Languages czar skeptical over French immersion changes

New Brunswick's official languages commissioner expressed skepticism in his annual report over the Department of Education's plan to start French immersion in Grade 3.

Michel Carrier revisited the contentious issue of French immersion reform in his annual report released on Tuesday and said the compromise struck in August 2008 isn't fixing any of the underlying problems originally raised.

Carrier said the compromise to start French immersion in Grade 3 is flawed, because there are still not enough French immersion teachers and there is not enough support for students with special needs.

"Whatever product you offer in class is going to be diminished by these problems, so these must be addressed how do you make a more complete program," Carrier said in an interview.

The New Brunswick government had planned in March 2008 to scrap early French immersion in favour of a five-month intensive French program for all students in Grade 5.

Grade 6 students would thenhave the choice of moving into a late immersion program or continuing to take French as a single-class mandatory subject until they graduate from high school.

That decision infuriated parents across the province and led to a New Brunswick judge ordering the province to review the plan.

The education department and many of its critics then developed a modified plan that would have a Grade 3 entry point for French immersion.

There will also be a second chance for students to start French immersion in Grade 6 if they don't take the option in Grade 3.

Outcry had some benefits

Carrier said the province and school districts must also come up with ways for French immersion students to practise their skills outside of the classroom.

The official languages commissioner said he hopes the new immersion program works despite its flaws, because that's the goal both parents and the province are looking for.

Reflecting on the discontent over the government's handling of the French immersion file, Carrier said the outcry against the province's decision had another side benefit.

"The end result of all of this, to me, if there is some positive to be taken from that, is representatives and spokespeople from both linguistic communities, you know, came out strongly in support of French second-language [education] and to assure that the best opportunities are given to our public system," Carrier said.