Is dual language learning too difficult for children with special education needs? Dr. Fred Genesee weighs in on this podcast, “Dispelling the Myths of French as a Second Language and Special Needs Learning:” podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/f...

Study finds that beliefs that limit biliteracy for students with reading disabilities are unjustified: www.researchgate.net/publication/...

To identify FRENCH IMMERSION students with reading disabilities or impairments, assessment should include tests of word reading accuracy and fluency in both English and French: www.researchgate.net/publication/...

In 2019, I was invited by Kathryn Garforth, Ph.D., founder of Garforth Education, to write this guest post: www.garfortheducation.com/french-immer...

Just finished a presentation for the ALCDSB entitled “Including All Learners in French Immersion.” By sharing research evidence, I tried to debunk the belief that FI is ‘unsuitable’ for struggling readers, multilingual learners, & students with developmental disabilities. 🤓

This new Parent Handbook was created by the team at Dyslexia Canada with parents in mind - those with children who are struggling with reading in the English program & in French immersion. Download it here: drive.google.com/file/d/1HB0o...

On this, National French Immersion Day, we should celebrate the progress that’s been made to support at-risk readers in the immersion program! We now have standardized screening tools in French & English that can identify at-risk readers early on. We also have French structured literacy programs,

I’m attending IDA Ontario‘s Navigating Dyslexia Family Conference. Who else is planning to attend? Let’s connect!

This 2025 paper identifies key approaches to make Canada’s French immersion program more inclusive: era.library.ualberta.ca/items/761d1b...

An excellent episode! I would have liked @j-metsala.bsky.social to include the frustrations of families of struggling readers in French immersion, reported during the Ontario Human Rights Commission Inquiry. So many said their kids were refused support of any kind (pp. 100, 336).

Dr. Sarah Fedoration joins Global News to discuss the benefits of immersion programs and why they’re such a great choice for families. She also debunks many of the misconceptions about immersion programs: globalnews.ca/video/110904...

Link for teachers: carletonu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

Link for parents: carletonu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

Check out the Featured Article in Réflexions by Dr. Tamara Sorenson Duncan and colleagues entitled, "Research Summary: Including Students with Additional Learning Needs in French Immersion."

Bilingualism: Fact vs. Fiction

Cammarata & Fedoration’s article (2024) focuses on student retention in FRENCH IMMERSION. The authors underscore the impact of attrition on the sustainability of FI & offer recommendations to reduce attrition during transition periods from Gr.3 to Gr.4, Gr.6 to Gr.7, & middle school to high school.

1. “Multilingual learners in Canadian French immersion programs: Looking back and moving forward” In this literature review, I synthesize recent scholarship with multilingual learners in French immersion programs and propose new areas for future research.

2. “Refugee-background students in Canadian French immersion programs: Exploring the perspectives and ideologies of educators” In this article, I examine the perspectives and ideologies of educators pertaining to refugee-background students in French immersion across the Canadian Prairies.

3. “French immersion programs for refugee-background students in Canada: Examining the ideologies shaping policy, inclusion, and support” Here, I focus on findings pertaining to policy and resources in French immersion programs, advancing five key recommendations for school divisions.

New FRENCH IMMERSION research (Shakory, 2024): In order to ensure accuracy of a “struggling reader” identification, reading difficulties should be continually assessed & monitored in L1 (English) & L2 (French), as reading difficulties manifest earlier in the L1. utoronto.scholaris.ca/server/api/c...

Welcoming French immersion researchers to our French Immersion Community Starter Pack! Please join us!

“Will my FRENCH IMMERSION dyslexic child struggle to learn to read in both French and English?” Parents often pose this question prior to withdrawing their child from the FI program, hoping that a switch to English will be the answer. This is rarely the case. www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/life...

Our French Immersion Community on Bluesky is growing! Thanks to all of you for joining. Please reach out to FI researchers, parents & caregivers, school principals, VPs, teachers, and support staff. We need a place where we can come together to discuss FI topics of interest to all of us.

Parents often pull their children out of FRENCH IMMERSION (FI) when they’re struggling with reading; however, if we identify at-risk readers in K/Gr.1 and provide evidence-based reading interventions, many could overcome their difficulties and remain in FI: www.researchgate.net/publication/...

@stephendavissk.bsky.social I invite you to sign up to join our FI Community, Stephen! And please share the link with your FI colleagues. go.bsky.app/TF3FWb3

Wouldn’t it be incredible to have one place where we could all come together to chat about French immersion? Presently, we have silos: Canadian Parents for French, ACPI’s FI Administrators Zone, CASLT & Facebook groups for FI educators. I invite you to join our FI Community! bsky.app/start/did:pl...

Families, school administrators, educators and support staff: Join our French Immersion Community on Bluesky! Let’s chat about all things French immersion. bsky.app/start/did:pl...

What accounts for the withdrawal of so many students from the French immersion program? In a study exploring student retention, Cammarata et al. (2022) found that most parents, school administrators & teachers cited lack of support for children’s learning needs as the primary reason for withdrawal.

As a volunteer for Dyslexia Canada, I have a chance to share the knowledge I gained as a SERT & reading researcher in the FI setting. I offer parents advise to increase their children’s opportunities for success in FI. So, reach out with any questions you have: dyslexiacanada.org/en/community...

Many people think that French immersion is ‘the right fit’ for some but not all students; however, that claim is unsubstantiated by research evidence. What the research DOES indicate is that with the provision of appropriate support, most students can benefit from participation in French immersion.