Creating a positive school culture
“Schools and teachers need to thoughtfully and intentionally design learning environments and tasks in which teachers can explore issues that are relevant and develop pedagogies that are effective for a knowledge era.“
(Friesen, 2009, p. 3)
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The goal of French immersion is effective communication and to facilitate this, a positive school climate must be cultivated. It is important to create an environment where students feel safe enough to take risks. Value must be placed on learning the French language by making communication meaningful in authentic learning situations. The school community, consisting of the school staff, the parents, and the students, should share the goal of providing many opportunities to experience a culturally rich environment. Students should be exposed to French in authentic context both in and outside of the classroom through guest appearances, cultural events and residencies. The French language should go beyond academic learning to include activities such as announcements, bulletin board displays, sport activities and music to promote the use of French. Teachers should model the use of French in their daily interactions with colleagues and students and when possible, parents. French needs to be experienced as a living language!
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