French immersion rates in B.C. schools consistently declining: Expert

An expert says French immersion rates in B.C. schools have seen a consistent decline over the past four years despite an increase in overall student enrollment.

Executive Director for Canadian Parents for French Jason Howe says the decrease in interest could be because of the shortage of French language teachers and lack of space in schools.

“We always hear of schools that start the school year without even having a proper French language teacher in place,” he said.

He says it’s hard to expand a program without the right teachers and the province needs to build more schools to accommodate more students.

The expert says school districts could advertise the French immersion program more so that parents can consider the option for their children.

Howe says students in the French immersion program don’t necessarily get French exposure outside of their French class.

“It’s hard to continue to practice French, and so creating more of those opportunities for students outside of the classroom to learn French, to hear French, to use their French: that’s another thing that… we do some work on,” he said.

“But there’s always a need to do more of that so that kids recognize that French language and French culture exist outside of the classroom.”

Howe says the French immersion program is important because there are “all kinds of opportunities attached to learning a second language.”

“There are educational opportunities once they graduate high school that can go on to the universities and continue to study in French and get access to bursaries. There are all kinds of travel opportunities. There are social opportunities. You get to meet more people… and get to meet a whole new set of friends that way.”

He says knowing a second language is professionally beneficial too.

Howe says in the last 20 years, there have been 17,000 more students in French immersion and it’s important not to lose that momentum.

He adds that he is disappointed with the Surrey School District, which is the largest school district in B.C., because year after year, the number of students in French immersion is less than the provincial average. He says he would like to see that change in Surrey.

—With files from Anthony Atanasov.