callysykes

Hi

we are moving to Vancouver mid Jan and our eldest son will be due to start school in Sep 2016. I'm interested if anyone has any perspective of the pros and cons of French Immersion Schooling?

Also anyone out there who lives in the North Burnaby area have any recommendations on good schools or any to avoid?

x

Tirytory

When do they start French Immersion there? My daughter has just started the French component in SK... Are you planning to stay for ever or just a few years? That would influence my decision too as French will leave a lag in their English language reading/writing for a few years to come..

Oink

Beware that people here use French immersion programs as a way of avoiding special needs, aboriginal or ESL children, thus spaces are competitive. If they were my children I’d try an enrichment program that focuses on computer science or at the very least one that uses a STEAM curriculum. IMO, modeling and programming literacies are going to be far more valuable than French.

Tirytory

What about the value of a second language on children's ability to learn? And are we supposing that our children will be programming in English alone? We chose it to widen her choices when older, of course if it was actively harming her studies then of course we would discontinue and swap to English alone.

Stinkypup

I've learnt something today- I read about the Steam curriculum- sounds sensible- more technology based-
On a lighter side I'm just worried about possible Steam immersion- it might not end well!
Re French immersion- I'm not sure French is the most useful language to add to the repertoire - no doubt I will get shot down for that opinion- Spanish/Mandarin/Cantonese or Japanese would be more useful I feel. Youngest pup learning Japanese online on a course weirdly based in Prince George..

Oink

You're right in a sense. The brain research seems to suggest that children who grow up in bilingual households benefit but there is little to no evidence that will occur in a language immersion program alone. In fact while many children can manage fairly well, it can be detrimental to some. The children that struggle, often go back into mainstream but do so at a disadvantage to other children and most never really catch up. Point being, FI won't hurt most children, especially those with a lot parental support but there's little evidence other than social capital, that it is advantageous to their development. If it were me, I’d use extra curricula tutoring for a second language rather than put my child in to a specific language program.

Alan2005

tbf, that probably does come in quite handy from time to time.

Oink

It is, although I was thinking more from the adult point of view.

dbd33

Is one of you fluent in French? I think attending school in French in Canada was hugely successful for my children but their Mother had been a school teacher in a francophone country; she was competent to deal with homework and such.

rivingtonpike

I'm not a fan of FI personally. I think there are enough challenges facing children in the learning process as it is without making them do it in a second language. me or mine.here on the west coast absolutely nothing socially or business-wise is conducted in French. I would rather my kids concentrated on their maths and English, science etc in a language they already understand. By all means learn as many languages as you like or are capable of, but to have your schooling entirely taught in a second language? Not for me or mine.

dbd33

I don't think that's quite true. My daughter mooted in French for UBC (a university in Vancouver) and, in Vancouver, works in French from time to time. You may as well say that nothing is conducted in Portuguese, it certainly is, but unless you speak Portuguese, you've no reason to know.

scrubbedexpat091

Does she work for the feds?

Feds seem to be the only ones doing much in French in these parts.





More people speak the following in BC according to Stats Canada then French and probably wiser to learn one or more of these if doing business in the Lower Mainland especially.

Panjabi (Punjabi)
Cantonese
Chinese,
Mandarin
German
Tagalog (Pilipino, Filipino)

http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-re...Lang=Eng&GC=59

dbd33

Yes, she works for the Feds. IMO there is absolutely no point in learning Punjabi and very little in learning any of the other languages listed. Canada has many people who are fluent in those languages and English.

Shirtback

My lot did this, for a short while, the other way round.

I.e. English immersion (euphemistically called the "international program" in QC).

They all hated it, & eventually all ended up back at the local Franco high school, with varying degrees of academic success. Much of the hatred stemmed from a stupidly ridiculous travel time/exclusion from activities with their local friends because of the travel time.

We even ended up homeschooling 2/3 for a while .

To cut a very long story short: my offspring's second language skills have nothing to do with their schooling/educational routes. But we are officially classed as a bilingual family, & my mistake was most likely thinking that schooling in the weaker language would help.

Quite a few years after the schooling/language débâcle, 2/3 function equally & exceptionally well in both official languages. However, I don't think [other language] immersion helped.

One can only do anything mathematical in English. T'other manages maths in both languages as long as it's very basic. Third won't even try to add 2+2 without a calculator.

One & t'other can & will dissert, at length, on any & every subject in either language, & switch at will. However, when we discussed this very subject a while ago, both said that immersion screwed them up , and they do blame parental decisions for that.

#3 ... Well, she just hates school, full stop.
I do realise we're not a typical sample .

rivingtonpike

I've dealt with the feds for many years on many levels and never ever had to do so in French. Again, learn French by all means, but to receive you education in it? I just don't get it.