Presentation for student teachers at VIU.

1. French Immersion Teaching
A great career choice.

2. ‘VILEC’
Vancouver Island Language
Educators Consortium
SD 61 – Victoria – Judy Mas
SD 62 – Sooke – Sandra Szalipszki
SD 63 – Saanich - Mary Lynn Herron
SD 64 – Gulf Islands – Louise Ducet
SD 68 – Nanaimo-Ladysmith – Francine John
SD 69 – Qualicum – Mary Beil
SD 70 – Alberni – Annie Dufort
SD 71 – Comox – Albert Johnson
SD 72 – Campbell River – Louise Guèvremont
SD 79 - Cowichan - Pedro Mengual

3. Opportunities in French Immersion
Teaching
• In high demand all over BC
• Continuous recruitment in most districts
• Growth in French Immersion populations
in most districts
• Science and Math specialists also often in
short supply.

4. Why the Continuous recruitment of
French Immersion Teachers?
• Growth in French Immersion populations
in most districts
• Retirement of experienced teachers
• Young teachers on maternity leave
All these mean…
excellent possibilities for employment in
French Immersion education!

5. What this means for you, as future
teachers
• VIU students studying in French possess
highly valued language skills
• Graduates of High School French
Immersion programs should consider a
career in French Immersion teaching

6. Can you imagine spending an
entire day speaking, learning,
sharing and teaching in French?

7. Are you a lifelong learner that
recognizes the dynamic nature of
languages and the need to
continually improve your French?

8. French Language Skills
• Are your French Language skills adequate?
– Good resource: Canadian Portfolio for Teachers
• Bursaries fromCASLT website of Canada
- Look in the Government
• Bursaries from Government of Canada
– French Teachers Bursary Programs
– French Teachers Bursary Programs

9. What the districts need in French
Immersion teachers…
• Lifelong French language learners
• Teachers passionate about bilingual
education and dedicated to French
Immersion teaching
• An excellent understanding of second
language pedagogy

10. How districts support new French
Immersion Teachers
• Mentoring
• Collaboration within districts and between
districts
• Social activities
• Financial support in the Official Languages
Program for teachers

11. SD 62
• 2nd fastest growing district in province, after
Surrey – consistent need for FI teachers
• Most growth is in Langford/Colwood area, which
is 15 minutes from Victoria Centre.
• French Immersion teacher recruitment is always
open
• French Immersion teachers frequently hired on
continuing contract right away
• French Immersion TOCs are kept very busy
• Financial support for professional development

12. SD 63
• conducts ongoing recruitment of French Immersion
Teachers
• offers financial support for teachers upgrading language
and/or teaching skills through participation in ministry and
university programs
• provides French teachers with social opportunities in
French, such as Café Français (drop-in conversational
group) and Fourchettes en Fête (cooking classes
conducted in French)
• offers provision of in-class pedagogical support
• funding to Saanich Modern Language Teachers'
Association and L'Association Locale Spécialiste des
Professeurs d'Immersion de Saanich for individual and
group professional development
• TOCs work, on average, 3 days per week (many TOCs
work full-time during peak periods)

13. SD 68
• EFI began in 1977 (K-12)
• LFI will begin in 2014 (grade 6)
• 20% of families in SD68 are choosing
Immersion
• EFI at 4 elementary schools + 1
secondary
• 1100 students
• 75 FI teachers, many approaching
retirement

14. SD 69
• K – 12 early Immersion program
• Demand for qualified TOCs
• Retirements in the coming year
• Special Education coursework valuable
• Teacher-librarian coursework a plus
• Other specialty areas are also a bonus
• A great place to live and work!

15. SD 71
• FI student enrolment has nearly doubled
in the past 10 years while overall
enrolment has gone down.
• Not unusual to have 50 applicants for an
English posting and 8-10 applicants for a
similar FI posting.
• Due to growth of the FI program and
retirements, many of our new FI teachers
receive continuing contracts.

16. SD 72
• Two single track K – 5 French immersion
schools
• 6-8 in middle school and 9-12 in high
school
• Late immersion program starting in grade
6
• FI enrolment has increased while overall
enrolment has declined
•

17. SD 79 – Pedro Mengual
• French Immersion teacher recruitment is
ongoing year round
• Many new French Immersion teachers
receive continuing contracts
• French Immersion teachers with low
seniority may be protected from lay off
• French Immersions TOC’s are in high
demand (both for French & regular
program)

18. Some useful connections
• Association canadien des professeurs
d’immersion (ACPI)
To maintain and or improve your French:
• French programs
http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/frenchprograms/off
• Person to contact: Gilbert Verrier,
Coordinator of Federal Official Languages
programs: gilbert.verrier@gov.bc.ca