The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutTimes Advocate, 1995-01-18, Page 13Yager 12 Times -Advocate, January 18,.1995 CO_MMUNITY Strong support for Immersion Parents in counties have strong committment to French Immersion By Heather Vincent T -A staff LUCAN - Beverley Hughes, principal of Lucan Public School says that students tested at the five high schools in Middlesex County at the grade nine level ranked higher than the provincial averages. Lucan Public has an immer- sion program for grade three and four students, the program begins in grade one. A national test of 13-16 year-olds demonstrated that frac- ophone students living in Ontario, New Brunswick and Manitoba are falling behind their English-speaking peers in Canada. The test evaluated reading and writing skills and was giv- en to 58,000 students in April of 1994 by the Council of Ministers of Education. The results of the test bring further scrutiny of the french immersion programs in the public education system. How- ever, immersion programs in Huron and Middlesex Counties receive strong support and commitment from par- ents, demonstrated when students are changing schools up to three times at the elementary level. Hector Hammerly, a professor of applied linguistics at Si- mon Fraser University has created a bilingual test that Eng- lish-speaking parents can give to their children who have had at least five years of immersion. The test, called FIT (French Immersion Test), is designed Weekly papers well read A national poll says 13 million Canadians read community papers TORONTO - The weekly, community newspaper is as strong as ever, a new national poll reveals. One of Canada's most re- spected private polling firms has confirmed what the com- munity newspaper industry has been saying for years, re- ports The Publisher, the newspaper 'of the Canadian Community Newspapers As- sociation. The Angus Reid Group poll of 1,005 individuals from every region of Canada found that nearly two-thirds read their community newspaper. In their report on the poll, Angus Reid noted the fact that readership of weeklies is so high is particularly sig- nificant, given the conven- tional wisdom that the print media is dying. The poll found 13 million Canadians read a community newspaper, and of those, eight out of 10 read it every week. "Once known as the in- visible medium, community newspapers are becoming an increasingly important media sector, not just because of their growing circulation but also because of their ex- panding role and influence in Canadian communities from coast to coast," the report concludes. Angus Reid suggested the main reason weeklies arc read with such intense inter- est is that their content relates to issues and events reflecting their families and com- munities. • Notice Township of McGillivray Residents Public Meeting January 26 7:30 p.m. in West McGillivray Hall regarding road names. to implement 94-1 service Please plan to attend to evaluate how good the child's French language skills really are. Hammerly feels strongly that while over 300,00 children are currently enrolled in immersion programs in Canada, very few graduates could be considered functional bi- lingual. Studies, he says in a press release, have shown re- peatedly that the results are poor. "Immersion graduates speak rapidly but their speech has very frequent errors or the most basic kind; so does their writing." In response to this criticism, Hughes said that the stu- dents who were tested at the grade three level several years ago,"faired as well if not better," than their english counter- parts. The students are able to transfer the skills learned in one language to the other. The immersion students are able to develop thinking skills, especially listening kldlls while learning a new lan- guage. Becky Cairns, the teacher of French Immersion at Lucan Public School says that "risk taking is important." Students learn self confidence from experimenting every day with a new language. Thinking and analysis are com- ponents which are stressed in the program. Hammerly also says that the programs were based on faulty theories and assumptions that the interlanguage char- acteristics of the students would disappear over time. Com- monly called "Frenglish", the students speak a hybrid ver- sion of French mixed with English. Elaine Marentette, a consultant from the Middlesex Board of Education says that