By Mandy Moraes, NLPS staff
Learning French happens in many different ways in Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools. Each year, a class of Grade 6 students begins to immerse themselves in the language by joining the school district’s Late French Immersion Program.
Offered only at École Quarterway Elementary for students entering Grade 6, the Late French Immersion program helps learners build skills to continue in the French Immersion program at Nanaimo District Secondary School.
Grade 6 teacher Pier-Anne Gagnon describes the program as intensive, but says students make rapid progress thanks to their maturity and motivation.
“My goal as a teacher is to make French fun to learn,” she said. “For many, It’s their first time learning a new language, and I want to make them ready for high school to continue learning French and graduate with a French immersion diploma.”
The first few months of the school year focuses on basic language skills such as sounds, vocabulary, sentence structure, reading, and writing. Once established, students are ready to engage in French-taught subjects like science and social studies.
Gagnon measures success in the program less by grades and more by students’ attitudes.
“When you have a goal and a good mindset, and when you are ready to put in the effort, that’s my ideal student,” she said. “It’s never too late.”
As a bilingualist, Gagnon creates an encouraging classroom environment, knowing this is key to learning another language. Since many students arrive with little or no French background, she prioritizes building their confidence.
“It’s OK to make mistakes,” Pierre-Anne said. “At least you try.”
Eunike Susanto has now seen the program’s benefits firsthand with two of her children. Her daughter, Rachel, entered Late French Immersion and is now in Grade 10 at NDSS, while her son, Jonathan, is currently enrolled in Grade 6 at Quarterway.
Susanto said Rachel was hesitant about switching schools and learning a new language; the first year was challenging. With encouragement at home and support from her teacher, she stayed with the program and grew in confidence.
Today, Susanto says Rachel enjoys French and sees it as a skill for future opportunities. Rachel now has ambitions that bilingualism could support, including public speaking, law, and political science.
Jonathan’s experience has been even smoother. Susanto describes him as thriving in the program and enjoying both the learning and the community.
Susanto believes Rachel’s experience helped pave the way for her younger brother, as the siblings sometimes speak French together at home. Susanto will also enroll her youngest child in French immersion this September.
For families considering the program, both teacher and parent say motivation and curiosity are key. With support from teachers and encouragement at home, students quickly gain confidence as they develop French skills. As Susanto notes, Late French Immersion gives students another chance to explore the benefits of bilingual learning and the opportunities it offers.