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What is French Immersion

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French is a popular world language spoken by more than 300 million people throughout 5 continents. As the second most widely learned language after English, learning French is an inherently valuable and almost universally accepted language. It is not only spoken in France, but also in 28 other countries.  It is also the official language of the United Nations, the European Union, UNESCO, NATO and the International Court of Justice (with English), and the International Red Cross (with English and Spanish). 

Its widespread use and acceptance make it an asset in your child’s education; enrolling your child in French Immersion programs can offer a variety of advantages.

French Immersion is an educational program offered to non-French speaking children. Children are taught and learn in most subjects (like math, science, art, history, music, geography, and physical education) in French.

 The French immersion program was developed to:

  • *Take advantage of the ability of children to study and learn French naturally and effortlessly
  • *Capitalize on their social ability and introduce them to a new language and culture
  • *Allow children to take part in native language development, educational achievement, and general cognitive development

  • Benefits of Enrolling Your Child in  a French Immersion Program

    The main purpose of French Immersion is to give Anglophone students the opportunity to become bilingual. While it has its share of critics, various studies have shown that the immersion program is suitable for any child. Enrolling your children in French immersion can open many doors to success.

    Here are some of the most common benefits of French Immersion:

    • Improved Cognitive Skills

    Studies have found that learning a new language at an early age, especially between 5 to 7 year old, helps improve your child’s cognitive skills, such as reading and problem-solving. Being bilingual also enhances the development of critical and creative thinking skills. If your child experiences several challenges learning 2 languages, don’t worry. Some studies report that their cognitive flexibility will increase later in life. This simply shows that being bilingual or multilingual gives the ability to better adapt and deal with unfamiliar circumstances in their adult years.

    • Better Educational and Career Opportunities

    Your child’s proficiency in both English and French language opens up better educational opportunities. This enables them to attend post-secondary institutions or universities. It also paves the way for career advancement and higher employment rates. Canada alone offers about 67,000 bilingual jobs. Employees who speak both French and English are also reported to have a higher income, earning almost 10% more, than their monolingual counterparts.

    • Access to the World

    Being able to speak French does not simply increase your child’s future travel options (within 29 French-speaking countries), but it also helps expose your child to more cultures and broaden their global view.

    • Excellent Communication Skills

    Enrolling your child in French immersion teaches them to communicate their thoughts and express themselves better than those who only speak a single language. Additionally, learning a different language also makes your child a sensitive communicator. They are able to understand and respond well, make them respectful of cultural differences, and enable them to communicate effectively with others of diverse backgrounds.

  • In Calcasieu Parish this program is completely FREE. Immersion students from Henry Heights move on to immersion classes at SJ Welsh and then to Barbe High School.  Also, if your child stays in Immersion throughout 12th grade, they can receive college credits.   Hope to see your child in our French Immersion Kindergarten class next year!