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Times Advocate, 1984-11-21, Page 13Experts queried on French Immersion at Goderich public meeting By Patrick Rallis French Immersion is the latest hot potato for the Huron County Board of Education to handle. A public forum on the sub- ject, held at Goderich District Collegiate Institute on Mon- day night, attracted about 100 interested area residents. While many in attendance were in favor of the French Immersion program, most came to learn the answers to a number of questions tradi- tionally posed by the pro- gram's detractors. Billed as a debate, the discussion was actually a public information meeting, featuring three pro - immersion speakers. The first speaker was Russel McGillivray, a former supervisor of the Carlton Board of Education, one of the first public school boards in Ontario to implement the program. French Immersion first began, in the Ottawa -Carlton area, in 1970; as an experi- ment a few parents wanted to try, said McGillivray. It has since spread to the point where some boards in every province offer the program, with about 150,000 children across Canada taking part. "French Immersion is no longer looked on as an experi- ment. It's no longer a trial and error process - if it ever was," said McGillivray. Higher education is now available to immmersion graduates, with some univer- sities offering programs total- ly in French, to native - English students, he added. McGillivray said the im- Serving South Hurori, North Middies.% November 21, 1984 PagelA CUSO needs recruits Are you adaptable, flexible, mature and self-reliant? Do you have a good sense of humor? Do you have prac- tical experience and/or for- mal training in the fields of agricultural technology, natural resources, small business, education or health? Would you like a two- year adventure in a country whose culture, climate, language and way of life is a world away from your own? If you answered all those questions with an enthusiastic affirmative, you are well qualified to be a CUSO recruit. This private, non- profit development agency sends skilled workers to over 30 countries in the Caribbean, Latin America , Africa, Southeast Asia and the Pacific to help Third World nations train their own people to cope with rapidly changing conditions within the global village we all inhabit. CUSO's prime aim since its founding in 1961 is to ensure that developing nations can produce enough food to feed their population by training locals to train other locals. Journeymen auto and diesel mechanics, welders, plumbers, agricultural mechanics, doctors and nurses are especially needed. Anne Jorna, RR 3 Granton, is a typical recruit. She ap- proached CUSO in November, 1981, while completing her teacher's training at Althouse, London. In June, 1982, she was in Numan, Nigeria, on a two-year con- tract to teach English in a women teachers' college. Asked why she volunteered to work for CUSO right after gradution, Anne explained that she enjoyed travel. Besides, she said, it was the right time. "It is easier to leave nothing to go to the Third World. It would be harder to give up a good job, a car, an apartment and all the other things you begin to ac- cumulate once you start working ' here", she elaborated. From application to assign- ment takes about 12 months. The process begins with a personal interview with staff in the London office, and another group session with London coordinator Tanis Clarke, a returned CUSO worker, and someone with training in the same profes- sion as the applicant tak- ing part. Once this hurdle is cleared, the applicant's file is sent to CUSO's Ottawa headquarters where applicant and job are matched. A field staff officer at the destination then checks with the employer (usually the country's government or •••••.. • r �• ' �A Returned CUSO worker Anne Jorno Final 9 days Our 19th Anniversary Sale Family Rings 203 /11.111111110, 0 bf f reg. price lust in time for Christmas. Order your family ring in November and we wit! take 20% off the regular price. • iv:: a local agency or organiza- tion) to see if the job is still open to a CUSO cooperant. All successful applicants are brought to Ottawa for an all -expenses paid, 10 -day preorientation period. They hear from specialists in tropical medicine, returned CUSO workers and interna- tional development person- nel, and take part in a cross - culture simulation game that gives them some inkling of what it will be like to step out of a plane and into another lifestyle in Sierra Leone or Mozambique. Inoculations, visas, airplane tickets and all other necessary arrangements are looked after and paid for by CUSO. Those needing language training spend a further two months at an in- terim point being taught French, Portuguese, Spanish or whatever language skill is required. Often this is done in the original country, i.e. Por- tuguese is learned in Portugal. On arrival in the host coun- try, the new CUSO recruit is met by the field staff officer and given further in -country orientation before being taken to the actual job site. Anne vividly recalls her first year in Nigeria. She suf- fered through amoebic dysen- try, malaria and everything else around. By the second year, "I was okay; I'd had them all", she laughed. The first day in