French as a Second Language (FSL) programming

French programming at the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board is designed to cultivate students’ French language skills while fostering an appreciation for Francophone cultures. The KPDSB focuses on a balanced approach that integrates listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Educators aim to use authentic materials such as literature, music, and multimedia resources to provide students with French-speaking experiences and opportunities. Interactive and communicative activities encourage students to engage in meaningful conversations and apply their language skills in practical contexts. Technology is optimized and integrated to enhance learning, with language-learning apps, and online resources. Cultivating cultural competency is a key component, exposing students to a wide variety of opportunities to develop their French-speaking skills. The KPDSB not only equips students with linguistic skills but also instills a broader cultural awareness, preparing them for a globalized workplace where proficiency in multiple languages is increasingly valuable. The KPDSB offers a variety of French programs, which include Core French, Extended French, and French Immersion. French as a Second Language programs are for all students, including students with special needs and English language learners.

The Benefits of Learning French

The advantages of learning to speak French at a functionally-bilingual level in our schools are numerous: students will be able to communicate with French-speaking people in Canada and around the world; they learn to understand and appreciate the history and evolution of their cultures; and students benefit from a competitive advantage in the workforce (Ontario Curriculum: French as a Second Language, Ontario Ministry of Education, 2013). Research has shown that second language learning strengthens first-language skills, cognitive development, reasoning, and creative-thinking skills, and builds students’ confidence. Learning a second language will also increase students’ competitiveness in an increasingly global job market. The KPDSB offers Grade 12 FSL students an opportunity to challenge the Diplôme d'études en langue française (DELF) exam, through which students may earn a diploma from the French Ministry of Education to certify their level of French language competency.

Core French

Keewatin-Patricia District School Board elementary and secondary schools provide Core French language programming for students in Grades 4-12. From Grade 4 through Grade 8, students must accumulate a minimum of 600 hours of French instruction. In most schools, this adds up to approximately 200 minutes of French language instruction per week. At the secondary level, students must obtain one Grade 9 Core French credit (or one Grade 9 Native Language credit) to be eligible to receive their Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) at the end of Grade 12. Secondary schools offer additional elective French courses that follow the Grades 10-12 Ontario curriculum (secondary programming may be dependent on enrolment; check with your local high school for more information).

Extended French

Extended French in an optional program at Beaver Brae school in Kenora, beginning in Grade 7. In Grade 7 and 8, a minimum of 25% of instruction in the Extended French program is provided in French. This includes the study of French as a Second Language and at least one other subject where French is the language of instruction. At the secondary level, students in the Extended French program will accumulate seven credits in French: four for FSL language courses and three for other subjects in which French is the language of instruction. Extended French programming is currently available at Beaver Brae Intermediate and Beaver Brae Secondary School in Kenora.

French Immersion

The KPDSB offers French Immersion programs in Dryden and Kenora, from Kindergarten through Grade 12. Up to Grade 8, a minimum of 50% of instruction in the French Immersion program is provided in French. This includes the study of French as a Second Language and at least two other subjects where French is the language of instruction. At the secondary level, students in the French Immersion program will accumulate 10 credits in French: four for FSL language courses and six for other subjects in which French is the language of instruction. Students’ proficiency in French increases based on the amount of time and the level of intensity of instruction in French.

French Immersion programming is currently available at the following schools:

Kenora: Valleyview Public School, Beaver Brae Intermediate, and Beaver Brae Secondary School 

Dryden: New Prospect School and Dryden High School

For more information about French Language Programming and teaching opportunities within the KPDSB, please inquire to [email protected]