CPF Vancouver East, North and South Chapters

F.I. Secondary Schools related information
 


VSB Information about the French immersion secondary program and how to apply is online at:
http://vsb.bc.ca/programs/french-immersion-grade-8-12
This information includes VSB  application deadlines and boundaries. Each French immersion secondary school holds a meeting for prospective grade 8 students and their parents in January.


CPF Vancouver encourages grade 7 French immersion students to continue in the French immersion program at the secondary level, grades 8 through 12. Why not try French immersion grade 8? If you change your mind you can switch out for grade 9. However, if you switch out for grade 8, you can not easily come back into the program for grade 9.


Reminder - French immersion is designed for students who do not have French at home. Teachers assigning homework know that the students do not have French at home. Also, your child can tell you, in English, about their homework and you can have a discussion, in English, about the subject they are studying.


Graduating from the FI program and being able to put 'fluent in French' on your resume is a big plus in this growing global economy. With so much competition for jobs (and ie. places in university co-op programs), the French skill distinguishes your application and may give you a better chance of getting an interview.

Having had a positive experience learning a second language, many French immersion students are open to learning more languages and may have developed an appreciation for language structure that helps them in studying more languages.

The following is from the article 'The Academic, Intellectual, and Linguistic Benefits of Bilingualism' by Jim Cummins, Professor at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), published in CPF's 'So You Want Your Child to Learn French!' Second Revised Edition 1990.

"A third implication of the metalinguistic benefits that bilingualism COULD promote is that students in immersion programs should be actively encouraged to expand their linguistic repertoires to INCLUDE ADDITIONAL LANGUAGES at the secondary level, or earlier if the opportunity presents itself. Swain, Lapkin, Rowan and Hart (1988) have shown that immersion students who have already developed literacy in a heritage language perform significantly better in French than students who come from English-only backgrounds. This finding clearly suggests the educational value of promoting heritage languages, but it also points to the advantage that immersion students are likely to have in learning additional languages."
(assuming it would be late immersion students who might have achieved literacy in a heritage language).

Students in the FI secondary program at  Kitsilano have the option, from grade 9 on, of taking Spanish.

From CPF BC & Yukon - What are the benefits of a double (bilingual) dogwood? - this is what FI students in BC receive upon completion of the FI secondary program.
http://cpf.bc.ca/site3/index.php/parents/617-what-are-the-benefits-of-a-double-dogwood



A handout notice about CPF French Web Resources for students is online at

http://members.shaw.ca/qpac/CPF-French-Web-Resources-Notice.html

including, for example:

The Canadian Government recently revealed a multi-platform website to assist bilingual students, teachers, and parents with a wealth of French second language resources. There are tools to help improve French grammar, reading and writing skills. There are links to bursaries and grants. The website is an initiative under the Roadmap for Canada’s Linguistic Duality 2008-2013.
http://www.noslangues-ourlanguages.gc.ca/index-eng.php


Kits Secondary suggested reading materials for the francais classes 2009-10

For other reading lists see:

http://members.shaw.ca/cpf99/CPF-FIAL-0045-Fr-Reading-Lists.html

Note: For FI senior secondary students who are challenged to find time ot read many French books, regular reading of short articles in French newspapers and magazines can help (there are links to these at the above link).

Dictionary recommended at Kits Secondary 2009-10 for FI students:

Multi Dictionnaire de la langue française, by Marie-Éva de Villier

Local book stores that may carry this:

Vancouver KidsBooks

Sophia Books

For other sources of books see:

http://members.shaw.ca/cpf99/CPF-FIAL-0260-Fr-Books.html

For other dictionaries, including online versions, see:

http://members.shaw.ca/cpf99/CPF-FIAL-0032-Fr-Education-Related-Dictionaries.html

FSL Dictionary: Discounted Rate For CPF Members - January 2010


Myosotis Press is pleased to announce that a 15% discount will be granted to all members of Canadian Parents for French on the purchase of Le Myosotis dictionary. To take advantage of this offer, simply fill in the purchase order, mentioning that you're a member of CPF, and fax it to the publisher (450-468-3872). http://www.dicomyosotis.ca/dico/index.php?l=e&p=order 

Le Myosotis is the first FSL dictionary entirely developed in Canada. Designed for 9-to-15 year old learners of French, it not only provides access to all the words found in the usual frequency lists, it also presents the specialized vocabulary found in the thematic teaching materials used in Canadian schools.


