French immersion sees strong growth
Greater numbers of elementary students may mean more classes later
Sarah Ladik
Northern News Services
Thursday, September 10, 2015
INUVIK
The French immersion program at East Three Secondary School is growing, which means there may eventually be more options for high school students.
Tyanna Bain, left, Kaylin Harder, Andreane Gagnon, and Kiersten Rogers are all in Grade 7 in the French immersion program at East Three Secondary School. They are not looking forward to having to do math in English and say they hope to continue studying as much as they can in French. - Sarah Ladik/NNSL photo
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Currently, the program essentially ends at Grade 10. While there was an option to take an 80-minute block of French language arts, interest was a problem.
However, with more children entering the French
program at the elementary level, resources and funding will grow along with them, perhaps leading to more options for those students later on.
"Our enrolment rates at the secondary level are down," said principal Deborah Reid.
"We have a French monitor, educational assistants and a literacy coach that comes up from Yellowknife four times a year, all in French. We're just trying to offer what we can."
Meanwhile, numbers are growing. While there are five students headed to Grade 10 from the program this year, Reid said the elementary numbers are strong.
Since schools are funded on a per-capita basis, this means that as those younger grades move up through the ranks, the funding should follow them, allowing for more options at a secondary level.
"The problem is with scheduling," said Reid.
"When we have an 80-minute block, it prevents them from taking other courses they might want to, so we're looking at running it as an after-school block."
For students in the program, the change to English from French can be daunting.
"Now we have to do math in English," said Kaylin Harder, a Grade 7 student. "That will be really hard; we'll have to re-learn everything."
Her classmate, Andreane Gagnon, said it would be disappointing to not have classes in French after Grade 9.
"After ninth grade, it's all in English," she said.
"Most people who go through French immersion lose all their French after they leave school. We don't want that."
The immersion program itself however, is still relatively new, with lots of room for learning.
Reid said the first graduating class only completed its course of study two years ago.
"Kindergarten to Grade 9 is working well," she said.
"We're having to be creative with the 10, 11, 12."
