Choosing to provide your child with bilingual education is an important decision. Whether you are considering enrolling your child in the French Immersion program, or simply looking for information on French-second-language (FSL) learning opportunities, French for Life is proud to support parents of FSL students.
Discover why bilingualism is so vital in today’s world, what you can do to help your child and what current research is saying about the importance of bilingualism. Get answers to your questions, learn where you can turn for support or start your own journey towards bilingualism in Canada’s official languages!
Learn about the differences between French Immersion, Intensive French and Basic French in Manitoba. Get answers to common questions asked by parents of FSL students.
7 Reasons to Learn Languages
- Global Citizenship: Language skills help us identify with humanity, not just as citizens of a nation or residents of a place.
- Travel: When exploring our own country or traveling abroad, language knowledge increases the authenticity of experiences and fosters spontaneous conversation.
- Cultural Enrichment: Appreciate the beauty and uniqueness of music, movies and stories from around the world. Translations can rarely be true to the intent, beauty style and uniqueness of the original work.
- Employment: Learning languages enhances skills that assist in a variety of career paths, at home and abroad.
- Friendship: Speaking other languages and embracing other cultures can connect you with people from around the world.
- Lifelong Learning: Once a person has learned a second language, the acquisition of additional languages is much easier.
- Because we can!: Have you ever met someone who regrets having learned another language?
Since the 2006 onset of the French for Life project, enrollment in the French Immersion program in Manitoba, has increased by 29%! This project provides materials and tools, which can be used to further promote French second-language learning, and enhance an appreciation of the benefits of official language bilingualism.
Programs and FAQs
- My Child in School: A user-friendly website that provides an overview of the curriculum content to help parents.
- French: Communication and Culture: An informative document on the new French Course for students in the English program.
- French Immersion: Introduction to the French Immersion program in Manitoba.
- French Immersion in Manitoba – Map: Informative brochure on French Immersion schools in Manitoba.
- Intensive French: Information on the Intensive French program offered in Manitoba.
- Why learn French in Canada
- Facts about the French language
- Glossary
- Tips
Discover what current Canadian research has to say about bilingualism and the brain, about early language acquisition, multitasking and much more!
- Benefits of Second Language Study – Research
- Phenomenal demand for French Immersion across the United States
- Evolution of English French Bilingualism
- 2011 Census Finds Positive Gains in Number of Bilingual Canadians
- The Added Value of Learning Another Language – La valeur ajoutée de l’apprentissage d’une langue
- Advantages of bilingualism (Barker, 2002)
- French Immersion in Manitoba Report 2002
- How Children learn languages including timeline.pdf
- Raising Bilingual Children: Common Parental Concerns and Current Research
- Study on second language brain benefits
- The Values and Choices of Exogamous Couples
- “My child goes to French school: What role should I play?”
- Mental math dependant on language
- New Language Learning Linked To Early Language Experience