French immersion is a form of bilingual education in Canada in which a child who does not speak French as his or her first language receives instruction in school in French.

Most early French immersion students, starting in kindergarten or Grade 1, do all their work in French, except English language arts. Late immersion generally begins in junior high. Extended French programs provide a variation on late immersion, where students take some courses in English and others in French. French immersion is also done in some private schools and preschools. Several Canadian universities offer opportunities for students to continue to study subjects in either French or English, such as the Faculté Saint-Jean at the University of Alberta in Edmonton and York University's Glendon College in Toronto.

Although the program earns support from some Canadians, largely because it promotes bilingualism, critics state that the program is elitist or too costly. Others are concerned that anglophone students in immersion programs will not learn to read and write well in English. The program is available in all ten provinces, but its popularity differs by province and/or region. Currently, enrollment in French immersion is highest in the Maritimes and parts of Quebec and Ontario.

French immersion is also run in Australian schools such as Mansfield State High School; teaching mathematics, SOSE, science and French, entirely in French.

External links

• Frequently asked questions about French immersion
• French Immersion statistics

Languages of Canada | Education in Canada | Bilingualism in Canada