He’s ready.
Why Learn French?
She’s ready.
Learning another language can
help your child to:
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improve listening skills
increase cognitive abilities, creating a
more flexible thinker
enhance communication skills in his or
her first language
develop a deeper understanding of his
or her own culture
improve overall school performance
make learning a third or fourth
language much easier
Contact us!
For more information about
our kindergarten programs,
please contact us.
Principal: Wayne Rufiange
Knowing another language can give
your child:
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a lifelong ability to communicate with
more people
an increased understanding of and
respect for people of other cultures
a competitive edge in the job market
more opportunities to enjoy literature,
art, music, theatre, sports and travel
Vice Principal: Shawna Walter
Vice Principal: Shannon Chabot
Phone:
(780) 939-3445
Email:
[email protected]
Address: 10020-101 Avenue
Morinville, AB T8R 1L5
Morinville Public Elementary School is proud to be
part of Sturgeon School Division.
Sturgeon School Division serves the needs of
approximately 5,000 students in 16 schools throughout
Sturgeon County and several bordering municipalities.
For more information visit
www.sturgeon.ab.ca
www.morinvillepublic.ca
Are you?
Morinville Public School
Now offering French immersion from
kindergarten to grade 4!
French Immersion Program
What is French Immersion?
French immersion is a highly successful
approach to second-language learning, an
effective way for your child to become
functionally fluent in a second language
while achieving all of the objectives of the
regular school program.
French Immersion is designed specifically
for children whose first language is not
French. It is a program of choice, open to
all children of the appropriate age.
Early Immersion: “The gentle approach”
In a typical French immersion kindergarten classroom, the teacher uses French all of the time,
speaking in English only if a student’s health or safety is at risk. Gestures, mimes, pictures
and objects are used to help children understand. Songs, poems, storytelling and choral
speaking as well as routines or sequences of activities (such as beginning the day with
“bonjour” ritual and then calendar and weather routine) are also used to help familiarize
students with words and ideas and to encourage their earliest attempts to speak the language.
Through watching and listening, students begin to recognize words and phrases, responding
appropriately. Soon, they are singing along, joining in during the choral speaking and
peppering their sentences with French words.
For the first couple of years, students are not expected to speak French all the time. Children
will insert French words in their sentences as they learn them. The teacher uses repetition
and role modelling just as you did as your child was learning his or her first language.
Do French Immersion
Students Study the Same
Curriculum as Children in
the English Program?
Yes. French Immersion programs follow
the curriculum guidelines set by the
Alberta Minister of Education. Only the
language of instruction is different.
In all other aspects, a French immersion kindergarten is the same as an English kindergarten.
The same kind of themes and concepts are introduced and the same activities are carried out.
The only exception is the inclusion of some aspects of French-Canadian culture.
What if I don’t speak French?
Don’t worry; there is no expectation that parents need to be able to understand or speak
French. However, there are many things you can do to ensure your child’s secondlanguage experience is both positive and lasting.
Encouragement is key. Be supportive and enthusiastic. Research shows that students
whose parents have positive attitudes to French do better in French immersion programs.
Turn the tables—let your child teach you French! This will build his or her confidence and
self-esteem.
You can also help your child by exposing him or her to French language and culture outside
the school. Any activity that allows use of the language builds skill, vocabulary, motivation
and confidence.