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> The OECD, trying to understand Canada's success in education, described the role of the federal government as "limited and sometimes non-existent". Actually,
by devrandomguy 9y ago
> The OECD, trying to understand Canada's success in education, described the role of the federal government as "limited and sometimes non-existent".
Actually, the federal government did make one critical mandate[1]. It effectively ensures that we are all exposed to two languages in school, and creates a much more rigorous French immersion stream in the school system.
That immersion into another culture and language, at a very early age, has paid huge dividends in my ability to travel, to assemble and work in multinational teams, and to form constructive, even loving, relationships with people who are at first very alien to me. I believe that it is also to be credited for enabling several of us, all from the French immersion stream, to begin playing with algebra somewhere around Grade 3, by deeply reinforcing our awareness of multiple representations for single concepts or entities. This then segued into my first programming language, QBasic, a year later.
If you have kids, then based on my own experience and observation of my cohorts, I strongly recommend that you find a way to ensure that they learn a second language, while they are still learning their first. Throw them in the deep end, you can always pull them out.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Section_23_of_the_Canadian_Charter_of_Rights_and_Freedoms https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Section_23_of_the_Canadian_Cha...
- vkou 9y agoFrench immersion is also criticized for segregating the academically-minded families who put their students through it from the general population. The best parts of it can, and should be replicated across the general student population, without creating a taxpayer-funded charter school system.
- zimablue 9y agoThere are also studies that bilingual children have serious drag, no free lunch they're statistically behind in their first language.
- kingofpandora 9y agoCare to link to such a study? It goes against everything I've heard.
- macspoofing 9y agoI have no links to studies but I've heard that too. If a kid would have struggled in a subject in their primary language, they will struggle more when you lay French on top of it as well.
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]
- zimablue 9y agohttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/11787848/Bilingual-children-lag-behind-in-English-research-shows.html http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/11787848/... Bad paper summary of an study but I think there's been a few studies
- macspoofing 9y ago>French immersion is also criticized for segregating the academically-minded families who put their students through it from the general population. "Academically-minded families"? What do you mean? Families that care about education vs families that don't?
- uiri 9y agoI think that is exactly what he means. The parents who put their children in French immersion programs tend to fall into one of two groups. The first group are francophones living in an Anglophone part of the country. The second group are parents who prize academic success for their children.
- macspoofing 9y ago>The second group are parents who prize academic success for their children. So apparently OP is finding fault with the fact that some parents care enough about their kids' education (specifically knowledge of French) to put them in a french immersion school. Given that both are public schools open to all, what are is OP actually complaining about?
- syrrim 9y ago>Given that both are public schools open to all In the first few years of your education, yes they are open to all. However, once a child has gone through several years of french immersion, they have the ability to choose between continuing in french, or dropping into english. A child who has done only english has a similar option, but it will require considerable extra work on their part to switch to french. So a public french immersion high school cannot be considered open to all. >care enough about their kids' education (specifically knowledge of French) Not specifically. Certain public schools can be more well funded, or specialize in different areas than others. A school which has a french immersion program might also have a heavier focus on academics than other schools. Once it gains a better reputation, it might become attractive even to those who aren't interested in having a better education. A french immersion program is a way of limiting such peoples access to these schools.
- am1988 9y ago> It effectively ensures that we are all exposed to two languages in school French education is a complete joke in large parts of the country.
- refurb 9y agoI grew up in Canada and had the exact same thought. I was also going to say that French Canadian culture is pretty dam similar to Anglophone culture when put on the cultural spectrum of the world. Not super exotic.
- kchoudhu 9y agoYeah, none of my Canadian cousins speak a spot of French. The mandate is junk.
- rubatuga 9y agoMost people at my school dropped it in Grade 9