? Also, we don't know french; does it matter in your experience (though I am not sure if you are french speaking or not)?
We don't know French. However, at JK level, whatever my son knows, we are able to pick up although we are unable to pronounce as naturally as he does.
If you are asking whether being in French immersion creates a degradation in english skills, my answer is no based on my son's JK level. I seriously doubt kids will pick up french at the cost of english since they are sponges at these ages and can take in lots more than what we given them credit.
My son can only say words and sentences in French. He cannot write. However, he can write quite a bit in English..mostly because, we coach him at home.
I don't think it matters that you do not know French. However, at higher grades, you will not be able to coach your child as much you wish or can in English.
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Dimple2001
My child is in Grade 5 French immersion. Neither my husband or I know French.
My child manages her studies by herself and her school has provided us with input on how we can help her by structuring her time and providing access to other supplementary resources (library books, French tv programs etc).
The program is targeted at families where the parents are not French (though many of the parents do know French). As with any subject the child benefits when the parents are able to help, though that does not mean that the child cannot do very well on their own. If you can live with your child performing to the extent that he/she can on his/her own merit, then French immersion is a great program.
Also, apart from year one (which is entirely in French), in year 2 onwards the subjects are split between French and English. So, for example in year 5 my child has French language, Sciences and Social Sciences taught in French while English and Math classes are conducted in English. We personally really like the program and would recommend it to anyone who would like their child to know another language. Even if the child completes elementary school in French Immersion they will have a great language advantage if you decide to shift him/her to an English medium school for middle and high school.
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Wonderful. Thanks a lot guys. Really helpful.