the classroom, Anne 'nervously faced a class of 50 female students ranging in age from 12 to 30 years old. In Nigeria, after six years of primary education, students have the option of going on to secon- dary school or teachers' col- lege. If they graduate from the college, they return to the schools as primary teachers. The students were ac- customed to rote learning, listening to lectures and regurgitating the facts. At first they were suspicious of the games, oral drills, pic. tures and speech -making pro- jects added to the curriculum by this foreign teacher. Looking back, Anne admits sometimes she got depressed and was ready to throw in the towel. Then something would happen to boost her spirits, and assure her that "yes, something can be done; they can even do it themselves". Northern Nigeria is ex- periencing problems similar to those in Ethiopia, accor- ding to Anne. Poor agri- cultural practices and crops grown for export head the list. Anne has concluded from first-hand experience that aid has to be given wisely. Pro- viding Canadian farm machinery without also teaching the recipients how to operate and maintain it is a wasted effort. Anne's two years as a CUSO worker in Nigeria have taught her some important lessons. "It's amazing how little one can live on" she said. CUSO cooperants receive the same wages as native per- sonnel doing the same job. and are paid by the host coun- try. CUSO provides accom- modation and furnishings. CUSO benefits include return travel costs, medical and den- tal coverage, life and disabili- ty insurance and a resettle- ment allowance upon return to Canada. "Our physical and mental well-being is well looked after" Anne noted. Anne considers her CUSO experience priceless. She found she could teach with very little, get along with a variety of people she wouldn't even have met in Canada, and now can say, "1 did it, I can do it again." And she may very well repeat the experience. Anyone interested in fin- ding out more about CUSO may contact Tanis Clarke at Room 434, Talbot College, University of Western On- tario, London, 679-2490. merlon program is lar more successful than the traditional Core French programs which, "gave us all a smatter- ing of French". Progress for students tak- ing Core French is "so in- finitesimally slow", that it's difficult for a teacher to see what has been accomplished, McGillivray said. He called Core French "an intellectural exercise and not much more, while stating that French Immersion gives students a feeling that "a language is something to be used - rather than simply learned." He encouraged parents to think of the program as "vocational training," and cited journalism, social work and law, as just a few of the professions in which bill- ingualism is increasingly becoming an asset. McGillivray said many boards do not offer French Immersion, because they feel the program is to expensive to set up. McGillivray downplayed the expense of the program, saying that a big part of im- mersion consists of "teachers with a class in front of them. That has to happen anyway." While special books are needed for the program, McGillivray called this a one time expense and said that there are grants available to offset the cost of the program. Research Bail Litt, a Kitchener researcher, who has been in- volved with studies on the ef- fects of French Immersion was the next speaker. She discussed a number of com- mon concerns about the effec- tiveness of the program. Most studies have remain- ed consistently positive on the attitude of graduates of the immersion program, she said. The results tend to re- main positive regardless of whether the student was in- volved in an early or late im- mersion program, she added. Litt addressed one of the major concerns among parents of children in French Immersion - the effect of the program on the child's English learning capabilities. "French Immersion con- stitutes no threat to a child's personal or cultural identity; or his first language," studies cited by Litt have concluded. Although Grade 1 students tend to have lower test scores than, non -immersion students; Litt said the immer- sion students are often out- performing their Enlish - on- ly counterparts by Grade 5. According to some resear- chers, listening skills tests too difficult for Grade K-3 Core French students, resulted in nearly perfect scores when given to immersion students. Immersion students can at- tain "native -like" proficiency in listening, reading and com- prehension of French; while their speaking and writing French performance is not as good, but still acceptable. Research shows, say Litt, that French Immersion tends to enhance, rather than hinder, a students ability to learn other subjects. She also said that immersion students have fewer social differences with French students. Late starters Carmeta Abbott, an assis- tant professor at St. Jerome's College, Waterloo and a co- founder of the K -W area's first immersion school, works with latecomers to the French language. She works with students at the other end of the spectrum. They come to university and want to have some French. "For many it has become a personal conviciton," she said. "Most of them are aware of the immersion program. They just sigh as they strug- gle and wish that they