they do not discourage this practice. She says, "1 don't think it is a real problem, the students switch back and forth rather than integrating the two." Middlesex county schools use a "dual track" model for French Immersion rather than the "immersion centres" found in London. The county model allows students to learn both languages because the immersion program is housed in a regular school. Interaction between students occurs in both languages. The goal of the program is to give the students as much exposure to the French language and culture as possible. Parents of children in immersion programs value the french language and recognize the opportunities in the workplace for bilingual graduates. The parents are pre- dominantly englsh-speaking and want to give their children an advantage in a competetive work environment. French Immersion programs in Ontario have increased over 600 percent over the past ten years. Hughes says that he would estimate that approximately 90 percent of ele- mentary immersion students continue immersion at the high school level. "We have a very good retention rate," said Hughes. Hughes said he did not have any statistics on how many graduates are able to hold bilingual jobs. Success, he sug- gests, is based on the continued use of the language. Liquor target of break-ins EXETER - Local police are in- vestigating several break-ins and thefts over the past week, three of which involved the theft of liquor. On Saturday, a small amount of .liquor was taken after a break-in at the Exeter Curling Club. Police had investigated an unsuccessful break-in attempt through one of the club's windows the previous Sun- day. On Friday, a garage on Welling- ton Street in Exeter was entered, and again a small amount of liquor was taken. The day before, police investigat- ed a break-in at a Marlborough Street home in Exeter. Liquor was also the target of the thief. Last Tuesday, a television, VCR, and stereo equipment were taken from the Usborne Township resi- dence of Dennis Richardson. Po- lice are asking anyone with infor- mation to contact either them or Crime Stoppers. A women's wallet was reported lost in Exeter on Thursday, and po- lice are asking to be contacted should it be found. The OPP also have in their pos- session a wooden sleigh Christmas decoration, found in Exeter. The owner can contact police to claim it. There's Only One Way To Hold Your Interest After The Holidays... o/�*NOMIT, FNANCINGLI Choose from our entire line of new '94 cars everything from Aspires to Lincolns! Choose from these new '94 trucks and vans! • Aerostar • Bronco • Econoline • Selected F -Series • Selected Ranger FOR A FULL 48 MONTHS ON ALL '94 CARS & SELECTED '94 TRUCKS 4.9% vs. 11.5% BANK FINANCING — 48 MONTHS YOUR SAVINGS! 00 $2,224 00 $2,965 00 $3,708 00 $5,238 Amount Financed 515,0 520,0 525,0 535,0 Cost of Borrowingat 4.9% over 48 months? Cost of Borrowing at 11.5% over 48 months $1,560 52,080 52,600 53,592 53,784 55,045 56,308 S8,830 Okay..: Maybe There Are Two Ways. A/o**NO LIM T FINANCING FOR A FULL 48 MONTHS ON SELECTED '95 CARS & TRUCKS Choose. from '95 Aerostar, '95 Cougar, '95 Escort, Selected '95 F -Series, Selected '95 Ranger, '95 Sable, '95 Taurus, and '95 Thunderbird/ HURRY... LIMITED TIME ONLY! SEE YOUR LOCAL FORD & MERCURY DEALERS MERCURY THE ULTIMATE OFFER! •?mentis, "If cannel be combined with any other often 4 4% 10,1001 oftei avalable tin MI new 1144 ',do, wept for implorer. 1 -Seth, (Super/Crew Cab). Mnge (6 Cyt l and VrIage for a rna,4,wm 44 months on approved credit a g 115.000 financed as 4 4% per annum equal, 3143 00 per *with to 44 months Cont of borrowing "1.56°00 1.56000 total 1 00 M,3 to be capsid N 116.340 Oawn payment may yl, dewed Of1el ava+tabh on new retail purchase from de.Nr inventory onlylingted quantitlet ava,iabh tllepewnn the total o1 the 4 monthly interest payme"a ••/financing ofte cannot be «io' owd rvN1 any other. otters 6 414 financing wale wadable on t14% 4e,aw Cd,p✓, Not t-e.i*t (Req,dar and Chases cab). Range (4 Cyr 1. Sable, Toon" and Thund!.b+rd for a mnimum 4* months on approved credit • g 110.000 financed at 6 4% per annum .,>.,.N 171100 pa. month for 4 monk» C0H of bnrrowinl it 11:111 00 Thal amount to be repaid N 1t 1,411 boy. payrwent mal b• required Oft*. railed* on new retail purthetat from dealer inventory only Sea Beater for detain Ontar,o 13404, ► 0 4o. 2000, OaOv,104., Ontario 1.111 St4 • -y