Advice For Parents On French Immersion: Do Our Children Really Need It?

Category: blog Created on Wednesday, 04 July 2012 05:55

For almost 50 years parents have been enrolling their children in French Immersion classes. But is it really worth it? Most parents enrol their children so that they can have a better job in the future. Others, because they already speak French.

Canadian statistics show that people who know more than one language are paid almost 10 percent more than those who don’t.

Many parents fear that their children will not succeed in the French Immersion programme because they don't speak enough French at home. The reality is, if you support your children they will most likely succeed. In 2002, schools from across Canada were tested for their reading abilities. It was found that students in the French Immersion programmes performed significantly better in reading than other the other students. So what does that tell us that our kids will be smarter if they were placed in French Immersion, or any other language for that mater?

French Immersion can be very difficult if your child doesn't pay attention during class. Sadly, that's one of the main reasons children drop out of the French Immersion programme. If you don't encourage your child in French they will most likely get frustrated and want to quit. Parents who don't speak French don't always realize how hard it is for a child to come out of their comfort zone and learn a whole new language. It can be a lot of pressure as they grow up.

When parents enrol their children in French Immersion at an early age most of them don't ask their children if they would like to go into French Immersion, they just place them there.

Most people would say I know what I'm doing for my child as this is going to benefit them in the future. Of course it will benefit them in the future, but if a child can say yes or no to food choices or what they wear to school, they can say no also towards going to French Immersion.

If you sit a child down and ask them if they would like to learn a new language, some might say yes and others might be scared of the challenge and say no. If a child says no, parents should not force them to do it.

In conclusion French Immersion is good for our children as it will definitely benefit them job wise but remember if your child doesn't want to learn a new language you can't force them. Yes, you can put them into French Immersion but wouldn't you rather your child be happy in school than having them struggle? French Immersion isn't for everyone and never will be.

Editor-in-Chief’s Note: Tamia Daniel is a 14 year old former French Immersion student from the Greater Toronto Area who submitted this piece to MNI Alive for publication

Photo Credit To Schools.ca