could have learned that way," said Abbott. Late learners of French, said Abbott, depend heavily on the written word, therefore not developing the fluency of the earlier -immersed student. immersion students are "less hung-up about trying to speak," she added. Abbott called the program, "The Great Canadian Success Story" and said that Americans and Europeans are now trying to emulate the program. She emphasized the impor- tance of parental involvement in the program and recom- mended parents make a point of reading, in English, to their smaller children. She also advised parents to take advantage of any oppor- tunity to let their child ex- perience a francophone en- vironment, through exchange programs, trips and so on Question period Following the speakers' comments, the floor was thrown open for questions and comments from the audience. Among the first to speak was Cletus Dalton, represen- ting an organization called Concerned Citizens for a Bet- ter Basic Education. Dalton charged that the meeting did not constitute a true debate because there were no anti -immersion speakers on the panel. He of- fered to fill the role of ad- visary himself and gave a short discourse outlining the CCBBE's position on immersion. "It is not too late to stop French Immersion. I believe it can still be turned around," said Dalton. He attacked McGillivray's contention that the program would not be overly expensive in this area. "The overall long -term -cost of French Immersion for rural communities would be incalculable. At this time it's no secret the Board of Educa- tion is having a hard time," said Dalton. Mr. Dalton emphasized his group was not opposed to French Immersion, but feel it should be a user -pay system, rather than an extra burden to the taxpayers. He also said that rural children must catch a bus, leaving for school as early as 8 a.m. and often do not return home until after 4 p.m. "This is a long day for a child, without facing a teacher who does not make sense," he said. "Why should we be ex- pected to welcome French in- to our daily lives; when shopkeepers in Quebec are fined for displaying signs in English," said Dalton. Another questioner wanted to know if a different ap- proach to Core French might not be a cheaper alternative to immersion. "Why not in- still in Core French students - hey, you've got something there - why not use it?" he said. One parent, who said he has a child entering the immer- sion program at St. Mary's, Goderich, next fall, wanted to know how to differentiate bet- ween a student's normal pro- blems at school and problems related to the immersion program. Abbott told him it is impor- tant for parents to work close- ly with and discuss any poten- tial problems with the teacher of the immersion program. Another questioner wanted to know about the availabili- ty of quality teachers, in light of statements by a prominent immersion specialist, who said she felt only a native francophone should teach in an immersion classroom. The inquisitor was told that teachers chosen are good "language role models", but not necessarily native franophones. In reply to a question on the effect of school transferal on immersion students, McGillivray said "there is usually some difficulty during the first term ( back in a regular classroom) but it does not generally result a loss of year." One mother wanted to know, "how marvelous a MANY USES — Brian Innes of Transfer Systems Inc., Woodstock holds one of the latest pieces of equipment being used by firemen in a variety of situations. The small tool can be used as an axe, pick, cutting instrument and pry bar among other things. Watching his demonstration from the left are Exeter firemen John Morgan, Bill lnson, Ken Baker, Innis, Harold DeVries, Peter McFalls, Ken Triebner, Jim Jar- rett, Norm Tait, Don Wells and John Gaiser. T -A photo parent" she would have to be, to be helpful in her child's at- tempts to master French, in addition to all the other paren- tal reponslblllties. "11 you don't have time - don't do it," replied McGillivray. SINGING GRANT — Area singer Jamie Westman receives a cheque for $500 from the Ministry of Citizen ship and Culture to defray expenses of a recent tour to Europe. Making the presentation is Kirkton- Woodham Optimist club president Keith Selves. Phone for your reservation to attend FREE Candy Courses Chocolate House, Trees, Sucker Sticks ti November 26 7:30 p.m. Assorted Chocolat Nov. 27 Dec. 3 Dec. 4 .1• f.1 B;( 1:30 p.m. 8 7:30 p.m. . 7t 4 ., !1i Ferguson Apiaries Hwy. 84 Between Hensel) and Zurich 236-4979 AIR BAG — This air bag was used in a demonstration at the Exeter and area fire hall to help pull the steering wheel from this wrecked car. The bag can lift up to 68 tons. Explaining its use is Brian Innes and firemen watching from the left are Bill Inson, Peter„ Snell, Ken Baker, Bill Hirtzel and Pete McFalls. Phone and have your reserved Time to improve your heating system? "GOOD Here's a breath of fresh air from Union Gas. Whether you're finally converting from oil to natural gas, or replacing your present gas heating system, Union Gas NUS" has some good news for those who want to save even more. Act between September 15 and November 17, 1984 and look what you get: GOOD Oft! 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