Olds welcomed a group of young Montrealers last month as part of a language exchange that is organized every two years for local French immersion students. Twelve grades 7 and 8 students from Ècole Deer Meadow School, along with two Innisfail students were part of the program put on by the local chapter of Canadian Parents for French (CPF).
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Olds welcomed a group of young Montrealers last month as part of a language exchange that is organized every two years for local French immersion students.
Twelve grades 7 and 8 students from Ècole Deer Meadow School, along with two Innisfail students were part of the program put on by the local chapter of Canadian Parents for French (CPF).
The group first travelled to Montreal back in February and were hosted by 19 French-speaking students from a school in the eastern part of the island. Together, they visited Old Montreal, explored the underground city, and spent a day in Quebec City, attending the famous Quebec Winter Carnival.
"It was awesome," said Jaqueline Trottier, the CPF organizer for the 2017 exchange. "When we first got there, they were a little bit bewildered because the speed of the language spoken is so much different than classroom setting. But after about two days, they was no problem, they were managing quite fine."
While the students are expected to use French during their time in Quebec, and English while in Alberta, Trottier said it went back and forth, with the students using both languages as needed.
During the last week of June, the 19 Quebec students came to Alberta, and it was the Olds students' turn to play host. The group visited Banff, went to a Hutterite colony, took in the Sundre rodeo and explored the badlands of Drumheller.
Trottier said the Quebec students were struck by the open space and how spread out things are, as well as the light late into the evenings, unlike in Montreal, which is significantly farther south. She also heard several comments that it was a relaxing, slower pace here, compared with the more frenetic pace of the city.
Trottier said this particular group meshed really well, with both French-Canadian students and English-Canadian students all mixing with each other.
"They were quite tearful when the Montreal kids left, because they won't see them again," she said. "When we were there, it was like 'OK, we will see you in five months!' and they kept in contact. And some of them had a tough time saying goodbye (then) but it was really noticeable this time." The program is partially funded by Experiences Canada (formally called SEVEC), which subsidizes airfare. Fundraising was undertaken to cover the cost of hosting the visiting students. Trottier said they got substantial support for that from local service clubs.
This is the third exchange that has been run, and CFP will start planning the next iteration by giving a presentation at the schools this fall, letting grade 6 and 7 students know it's available.
"It is such an incredible opportunity," said Trottier. "Even though we were only there for one week, I saw huge improvements in their French; huge improvements in their self-confidence. "You could see the light bulb come on with these kids, like 'OK, this is why we have been in French immersion' – to give us the ability to function in a different culture and a different part of the country, or the world."
"You could see the light bulb come on with these kids, like 'OK, this is why we have been in French immersion' ñ to give us the ability to function in a different culture and a different part of the country, or the world."JAQUELINE TROTTIER 2017 EXCHANGE ORGANIZER FOR CANADIAN PARENTS FOR FRENCH
