A French school: The right choice for my bilingual family!

A French school: The right choice for my bilingual family!

I D E A S A N D R E S O U R C E S TO H E L P YO U R C H I L D S U CC E E D

Created with the financial support of the Ontario Ministr y of Education

Right holders, exogamy, diversity W H AT I S A “ R I G H T H O L D E R ” ?

Section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms addresses the right of the official-language minority population in each province to receive instruction in French or English. In Ontario, parents who have this right, known as “right holders,” can enroll their children in a school run by a Frenchlanguage school board, such as the Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est (CECCE) and the Conseil scolaire de district catholique de l’Est ontarien (CSDCEO).

Right holders are parents (or guardians) who live in Ontario, are Canadian citizens, and meet at least one of the following criteria: • The first language learned and still understood is French or • They received their elementary school instruction in French anywhere in Canada or • They are a parent (or guardian) of a child who has received or is receiving instruction at the elementary or secondary level in French anywhere in Canada.

It is important to note that only French language instruction, as provided by French-language school boards like the CECCE and the CSDCEO, are covered under the Charter. French immersion programs are not included because their mandate is to teach a second language to members of the anglophone majority.

In some cases, we will accept children whose parents do not meet the requirements mentioned above. Such cases are reviewed by an Admissions Committee that then submits its recommendation to the school board.

For more information, please contact the CECCE: Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est (CECCE) 4000, rue Labelle Ottawa (Ontario) K1J 1A1 613 746-3837 ou 1 888 230-5131 accueil@ecolecatholique.ca www.ecolecatholique.ca

Conseil scolaire de district catholique de l’Est ontarien (CSDCEO) 875, chemin de comté 17 L’Orignal (Ontario) K0B 1K0 613 675-4691 ou 1-800-204-4098 courriel@csdceo.org www.csdceo.ca

A population rich with diversity Our school communities are rich in their diversity. You will find francophones from Ontario, from elsewhere in Canada, and from around the world—long-time residents and newcomers—and families of exogamous couples.

“ E XO G A M O U S CO U P L E S ” ?

Exogamy is the union of two people with different languages and cultures. In our context, this means a language other than or in addition to French is spoken at home—and that language is often English.

The rate of exogamy in Ontario’s francophone population is over 50 %. In other words, more than half of all Franco-Ontarians who are married or in a common-law relationship have a non-francophone spouse. Among francophone parents whose children are under 18, this figure is 65%.

It can be hard for parents to make the French language and culture part of their family life when one of them does not speak the language. It takes a conscious effort to encourage children to speak French outside of school. With their parents’ help, children realize that French is more than just a “classroom language” and is every bit as important to family life as their other language.

While exogamy presents some unique challenges, it is up to all of us to promote the French language and francophone culture inside and outside our homes. Doing so helps our children become fluently bilingual and enjoy the many benefits of belonging to a richly diverse francophone school community.

If you don’t speak French…

French is the dominant language in francophone schools because their mandate is to help students learn in French and develop a Franco-Ontarian cultural identity. That is one major difference between the French education system and French immersion programs, which are run by anglophone school boards.

If you are the non-French-speaking parent in your family and you want to be involved in your child’s education, make sure you let the school know. Our priority is to help your child get the most out of his or her education, and staff members are always ready to work with parents to make that happen.

Why choose a French-language education?

By enrolling your children in a French-language school, you are helping them become fluent in both of Canada’s official languages.

What’s so great about that? Studies show that compared to their unilingual peers, bilingual children are better able to focus on relevant information and not be distracted. That is definitely an advantage in this age of information overload! In the elderly, bilingualism can reduce the severity of certain cognitive conditions associated with aging.

When you enrol your child in a French-language school, you are opening the door to a very bright future!

For more information on French language education in Ontario, visit www.elfontario.ca

W H AT L A N G UAG E ( S ) D O YO U S P E A K W I T H YO U R C H I L D?

