FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT GRADE 6 INTENSIVE FRENCH

- A Compilation of Answers

Is Intensive French new? How did it get started?

No. Intensive French is not new. It was fist experimented in Quebec in the 1970’s. However, for many reasons, it was not pursued. It was re-started in 1998 through a three-year research project undertaken by researchers (Dr. Joan Netten, Memorial University of Newfoundland, and Dr. Claude Germain, Université du Québec à Montréal) in two school districts in Newfoundland and Labrador, one rural and one urban, in 1998. It was introduced in order to improve the core French program. After the initial pilot in Newfoundland and Labrador was over, some maritime provinces and Saskatchewan were the first provinces to pilot the program in 2002. Since then, the program has expanded to all provinces and territories.

As parents, do we have to know French?

NO, you do not have to know French. This is a program designed for children whose families do not necessarily speak French. The best way to help your child is to support and encourage him or her in the study of French: watching TV in French, listening while the student reads a small book to you, etc. If you do not speak French, your child may become a more autonomous learner because he or she will have to call upon friends or look for other sources of help if there are problems with homework or assignments.

Will the teacher speak French all the time?

YES. The use of the English language by the teacher will only occur for a very short period of time at the beginning of the Intensive French program. During the 70% French part of the day, it is essential that students be completely immersed in the language for maximum learning.

How is language taught?

The children learn language orally first, using correct forms and structures. Grammar is taught, usually related to writing activities, where it is important that forms be spelled correctly. Activities are centered on a theme (my family, hobbies, etc.) and the children work together to complete projects relating to the theme (surveying music preferred by their classmates, etc.).

Do students have extra work to do?

NO. Students will not be expected to “do extra work” in order to “cover the curriculum”. The curriculum for the year will be carefully structured to cover all the learning outcomes without increasing the workload. This can be achieved by “integrating” learning outcomes, reducing the number activities used to attain the same learning outcome and focusing on skill transference from one subject to another 

Will my child have a lot of homework to do?

No. Much of the activity in the classroom is oral however; homework consists generally of completing a written work already started in class, reading books, listening to appropriate TV or radio programs and organizing or collecting materials for projects. Of course, the usual homework will be assigned in mathematics and all other subjects that are taught in English. In the non-Intensive semester, homework will follow the normal pattern.

What happens to Mathematics?

There will be no change in the learning of Mathematics. Students will receive the same number of hours in Math as those in the regular program. It will be taught throughout the year in English.

How is Intensive French different from Immersion?

In French immersion, students learn subjects, such as Mathematics, Science or Social Studies, in French. Students learn French while learning a subject. In Intensive French, the focus is on learning the French language. Students develop their communication skills, both oral and written, by working on themes. These themes are drawn from topics relevant to the students’ lives. No specific school subject is taught in the second language. However, many of these themes link well with areas in the grade 6 curriculum. As a result, a large number of the grade 6 process learning outcomes are covered during the intensive French period.

 In French Immersion, children learn subjects, such as mathematics, science or social studies, in French. Children are doing two things at once; they are learning French at the same time as they are learning a subject. In Intensive French, no school subject is taught in the second language. The focus is on the learning of the second language.

How is Intensive French different from the regular Core French program?

Core French is taught following a curriculum that emphasizes the ability to communicate in French through the use of themes and projects centered around the everyday experiences of students. It is the increase in intensity  and in instructional time in French which will allow students to acquire skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing which go beyond the skills acquired in a regular Core French program. Research shows that students in Intensive French develop spontaneous oral communication skills        and written skills equivalent to those of grade 3 francophone students in Quebec.

In Intensive French, the approach to teaching the language is based on the way English is taught, that is, on a first-language or language arts approach. Children use the language to speak, read and write what they

want to say, to create with the language. They can more easily see the  practical value of learning a second language because they are able to use French to communicate. In the regular Core French classroom, the children do not have enough time to use the language to communicate their ideas.

Has Intensive French been offered in areas where there are immersion programs?

Yes. The objectives of the programs are different and the expectations for the French language development of the children are not the same.

