Grand Erie offers the following French Language Programs:
The Core French program is offered from Grades 4-8 in every Grand Erie school. Instruction is given in French for a minimum of 200 minutes per five-day cycle.
In Grand Erie secondary schools, a student must earn at least one credit in French to obtain an Ontario Secondary School Graduation Diploma. In Grades 10 to 12, students may choose an additional academic Core French course each year.
Both the Ministry of Education and Grand Erie District School Board value the Core French program, which provides students with relevant learning experiences to develop their oral communication, reading and writing skills in French.
Students in the Core French program will demonstrate a working understanding of information heard and read. They will also be able to speak in familiar situations.
The Diplôme d’études en langue française (DELF) is an internationally recognized certification of proficiency in French for those learning French as an additional language. DELF diplomas are issued by France Éducation International (the French Ministry for National Education). The exams take place in 175 countries worldwide. DELF exams exist at four different levels of proficiency – A1, A2, B1, and B2 – according to the levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). In partnership with the Ontario Ministry of Education, Ontario School Boards offer DELF exams to students enrolled in a Grade 12 French language course (FSF4U, FEF4U, or FIF4U).
Grand Erie offers Grade 12 students in all French pathways (Core, Immersion, and Extended French) the opportunity to challenge the DELF exam that best suits their proficiency: A2, B1 or B2, with the guidance of their French teachers. French language skills are evaluated in the four areas of oral comprehension, oral expression, written comprehension, and written expression. Ontario’s French as a Second Language Curriculum is rooted in the CEFR, and these same four language competencies appear as the Strands.
To meet growing interest, Grand Erie now offers the DELF exams in November, April, and May, according to the international schedule established yearly by the French Ministry. Exam levels (A2, B1, or B2) and exam centres are organized to best serve participating students in Brantford and Brant, Haldimand, and Norfolk Counties. Exams take place over an entire day, with the oral component in the morning, and the listening, reading, and writing components in the afternoon.
The Grand Erie DELF Lead is in regular communication with Secondary French Department Heads and teachers of Grade 12 French courses throughout Semesters 1 and 2 regarding exam dates, structure, procedures, expectations, and registration. Student registration takes place through a Grand Erie survey, released at appropriate times throughout the school year.
Obtaining DELF certification not only opens doors to post-secondary and employment opportunities, it also serves as an official, internationally recognized testament to a student’s language learning journey and accomplishments. Grand Erie encourages its students in all French pathways to challenge the DELF in their Grade 12 year.
Grand Erie began to offer Extended French to Grade 9 students at Simcoe Composite Secondary School in the 2020-21 school year. In each subsequent year, this program will continue to grow if there is sufficient student demand.
In Extended French in secondary, students are taught French as a subject and French serves as the language of instruction in at least one other subject. At the secondary level there are academic courses in Extended French in Grades 9 and 10, and university preparation courses in Grades 11 and 12. Students accumulate seven credits in French: four are for French language courses; three courses are in other subjects taught in French. Schools may grant a certificate in Extended French if the student fulfills the requirement.
Grand Erie offers 3 entry points for French Immersion programs: JK, SK, and Gr. 1.
Those interested in French Immersion are invited to submit requests, with spots assigned through a randomized selection process. New students who currently have a sibling in the French Immersion program are guaranteed a spot; however, registration is still required.
If you are new to Grand Erie, have previously attended French Immersion and are looking to register for Grade 2 and up, please contact your school.
The deadline to apply to the French Immersion program is February 2, 2024.
Core French, Extended French, and French Immersion programs differ in intensity, but share a common purpose: to develop a student’s oral communication (listening and speaking), reading and writing skills in French language.
All of the French Language Programs provide benefits to students regardless of whether or not they plan post-secondary studies in French. There are, however, significant differences in focus as well as in the language competency expected of students.
Generally, a student's program choice is determined by the total number of hours of French instruction accumulated by the end of Grade 8 (600 for Core French and a minimum of 3,800 for French Immersion). The longer exposure to French instruction provided by the Immersion program allows students to acquire a greater knowledge and understanding of the language as well as greater effectiveness in its use.
Grand Erie offers 3 entry points for French Immersion programs: JK, SK, and Grade 1.
Those interested in French Immersion are invited to submit requests, with spots assigned through a randomized selection process. New students who currently have a sibling in the French Immersion program are guaranteed a spot; however, registration is still required.
If you are new to Grand Erie, have previously attended French Immersion and are looking to register for Grade 2 and up, please contact your school.
The deadline to apply to the French Immersion program is February 2, 2024.