[lg policy] Language Policy: Province of British Columbia

[Harold Schiffman]

Language Education Policy

Date came into force or revised

Came into force 1997, revised 2004.
Status

Current
Policy statement

In accordance with Ministerial Order 295/95, the Required Areas of Study in
an Educational Program Order, Boards of Education must offer a second
language in Grades 5 to 8 to all students, except those students exempted
in the Order.
Rationale or purpose of policy

The purpose of this policy is to describe the language education policy,
especially the second language requirement for Grades 5 to 8.
Authority

School Act<http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/legislation/schoollaw/revisedstatutescontents.pdf>,
section 5

Ministerial Order 295/95, the Required Areas of Study in an Educational
Program Order<http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/legislation/schoollaw/e/m295-95.pdf>
.

Ministerial Order 333/99, the Educational Program Guide Order.

Ministerial Order 285/04, the Board Authorized Course Order

B.C. Reg. 212/99, the Francophone Education Authorities
Regulation<http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/legislation/schoollaw/d/bcreg_212-99.pdf>
Policy in full

This Language Education Policy is designed to recognize the official
languages of Canada and the growing number of other languages spoken by
British Columbians.

In the BC school system all students are expected to achieve proficiency in
the English language. Francophone children whose parents qualify for
minority language rights under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
are eligible to receive French as the language of
instruction<http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/policy/glossary.htm#language_of_instruction>
.

English and French will be taught as first languages, all other languages
will be taught as second languages.

All students, especially those of Aboriginal ancestry, should have
opportunities to learn an Aboriginal
language<http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/policy/glossary.htm#aboriginal_language>
.

The Ministry of Education encourages opportunities for all students to
learn languages that are significant within their communities.

All students must take a second language as part of the curriculum in
Grades 5 to 8, except the the following two situations:

   - A student has been identified as having special needs or is receiving
   English Language Learner (ELL)services services and is unable to
   demonstrate learning in relation to the expected learning outcomes
of the second
   language course<http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/policy/glossary.htm#second_language_course>
   .
   - A student is enrolled in late French
Immersion<http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/policy/glossary.htm#french_immersion>in
Grade 6.

Boards of education decide which second languages will be offered. Core
French <http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/policy/glossary.htm#core_french> will be
the language offered if the board does not offer an alternative.

Only second language curricula which have program guides listed in the
Educational
Program Guide Order<http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/legislation/schoollaw/e/m333-99.pdf>are
eligible to meet the second language requirement for Grades 5 to 8.

Boards of education may develop their own second language curricula for
elective or additional language studies as permitted under the Board
Authorized Course
Order<http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/legislation/schoollaw/e/m285-04.pdf>
.

Boards may apply to the Ministry to have their locally developed second
language curricula given provincial approval. (A locally developed second
language curriculum that has received provincial approval is eligible to
meet the second language requirement for Grades 5 to 8.)
Procedures related to policy

*English Language Learning*

Boards of education should provide programming that addresses the learning
needs of individual ELL students, including learning opportunities that
value the students' first language and diverse cultural backgrounds.

*Francophone Minority Language Education Rights*

Français Langue première 10, 11 and 12 and English Language Arts 10, 11 and
12 are graduation requirements for students in Programme francophone.

*Aboriginal Languages*

Aboriginal language courses (as with all second language courses) should be
developed appropriate to second language learners. Only Aboriginal
languages with provincial curriculum for Grades 5 to 8 will be eligible to
meet the second language requirement (see below). The board of education
and the local Aboriginal people should collaborate to develop Aboriginal
language curriculum and resources.

*Second Language Requirement Grade 5 to 8*

Boards of education should attempt to coordinate the second languages
offered to ensure there is continuity of instruction in the same language
for a student in Grades 5 to 8. Curricula for second languages offered in
Grades 5 to 8 must be provincially approved. School boards may choose to
submit a locally developed language course to the Ministry of Education for
approval as a provincial course.
TagsSecond language requirements
Grade 5 to 8 requirements
French language learning
Aboriginal language learning

http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/topic.page?id=93A2746B883E4DA89C4E7E584D447E4B

-- 
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