French immersion secondary students can apply for the IB, International Baccalaureate, Program (pre IB year is grade 10) at Churchill Secondary School and continue in French immersion as there is French immersion at Churchill. As students are doing enrichment type courses in French, their level of French is a factor. For more information about the IB program see:

VSB web page about IB
 http://www.vsb.bc.ca/programs/apfe/dlsinternational.htm
The International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), founded in 1968, is a nonprofit educational organization based in Geneva, Switzerland.
 http://www.ibo.org/

French immersion students at each of the FI Secondary Schools have the option to take some of their courses as AP, to qualify for advanced placement at University.
http://www.collegeboard.org


For the English component of the FI Secondary program, it depends on the English stream at the dual track FI secondary schools in Vancouver, whether enrichment courses (ie. English and Math) are available.


A casual evening of information and discussion for parents about "Supporting French Immersion Success at the Secondary Level" was sponsored (April 30, 2002)
by the Kitsilano Secondary School Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) with teachers, CPF Vancouver and CPF BC representatives. There was a suggestion that
the next such meeting include secondary students.

Some of the main points from the evening were:

    - the continuing importance of expanding student's French vocabulary through ie. reading, radio, TV,
       videos, music, software and Internet. This includes the importance of doing research in French so
       that rather than translating using the French a student already knows, the student is reading
       French (ie. an encyclopedia) and encountering new vocabulary. The Vancouver Public Library has
       youths' French collections at the Kitsilano and downtown Central branches. They have French
       books, videos and software for loan.  
       The CPF Internet List Index has sources for all of these.

    - the continuing importance of French cultural experiences outside the classroom. This shows students
       that French 'lives' outside the classroom and gives them an opportunity to use their French outside
       the classroom. The CPF Vancouver supported French film festival that students attend through their
      schools is one way students experience French outside the classroom. In French immersion secondary
      schools there are several options for students to travel to French speaking places, see:    

       FI secondary and French travel options handout - CPF Vancouver East and South version

       FI secondary and French travel options handout - CPF Vancouver North version

      Ways to help with French cultural experiences outside the classroom are, for example:

            - go to a local French restaurant and have the student order the family's meals in French.
            - find a French hairdresser.
            - maybe attend the annual Vancouver French summer festival  held in June.
            - maybe attend the annual Festival du bois, in Maillardville, BC, in March.
            - maybe try French after school and summer activities at either The French cultural centre
              on 7th Avenue near Granville Street or Alliance française on Cambie Street near 45th Avenue.
              The CPF Vancouver web site has sections for Local French Resources and Direct Links that
               are helpful sources of information
            - maybe take a family vacation to ie. BC Family French Summer Camp, Quebec, France
              or Guadeloupe.
              The CPF Internet List Index has sources for French summer camp, travel and individual
              (and school) exchanges.
 Re French experiences outside of the classroom,
    From "The State of French-Second-Language Education in Canada 2004", chapter 7, page 52  (in regards to core French, but also of interest for French immersion)

"Other areas that that have been found to contribute to improved language proficiency are a positive parental attitude toward the learning of French (Stern et al., 1976), and exposure to French outside the classroom (Adiv and Doré, 1982). Students tend to have a more positive view of learning French when these conditions are present. One way of increasing students’ exposure to French outside the classroom is by visiting francophone students in Quebec or other francophone environments (Hanna et al., 1980; Lapkin, Hart and Swain, 1995; Deane, 2001). If visits are not feasible, research has shown that supplementary linguistic and cultural programmes at school improve French proficiency and help develop positive relationships “between students’ attitudes toward French and French Canadians and participation in cultural and linguistic exchanges” (Foley et al., 1988:597). More recently, MacFarlane (2001:78) found that “to acquire a full repertoire of language skills, and particularly, to be able to communicate successfully with native speakers in natural contexts, classroom second language acquisition – even with the additional context provided by content-based learning – needs to be supplemented by face-to-face communication with native speakers.” Another effective way of improving French skills and attitude to learning French is through Internet exchanges with students in target language environments (Lawrence, 200

    - some French immersion students seem to benefit from the perspective their teachers from a different
       cultural background (ie. French rather than English) bring them, and see their teachers like
       adult mentors.

