ACTION PLAN: REGULAR PROGRAMS AND ADDITIONAL STRATEGIES Elementary / Secondary French Second Language Instruction
Ontario Ministry of Education
March 2006
- Schedule 1 - Administrative terms and conditions
- Schedule 2
- Action Plan entitled "Canada-Ontario Agreement on Minority Language Education and Second Language Instruction 2005-06 to 2008-09"
- Business Plan entitled "Canada-Ontario Agreement relating to Additionnal Strategies to Enhance French Language Education"
- Action Plan entitled "Action Plan: Regular Progams and Additionnal Strategies for Elementary/Secondary French Second Language Education"
- Action Plan entitled "Canada-Ontario Agreement on Minority Language Education, Second Official Language Instruction and the Enhancement of French Language Postsecondary Education (2005-06 to 2008-09)"
- Schedule 3 - Additional Strategies – Support Categories and Areas of Intervention
- Schedule 4 - Model – Certified Annual Report on Outcomes and Actual Expenditures
PREAMBLE
Introduction
The 2005-06 to 2008-09 agreement on elementary / secondary French second language (FSL) instruction establishes the cooperation framework between Canada and Ontario to fund the regular FSL programs and additional strategies designed to increase the proportion of high school graduates with a working knowledge of French. The additional strategies included in our plan are directly linked to Canada's investment sectors and strategic priorities outlined below:
- Improve core French programs
- by renewing teaching approaches and tools used in the classroom
- by encouraging the examination of innovative methods
- Revitalize French immersion programs
- with more qualified teachers and modernized teaching methods
- with additional high quality teaching materials
- with more exchange programs and more opportunities for bilingual students to put their skills to good use
- with additional classrooms and programs
- Increase the number of qualified teachers
- with more training and professional development opportunities
Goals
Ontario's multi-year plan to promote a strong and vibrant elementary / secondary FSL program is focused on two goals:
- Increased student participation / retention in FSL programs
- by providing province-wide access to a range of quality FSL programs and supporting the expansion and enhancement of programs
- by building partnerships for the promotion and renewal of FSL programs
- by identifying policy gaps
- Increased teaching capacity in FSL
- by identifying effective teaching, learning and assessment practices and supporting professional development activities
Ontario's Additional Strategies
Ontario's plan is to allocate Canada's additional funds to support board-targeted actions designed to significantly improve elementary and secondary FSL programs. Funding will favour long-term initiatives which will aim to:
- engage boards, parents, students, postsecondary institutions and communities in the renewal of elementary / secondary FSL programs
- increase student retention and participation in elementary / secondary FSL programs: core, extended and immersion
- increase the number of courses / programs in French, particularly at the high school level
- improve student level of proficiency in French
- enhance teacher capacity in FSL
- recognize and value the learning of French
- contribute to research on proven Ontario-specific innovative models and effective teaching and assessment practices that are replicable in other boards and schools
- inform FSL policy and program development
The additional funds are intended to increase province-wide capacity in FSL and will be used to support new and / or enhanced initiative(s). Projects that will be considered for funding may include:
- Broad-based partnerships (with other boards, universities, groups/agencies, parents, students) to develop and implement board action plans for the renewal of FSL programs
- Classroom support (e.g. consultants) and professional development programs for teachers and administrators
- High quality learning resources for students and teachers
- Program expansion: New courses / programs and sites
- New and innovative program models
- Assessment of the French language proficiency of students and teachers and recognition of program requirements and level of language proficiency attained by students and teachers based on assessment
- Authentic communication experiences for immersion students: cultural enrichment, exchanges, etc.
- Marketing and promotion of FSL programs
Accountability, Evaluation and Success Indicators
Progress will be monitored on an ongoing basis through boards' annual financial and activity reports. Board projects will include an evaluation / research component, to document what was learned and build provincial data on effective strategies, programs and practices. Projects will also include key indicators of success, targets and timelines as appropriate (e.g. percentage increases in student participation and retention rate in FSL programs, satisfaction ratings and quality improvement measures. Upon completion of the project, boards will be required to submit a project evaluation describing the degree to which targets were met.
