Francisation (Francophone Education)

Overview

Francisation programming provides instruction and support for eligible children and students to acquire language proficiency in French that enables them to fully integrate socially, academically and culturally at the community level, as a Francophone and in Canadian society in general.

Each Francophone school is responsible for providing French language supports and instruction to ensure children and students experience continued progress in the acquisition of French language skills to achieve grade-level expectations and reach their full potential.

Programming

Alberta Education resources for educators

La francisation : l'affaire de tout le monde is a web-based comprehensive resource available through Learnalberta.ca offering Francophone educators a wide range of practical tools to support programming, assessment and monitoring in Francisation, from preschool to Grade 12, including:

• Theoretical Foundations for Reflective Practice in Francisation – Explains the interdependence of the development of language, identity and a sense of belonging to community, and the importance of each of these factors in the success of each student.
• Pre-K to Grade 12 Francisation Benchmarks – Provides a continuum of descriptions of language development that helps educators assess and monitor the development of French language proficiency of Francophone students.

Resources

• Early childhood services: la Francisation
• Francisation: foire aux questions
• Actes du forum pour la francisation (2009)
• La francisation : l'affaire de tout le monde – Comprehensive resource to support Francisation programming for preschool to grade 12.
• Guide pour l'accompagnement des jeunes enfants en francisation – For Francophone Early Learning professionals.
• Pédagogie à l'école de langue française – Supporting francophone education in minority settings.
• La francisation : parcours de formation – Pan-Canadian French-as-a-First-Language Project.
• Guide pédagogique - Stratégies en lecture et en écriture (M à 12) – Phase II: Pan-Canadian French-as-a-First-Language Project.
• J’enseigne en français au Canada
• Consortium provincial francophone – For professional development opportunities in French.
• ACCENT directory – Activities and resources available in French for school communities.

Eligibility

Who is eligible for Francisation supports

• Preschool-aged children (from 3 years 6 months) who attend a Francophone preschool program (as of September 1 of the current school year) who require additional French language supports and instruction.
• Students from grades 1 to 12 who attend a Francophone school who require additional French language supports and instruction to achieve grade-level expectations in Français and other subject areas.
• Children or students can be Canadian or foreign-born.
• Although funding is available for a maximum of 5 years, Francisation supports and instruction can continue to meet students' learning needs beyond 5 years.
• Where required, Francophone students may benefit from supports in both Francisation and English as an Additional Language.

Assessment

How are a child's or students’ needs in Francisation determined?

• A teacher will assess the child's or student’s knowledge and abilities in French at the beginning of the school year.
• Many Francophone schools use the Francisation preschool to grade 12 benchmarks to gather information about the child's or student’s French language profile and to monitor their progress.

For more information about assessment in Francisation, see the section called 'Évaluation' in the digital resource La francisation : l'affaire de tout le monde.

Parent information

Many resources are available for parents of children or students who benefit from Francisation supports:

• Early childhood services: la Francisation – Information that can help parents and Early Childhood Service providers understand and provide programming in Francisation for young children.
• French Language Education in Alberta – For information on the different French language education options available in Alberta, including specific information for Francophone or French First language education.
• New LearnAlberta Parents – A parent resource on Alberta's kindergarten to Grade 12 curriculum.
• Bonjour Alberta – This website is helpful to parents who are new to the province of Alberta.
• Fédération des parents francophones de l'Alberta (FPFA) – Resources, workshops and strategies to increase access to francophone education.
• ACCENT directory – Activities and resources available in French for school communities.