CPFMagazine Fall 2019 Issue

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CPF INTERVIEW 35 YEARS OF FRENCH IMMERSION IN Flin Flon, Manitoba BY CHELSEA CRAIG, PROJECT COORDINATOR, CPF QUEBEC & NUNAVUT On May 24th, CPF organized a 35th Anniversary Celebration of French immersion in Flin Flon. The event was held at the École McIsaac School and involved entertainment, a student art auction, and a wonderful choral performance with the K-5 students. There were many people to thank: from those bringing greetings to our bilingual emcee, to the CPF Flin Flon Chapter – past and present – Executive, and to all the teachers, parents and students who came out to make the evening an overwhelming success. The celebration provided an opportunity to interview some of the graduates of the program. Andie Shaw, Haleigh Belcourt, and Hanna Baynton shared their experiences with French immersion and their advice for other students. How did your experience with French immersion learning change your perspective? In other words, what did you learn about Canada and what did you learn about yourself? Andie Shaw (AS): I was in my earlier years of French immersion when I learned that the two official languages of Canada are English and French. I think this is great because I believe that it is important to have the knowledge of our nation's official languages, even if it is only a little. As for myself, I learned that I absolutely love being bilingual and the fact that it has opened more doors for me compared to if I wasn't. I was fortunate enough to be accepted into the world's top bilingual university in our nation's capital thanks to my decision to enrol and remain in French immersion until the end of high school. Haleigh Belcourt (HB): French immersion learning changed my perspective by showing me how big and diverse the world really is. When I was younger and would think about French, I always assumed it was only common in Quebec and France. Being in French immersion really opened my eyes to the fact that French is everywhere, especially in Canada. Not only learning this in a classroom, but having opportunities to meet new people and learn about where they're from because I was fortunate enough to learn a second language. Hanna Baynton (Hanna): Being in French immersion definitely gave me the perspective of multiple cultures. In school we didn’t just learn about Canadian culture but also that of France and even the culture of Quebec. I definitely think that being in French gave me a different view of the history of Canada because we looked deeply into both the English side and the French side. I don’t know if it’s something I really learned about myself but being in French immersion definitely challenged me in ways that solely being in English would not. My mom told me once that being an English student would have been too easy for me with the way that my brain works. What skills do you think are required to be successful at learning a second language? AS: First off, I do believe that having a great teacher makes a big difference. Having a teacher who is passionate about the language that they teach and who is patient is very important in successfully learning a new language. Second, I believe that the famous statement, 'practice makes perfect!' really is true. I'll admit, it is easier said than done, but the more one practices and speaks the language as much as possible will eventually help the learner to succeed and be worth it in the long run! HB: I think that while learning a second language is hard, anyone can do it. Some skills that I think are helpful to be successful at learning a second language are being patient, being dedicated to learning and practicing, and helping others learn because it will help your skills improve too. 8 CPF MAGAZINE FALL <strong>2019</strong>
CPF INTERVIEW This piece of art was donated by Aubrianna in Grade three: A huge cake on a table with spoons, knives, forks, and plates, all outlined in sharpie. This piece of art was donated by Matteo in Grade one: Beautiful Hydrangeas created using a bubble painting technique. This piece of art was donated by Cynthia in Grade three: A poster for the 35th anniversary: I Love Speaking French. Hanna: I think anyone can learn a second language at any age if they have determination and perseverance. There are no specific skills required but you definitely have to be willing to work at it. What advice would you give to other French Second Language students? AS: Don't give up! Learning a second language isn't easy. It can become very frustrating and the thought of giving up all together may cross your mind here and there. But you just have to keep telling yourself that this is worth it and that you'll be happy when you are able to speak with a person who is only fluent in French, or you are hired into a position that requires you to be bilingual. It is always worth it! HB: Some advice that I would give other French Second Language students would be to not second guess yourself, to not be embarrassed to make mistakes, and to not be afraid to use your second language, especially with native speakers of that language. It can be a bit intimidating to use your second language with someone who's been speaking it their whole life, but I can assure you that they will appreciate that you're trying to use their language rather than assuming they'll speak yours. Hanna: Incorporate it into your every day life. Listen to French music, read French articles/books, journal in French. Surround yourself with it just as you are surrounded by English otherwise you will never continue to improve. What is your favourite memory about learning French? AS: My favourite memories are all of the amazing teachers and professors I've had over the last 15 years. They really make all the difference in learning a second language and I don't have a single bad thing to say about any of them. Each and every one has helped me to get to where I am today. I also really enjoyed the trips we would take as a French immersion class, to places such as St. Boniface as well as the special presentations and guests we would have that the English classes didn't. HB: When I think about my time learning French, it's full of good memories. I guess the times I think of first would be just regular French classes in high school. We always had lots of fun times. When we would have group discussions, we'd always be laughing and making jokes. So I guess my favourite memory about learning French is the people I learned it with. Hanna: I really enjoyed the fact that it was like being in a family. Being in a class with the same people year after year meant that we really got to see each other grow and become the people we are today. We learned things about one another that I don’t think is very normal in English classes. We also got to enjoy cool trips and events that were only for French kids. n CPF MAGAZINE FALL <strong>2019</strong> 9
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