Student participation rate in FSL programs will be used as the main success indicator. In 2003-04, student enrolment and participation rate in FSL programs were:
| Elementary | Secondary | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FSL Programs | Enrolment | Participation Rate | Enrolment | Participation Rate |
| Core | 767,456 | 55.8% | 93,795 | 14.1% |
| Extended | 25,766 | 1.9% | 7,954 | 1.2% |
| Immersion | 98,369 | 7.1% | 16,423 | 2.5% |
| Total | 891,591 | 64.8% | 118,172 | 17.8% |
Source: As reported by schools in the School September/October Report.
53 of the 60 English-language boards offer extended / immersion programs in 665 elementary schools and 241 secondary schools.
Canada's Contribution
Since 1977, Ontario has been providing special funding to school boards for the supplementary costs of providing FSL programs, in addition to the basic per-pupil grants. Special FSL funding is currently about $210 million per year. In the elementary panel, this additional funding is based on the number of pupils enrolled in FSL programs and varies with the average daily length of the programs. In the secondary panel, funding is established according to pupil enrolment in credits and varies with the credits taught in French.
The regular funds provided by the Government of Canada will be used to offset a portion of Ontario's allocations to boards for the additional costs for the maintenance and improvement of board regular FSL programs. The additional funds will support board-targeted actions designed to significantly increase province-wide capacity in FSL programs in line with the strategic priorities of Canada's Action Plan.
Ontario's Contribution
The special FSL funding will constitute Ontario's contribution to both the regular programs and additional strategies. It should be noted that increased student participation in FSL programs will result in an increase to the special FSL funding.
Consultation
Ontario's FSL action plan was developed in consultation with members of: Canadian Parents for French, Ontario; Ontario Modern Language Teachers' Association; principals', supervisory officers' and trustees' associations. Ongoing consultations will be conducted to share ideas, provide coordinated support for the implementation of Ontario's FSL action plan and recommend modifications to the action plan as appropriate.
Context – Ontario's French Second Language Programs
English and French are Ontario's official languages of instruction. To ensure that students enrolled in English-language schools acquire some knowledge of French, the Ministry of Education recognizes three types of FSL programs: Core French, Extended French, and French Immersion. The FSL programs reflect students' differing needs in studying French and are designed to provide students with different levels of intensity in developing their French-language knowledge and skills. French must be the language of communication in FSL classes/programs, so students can practise speaking in French and consistently hear French spoken.
Extended French and French Immersion are FSL programs in which French is not only taught as a subject but also serves as the language of instruction in other subjects. The provision of an Extended French and/or a French Immersion program is optional; where such a program is offered, students may enrol in it rather than in a Core French program to meet the mandatory requirement for the study of French in English-language schools.
Core French English-language boards are required to offer core French starting in Grade 4.The decision to offer Core French below Grade 4 is left to individual boards. Students must receive French instruction in every year of the program for Grades 4 to 8 and must accumulate a minimum of 600 hours in French by the end of Grade 8. Students must also earn one French credit for the high school diploma.
French Immersion In the elementary French Immersion program, French must be the language of instruction for a minimum of 50 per cent of the total instructional time at every grade level of the program. Immersion programs must include the study of French as a second language and the study of at least two other subjects taught in French. These two subjects must be selected from the following: the arts, social studies (Grades 1 to 6) or history and geography (Grades 7 and 8), mathematics, science and technology, and health and physical education. Immersion programs must provide a minimum of 3800 hours of instruction in French by the end of Grade 8.
The secondary French Immersion consists of four courses in French Immersion and a minimum of six courses in other subjects taught in French.
Extended French In an Extended French program, French must be the language of instruction for a minimum of 25 per cent of the total instructional time at every grade level of the program. Extended French programs must include the study of French as a second language and the study of at least one other subject taught in French. That subject must be selected from the following: the arts, social studies (Grades 1 to 6) or history and geography (Grades 7 and 8), mathematics, science and technology, and health and physical education. Extended French programs must provide a minimum of 1260 hours of instruction in French by the end of Grade 8.
