 Hello, my name is Christopher Peacock. I'd like to welcome you to our series Supporting Administrators in French Immersion, and now we'd like to get started with topic 4, Creating a French Immersion Environment. Topic 4 will provide you with information on creating a French environment in your school and within the classroom. Administrators of French Immersion programs have a responsibility to create and nurture a school culture that supports the goals of the French Immersion Program. Topic 4 will deal mostly with ways to create and celebrate a French environment in your school. For further information, consult the handbook for French Immersion Administrators 2010 version, providing school leadership for French Immersion pages 48 to 51. The key elements we will explore in this session are the interconnectedness of language and culture, strategies to create an immersion culture in your school, and indicators of teaching practices that reflect the philosophy and goals of the French Immersion Program. This visual representation shows how language and culture are interconnected. Culture is evidenced through art, literature, music, the media, theater, and dance. It is through culture that a student will learn the language, and it is through language that one will learn the culture. Culture is an important component in language learning and integral to the way of life of those who speak the language. Language cannot be separated from its cultural components. In French Immersion programs, ensuring adequate exposure to culture includes exposing students to French through a variety of cultural practices with opportunities to experience music, art, media, literature, drama, and dance in French. These are about a few examples of cultural opportunities available to students of French Immersion. French Immersion students need to be exposed to those for whom French is their mother tongue. Students also need to be provided with opportunities to interact with native French speakers. Students need to be exposed to opportunities for using resources and materials that reflect authentic, modern, Francophone life. Contemporary films, music, art, and dance are resources that need to be included in French Immersion schools. It is important that French Immersion students receive an accurate view of French culture. For example, schools who only focus on traditional French events, folklore, and clothing also need to expose students to how Francophone communities live today. It would be erroneous for Immersion students to think that la ceinture flashée, la jigue, and les bûcherons are how modern-day French people live. Consider the following strategies when creating a supportive school culture. Make French evident throughout the school. Encourage French as the language of communication. Promote French cultural events. Take advantage of community supports available to students in French. And foster good working relationships between French Immersion staff and their colleagues. Think about what others see when they enter your school. Is it evident that there is a French Immersion program in your school? How so? Other examples of making French evident through your school might include school signage inside and outside of the school. For instance, all rooms labeled in both French and English. Salle de bain, bathroom, bibliothèque, library, salle de musique, music room, etc. School letterhead, logo, school songs, and the display of students' work on bulletin boards. Encourage French as the language of communication. Deliver announcements in French. Play French music. Sing Oh Canada in French as well as English. Use French with pride at assemblies. Your school's vision, mission, and belief statements should reflect the value and the needs of the French Immersion program. Encourage French Immersion staff members to speak French amongst themselves. Please note, this is sometimes a contentious issue in dual-track schools. Staff who are not French bilingual may not understand the reasons why French speaking staff members need to speak French when in the company of English speaking teachers. They may resent this practice. It is your responsibility as an administrator to make clear to everyone that French speakers are encouraged to speak French with their colleagues as it is the only opportunity they have to do so. Not only should they be encouraged to speak French, they are expected to do so. This is one area where strong leadership is essential. Insist that French Immersion staff members speak French amongst themselves with students outside the classroom and even with FSL students. Celebrate and promote cultural events that are symbolic of the Francophone community. If local Francophones are having a Cabana Sucre celebration or a Maple Sugar Festival, encourage students and their families to attend. Consider hosting a Cabana Sucre at your own school or other French cultural events. Your local chapter of Canadian Parents for French can help you organize these events. Accent is a directory of resources and activities in French for schools. It has sent to schools with French Immersion programs in the fall and is available online in both French and English. Another good resource for community events is Frank Alta. The Frank Alta website is an online calendar of French cultural activities taking place in various localities in Alberta. Le Franco is the only weekly French newspaper in Alberta. It also lists events and activities in French communities throughout Alberta. Consider subscribing to the newspaper to keep your French Immersion staff current. For a more extensive list of resources, please refer to topic 8 of this series entitled resources. Take advantage of community supports. Strategies that seek to show that French is used in the local community will do much to support the goals of your French Immersion program. Local field trips in French. When planning a trip to a local site, teachers should ask if the tour can be given in French and if not, whether a French speaking guide might be provided either by the school or on site. Local artists. Bring in local artists who use French as a language of communication and community members. Seek community members with French language skills who might support school programs such as a reading program for the primary grades. Foster good working relations. The goals of the French Immersion program are best achieved when all staff members of a school support them. Structuring activities where French Immersion teachers talk and network with their colleagues will help demystify the program and may be an important first step to getting broader support for the program. These may include providing time for FLA and ELA teachers to plan together the teaching of specific language skills and strategies to avoid needless repetitions and transfers of skills common to both languages. Promoting collaboration among staff members to create a professional learning community which understands the particularities of each program is important as well. What should you see when visiting a French Immersion classroom? A safe welcoming environment where risk taking to communicate in French is valued. An environment where spontaneous use of French is encouraged through teacher student and student student interaction. For instance, pods of students working together time built in for students to communicate orally and in writing in French. French should be used at all times, both written and spoken with few exceptions. Use of English should only be during English language arts or when a student's emotional well-being or security is at risk. Use gestures, mime and other body language and cues to enhance communication and avoid reverting to English. This PowerPoint has presented you with topic four, creating a French Immersion environment. For further information, consult the handbook for French Immersion administrators in the section providing school leadership for French Immersion. Pages 48 to 51.