    - in secondary school the dropout rate for both early and late French immersion students is small,
       however the late immersion rate is slightly higher than the early immersion rate.

    - (as of 2007-8) at Kitsilano the grades 8 through 10 French immersion students take 4 courses in French and 4 in English.
      Grade 11 students take 2 courses (French Language Arts and Social Studies) in French and 6 in English.
      Grade 12 students take 1 course (French Language Arts) in French and 7 in English.
      For the courses in English, the classes are a mix of English stream and French immersion stream students.
      Math is in English grade 8 through 12.
      The sciences are in English grades 11 and 12.

     - (as of 2007-8) in the French immersion program,
       there is a grade 10 provincial exam in French immersion language arts that is worth 20% of the final grade 12 mark (since discontinued),
       there is a grade 12 provincial exam in French immersion language arts that is worth 40% of the final grade 12 mark.

    - (as of 2007-8) as with the English program,
       there are grade 10 provincial exams in  English language arts, math and science that are each worth 20% of the final grade 12 marks,
       there is a grade 11 provincial exam in social studies that is worth 20% of the final grade 12 mark,
       there is a grade 12 provincial exam in English language arts that is worth 40% of the final grade 12 mark.

    - (as of 2007-8) as with the English program there is a requirement for an elective course (taken in English) in the fine arts or technical skills area

    - at Kitsilano there are separate grade 8 French language arts classes for early and late French immersion students.
      Since the 2003 VSB Budget cutbacks, this separation has happened only if the VSB Budget allows.

    - at Kitsilano in 2001-2 the French immersion program is about one quarter of the school's population and about
      three quarters of the school's honour roll.


At Kitsilano in 2005-6 the French immersion program is about one quarter of the school's population and the Grade 12 English Literature AP (Advanced Placement at University) and Grade 12 enriched English Language Arts classes are about three quarters French immersion students.

At Kitsilano for September 2008, for the first time, the FI grade 8 class forecasted in the spring of 2008 slightly outnumbered the English stream grade 8 class. When registration in September 2008 was complete, the FI grade 8 class did not outnumber the English stream grade 8 class.


French immersion and the Trek grade 10 program at Prince of Wales Secondary:

From the VSB for 2011-12: “French immersion students should both speak with their current school counselor for new developments and review the current information about TREK provided by the VSB French immersion program online at:

http://kitsilano.vsb.bc.ca/trek/kits-frim-trek-info.pdf

French immersion students who do the grade 10 Trek program miss out on four full year FI courses in French (including French immersion language arts). FI grade 11 has only two full year courses in French. FI grade 12 has only one full year course in French. Each of these courses has French conversational elements. French immersion – Trek students are welcomed back into the French immersion program in grade 11. French immersion courses will continue to appear on their transcript and this information will be available to universities and employers. Due to missing the grade 10 French immersion course work they will not graduate with the bilingual dogwood diploma. They do have the option of completing alternative work to qualify for the bilingual dogwood. The required alternative work was revised in January 2009. A description of the requirements is provided by the VSB French immersion program at:

http://kitsilano.vsb.bc.ca/trek/VSB-dogwood-requirements.pdf
Note: an update for the January 2009 requirements is that a UBC Summer 2010 French course was permitted as an alternative to the Quebec options.”

It is also important to note that usually the optional FI Secondary school sanctioned educational trip to France happens in grade 10 (due to grade 11 and 12 students preparing to write final exams in courses where the marks are important for university entrance applications).

In 2008-9 The TREK program was organized so that first term at school students were doing Spanish as their language elective and second  term at school students were doing French as their language elective. This organization ensured all the French immersion students were in the same grade 10 core French class, thus facilitating helping them work together at their level.

