Page 16 - The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 to 12: French as a Second Language – Core, Extended, and Immersion, 2014

THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM | French as a Second Language
using a variety of instructional approaches. They also ensure that appropriate resources are made available for teachers and students. To enhance teaching and learning in all subjects, including FSL, principals promote learning teams and work with teachers to facilitate their participation in professional development activities. Principals are also responsible for ensuring that every student who has an Individual Education Plan (IEP) is receiving the modifications and/or accommodations described in his or her plan – in other words, for ensuring that the IEP is properly developed, implemented, and monitored.
Principals can support students’ learning in FSL by promoting the value of learning French. They can foster an atmosphere of collegiality among all staff members, and include FSL teachers/educators in school improvement planning and in professional learning com- munities concerning student learning and the use of evidence-based strategies. Principals also can ensure that information about FSL programs and events is included in school newsletters, in yearbooks, on school bulletin boards, in awards assemblies, and in letters to parents. They can also encourage students to participate in such extracurricular activities as student clubs in which French is spoken.
Principals are responsible for ensuring that up-to-date copies of the outlines of all of the courses of study for courses offered at the school are retained on file. These outlines must be available for parents and students to examine. Parents of students under the age of eighteen are entitled to information on course content since they are required to approve their child’s choice of courses, and adult students need this information to help them choose their courses.
Community Partners
Community partners can be an important resource for schools and students. They can be models of how the knowledge and skills acquired through the study of the curriculum relate to life beyond school. Partnerships with community organizations can enrich not only the educational experience of students but also the life of the community.
Schools and school boards can play a role by coordinating efforts with community partners. They can involve community volunteers in supporting instruction and in promoting a focus on French inside and outside the school. Community partners can be included in events held in the school, including presentations by guest speakers who are part of the local French-speaking community. School boards can collaborate with leaders of existing community-based programs for youth, such as language camps, programs offered in public libraries or community centres, or events sponsored by French-language organizations. Many local, provincial, and national institutions can provide valuable resources and can serve as rich environments for field trips and for exploration of French-speaking communities.
In choosing community partners, schools should build on existing links with their local communities and create new partnerships in conjunction with ministry and school board policies. These links are especially beneficial when they have direct connections to the curriculum. Teachers may find opportunities for their students to participate in community events, especially events that support the students’ learning in the classroom, are designed for educational purposes, and provide descriptive feedback to student participants.
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