A comparison of the attitudes of grade VIII early and late French immersion students toward French immersion programs in Newfoundland and Labrador for the school year 1989-90

• Main Author: Bannister, Gwendolyn Irene
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: Memorial University of Newfoundland 1991
• Subjects: Newfoundland
• Online Access: https://research.library.mun.ca/10132/; https://research.library.mun.ca/10132/1/Bannister_GwedolynI.pdf

Grade VIII early and late French immersion students in Newfoundland and Labrador were administered questionnaires in April 1990, to determine similarities and differences in the attitudes of these students towards their immersion program. Both groups indicated that they felt an immersion program would enable them to become bilingual, thus providing them with better job opportunities. Most of the students in EFI and LFI felt they could perform adequately in out-of-school activities requiring the use of French. However, the EFI students perceived their speaking skills as being more proficient than the LFI students. The LFI students did feel that this skill would improve once they had spent more time in the program. Students in both groups indicated that they would recommend an immersion program to a younger sibling or friend, although there were differences in opinion between the two groups and within the LFI group as to which grade was the best time to start. Although both groups of students viewed their programs positively, some recommendations for improvement were suggested, especially in the area of French reading and reference materials.