For French immersion students going to the TREK grade 10 program at Prince of Wales Secondary and planning to return to French immersion grade 11, it is advised that they organize by themselves to take a French course with a conversational element outside of the TREK program. Returning to grade 11 French immersion without having taken more than the grade 10 core French at Prince of Wales during TREK  may prove too difficult for some students.

Alliance française in Vancouver offer supplementary courses for French immersion students, see:
http://www.alliancefrancaise.ca/immersion.html

 Canadian Parents for French (CPF) Vancouver North lists other local French associations at:
http://www.cpf.bc.ca/vannorth/index.php/links
scroll down to ‘Vancouver FSL Resources’

 VSB web page about TREK
http://www.vsb.bc.ca/programs/trek-program-prince-wales

***

From CPF BC & Yukon - What are the benefits of a double (bilingual) dogwood? - this is what FI students in BC receive upon completion of the FI secondary program.
http://cpf.bc.ca/site3/index.php/parents/617-what-are-the-benefits-of-a-double-dogwood

***

Information from VSB as of January 2008 is that:

The secondary component of the French Immersion program provides students with the opportunity to continue their studies and the development of higher level thinking and verbal skills in their second language. Successful graduates of the full program at the end of Grade 12 receive a provincial Bilingual Graduation Certificate in addition to the provincial "Dogwood" graduation certificate.

For French immersion students who do Trek and return to French immersion and complete Grade 11 French immersion language arts, Grade 11 French immersion social studies, grade 12 French immersion language arts and the grade 12 French immersion language arts provincial exam, their transcripts will show these have been completed . However, they will not receive a provincial Bilingual Graduation Certificate, except in the cases described above, where a student completes alternative work (revised in January 2009) to qualify for this certificate.

French immersion students who do not take Trek will continue to be eligible to receive a provincial Bilingual Graduation Certificate in addition to the provincial "Dogwood" graduation certificate.

***

Note: (as of 2007-8) the new provincial graduation requirements that first applied to French immersion students graduating in June 2007 include 4 grade 10 French immersion courses (each with conversational elements). Originally, the new provincial graduation requirements included a grade 10 provincial exam in French immersion language arts that was worth 20% of the final grade 12 mark, however, this has since been dropped.

***

A link which highlights the graduation requirements for a Double Dogwood.

http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/policy/policies/grad_reqs_french.htm


***

Please do not hesitate to contact the French Immersion staff at your FI Secondary school, or VSB District Modern Languages Coordinator starting in Fall 2008, Daniel Belanger dbelanger@vsb.bc.ca, if you have any questions.

CPF Vancouver FI Trek Archives

NOTE: FI students interested in doing TREK may also be interested in the DELF/DALF French second language assessment program (evolving as of 2009), see below for more information

As of 2009-10 French immersion grade 11 students can still challenge Core French grade 12, check with your school grade counselor for further information.

The challenge is done in grade 11 to minimize the number of grade 12 provincial exams in grade 12. The challenge is done in grade 11 also because the FI students tend to do well, and this provides a good mark for applying in the fall of grade 12 for some programs (ie. usually BA as opposed to BSc) at some universities that offer early admission and accept challenge courses.


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The suggestion that challenging courses be discontinued for all students merits discussion.

The suggestion that FI students not be permitted to challenge core French 12 discriminates against FI students for the way they learned their French. Students permitted to challenge core French 12 include students with French as a first language, students who have lived some time in France prior to living in BC, students who have spent summers in France while living in BC and former FI students. These groups of students are also permitted to take core French 12 in the English program. Regards provincial exam scholarships, students in the English program are permitted to use a prov core French 12 exam over 86% towards a scholarship. This suggestion would discriminate in provincial exam scholarships against FI students who have achieved a level of French where they can challenge core French 12 and get a prov exam mark over 86%.

There is a problem for the FI program if challenge continues to exist and FI students are not permitted to do the core French 12 challenge. This would discourage FI students from completing the FI program. Some students would choose to drop out of FI and take core French 12 instead of FILA 12, in order to increase their likelihood of earning a provincial exam scholarship and increase their likelihood of acceptance into some programs (ie. usually BA as opposed to BSc) at some universities that accept challenge courses.

