Bilingualism is a unique part of Canada’s national identity and that’s reflected in the language programs offered at schools throughout the country.

The most popular of these is French Immersion, available at various schools on the North Shore.

Benefits to learning a second language are numerous, according to Robert Rothon, executive director of Canadian Parents for French, B.C. and Yukon branch, a non-profit organization that advocates for French programs for youth.

“Learning another language . . . always profits the child. It enhances cognitive development. Children who speak more than one language generally do better academically than unilingual children,” says Rothon.

“Speaking more than one language and learning more than one language really seems to help a child fire at all cylinders, intellectually speaking.”

Early immersion starts in kindergarten with 100 per cent of classes being taught in French until Grade 3 in North Vancouver and Grade 4 in West Vancouver, after which English language arts is added to the curriculum. Late immersion starts in Grade 6 with all classes offered in French for that year and English re-introduced in Grade 7. The number of classes offered in French then tapers off in high school, making up 25 per cent of the schedule in the senior years.

Once outside of the school system, having a background in French can open up more job opportunities for students, says Rothon.

Read more: http://www.nsnews.com/life/Benefits+learning+language+early/3484578/story.html#ixzz0yo73e0hL