“Although my paternal grandfather was French, and my maternal grandparents spoke Finnish, my parents raised us solely in English. At school, I was in a French immersion program and as I got older, I could get around in French but never really considered myself bilingual. I married a francophone, and had two daughters. From the time they were born, my wife spoke to them exclusively in French, and by being around them, and repeating the things my wife would say to them, I improved my French greatly. As she was teaching them, she was also teaching me.

“Sending them to a French school seemed like a no-brainer to me. I wanted them to master both languages, and I knew it would be easier for them to do that if they were in an entirely French environment while at school. After all, they would learn English eventually, since it’s the language my wife and I use to communicate.

“By the time my oldest daughter started junior kindergarten, she was fluent in both French and English, and because she’s in a French school, her use and knowledge of the French language, her vocabulary, have greatly improved. She teaches me new things every day. She’s 5 and she’s more bilingual than I will ever be. And I know that, because she’s in a French school, she will never lose the use of either language.

“It does take a certain commitment. I rely on my wife to help me understand certain communications from the school. But I know how important being bilingual is, and even if it takes more effort for me, their future, and their being able to speak in both French and English perfectly, is worth it in the end.”

- Matt, father of 2, Pembroke

How can you get involved?

Fact: Children are more likely to succeed at school when their parents get involved in their education. When it comes to francophone schooling, French-speaking parents play an important role, but parents who do not speak French can also participate in very signiďŹ cant ways.

At home All parents can help their children long before the first day of school, and throughout their education, by making sure they have many opportunities to hear and speak French. In fact, this is the primary role of French-speaking parents: to communicate with their children in French as much as possible.

Here’s an activity that will help your child learn French—and it is simple enough that you can easily join in, with help from your French-speaking spouse. Remember that this is a game, so everyone needs to have fun!

1) Introduce a “word of the week” (or, even better, a “word of the day”), explain what it means, and use it in as many ways as you can. a) It can be an object, action, feeling or anything else that is relevant to your child. b) Write it in a scrapbook, and ask your child to illustrate it with drawings or pictures.

• Ensure the scrapbook is always accessible.

2) If you are comfortable enough in French, you can make up games that use descriptive words (adjectives and adverbs) and concepts of time and space, try improvisation, sketches, or “Simon says.” You will find a lot of material for spontaneous games like these in children’s books. Of course, you can always make these games bilingual, with one parent speaking French and the other another language. The more fun everyone in the family has, the more positive the experience will be for your child.

3) Children’s books use simple vocabulary and can be quite easy for non-French-speaking parents to read and understand. Reading in French can also help you improve your own knowledge of the language. If you feel uncomfortable reading aloud, you can always join your francophone spouse when he or she reads to your child. Your presence will show your child how much you value the language.

Since reading in any language is great for children, never hesitate to read to your child in your own mother tongue, too.

You can enrich your child’s knowledge of French by listening to French radio and music, watching TV and movies in French, visiting French websites and playing French board games.

Another way to help your child is to support your French-speaking spouse’s involvement at school and in the francophone community.

At school The fact that French is the common language in francophone schools can be daunting for some parents. The best way to get used to this new world is to attend school functions and parent-teacher interviews. This will give you a feel for the school and help you get to know the staff.

Schools bustle with activity, and many volunteers are needed for a variety of tasks. So when you are ready, offer your services! You can start by doing small jobs that require less direct interaction with students. Teachers are always happy to have help with crafts, photocopying, laminating, preparing visual aids, reading to children, and so on.

If you have a basic knowledge of French, you could offer to accompany the class on outings.

Parents are often needed to help with concerts, plays, fundraisers and other activities. There are many jobs that do not require uent use of the French language, such as preparing and cleaning up after special events, counting money, etc.

By speaking as much French as you can while helping out at school events, you send a very important message to your children: you show them that learning means taking risks, and that it’s okay to make mistakes.

