Education by Shala Books

  • Home
  • Resources
    • FSL Resources
    • ESL Resources
    • Reading Resources
    • Educator Resources
  • Consulting Services
  • Blog
  • Shop
  • Support
    • About
    • FAQ
    • Contact
    • Opportunities
  • Login
  • Home
  • Resources
    • FSL Resources
    • ESL Resources
    • Reading Resources
    • Educator Resources
  • Consulting Services
  • Blog
  • Shop
  • Support
    • About
    • FAQ
    • Contact
    • Opportunities
  • Login

THE EDUCATION BLOG

BLOG HOME PAGE
Let's Talk Education
Educational Frameworks
Planners
Reading
ESL
FSL
Modern Foreign Languages
Mother Tongue
Tips for Educators
Tips for Parentss
Education Quotes

Blog

September 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018

RETHINKING THE FRENCH IMMERSION PROGRAM

8/12/2018

 
I followed the French Immersion program growing up, and as an adult, when applying for a job in the field of education, I considered myself fluent in French. Ask me to teach Science, Math, Social Studies, etc. in French, not a problem. I can provide clear instructions for the students, cover grammar-related questions, and with regards to their educational inquiries I could maintain a free-flowing conversation with students at an acceptable level. So, when I applied for a job at the American School of Doha as a French as a Second Language (FSL) teacher, I thought nothing of it. Can I speak French? Absolutely! Wrong; it turns out I could not speak conversational French because I had only been taught academic French. This insight hit me when I opened the textbooks I was meant to use, and realized I had no idea how to use French in a real-world context, which is what the FSL curriculum teaches – I did not know how to order food at a restaurant, how to telephone a friend and discuss interests on a social level, how to book a hotel room, how to maintain a conversation with a clerk at a store, etc. I do not think I am alone in this realization; from speaking with childhood friends who have followed the French Immersion program, we all agree, throw us in a room full of Francophones and ask us to communicate on a social level – we will freeze up.

My daughter is now at the age where I could have enrolled her in the French Immersion program, and yet I chose not to. As an educator I have read the research on the benefits of learning an additional language, and I agree with these studies; that being said, I feel that the French Immersion curriculum needs to be revisited. The goal of the program should not only be to teach students academic French, but also to instruct them in conversational French. I feel that the majority of students who follow the program never end up using French in their chosen careers because unless you are a teacher in the French Immersion program, the language you do know isn’t useful in a real-world context. As a mother, I would prefer that my daughter learns French through the FSL program currently offered at schools purely so it will benefit her in whatever career path she chooses, and whichever French speaking locations she may travel to.

There’s no disputing the fact that learning additional languages offers many benefits; we as educators must re-evaluate the purpose of our programs and ensure that what students are learning will in fact benefit them in an everyday context, and not just in the classroom.
Explore Other Articles

Specialist Islands at a School
Rethinking Report Cards
The Purpose of Education

Making the Language Connections in Modern Foreign Language Classes
Rethinking the French Immersion Program
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    SHARE ARTICLE

    Welcome to
    The Education Blog

    Christina Shala
    Christina Shala
    About Christina Shala

    Recent Post

    Quick Links


    FSL Resources
    ESL Resources
    Beginning Readers
    Consulting Services

    Have a Question?

    CONTACT US
Vertical Divider
Vertical Divider
OUR COMPANY
About
Blog
FAQ
Contact
Opportunities
Terms and Conditions
Privacy Policy
PRODUCTS & SERVICES
FSL Resources
ESL Resources
Emergent Readers
Transitional Readers
​Educator Resources​
Consulting Services
Vertical Divider
CONNECT WITH US
© Copyright 2023  Education by Shala Books Inc.