French Immersion Schools
Dec 29th 2008, 9:32 pm
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 1
French Immersion Schools
Hi there,
My family will be moving to Vancouver next month. I am returning home after 28 years of living abroad. My husband and I have been living in Spain for the past 10 years and both our boys are bilingual. My 14 year old has found languages difficult so I wouldn't consider a French Immersion school for him. However, my 7 year is very good and I am thinking about sending him. My questions are: Do you need to be in a catchment area in order to go to these schools or are they private? Also do the children also learn a third language? I would love him to continue with Spanish.
Bicho (which means "Bug" in Spanish)
My family will be moving to Vancouver next month. I am returning home after 28 years of living abroad. My husband and I have been living in Spain for the past 10 years and both our boys are bilingual. My 14 year old has found languages difficult so I wouldn't consider a French Immersion school for him. However, my 7 year is very good and I am thinking about sending him. My questions are: Do you need to be in a catchment area in order to go to these schools or are they private? Also do the children also learn a third language? I would love him to continue with Spanish.
Bicho (which means "Bug" in Spanish)
Dec 30th 2008, 12:18 pm
#2
Forum Regular
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: Halifax NS
Posts: 114
Re: French Immersion Schools
Hey
Sorry I can offer no help on your question I just thought I would say that I think it’s a fantastic idea. My other half and I love going to Quebec (live in NS) and each time I come back wishing I could speak more French, since coming to Canada the amount of small children we have met who, because of parents from different parts of the world speak 2 or 3 languages is amazing. I met a 2 yr old who had a limited vocabulary but could understand English, Danish and Chinese the other day!
Hope someone can be of more help.
T
Sorry I can offer no help on your question I just thought I would say that I think it’s a fantastic idea. My other half and I love going to Quebec (live in NS) and each time I come back wishing I could speak more French, since coming to Canada the amount of small children we have met who, because of parents from different parts of the world speak 2 or 3 languages is amazing. I met a 2 yr old who had a limited vocabulary but could understand English, Danish and Chinese the other day!
Hope someone can be of more help.
T
Dec 30th 2008, 1:07 pm
#3
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Mar 2007
Location: Calgary
Posts: 1,898
Re: French Immersion Schools
In Alberta (and I believe it would be the same in BC) French Immersion is a program offered by the school board. I can't speak on private schools but I imagine they would offer the program as well.
Here in Calgary there are a number of schools (public and Catholic) that offer the French Immersion program. They have catchment areas but are a lot larger than the English only schools. So, you don't have to live in any specific area to take advantage of the program although you may be put on a school bus. It is open to everyone.
When our kids started school, our local community school (public) was French Immersion and being the local school was a major factor in our decision to go with French Immersion. We have moved since those days and now the local school is not French Immersion. Our kids are taking a bus now because of this. The move did not effect their ability to stay in the program.
I would recommend it. The program has been around for many years now so there is a lot of experienced teachers and administrators.
Like I said I don't have any personal experience with the program in BC but I did grow up there and my recollection of it was that kids in French Immersion didn't have to live in the community that the school was in (my school was dual track and there were kids there from other parts of the city).
Here in Calgary there are a number of schools (public and Catholic) that offer the French Immersion program. They have catchment areas but are a lot larger than the English only schools. So, you don't have to live in any specific area to take advantage of the program although you may be put on a school bus. It is open to everyone.
When our kids started school, our local community school (public) was French Immersion and being the local school was a major factor in our decision to go with French Immersion. We have moved since those days and now the local school is not French Immersion. Our kids are taking a bus now because of this. The move did not effect their ability to stay in the program.
I would recommend it. The program has been around for many years now so there is a lot of experienced teachers and administrators.
Like I said I don't have any personal experience with the program in BC but I did grow up there and my recollection of it was that kids in French Immersion didn't have to live in the community that the school was in (my school was dual track and there were kids there from other parts of the city).
Dec 30th 2008, 3:46 pm
#4
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Dec 2007
Location: Calgary
Posts: 2,092
Re: French Immersion Schools
rwin is right about Calgary.
My daughter goes to French immersion and loves it. Her class is much smaller too.
My daughter goes to French immersion and loves it. Her class is much smaller too.
Dec 30th 2008, 6:44 pm
#5
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2007
Location: British Columbia
Posts: 105
Re: French Immersion Schools
I'm an elementary school teacher in BC, but not a French Immersion one. As far as I know, in most school districts, French Immersion programs are a choice program (like Fine Arts) and therefore do not rely on a catchment area like regular elementary schools do. Therefore, you'll be able to attend a French Immersion program at a school that is outside of your local community. At least this is true in the school district I work in and the ones I'm familiar with. As such programs can vary between school districts, I suggest contacting the school district you plan to live in and asking them the registration specifics. This handy map will help you to identify the school district you'll be in:
BC School Districts Map
A warning though - as a choice program, it can be competitive to register. In my school district, there is a specific registration date for all new applicants to the French Immersion program. This is usually in early spring for the following September in-take. Parents show up early in the morning (some even camp overnight) to guarantee their children a registration spot. However, just being early isn't enough to guarantee a spot - siblings of current French Immersion students have priority. All positions are always filled by the end of that one registration date. So when you contact your school district for registration details, ask them about the dates, times and locations.
School districts usually offer early and late French Immersion programs. Early French Immersion starts in kindergarten or grade one. Late French Immersion usually starts between grade 5-7, depending on the school district.
A few years ago, I heard of an elementary school in Vancouver that was piloting a Spanish Immersion program. I have no idea whether the school is still doing this, but I'm sure a quick search could turn up more details. As for other languages in the classroom, a lot depends on the school and/or teacher. For example, I teach my students some Japanese because I lived there for several years. The parents and students both love it.
BC School Districts Map
A warning though - as a choice program, it can be competitive to register. In my school district, there is a specific registration date for all new applicants to the French Immersion program. This is usually in early spring for the following September in-take. Parents show up early in the morning (some even camp overnight) to guarantee their children a registration spot. However, just being early isn't enough to guarantee a spot - siblings of current French Immersion students have priority. All positions are always filled by the end of that one registration date. So when you contact your school district for registration details, ask them about the dates, times and locations.
School districts usually offer early and late French Immersion programs. Early French Immersion starts in kindergarten or grade one. Late French Immersion usually starts between grade 5-7, depending on the school district.
A few years ago, I heard of an elementary school in Vancouver that was piloting a Spanish Immersion program. I have no idea whether the school is still doing this, but I'm sure a quick search could turn up more details. As for other languages in the classroom, a lot depends on the school and/or teacher. For example, I teach my students some Japanese because I lived there for several years. The parents and students both love it.