What happens to the skill level in English?

As the three-year pilot project in Newfoundland has shown, there will be absolutely no negative effect on the level of skills in English. This is because learning a second language, such as French, is an overall literacy experience. In the teaching of Intensive French a language arts approach is adopted. Skills in the areas of speaking, listening, reading and writing are all taught. All the processes involved in the study of these skills in French are transferable to all subjects taught in English. In effect, there is an increase in instructional time for language arts and as a result more time is devoted to actual literacy development. 

As indicated by research, there will be no negative effect on the skill level in English because literacy skills can be transferred from one language to another. In fact, provincial assessment results show that students in Intensive French score higher on the tests than students who have not participated in Intensive French.

What happens to other subjects?

Since many processes in the learning of subjects such as Science and Social Studies are the same as the ones used and developed in the learning of French (generalizing, making hypotheses, etc.), it is not necessary to relearn these processes. These skills will transfer into the different subject areas so that, even if time is reduced in these subjects, student success can be the same. This was shown in practice during the three-year pilot project in Newfoundland. The content in these subjects will be covered in the second half of the year during the non-intensive period.

What happens if a student cannot keep up with the French?

French is taught as a means of communication, and not as an object of study. Because curriculum in Intensive French is based mainly on the everyday experiences of students, they learn how to speak about things of interest to them. They become motivated and interested, talking about themselves, their families, their favorite animals, sports they like, films, etc. Anecdotal reports from parents and students show that even students who struggle in academic areas gain more self-confidence and actually improve their literacy skills generally.

What happens if my child already has difficulty in school with English?

Results in all provinces have shown that children experiencing difficulty in English are able to cope successfully with the Intensive French program, and in most cases, improve their English language skills as well. This improvement is due to the increased time spent on literacy development, in addition to the chance to re-learn strategies necessary for reading and writing successfully. Weaker students are able to see themselves as “good” students, at least compared to other students in French at the same, or even at a higher grade level. This perception contributes to the development of a significant degree of self-esteem and self-confidence, important factors contributing to success in learning. There is much use of project activities which enable weaker students to work with the other students to achieve the learning goals.

What will happen to the student with learning difficulties?

The Intensive French program should provide a positive learning experience in literacy for ALL students. In the three-year experience in Newfoundland, it has been noted that some students who found learning more of a challenge made tremendous progress not only in French but also in English. Furthermore, with the increased time in French, these students were able to see themselves as “successful” students, at least compared to other students in French at the same grade level. This contributed to a significant increase in self-esteem and self-confidence—important factors for success in learning. In fact, in some cases, performance in English Language Arts improved significantly. One hypothesis for this phenomenon is the fact that students get a “second chance” to learn emergent and beginner level literacy strategies they may have missed in their primary years.

What will my child be able to do in French? What level of French will my child attain?

At the end of the school year, children should be able to carry on a conversation on topics related to their age and interests with a francophone, read short stories in French, grasping the general idea, and simple articles in newspapers or magazines at an appropriate age and interest level. They should also be able to write a few paragraphs, for instance, write or reply to a letter from a friend, write messages to people of their own age, asking questions and giving information.

What are the proven “benefits” of Intensive French?

Children will be able to increase their communication skills in French, and also English skills. In addition, the Intensive French program is an overall enhancement of the regular school experience: children increase their level of self-esteem and self-confidence, their overall responsibility for learning and become more autonomous learners.

What happens in the non intensive semester?

During the non intensive semester, the children go back to their regular curriculum, including regular periods for French. However, in these periods, the children continue with the same kind of learning activities they have used in the intensive program, including working in groups and project activities. The emphasis is still on communicating in French, and because the children are already able to speak spontaneously in French, they can do much more than is normally accomplished in a Core French program.

Will the report card be the same, or different, for French?

The report card for Intensive French will be different from the usual way of reporting progress in French. It will be like the English language report card, with results given for all four language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. In the intensive semester, an assessment will only be given for French, mathematics and those subjects retained and taught in English. In the non-intensive semester an assessment will be given for all the subjects in the manner that is usually followed by the school.