Facts About French Immersion

The French Immersion programme is designed to provide non-francophone children with a high degree of proficiency in the French language. The goal of this program is to provide the opportunity for students to attain a meaningful level of functional bilingualism. It is a program designed for families who do not have anyone at home who have any prior knowledge of French.  All communication between the school and home will be conducted in English, (e.g. newsletters, memos, report cards). 

Facts About Bilingual Learning

The study of a second language is an enriching educational experience that has shown to contribute to the social, emotional and intellectual development of learners. A significant body of research on cognitive psychology has shown that second language acquisition helps develop problem-solving, hypothesis-testing skills as well as fostering creativity. 

Benefits of Bilingual Learning

Second language learners:

•  demonstrate increased skills in divergent thinking tasks and in memory ability and attention span

• increase neurological pathways in the brain and can transfer skills from their second language to their first language and visa versa

• develop cross-curricular skills and can adapt to varying cultural contexts demonstrating greater cultural sensitivity

• increase their opportunities to gain employment in a global market, especially in the areas of science, technology, medicine and global commerce

• have increased opportunities to pursue jobs with higher paid salaries

• enhance the range of opportunities for students as a life-long learner in a global community

Catholic Lens

French Immersion at St. Clair Catholic DSB is different. Our goal for every student in our Catholic learning community is to become:

• A discerning believer;

• An effective communicator;

• A reflective, creative and holistic thinker;

• A self-directed, responsible lifelong learner;

• A collaborative contributor;

• A caring family member; and

• A responsible citizen.

People choose Catholic schools as an extension of their families. They want the values taught at home to be witnessed and lived at school. This is precisely what we offer in a Catholic school community. In our French Immersion schools, we support this in the child’s second language. Our French Immersion students learn and grow in their faith supported by our Growing in Faith, Growing in Christ religion program and the Ontario Religion Curriculum. Our students live their faith in two languages, encountering Christ every day within our schools. We strive to have our students see and understand themselves as beloved children of God, who have many gifts to share with the world, including a second language. 

DELF Far More than a Certificate

The Diplôme d’études en langue française (DELF) is an internationally-recognized test of French proficiency for persons whose first language is not French. It is based on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), which defines language proficiency along six global levels: A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2. At each level, proficiency is measured across four competencies: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The French Ministry of National Education awards successful candidates a diploma. 

We offer Grade 12  students the opportunity to participate in the DELF. 

Having successfully passed one of the DALF / DELF exams, the candidate receives an official Diplôme issued by the Ministère de l'Éducation Nationale of France through the Centre International d'Études Pédagogiques (www.ciep.fr). The candidate also receives his/her marks for each portion of the exam. 

This life-long certification is recognized internationally by employers and postsecondary institutions: For example, the B2 level is required for entrance into most universities in France. And, of course, the Diplôme and the accompanying proficiency descriptors are the perfect addition to any résumé, outlining in very practical terms what the individual is capable of doing in French.

We believe this approach will provide our students with a decided advantage in accessing future post secondary or work-related opportunities that require French language experience and expertise. In addition, this internationally recognized DELF diploma is considered as possessing the highest and most universally accepted set of standards in determining such proficiency.