Comments on: Protesting the Abolition of EFI http://www.jarche.com/2008/03/protesting-the-abolition-of-efi/ Life in Perpetual Beta Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:59:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Harold http://www.jarche.com/2008/03/protesting-the-abolition-of-efi/comment-page-1/#comment-176150 Harold Sat, 29 Mar 2008 11:56:28 +0000 http://www.jarche.com/?p=1513#comment-176150 This <a href="http://hamlit2008.blogspot.com/2008/03/letter-from-school-principal.html" rel="nofollow">letter from a school principal</a> to the Minister clearly shows the flaws in this decision: "I challenge your department to find one peer-reviewed, international, longitudinal study which indicates that second language acquisition impacts negatively on first language skills. If this were truly the case, New Brunswick students who do not have access to Early French Immersion in their neighbourhood schools would do statistically significantly better on Provincial Literacy Assessments. I know this is not the case. Early French Immersion students consistently score higher on literacy tests as language acquisition is transferable between (or among) languages. Current studies indicate that students who are struggling in their first language benefit from the explicit instruction in a second language setting." This letter from a school principal to the Minister clearly shows the flaws in this decision:

“I challenge your department to find one peer-reviewed, international, longitudinal study which indicates that second language acquisition impacts negatively on first language skills. If this were truly the case, New Brunswick students who do not have access to Early French Immersion in their neighbourhood schools would do statistically significantly better on Provincial Literacy Assessments. I know this is not the case. Early French Immersion students consistently score higher on literacy tests as language acquisition is transferable between (or among) languages. Current studies indicate that students who are struggling in their first language benefit from the explicit instruction in a second language setting.”

]]> By: Harold http://www.jarche.com/2008/03/protesting-the-abolition-of-efi/comment-page-1/#comment-175977 Harold Thu, 27 Mar 2008 20:53:45 +0000 http://www.jarche.com/?p=1513#comment-175977 We learned today at the protest that the Deputy Minister of Education had already announced the elimination of EFI in an internal memo in June 2007, prior to commissioning Croll & Lee in July 2007. This was a done deal, with many hidden agendas [I've been informed that this internal memo referred to the elimination of the Core program and not EFI]. We learned today at the protest that the Deputy Minister of Education had already announced the elimination of EFI in an internal memo in June 2007, prior to commissioning Croll & Lee in July 2007. This was a done deal, with many hidden agendas [I've been informed that this internal memo referred to the elimination of the Core program and not EFI].

]]> By: Dave Ferguson http://www.jarche.com/2008/03/protesting-the-abolition-of-efi/comment-page-1/#comment-175973 Dave Ferguson Thu, 27 Mar 2008 20:24:51 +0000 http://www.jarche.com/?p=1513#comment-175973 De ta bouche aux oreilles de Dieu. De ta bouche aux oreilles de Dieu.

]]> By: Gilbert http://www.jarche.com/2008/03/protesting-the-abolition-of-efi/comment-page-1/#comment-175942 Gilbert Thu, 27 Mar 2008 17:34:58 +0000 http://www.jarche.com/?p=1513#comment-175942 I am afraid that the reaction to the EFI will impact other more positive changes that might have come from this Minister, who I am told, really cares about education in this province. Prime Minister Graham's statements about making New Brunswick's education system the best in the country had me dreaming for a while. We sure could use a better system. The EFI issue will probably slow down any hope of improving the system. Sure doesn't take long for a government to run into trouble. Gilbert I am afraid that the reaction to the EFI will impact other more positive changes that might have come from this Minister, who I am told, really cares about education in this province.

Prime Minister Graham’s statements about making New Brunswick’s education system the best in the country had me dreaming for a while. We sure could use a better system.

The EFI issue will probably slow down any hope of improving the system.

Sure doesn’t take long for a government to run into trouble.

Gilbert

]]> By: John http://www.jarche.com/2008/03/protesting-the-abolition-of-efi/comment-page-1/#comment-175929 John Thu, 27 Mar 2008 16:33:37 +0000 http://www.jarche.com/?p=1513#comment-175929 You can learn French with free language learning software from www.valodas.com You can learn French with free language learning software from http://www.valodas.com

]]> By: Karyn Romeis http://www.jarche.com/2008/03/protesting-the-abolition-of-efi/comment-page-1/#comment-175887 Karyn Romeis Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:20:27 +0000 http://www.jarche.com/?p=1513#comment-175887 Are you practising: What do we want? EFI! When do we want it? NOW! Every protest I've ever seen on TV seems to use that chant. Perhaps you should do it en francais! Are you practising:

What do we want? EFI!
When do we want it? NOW!

Every protest I’ve ever seen on TV seems to use that chant. Perhaps you should do it en francais!

]]> By: Daniel Lemire http://www.jarche.com/2008/03/protesting-the-abolition-of-efi/comment-page-1/#comment-175853 Daniel Lemire Thu, 27 Mar 2008 01:18:37 +0000 http://www.jarche.com/?p=1513#comment-175853 I totally agree that it is a waste of a brain to remain unilingual. You know, if you don't care for French, learn Spanish, Japanese, German, Portuguese or Cantonese. Beside, people should know that even if you never use French, knowing French makes you better at English. Of course, you have to know both French and English well to see how one language helps you with the other. I totally agree that it is a waste of a brain to remain unilingual.

You know, if you don’t care for French, learn Spanish, Japanese, German, Portuguese or Cantonese.

Beside, people should know that even if you never use French, knowing French makes you better at English. Of course, you have to know both French and English well to see how one language helps you with the other.

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