Regardless of what you do, you are showing that you value French-language education, and your child will be happy to see you at school.

Homework Some parents are so enthusiastic about their child’s education that they have to remind themselves it’s not their job to do their child’s homework! It is nevertheless important to know what your child is learning and to support him or her however you can.

In the early years, homework is simple enough that either parent can probably help. And here’s a bonus: get involved right from the start, and you will find that you are learning some French as well!

As time goes on, you can use your child’s bilingualism to find out what tasks have been assigned and how your child is tackling them. Young people who can explain their homework show that they understand what they are doing.

While you may not be comfortable with homework in the subject of “French,” you can still get involved in subjects such as science, social studies, math and English. You can also teach your child how to do research, especially on the Internet, regardless of language.

Children of all ages are sometimes asked to build three-dimensional projects, which are excellent opportunities for you to lend a hand.

If at times you feel a bit lost, ask your child to explain what she or he is doing, and why.

This shows that you are interested in her or his education and are proud of your child’s accomplishments.

Lastly, always make sure you keep the lines of communication open with teachers. They will be more than happy to help you understand what they expect of your child.

Car games Parents spend countless hours driving their children around. Why not turn those moments into opportunities to have fun in French?

You can play the Colours Game (I Spy): “Qu’est-ce qui est (name a colour)?”

Your child must find an object of that colour. Next step: Your child doesn’t tell you what object he or she has found, and you have to guess it.

There is also the Rhyming Game: “Quel mot rime avec bateau?” Use simple words you know, and let your child find rhyming words.

Try this Alphabet Game: “Quel animal (or colour, object, etc.) commence par la lettre (or “le son,” the sound, for younger children) B?” Another Alphabet Game involves each participant adding a word in alphabetical order all the way to Z: • Person #1: Moi, j’ai un avion.

• Person #2: Moi, j’ai un avion et une banane.

• Person #3: Moi, j’ai un avion, une banane et un chariot…

Make the game more challenging for your children by asking them to find new words each time you play.

As you can see, there’s no limit to “car games” when you use your imagination!

In the francophone community As a family, make a point of attending francophone events such as concerts, shows and plays.

Attend a francophone church so your child can make friends who speak French outside of school.

If your preschool child does not speak French yet…

Although each family’s situation is unique, sometimes our stories are similar. Does this couple’s experience sound familiar to you?

“My wife is French and I’m English. After a lot of discussion, we agreed to send our son to a Frenchlanguage school in order to increase his chances of success in life. Since we mostly speak English at home, our son doesn’t speak French yet, and we’re concerned that he’ll have problems in school.

How can we help him?”

At the CECCE, an Exogamy Team was created for parents in situations like this. The team offers workshops, in English and French, aimed at helping parents explore various ways of helping their children.

Here are some ideas the team would suggest to this couple:

“As a family, you could create a French-speaking place in your home where everyone tries to speak the language. Also, your spouse could get in the habit of always speaking French to your son at certain times or in certain situations such as family dinners, car rides, bathtime, and breakfast.”

“Take the time to teach him everyday words in both languages, like parts of the body when he’s taking a bath, utensils and food items during meals, the names of clothes when he’s getting dressed, and so on.”

“To increase his vocabulary, find a French TV show and watch it together.

Remember that you can also choose the French soundtrack when watching DVDs, and that you can add English subtitles so you can follow along more easily, too.”

“Join your spouse when she reads stories to your son in French. Before starting to read, look at the pictures and introduce the characters and context.

Get your son to talk about it so he feels involved in the reading process.”

“Listen to French music—and why not join your spouse when she teaches him some nursery rhymes and songs from her childhood? It’s fun to sing together!”

“Download French Apps on your tablets or smartphones, listen to videos in French on Youtube or download a French eBook.”

The important thing is to show your child that French is part of your family life. Since your spouse is a francophone role model for him, he will also want to speak the language, especially if you encourage him. The key to success is to have fun in French… every day!