************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Note: as of Sep. 2011 there are changes at UBC regarding use of a challenge course in applications for admission,
see: https://you.ubc.ca/ubc/vancouver/bchsr.ezc


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Note: as of June 2010 many provincial exams are optional, depending on the requirements of a university a student is interested in applying to. Some provincial exams are required for graduation in BC.

As of June 2010, challenge courses can be used towards provincial examination scholarships, Information about these scholarships is at:

http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/exams/handbook/0910_Handbook.pdf
 
Related info starts on Page 96
 
From Page 97
 

Qualifying for a Grade 12 Graduation Program

Examinations Scholarship

A student will receive a $1000 Examinations Scholarship if he or she:

• meets the basic eligibility requirements

• achieves at least a “B” final mark (provincial exam and school

mark combined) in English 12, Français langue premiere 12, or

English 12 First Peoples

• achieves 86% or higher on each of his or her three best Grade 12

provincial exams (can include the English 12 provincial exam)

• fulfills the graduation requirements of either the 1995 Graduation

Program, the 2004 Graduation Program or the Adult Graduation

Program.
 
From Page 98
 

As of the 2006/07 school year, students are able to use specific AP

(Advanced Placement) and IB (International Baccalaureate) exam

scores to count towards earning a Grade 12 Graduation Program

Examinations Scholarship. The method of calculating for scholarships

has been simplified and fits with the AP conversion standards and IB

recognition used by many BC universities.

AP exam scores: IB final results:

4 = 86% 5 = 86%

5 = 96% 6 = 90%

              7 = 96%

Submission Process:

• Prior to the end of the school year, principals/coordinators

should obtain written permission from students taking AP or IB

examinations to report their AP scores or IB scores. These should

be kept on file at the school.

• In late August, principals/coordinators should review the

“Summary of Scholarship Winners” report provided by the

Ministry on the school secure website

https://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/exams/tsw/princ_terms.jsp .

• Principals/coordinators should have the summary of individual

student results provided by The College Board or International

Baccalaureate organizations.

• If students have received the appropriate AP or IB scores (above)

and ARE NOT on the “Summary of Scholarship Winners”, the

principals/coordinators should review the Detailed Scholarship

report which lists those students who have one, two or three

provincial exam scores of 86% or higher.

• If students have appropriate AP or IB scores (above) for subjects

that do not appear on the Detailed Scholarship report, principals/

coordinators should complete the form “Grade 12 Graduation

Program Examinations Scholarships AP and IB Scores” in

Appendix A. Schools must use the course codes as outlined in the

information table of the Course Information book.

• Schools must fax the form to the Ministry at 250.356.0271

by October 31st for students to be included in the eligibility for

scholarships.

• The Ministry will then equate the student’s scores to percents

and will count them towards the exam score required to earn a

scholarship. If a student meets all the other qualifications they will

be deemed a winner and receive a $1000 scholarship in November.

Note: A score on a provincial exam and a score on an AP or IB exam

in the same subject cannot count as two separate exam scores.
 
From Page 99
 

Scholarship Restrictions

The course groupings listed below are restricted against each other for

scholarship purposes; only the highest percent within each pair is used

to calculate a student’s total.

• French 12, Français langue seconde‑immersion 12 and Français

langue première 12.

• Principles of Mathematics 12 and Applications of Mathematics 12.

• AP, IB results and BC provincial exams results in related subjects

(e.g., Biology 12, AP Biology 12, IB Biology 12 (SL)).

A student deemed to have cheated on a Grade 12 provincial exam

will be permanently disqualified from receiving an Examinations

Scholarship award.

Scholarship Challenge

A student wishing to obtain a scholarship percent by challenging

a Grade 12 provincially examinable course must first successfully

complete the school portion of the course challenge before writing the

Grade 12 provincial exam. A student must pass the course based on the

blended mark and receive a score of 86% or higher on the provincial

exam to be considered for a scholarship.
 
From Page 109
 

Q If a student wrote a Grade 12 provincial exam in Grade 10 or

11 and received 86% or higher in the provincial exam, does

that carry over to his/her Grade 12 year to be eligible for a

scholarship?

