So here's the thing, as an educator who has supported students at the elementary, secondary, and postsecondary levels, I have noticed that over time there has been one misconception about what the French Immersion program can do for your child. Although it most definitely is an advantageous program, if you too believe that learning French will open doors for your child, this article is for you.
1. Language as an Ability
When one learns a language to become bilingual or multilingual, the main goal is to be able to listen, speak, read, and write in that target language so that they can interact with people who communicate using the same language and so that they can function in a space or society that operates fully or partially in that language. This is why learning French can afford your child a certain level of superpowers that would not be available to someone who does not speak the same language. However, being that French is merely a skill, it is important to note that a person cannot expect to pursue certain career paths simply because they have mastered the language.
2. Expertise as a Must
This brings me to my next point. A specialization is what your child will eventually bring to the table when applying then interviewing for future professional positions. It is a combination of technical and hands-on learning that is acquired both inside and outside of the classroom. In fact, one can specialize in areas such as project management, social media marketing, coding educational consulting, and career development just to name a few. As a result, specializations can be a product of one's personal and professional interests, passions, and an overall desire to help others.
So what does that mean for your child in the French Immersion program? It means that although the goal is for them to learn French AND to learn other subjects in French, it is extremely important that they are given the opportunity to explore and properly understand their passions and interests, as they are fundamental to pursuing their future specialization(s). Now this may sound extremely easy, but as a reminder, in the French Immersion program, your child's school board will determine which courses are taught in French. This is because the Ministry of Education states that they must choose at least two subjects from the following list: 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. As a result, if your child does not fully understand the key concepts or terminology from any or all of these subjects, this may have a huge impact on their ability to pinpoint their specialization(s).
3. Educational Programs as a Guide
With that said, all hope is not lost! The last point I want to make is that there are in fact educational resources and programs available in schools that will guide your child on their path to success. While they are in elementary school, have them sign on to the career planning platform that their school board has partnered with to see what career options are out there and what subjects are required to pursue them. Currently, in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), school boards have chosen either myBlueprint or Xello as an educational and career planning resource.
Moreover, once they are in secondary school, have them consider the following opportunities to better guide them on their professional journey: Specialized High Skills Major (SHSM), Dual Credit Programs, Cooperative Education (Co-op), and the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP). Some of them can be completed in French whereas others must be done in English. Nevertheless, the time is now. Your child should leave elementary school with some kind of idea as to what problem they want to solve, which will inevitably turn into a specialization.
In the end, French without a specialization initially only yields job opportunities in administration, customer service, food services, hospitality, and retail, as one would be able to support people in both English and French, if needed. However, they will not be able to take on roles that require technical training, specialized skills, and professional certifications.
In fact, if your child is already in the program and you need help determining if they are able to effectively use the French language, book a Post-Enrollment Assessment whereby our expert French as a Second Language Consultant (FSL Consultant) will conduct an onsite listening, speaking, reading, and writing assessment in the comfort of your home.
Alternatively, if your child is in the program but you want our FSL Consultant to analyze the learning skills, comments, and marks on their Progress Report card and two Provincial Report Cards, book a Report Card Review.
All our services are for the Durham, Halton, Peel, Toronto, and York regions.
If you reside outside of our service areas and would like support for your child, kindly email us at support@fairesens.ca.
Not ready to commit just yet? No problem! Consider reading Not all French Immersion Programs are Created the Same for additional support.
Written by Shana Baptiste-Iseyemi
FSL Consultant and Former French Teacher
Mrs. Baptiste-Iseyemi has 10 years of experience supporting students from diverse learning and linguistic backgrounds. She has taught in both the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) and the York Region District School Board (YRDSB). She has also lived, studied, and worked in Grenoble, France.
She has a Honours Bachelor of Arts in French Studies with a minor in Anthropology from York University. She also has a Bachelor of Education with a focus on French as a Second Language and General Social Sciences from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) of the University of Toronto. Furthermore, she has additional qualifications in Guidance and Career Education and Co-operative Education from OISE. Lastly, she has a Career Strategist Certification with a focus on career development, career planning, and career management from the Career Professionals of Canada.