Why French?
- Knowledge of French enhances literacy and acquisition of English. French provides the base for more than 50% of the modern English vocabulary, which improves performance on standardized tests.
- French immersion is supported by over 35 years of research and has been proven to be successful with students of all races, economic status and levels of English proficiency.
- Nationally, students at French Immersion schools score higher on state reading and math tests compared to peers in their district.
- African American and economically disadvantaged students at French Immersion schools in urban districts score higher on the same tests in English than peers in their districts who attend English-only schools.
- French represents diverse cultures around the world. It is used on five continents, in more than fifty countries, thirty of which are in Africa. French is one of the six official languages of the United Nations and the official language of the Olympic Games.
- French is the second most frequently taught language, worldwide, after English.
- French is the second most commonly used language in the business world.
- French and Francophone achievements in literature, arts, music, environmental sciences, diplomacy and government, mathematics, and sports allow many connections to content through French.