Quote:
Originally Posted by Drury18
It's probably more beneficial to put your child into late immersion in Grade 7 as opposed to Kindergarten. That's what my plan is after trying and finding out early immersion wasn't a fit for us.
I put my daughter into French Immersion in Kindergarten and she (as well as the majority of the class) struggled to learn and write English because they were focusing on French instead of teaching the English fundamentals. Many of us parents pulled our children out after Kindergarten and went to an English only school as so many of the kids were behind on the writing and reading skills finishing Kindergarten.
Speaking to teachers in the English only school, they said unless the child is bilingual at home and has a strong foundation for both languages, immersion can be difficult that early because they are still learning the basics of English and now you are throwing a completely new language at them. Children without bilingualism at home do better with Grade 7 immersion (late immersion) and will still come out with a strong grasp of the French language.
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Well you'd have to be pretty naive putting your kid into French immersion in kindergarten with the expectation that their English won't suffer. I think that's the first thing the school tells you in the parent orientation, in fact.
My daughter is now in Grade 3 and her English writing is very close to her peers in English-only schools. My son in Grade 2 would still be considered behind if I were to put him in an English school tomorrow, but that gap closes. Grade 3 is when they start introducing an English curriculum into the French immersion program.
A handful of students left the French program, but definitely over 90% of the kids that started in my daughter's kindergarten class are still there in grade three.
Finally, I don't think I would turn to a teacher in an English school for their opinion on French immersion programs. They just wouldn't know. I think we'd need to look at probability of kids going on to University from an immersion program versus English only. Cross reference that against socio-economic background, etc. There are just too many factors.
Also, this is the first I've ever heard that language is best taught to older kids. It's widely accepted and understood that small children pick up language faster than older people. The jury isn't close to out on that.