The secondary Extended French consists of four courses in Extended French and a minimum of three courses in other subjects taught in French.
| 2005-06 to 2008-09 ACTION PLAN FOR ELEMENTARY/SECONDARY FRENCH SECOND LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION – REGULAR PROGRAMS | PROJECTED CONTRIBUTION(1) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strategy | Activities | Expected Outcomes | Performance Indicators | Canada | Ontario |
| Access to a range of programs– Maintenance and development of FSL Programs |
|
|
| $59,976,520 | $720,000,000 |
| 2005-06 to 2008-09 ACTION PLAN FOR ELEMENTARY/SECONDARY FRENCH SECOND LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION – ADDITIONAL STRATEGIES | PROJECTED CONTRIBUTION(2)) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strategy | Activities | Expected Outcomes | Performance Indicators | Canada | Ontario |
| Access to a range of programs– Expansion and enhancement of FSL Programs |
|
|
| $29,129,422 | $54,417,432 |
| Building partnerships |
|
|
| $1,700,000 | |
| Policy gaps |
|
|
| ||
| Enhance teacher capacity |
|
|
| $3,500,000 | |
| CANADA-ONTARIO CONTRIBUTION TO PROJECTED EXPENDITURES(1) | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | CONTRIBUTION TOTAL | PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PROJECTED EXPENDITURES | $216,391,621.00 | $217,387,645.00 | $217,472,054.00 | $217,472,054.00 | $868,723,374.00 | 100% |
| ONTARIO CONTRIBUTION | $193,604,358.00 | $193,604,358.00 | $193,604,358.00 | $193,604,358.00 | $774,417,432.00 | 89% |
CANADA
| $6,391,621.00 $16,395,642.00 | $7,387,645.00 $16,395,642.00 | $7,472,054.00 $16,395,642.00 | $7,472,054.00 $16,395,642.00 | $28,723,374.00 $65,582,568.00 | |
| TOTAL CANADA CONTRIBUTION | $22,787,263.00 | $23,783,287.00 | $23,867,696.00 | $23,867,696.00 | $94,305,942.00 | 11% |
(1) Excludes $55,870 for Accent and Odyssey and $110,000 contribution to TFO.
(2) An amount of $1,401,512 is allocated from regular funds per year for a total of $5,606,048 over four years, 2005-06 to 2008-09.
Note: An amount of $1,300,000 is transferred, each year, from the additional funds–second-language instruction to additional funds–minority language for a total of $5,200,000 over four years, 2005-06 to 2008-09.
| STRATEGY | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada $ | Ontario $ | Total $ | Canada $ | Ontario $ | Total $ | Canada $ | Ontario $ | Total $ | Canada $ | Ontario $ | Total $ | Canada $ | Ontario $ | Total $ | |
| Expansion and Enhancement | 7,093,133 | 13,604,358 | 20,697,491 | 7,289,157 | 13,604,358 | 20,893,515 | 7,373,566 | 13,604,358 | 20,977,924 | 7,373,566 | 13,604,358 | 20,977,924 | 29,129,422 | 54,417,432 | 83,546,854 |
| Partnerships and Policy | 200,000 | 200,000 | 500,000 | 500,000 | 500,000 | 5,000,000 | 500,000 | 500,000 | 1,700,000 | 1,700,000 | |||||
| Teacher Capacity | 500,000 | 500,000 | 1,000,000 | 1,000,000 | 1,000,000 | 1,000,000 | 1,000,000 | 1,000,000 | 3,500,000 | 3,500,000 | |||||
| TOTAL | 7,793,133 | 13,604,358 | 21,397,491 | 8,789,157 | 13,604,358 | 22,393,515 | 8,873,566 | 13,604,358 | 22,477,924 | 8,873,566 | 13,604,358 | 22,477,924 | 34,329,422 | 54,417,432 | 88,746,854 |