In Ontario, there are 4 options for learning French in government funded schools. We have Core French, Extended French, French Immersion and Full French. The first 3 of these options is considered French as a Second Language and each of these options provides a different number of hours committed to French learning. If you are homeschooling, teaching French is more flexible. You get to decide how much French to teach and when to teach it.
So, how do we, as parents, decide which option is best for us? Well.. if you are like me, we decide after dedicating about a billion hours into researching the topic. If you don't have that kind of time on your hands right now (lets be honest, none of us do) I have noted below the different options and some information about each of them. You can take a look at my Government tab for additional resources.
"Core French is mandatory from Grades 4 to 8 for all students in English-language elementary schools. Students entering Grade 4 must receive French instruction in every year from Grade 4 to Grade 8 and must have accumulated a minimum of 600 hours of French instruction by the end of Grade 8. Once an instructional sequence has begun, the program must continue uninterrupted to Grade 8. School boards are encouraged to consider alternative timetabling for Core French program delivery to maximize learning for students." - The Ontario Curriculum, 2013 Revised, pg 15
"In an Extended French program, French must be the language of instruction for a minimum of 25 per cent of the total instructional time at every grade level of the program and provide a minimum of 1260 hours of instruction in French by the end of Grade 8. The program must include the study of French as a second language and the study of at least one other subject taught in French. That subject must be selected from the following: the arts, social studies (Grades 1 to 6) or history and geography (Grades 7 and 8), mathematics, science and technology, and health and physical education. Entry points and number of hours for Extended French programs can vary between school districts, allowing for flexibility in program delivery." - The Ontario Curriculum, 2013 Revised, pg 15
"In a French Immersion program, French must be the language of instruction for a minimum of 50 per cent of the total instructional time at every grade level of the program and provide a minimum of 3800 hours of instruction in French by the end of Grade 8. French Immersion programs must include the study of French as a second language and the study of at least two other subjects taught in French. These two subjects must be selected from the following: the arts, social studies (Grades 1 to 6) or history and geography (Grades 7 and 8), mathematics, science and technology, and health and physical education. Although the French Immersion curriculum is written for a Grade 1 start, many immersion programs starting in Grade 1 provide instruction in French in all subjects (i.e., for 100 per cent of total instructional time) until Grade 3 or 4, when students begin to study English.5 Instruction in English may then be gradually extended to include other subjects. By the end of Grade 8, students may receive up to 50 per cent of their instruction in English." - The Ontario Curriculum, 2013 Revised, pg 16
There are over 400 French-language schools across the province. At any one of these schools, your child will be taught exclusively in French, except for English-language courses. French-language schools in Ontario have a mandate to protect, enhance and transmit the French language and culture. It is important to note that there are some restrictions to choosing this option. You will need to meet one of the following requirements to enroll in a French elementary or secondary school in Ontario:
- Canadian citizens residing in Ontario whose first language learned and still understood is French
- Canadian citizens residing in Ontario who received their elementary-level education in French, here or elsewhere in Canada
- Canadian citizens who have a child who received, or who is receiving, his or her education in French at the elementary or secondary level, here or elsewhere in Canada
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