x~lli3 Iki lRISS \ Il)lL)N L I3RARNY , -17I lAI~2 Whitby teacher brings biin gualism to Ife for students Hy MICHIAEL KNEII. Free Press Staff Canada's ongoing con- troversy over its two off iciai languages seems to have divided the nation in many ways, however, for a few parents in Durham Region the use of the French language is proving beneficial to their children. The Durham Board of Education is one of the few jurisdictions in the province of Ontario that provides a method for English- speaking children to be educated totaliy 1n the Fren- ch language. Salvatorre Palazzolo, of Whitby, spends his working day teaching 21 grade three youngsters in French. These youngsters have been speaking French for some seven hours a day for the iast three years of their auI L sehool life and are more fluent in the language than most Canadians or their elected representatives. According to Palazzoio these are flot especially gif- ted children and are, in fact, no more eager to learn than the average child. However, because they learn ail their regular school subjects in French they have grasped a better understan- ding of the subjects taught than their counterparts in English the regular English curriculum. The reason for this, Palaz- zolo says, îs quite simple. in the regular curriculum the -assumption would be that the kids have already got some knowledge," he said. This is definitely not the case with his class. In the French immersion 1 Ir t prograrn the teacher "has to prepare well before you can expect them to do some learning," he said. It is Palazzolo's hope to teach them the language so that they will be confident to do things on their own. " After a few hours obser- ving his class it is flot dif- ficuit to see that his charges have the confidence to live and speak in the French language. Palazzolo teaches at Sir John A. MacDonald Public Sehool in Pickering, one of three locations where the Durham Board holds the program. While it is hoped to begin a French immersion program in Whitby no details have yet been decided upon. 'Palazzolo, 39, a 12-year resident of Whitby is a graduate of both Brock and t'es 64, 13 4 56 7 8 9 1l ? 3 4. 6 7 Curling Texas style Rita Elford throwing rock), Sherry Wilson and Cindy Lynch of the Oshawa Golf Club curling team are seen here competing in the Whitby Business Girls Bonspiel hosted at the Whîtby Curling Club. June Turcotte's Annendale rink came out the winners of the spiel, accumulating a total of 39 points. Rose Fleming (vice), Carol Naish (2nd) and Sandi Snetsinger (leadî completed the Annendale club. In ail 24 rinks competed in the event with four of these being Whitby clubs. Toronto Universities and has been a teacher for the last 15 years. H-e said that he develops a relationship with his pupils that is unlike those gained by teachers in the regular curriculum. "I get very fond of these kids," he said, '10 them I1 arn not a teacher. " He described the relation- ship as being more like that of parent to child. However, these special circumstances do not mean that he does not experience those problems common to ahl teachers, The key to his success in teaching his charges in French is assuming nothing. "Many teachers falloto the trap that they assume many of the kids already know something," 'he said, "I cannot assume that." "I have to start from the premise that they know nothing. " Palazzoio is confident that if any of these children were suddenly sent loto an English speaking classroom, they couid cope and make the grade academically. In fact, despite -the fact that they are taught 1n Fren- ch, they cover exactly the same material 10 the same time period that their English counterparts do. French is taught ex- ciusively 00ly in kindergar- ten and grades one and two. In grade three they do receive some instruction in English. In grade four, pupils in the program receive instruction haîf a day in English and haîf a day in French. By the time they enter grade five, pupils in the program are more fluent in French than a student who worked his or her way through the conventional French program. According to Casey Daieman, French consultant for the board, there are 319 students in programs from kindergarten to grade three who are taught by 13 instrue- tors. lie said that the board will know whether or not there is sufficient demand to start a course in Whitby some time in April. Salvatorre Palazzolo, of Whitby, lives eight hours a day in another language. He is seen here teaching his grade 3 Fren- ch immersion class at the Durham Board of Education's Sir, John A. MacDonald Public School, Pickering. 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