The potential of various instructional strategies for promoting second-language acquisition among child second-language (L2) learners is considered in relation to empirical findings in early French immersion programs. Several principles are proposed concerning code-focused L2 instruction in a communicatively oriented school-based acquisition…

Provides an overview of French Immersion programs in Canada and focuses on particular issues in current immersion research. Specifically, the monitoring of outcomes in English, French, and content courses is examined, and a diagnostic analysis of the learner's second-language development is presented. Finally, the importance of teacher education…

Compares the lexical proficiency of 69 grade 6 immersion students with that of 22 native French-speaking peers, based on verb use and in 5 written compositions. Measures of lexical error, variety, specificity, and sophistication show clear differences between the two groups. (33 references) (Author/VWL)

Study of the effects of a functional approach to grammar teaching on a sixth-grade French immersion class found that those subjects exposed to an experimental set of teaching materials outperformed control subjects at the end of eight weeks. There were no significant differences between the groups after three months. (Author/CB)

With its focus on language teaching and learning processes, French immersion research of the 1900s deals with a number of issues of significance to teachers. These include the following: early development of strategic competence, the role of the first language, problematic language features, and learning needs. Field studies of classroom…

The French gender usage of grade two and grade five Franco-Ontarian children was compared with that of English-speaking children enrolled in French immersion programs, and monolingual French-speaking children in Quebec. While some of the Franco-Ontarian children are similar to the Quebec children with respect to the gender "rules" they…

A research colloquium entitled "Alternative programs for teaching French as a second language in the schools of the Carleton and Ottawa School Boards" was held by the Ontario Ministry of Education in April 1976. The purpose, background, and program of the colloquium are described. (RM)

Considers various factors relating to the failure of recent Canadian graduates of French immersion programs to make substantial use of French immediately following their schooling. The article presents some case studies of adult Canadians engaged in maintaining or improving their French skills. (29 references) (Author/CK)

Explores direct techniques, such as semantic mapping and formal word analysis, as ways of supplementing the incidental learning of French vocabulary through reading by high school students in immersion and extended French classes. Findings indicate that these techniques can play a positive role in the second language classroom. (38 references)…

This pilot study investigates the performance in French of five English-speaking children, who are enrolled in their sixth year of a primary French immersion program in a Toronto elementary school. From speech data obtained in individual interviews, an analysis is made of the students' control of the French verb system. The subjects are found to…

Summarizes a study on block scheduling for second-language programs among Canadian middle school students. Results show that students studying French on a block schedule (e.g., one-half day instruction over a 10-week period) performed better on standardized tests than did control students who received standard 40-minute per day French instruction.…

The development of first language skills among native English-speaking students enrolled in early French immersion programs was explored. Preliminary results support the hypothesis that early bilingual schooling enhances the students'performances on various kinds of first language learning tasks. (Author/CB)

The Development of Bilingual Proficiency is a large-scale, five-year research project begun in 1981. The final report contains three volumes, each concentrating on specific issues investigated in the research: (1) the nature of language proficiency, including second language lexical proficiency and the development and growth of metaphor…