Page 21 - The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 to 12: French as a Second Language – Core, Extended, and Immersion, 2014

and newly acquired structures and vocabulary are natural in language use and essential in language study. The more students use French, and the more varied the contexts in which they use it, the greater the competence they will develop in the language.
As students study French, they gain an appreciation of the French language, including French literature, and an understanding of French societies around the world. Because language and culture are inseparable, the study of French-language cultures should be integrated into daily instruction rather than presented in an isolated fashion or on an occasional basis. Such an approach will increase students’ intercultural awareness, as well as their understanding of regional variations in the French language.
As students move through the grades in the secondary curriculum, they will develop the ability to use the French language with greater fluency, proficiency, and accuracy in an increased range of situations, and they will apply their language skills in more challenging and complex ways.
A Framework for French as a Second Language in Ontario Schools
In order to help school boards and schools in Ontario maximize opportunities for students to reach their full potential in FSL, the Ministry of Education has published A Framework for French as a Second Language in Ontario Schools, Kindergarten to Grade 12, 2013. This foundational document presents a call to action to strengthen FSL programming, promote the benefits of studying FSL, and increase public confidence in FSL education.
The framework articulates the following three goals with respect to FSL in Ontario: • to increase student confidence, proficiency, and achievement in FSL
• to increase the percentage of students studying FSL until graduation
• to increase student, educator, parent, and community engagement in FSL
The framework also provides guiding principles and strategies to inform decision making and promote dialogue about FSL. The document is available in English and French on the ministry’s website.
Half-Credit Courses
The courses outlined in the Grade 9 to 12 FSL curriculum document are designed as full- credit courses. However, with the exception of Grade 12 university preparation courses, they may also be delivered as half-credit courses.
Half-credit courses, which require a minimum of fifty-five hours of scheduled instructional time, adhere to the following conditions:
• The two half-credit courses created from a full course must together contain all
of the expectations of the full course. The expectations for each half-credit course must be drawn from all strands of the full course and must be divided in a manner that best enables students to achieve the required knowledge and skills in the allotted time.
THE PROGRAMS IN FRENCH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE
19