Teacher doubts French assessment accuracy

French instruction is failing in New Brunswick, according to a provincial assessment, though the small numbers of students who took part in the study are making one teacher skeptical of the results.

The province-wide assessment measured the level of comprehension among three groups of Grade 12 students; those studying French in non-immersion programs known as core French, those who began early French immersion starting in Grade 1, and those in late French immersion starting in Grade 6.

According to the 2005 assessment, just 33 of 198 core French students achieved intermediate comprehension targets set by the department.

The numbers are slightly more encouraging in early immersion, with 145 of 391 students assessed achieving the department's goal of advanced comprehension or above.

Students in late immersion programs fared best, with 275 of 611 students achieving intermediate plus or above targets of French comprehension.

But Grade 9 French immersion teacher Marie-Joseph Poulin, who teaches in Fredericton,says she doesn't think the assessment is giving an accurate picture of student ability.

"It doesn't really show what these kids are able to do," Poulin said. "I don't know how they did the study, but these kids are stronger."

Students volunteered for assessment

The numbers of students assessed were notably small, and only the students who volunteered to be assessed were part of the process.

Also, while the assessment found 100 per cent of core French students assessed in St. Stephen achieved an intermediate level of French, only one student had actually been tested.

Samples for the assessment were limited to Grade 12 students still taking French, while French core is not compulsory after Grade 11.

Jeannine St. Amand, chair of the District 18 education council in Fredericton, says the results are valid and can be explained by dwindling numbers of core French students actually studying the language after Grade 11.She says students are dropping out of French as soon as they can.

"Students don't see the value of staying in French until Grade 12 when they are in the core program, because they've made decisions to take other subjects," Amand said.

Armand says none of the programs are living up to the council's expectations, but it's core French that's suffering the most and it's the area her district will focus on.

Education Minister Kelly Lamrock says he hopes to have a plan to improve French proficiency rates by this spring.