And remember this equation: perseverance + routine = success!

Resources Any time you and your spouse help your child learn or practice French, you are helping with his or her education. A child who understands what is being said in the classroom will be more receptive, learn more quickly and have a more positive outlook on school.

The most important thing is to ensure that your child has fun in French!

Here are some resources that should help:

TELEVISION You’ll find many French programs for children on TFO, including Bravo Gudule, Caillou, and Stella et Sacha. Check out the TFO schedule (in French) at www3.tfo.org/horaire .

READING ONLINE Tumblebooks is a website that allows you to “read” to your child in English, French or even Spanish. You flip through a book as you would the printed version, but you also hear the text.

This means you can read a book in French to your child even if you don’t speak the language!

The public libraries in Ottawa, Hawkesbury, Alfred /Plantagenet, Clarence/Rockland, Russell, Casselman, Cornwall, Brockville, Kingston and Pembroke all subscribe to this website, so anyone who has a library card can access the Tumblebooks collection.

For a free trial, follow this link: www.tumblebooks.com .

M AG A Z I N E S Your child will find years of reading enjoyment in this series of Franco-Ontarian magazines:

Minimag is aimed at children aged 4 to 7. It features informative texts on various topics, as well as games, crafts, stories, comics, etc. For more information (in French only): http://www.minimag.ca/ .

Mon Mag à moi is for children in grades 3 to 6. It contains informative and entertaining articles, as well as games, jokes, cartoons, feature articles, etc. The website www.mmamoi.ca presents a host of complementary activities.

There’s also a magazine for young people from grades 7 to 10. QUAD9 focuses on topics of interest to today’s youth, and is complemented by a website featuring many related activities: www.cforp.ca/QUAD9 .

These magazines are all available at the Librairie du Centre (www.librairieducentre.com).

INTERNET What preschooler doesn’t love Caillou? This friendly character will charm your little one with games, songs and other activities, whether in English or French: www.caillou.com/indexEN.shtml .

OT H E R R E S O U R C E S You’ll find more ideas in these two publications: Reading and counting “en français” at home: Guide for Parents Sending their Child to a French-Language Kindergarten Program by the Centre Franco-ontarien de ressources pédagogiques is published annually and available online at: www.cforp.ca/outils/lire-et-compter.html .

DREAM BIG little by little: A simple guide to building a francophone identity at home.

Canadian Teachers’ Federation, 2009. www.ctf-fce.ca .

Support for parents A T E A M C R E AT E D J U S T F O R YO U !

A Exogamy Team to help parents get involved in their children’s education.

The team’s mission is to support parents who are looking for ways to help their children reach their full potential. To that end, the team holds workshops intended for parents who are or have been part of a mixed household, where French and another language are part of daily life.

The workshops allow participants to: • discuss their role in a minority francophone setting, • share their challenges and solutions, and • find their place in the school community.

Follow our community at facebook.com/famillebilingue To find out more about this service, please contact us:

Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est (CECCE) 4000, rue Labelle Ottawa (Ontario) K1J 1A1 613 746-3837 ou 1 888 230-5131 accueil@ecolecatholique.ca www.ecolecatholique.ca

Conseil scolaire de district catholique de l’Est ontarien (CSDCEO) 875, chemin de comté 17 L’Orignal (Ontario) K0B 1K0 613 675-4691 ou 1-800-204-4098 courriel@csdceo.org www.csdceo.ca

A N AT I O N A L PA R T N E R Glen Taylor has worked as a consultant in minority francophone education for many years.

The author of Fusion, he also trained the Exogamy Team and helped write this document.

In his numerous projects across Canada, Glen always aims to promote and facilitate the participation of all parents, regardless of their ability to speak French, in their children’s francophone education.

Glen presents a wide variety of information and ideas on his bilingual website: (www.francophoneeducation.ca) and news on his Facebook page (www.facebook.com/Education.Francophone.Education.Canada).