19 The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, May 31, 1995 - B9 95 — FRENCH IMMERSION GRADUATES Roberta Allan Matthew Ball Jocelyn Coxford Erin Davies Kristen Dediluke Dustin Dunbar Suzanne Ebeling Robyn Harris Aisha Manji Core French Versus French Immersion September 1995 is the planned start- up date for introducing Core French at the Elementary schools. The name of the program is called “Adventure”, and _ the letters A, B, and C denote grade levels. The recommended time spent in class per day is 5%. This School District has chosen to use classroom teachers rather than having an itinerate ‘teacher come to classes just to teach Core French. There are positives and ~~ =negatives to this approach. The positive . ts that the teacher can use French daily “when writing the date, etc. on the - board; the negative is that most teachers have never taken University French. Even if the teachers took ~ French in university it has been many years hence and also it was aimed at . grammar, not oral skills, in which the “Adventure” program is strongly based. ‘Local teachers and administrators have summed up the Elementary Core French program, after 5% in class time for grades 5, 6 and 7, as being equivalent to 1 month of French 8 at the Secondary level. Compared to Elementary Core French, French Immersion students will have a great deal more of bilingual ability. Throughout the Elementary Program the only subject taught in English is English Language Arts with the exception of the unilingual Library and Music teachers and Mathematics in Grade 7. There are changes being made for September 1995 to ensure that 70% or more of each day is spent in French. At the end of grade 7, students have the ability to do final exams in in all subjects whether in French or English. There is a difference to the level of bilingualism you can offer your child. The choice is yours! Sholto Scruton Scott Springer Réjean Trombley A lower mainland School District offers Japanese at the Secondary level. This program has difficulty filling classes, with the average being only 10 - 15 students. - Amazingly this School District is in the centre of a fantastic cultural urban population mix and would not have been perceived to have a problem with student numbers. Students taking the course are generally ones with some ancestry from Japan, whether it is parents or grandparents to whom they converse. These students are broadening their ability to become more bilingual by adding written skills to their already existing oral Skills. This lower mainland School District is approximately 4 times as large as our School District providing education to over 21,000 students compared to our 5400 students. In order for our School Asian Languages In School District #83 - Myth Or Reality District to acquire a teacher on ‘staff with the capabitities to teach an Asian language, there would first have to be a vacancy. In other words, hiring by attrition. This teacher capable of teaching Asian languages would have to be able to teach other courses as well in order to generate a full time position. It would be ludicrous to think that a teacher could be enticed to our School District, wanting only part-time employment. Local administrators have made the comment, “Even Skeena Junior Secondary with its 600 plus enrollment would probably not generate sufficient student interest.” Therefore, as research illustrates, learning a third language 1S easier once you have already learned a second. Putting your child in French Immersion always keeps all your options open, if Asian Languages are offered at Skeena, _ your child can take it as an elective! _Kiti K’shan Primary School’s Accreditation - Where It All Begins “One of the finest schools in the province.” This is the verdict of an accreditation team -- Made up of educators from different parts of -B.C. that visited Terrace ‘recently to assess the primary programme at _Kiti-K’Shan school, The team made mention of the “wonderful recep- tion” they were given by the staff of the school and reported that “the - children are fortunate to have a school like Kiti K’'Shan which has a “very effective primary programme in a multi- cultural setting’. The accreditation pro- cess is one that gener- ally occurs in every school about every five years. The first internal part of the process involves all participants in the education of the children (teachers, administrators, parents, support staff) all of whom over a period of time assess. the strengths and weak- nesses of the program- mes in the school. The second part involves a visit from an external team which spends several days in the school and at the end produces a_ written report on its findings. It is the written report of the external team that gives high praise to the primary programme at Kiti K’Shan, Among the strengths identified at the school is a “very supportive atmosphere and deep sense of trust among members of the staff”. It is also noted that “child- ren are encouraged to Is French Relevant? love reading so that they become lifelong read- ers’. Also “there is strong parental support for the education provid- ed by the school’. The school also has in place procedure for resolving conflict. Parents and staff exhibit positive feelings and show respect for each other, The children are each shown a personal inter- est by members of the staff. All aspects of life at Kiti K’Shan are given positive comment by the team. Singled out for special mention are the “cultural characteristics”. The report notes that “First Nation students play a significant part in and contribute to the cultural makeup of the school”. The school is also congratulated on its French Immersion pro- gramme “which forms an integral part of the schoal culture. People feel free to speak English or French in all parts of the school and in the playground. The external team has singled out Kiti War Article Illustrates Concern Over K’Shan as having an exemplary primary pro- . gramme in place now... While applauding the... inclusion of professional: development in. the. . school Growth Plan, the |. external team wishes’. that emphasis be placed © on science and reading. . All staff, parents, district. . - Staff and appropriate. ministry members are ~ encouraged to maintain the quality of education. — : and ta involve them--. | selves actively over the-° next five years in” improving the excel- | lence of the school. PRESCHOOL English/French Politics TEACHER WANTED “ gecond . Although Quebec may separate and Canada is becoming more and more multicultural, it makes sense to choose -»- a second language which is part of the “gountry’s linguistic heritage. Almost 99% - of Canadians speak either English or French. We have developed Internationally acknowledged expertise in teaching. French and English as : ianguages. Beth - these ‘languages. are spoken world-wide. Knowing two° major world ’ languages gives a child a real competitive adge. The acquisition of any language is about communication. The better we communicate, the better we do our jobs, In that jearning a second language devalops and enhances communication skills, Knowing how to learn a language enables a student to learn a third language more easily, Learning French . as.a second language is an educational. Issure, nat a political o one. -. The Glen, the regimental newspaper of the Calgary Highlanders, published this short massage with the heading, The War In Europe ts Over, May 1945] We come from all waiks af life, from coast fo coast, making one of the finest fighting forces in the world. Yes, unity was achleved and victory was the result. Soon we expect ta go home and back ta a normal life, Lat us not forget, Let us not allow ourselves.io fall for las or propaganda which will have French-speaking Canadians against Engilsh-speaking Canadians, Jews against — Catholics and Protestants against Catholics, East against West, We must go back and maintain our unily achieved thraugh sweat and bicod. We won a great vietary for mankind. Abave all we must remember those comrades of ours who gava their lives fighting to make a world which will know na war and in which there will be real happiness for all... oo. : Letus go back logather as: “Canadians to. |. Terrace, B.C. make Canada'a happy plage te for all Wa st. , M8G4A1 not fall. : The French Preschool is looking for a billngual-person with Early Childhood Education certification, Please send your. resume to: . Canadian Parents for French, a Terrace Chapter Box8i10 0.