New resources will help students and parents learn French

Rainbow District School Board unveiled two new resources for students and parents to support French Immersion and Core French in Rainbow Schools – a booklet called “La boîte à outils” and an accompanying interactive website. Parent Jennifer Whissell learns French along with daugther Meredith Kusnierczyk, left, and Anne-Marie Sakki, Grade 2 students at Alexander Public School. Rainbow District School Board will host French Immersion/Core French information sessions for parents/guardians and their children starting school this fall. Info Soirées will be held in all Rainbow Schools offering the French Immersion Program on Thursday, February 4th, 2010 from 6 pm to 7 pm. Visit rainbowschools.ca for details.

Rainbow District School Board unveiled two new resources for students and parents today to support French Immersion and Core French in Rainbow Schools – a booklet called “La boîte à outils” and an accompanying interactive website. Funded by the Ministry of Education and the Government of Canada, the resources will help parents/guardians learn French along with their children.

“Approximately 20 per cent of students in Rainbow Schools are enrolled in the French Immersion Program,” said Rainbow District School Board Chair Tyler Campbell. “It’s important that parents/guardians feel supported in their decision by giving them access to valuable resource materials about the program and show them how they can help their children succeed in school regardless of the language of instruction.”

French Immersion, which provides an intensive second language learning experience, immerses students in the French language including cultural activities. Core French, offered daily as part of the regular English program in Rainbow Schools beginning in Grade 1, develops basic communication skills in French and an understanding of the nature of the language.

“Both programs are designed for English speaking parents so they can support their children in school,” said Jean Hanson, Director of Education for Rainbow District School Board. “Over the years, parents have told us that these resources would be of great value to them and their children. A team of educators from Rainbow Schools compiled the information in a handy toolkit format.” She added: “Their efforts will benefit all schools for years to come as we further engage parents in their child’s learning of a second language. We have also shared these resources with other school boards across Ontario.”

The booklet features 12 sections that are colour-coded for ease of reference, including everyday language (greetings, seasons, months, days of the week, high frequency words, dates, numbers, useful classroom vocabulary, expressions, etc.); punctuation and time; transition words and prepositions; expressions; French pronunciation; Internet and computer terms; capitalization; words that are similar in French and English; dictionaries and word banks; fossilized errors or common mistakes that are often made and need to be corrected when they occur; websites (media outlets, Canadian Parents for French, resources for students, etc.) and popular books for students in JK to Grade 12.

The interactive website is an online version of the booklet, with two important additions. The website features the pronunciation of more than 300 words and expressions, recorded at the Lions Community Heritage Sound Studio at Confederation Secondary School. It also has links to all of the websites that are highlighted in the booklet, including the dictionaries and word banks. The site can be accessed at rainbowschools.ca – http://www.rainbowschools.ca/programs/French/Toolbox/FI_TOC.php

In the booklet and on the website, students and parents will meet Rainbow District School Board’s French Immersion/Core French mascot Pierre-Oh!. Students were invited to name the mascot and Pierre-Oh! was the popular choice. Pierre-Oh! is a whimsical character who will make learning a second language that much more fun, particularly for children in younger grades.

“Research has shown that knowledge of a second language strengthens first-language acquisition and that the ability to speak two or more languages enhances reasoning, problem-solving and creative-thinking skills,” said Director Hanson. “Learning a second language not only reinforces students’ ability to communicate, but also develops their capacity to understand and respect other cultures. It also gives students access to greater educational and career opportunities, which offers a competitive advantage in the marketplace.”

As part of community outreach efforts, Rainbow District School Board will host French Immersion/Core French information sessions for parents/guardians and their children starting school this fall. Info Soirées will be held in all Rainbow Schools offering the French Immersion Program on Thursday, February 4th, 2010 from 6 pm to 7 pm. Children will participate in a hands-on workshop. Parents will have an opportunity to observe their children as they interact with teachers in French. Kindergarten in English and French Immersion will be offered full day, every day beginning this fall.

The federal government provided funding to the Ministry of Education under the Canada-Ontario Agreement on Minority-Language Education and Second Official Language Instruction (2005-06 to 2008-09) to increase province-wide capacity in French Second Language and result in the expansion of FSL programs. Canada’s objective is to double the proportion of secondary school graduates with a functional knowledge of their second official language by 2013.

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Media Contact:

Nicole Charette, Senior Advisor,
Corporate Communications and Strategic Planning,
Rainbow District School Board, 674-3171, ext. 7217.