languages

Welcome to the Languages department web site. We offer courses in French and Spanish.

❝If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.❞
‒Nelson Mandela

GRCI LANGUAGES DEPARTMENT GOOGLE SITE

1. Extended French Magnet Program

We are proud to offer this French specialized learning environment. Students who can communicate fluently in French are developing a competitive advantage in a challenging global job market.The Extended French program is an academic pathway available to those students who have completed the Elementary Immersion program or who have attended a French school and who wish to continue with more intensive French instruction while not limiting their choice of courses in other subject areas. 

There are seven mandatory courses to complete the Extended French program. This is three credits less than full immersion so that students are able to explore math, sciences and other interest areas. 

Grade 9:
FEF 1DI (Language Arts)*
CGC 1DF (Canadian Geography)*

Grade 10:
FEF 2DI (Language Arts)
CHC 2DF (Canadian History)*
GLC 2OF (Careers)*
CHV 2OF (Civics)*

Grade 11:
FEF 3UI (Language Arts )

Grade 12:
FEF 4UI (Language Arts)

* = Required for OSSD

Upon completion of the package, students receive a certificate granted by G.R.C.I. as well as a designation on their Secondary School Diploma stating that they have completed a specialized program.

2. Core French Program

Our Core French Program is offered from Grade 9-12. Students are destreamed in Grade 9 and 10-12 is the Academic / University Stream. We have had many successful students complete grade 10-12 with an “applied” stream background. We also have had many graduates over the years who have gone on to become French teachers themselves in the WRDSB. A main focus of both the Core and Extended programs is understanding how and why French is spoken in the world and the cultures of the peoples who speak it. 

Grade 9
FSF 1DI Core French, Academic

Grade 10
FSF 2DI Core French, Academic

Grade 11
FSF 3UI Core French, University
EPS 3OF (Optional)  Presentation & Communication Skills, Extended French, Open

Grade 12
FSF 4UI Core French, University

3. Spanish Program

Currently we are one of the few remaining high schools to offer Grade 10 and 11 Spanish. These courses allow students to become familiar and be able to interact with the essentials of the Spanish language. An important aspect of the program is learning about the Spanish speaking world; its peoples, cultures and traditions. 

Grade 10
LWSBDI Spanish, Academic

Grade 11
LWSCUI Spanish, University

Opportunities to support our Language programs:

GRCI offers Co-op (Experiential Learning), and several SHSM streams. The  SHSM Non-Profit, Education and Childcare is easily tied to French studies for anyone interested in pursuing careers in education, childcare and working with NGOs and other non-profit organizations. We also currently offer EPS 3OF, a Communication Skills course in French that enhances speaking and présentation skills across any subject area. 

The WRDSB also offers students the opportunity to challenge the DELF ((Diplôme d’etudes en langue française) in their grade 12 year, which is offered by the French National Ministry of Education and subsidized by Ontario FSL grants. This certification is an international standard of language and can be used for personal, academic and professional purposes. At GRCI we encourage students to pursue the challenge of this standardized exam and we run a DELF club to help them prepare for their chosen level (A2, B1, B2) 

We also have a student-led French club where students can casually chat en français, listen to francophone artists, play games and make food. It is a great opportunity to supplement what is happening in class. 

 

Saviez-vous ?

  • French has played an important role in the linguistic landscape of Canada for over 400 years from coast to coast
  • French is the official language of 22% of our population
  • Over 10.5 million Canadians can carry out a conversation in French
  • French sounds different from one location to another – Laurentian French that originated along the St.Lawrence river and moved westward
  • Acadian French (Nova Scotia / New Brunswick) which is the basis of Cajun French spoken in Louisiana 
  • Franco Ontarians, Manitobans also have their own distinct ways of speaking
  • The Michif language spoken by the Métis is a combination of Cree, French, English and other Indigenous languages
  • With changing immigration patterns you will hear many other dialects and accents from Morocco, Algeria, and Haiti to name a few

Adapted from  Blog Post,  February 19, 2018, French in Canada: Some interesting facts you may not know Written by: Katharine Snider McNair, Canadian Language Museum and Some facts on the Canadian Francophonie – Canada.ca