Yukon parents want better communication about French programs, survey finds

The Yukon government must do a better job providing information to Whitehorse parents about French second-language programs in schools, according to a survey conducted last fall.

"We do have some work to do around awareness so that parents who are worried about that immersion at kindergarten can feel assured that whether it's intensive French or late immersion your child can still achieve that bilingual advantage," said Nicole Morgan, director of learning support with the Department of Education.

The survey gathered feedback about Yukon's core French, intensive French and French immersion programs. It found that parents weren't as familiar with core French and intensive French as they were with French immersion.

Core French provides students with basic French conversation skills. Students receive up to 120 minutes of French instruction week for short periods every day or for longer periods a few times a week.

In intensive French students receive 80 per cent of instruction in French for half of the year and 20 per cent for the other half. Math is taught in English all year. Post-intensive French continues through Grade 12 as an optional program.

Students can enter the French immersion program in Kindergarten, Grade 1 or in Grade 6. Students in those programs should be able to work in both English and French when they graduate.

Keeping students in the program

The results of the survey are being used to help the Department of Education plan the direction of French programs.

Morgan said the results also show a need for more support to encourage students to stay in French programs.

"Now we want to be able to turn our attention to maintaining the students in the program as they progress toward their high school graduation," she said.

The survey was completed by 1,712 parents of Whitehorse school-age and pre-school-age children, more than half of all parents contacted. Responses came from parents of children at every Whitehorse school and in all grades.

In mid-February, the French Second Language Working Group, made up of government and non-government members, reviewed the survey results as part of its work to make recommendations for a new five-year action plan for programs and initiatives in Yukon.