TVDSB considers French immersion changes due to teacher shortage

London's largest school board is moving to pare elements of its French immersion curriculum, with changes that will reduce the amount of French instruction students will receive. 

The changes being considered by the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) include shifting the French immersion entry point to Grade 1, instead of having new students enter in their kindergarten year.

Another idea would see Grade 7 and 8 students taught in English instead of French for math, music and physical education. The proposal on the TVDSB website says the change would reduce the overall French-language instruction for those years to 50 per cent, down from 80 per cent. 

Pushing back the start of French immersion to Grade 1 would effectively formalize a process the board began last year. 

'This is about equity in staffing'

Marion Moynihan, superintendent of student achievement at the TVDSB, said a shortage of qualified French teachers is driving the changes. 

"This is about equity in staffing across our system. There's a national shortage of French teachers. We couldn't offer French immersion across the entire system so for equity reasons, we've determined that we wouldn't offer it in senior kindergarten."

Regarding the older grades, Moynihan said finding substitutes for French-speaking music teachers in specialized subjects such as math and music was a constant challenge. 

"We've been in situations where someone went on a leave, and we weren't able to find people with those dual qualifications."

The proposed policy change will remain on the TVDSB's website along with a portal for public input. The input window closes on Monday.

Early start to French is important

Later entry into French immersion will make the transition to French immersion more difficult for many students, according to Shelley K. Taylor, a linguistics professor. She's in Western's faculty of education, as well as a former French immersion teacher. 

"I think it will be a setback for the children. They learn so much conversation in the kindergarten year."

Taylor said that when she taught kindergarten in Toronto, many of her students entered French immersion in kindergarten who didn't speak French or English at home. 

She said the earlier introduction to the language helped ensure that hearing French wasn't such a shock when students reached Grade 1. 

"It was a very gentle introduction to the language and they just made huge strides," said Taylor. "The growth in their French language from September to the end of June was incredible. It's very beneficial for them to have that French year in kindergarten."

Laura Hermans-Nymark, an assistant professor at Western's education, said the lack of teachers qualified to teach in French is a legitimate problem. She said about one quarter of applicants for French teaching positions fail to meet the language requirement. 

In some cases, teachers are reluctant to do what is already a difficult job in a language that's not their first. 

"There can be a confidence problem for teachers," she said.