A Yes. There is no time limit for accumulating percents for a

scholarship.
 

The three VSB FI Secondary schools each usually have a grade 9 French immersion 3 day educational field trip.


Link to information about French exchanges/trips (school and individual), summer camps, travel and work (including volunteer) opportunities:

FI secondary and French travel options handout

CPF Vancouver resources for French school trips

http://members.shaw.ca/cpf99/CPF-FIAL-0036-Fr-Education-Related-Exchanges-Trips.html

http://members.shaw.ca/cpf99/CPF-FIAL-0500-Fr-Summer-Camp.html

http://members.shaw.ca/cpf99/CPF-FIAL-0510-Fr-Travel-Related.html

http://members.shaw.ca/cpf99/CPF-FIAL-0515-Fr-Work-Programs.html


Link to information about French post secondary opportunities:

http://members.shaw.ca/cpf99/CPF-FIAL-0517-Fr-Scholarships.html

http://members.shaw.ca/cpf99/CPF-FIAL-0518-Fr-Post-Secondary.html

Many Canadian universities offer 3rd year exchange programs where the Canadian student pays their Canadian University tuition  and attends a foreign university on exchange. There are exchange opportunities to French speaking universities in France. The French government (in 2008) subsidizes accommodation rent costs for university students doing a full academic year in France, regardless of the nationality of the student.

http://www.edufrance.fr
http://www.alliancefrancaise.ca/french_vancouver/links/study_in_france_how.php
Alliance Française and EduFrance give you the opportunity to study in France easily (can be a Canadian university student 3rd year in France)

DELF/DALF

The VSB are aware of the DELF/DALF French second language assessment program (evolving as of 2009).

The French Embassy has information about the DELF/DALF French second language assessment program at:
http://www.ambafrance-ca.org/spip.php?article1533

Alliance française in Vancouver have information about the DELF/DALF French second language assessment program (evolving as of 2009),  summarized here as:

***

The DELF (Diploma of French Language Studies) and the DALF (Further Diploma of French Language Studies) are the fist diplomas of French as a second language with international recognition.  Today, they are 900 exam centres in 154 countries that offer the DELF and the DALF - for a total of 350,000 enrollments and 60,000 diplomas issued each year. Since their inception in 1985 there have been 2,500.000 enrollments.

For whom?

  1. Are you parents who would like your child's level of competence in French to be recognized? The new junior version of the DELF is for you.
  2. Are you a student who would like to continue your studies at a French university? The DELF awaits you.
  3. Do you use French at work or in professional organizations? Take the DELF.

In short, if you want your French language skills validated by an internationally-recognized diploma, enroll for the next session of the DELF.

How does it work?

In the future, each diploma will correspond to one of the six levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages of the European Council. At each level a series of tests assesses the four skills: oral comprehension and expression, written comprehension and expression.

The common European Reference frame provides a basis for mutual recognition of programs of living languages, repository of examinations, textbooks, etc in Europe.

The guidelines benefit learners of French as second language by accepting standards for grading individual's language proficiency which have been adapted in Europe.

If you wish to take the DELF/DALF but don't know the level of your French skills, you can evaluate yourself by clicking on the link provided on the above Alliance web page. 

The DELF and DALF are available to all non-French citizens who wish to validate their French language skills. Candidates who have been awarded the DALF are exempted from language entrance examinations in French universities.

Each certificate now corresponds to one of the 6 levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Oral/written production and comprehension are now tested at all levels.

***

NOTE: as an example, for 2009-10 at one 'Grand École' university in France, Sciences Po Paris (where there are courses in French and English), international exchange students (usually third year) write a language proficiency exam at the time of application (to assess current French second language level), as per:

http://www.international.sciences-po.fr/prospectivestudents/undergraduate/exchange_en.html

The required proficiency levels are:

- French

If your mother tongue and/or the language of the teaching at your home institution is not French and if you wish to enrol in classes taught in French, you will need to provide evidence of:
At least a European level B2, corresponding to a score of 400 on the TCF or to a level DELF B2.

 
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