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French as a Second Language (FSL) at UGDSB

board-parleThe Upper Grand District School Board strives to increase all students’ ability to communicate and interact with growing confidence and proficiency in French.

Through learning a second language, students can:

The program teaches students to listen, speak, read, and write in French through real world language opportunities, the use of language learning strategies, and goal setting / reflection.

Our board currently offers two FSL programs – Core French and French Immersion.

Elementary:

Core French

Core French is mandatory from Grades 4 to 8 for all students in English-language elementary schools. Students receive French instruction in every year (Grade 4 to Grade 8) and must have accumulated a minimum of 600 hours of French instruction by the end of Grade 8.

French Immersion

French Immersion offers students the opportunity to acquire a high level of proficiency in French while maintaining and developing English language skills. Students enrolled in this program receive French as the only language of instruction from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 2. Immersion students begin English instruction in Grade 3 and study in both languages until high school graduation. Please note that each UGDSB elementary school that offers FI has a Junior Kindergarten enrolment cap as of September 2017. JK is the only entry point for French Immersion in the Upper Grand.  Click here for more information on the French Immersion program. To learn more about the FI cap, entry point and random selection process, visit the French Immersion Application Process page.

Secondary:

Core French

At the secondary level, students can take French as a subject from Grades 9 – 12. It is mandatory that students take one French credit for the Ontario Secondary School Diploma. In addition, a maximum of 2 credits in French can count towards compulsory credits.

French Immersion

At the secondary level, French is the language of instruction in several courses. Students enrolled in this program accumulate ten credits in French: four are for FSL (language) courses; six are for other subjects in which French is the language of instruction. If a student fulfills these requirements, the schools grants a certificate in French Immersion.

Extended French

Extended French is not currently offered in the UGDSB. In the extended French program at the secondary level, students accumulate a total of seven credits in which the language of instruction is French; four of these credits are for FSL (language) courses and three are for other subjects in which French is the language of instruction. If a student fulfills these requirements, the school grants a certificate in Extended French.

If students hear it, they can say it. If students can say it, they can read it. And if students can read it, they can write it.

 – The Ontario Curriculum: French As A Second Language (2013)

DELF

DELF scholaire is a diploma issued by the French Ministry of National Education in recognition of French-language studies. These diplomas are recognized around the world. Click here for more information about the DELF program.

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