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Article published In:
Issues and Perspectives on Student Diversity and Content-Based Language Education
Edited by Fred Genesee and Diane J. Tedick
[Journal of Immersion and Content-Based Language Education 9:2] 2021
► pp. 223–251

Bilingual outcomes for a student with Down Syndrome in French immersion

| Calgary Catholic Board of Education
| Eastern Health
| Optimum Integrative Health Centre
| Autism Intervention Services
| Halifax Regional Centre for Education
| Dalhousie University

This study investigated the French and English outcomes and experiences of one student with Down syndrome enrolled in a Canadian French Immersion (FI) program. Testing in Grades 6 and 8 revealed development in both languages, higher English than French skills, and progress across the two years in English only. English language and reading comparisons in Grade 8 showed the bilingual student had similar or better English abilities than age-matched monolinguals with Down syndrome (DS) schooled in English only. Interviews revealed that the parents were strong advocates for their son and worked closely with the school to ensure accommodations were in place in FI that fostered his success. The interviews also offered some explanation for the lack of French progress at second testing. This study provides the first evidence that FI can provide a path to bilingualism for students with DS. The findings have implications for inclusive education.

Keywords: Down Syndrome, French immersion, bilingualism, language development, reading development, inclusion
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
    • 1.1Development in children with DS
    • 1.2French immersion schooling
    • 1.3The present study
  • 2.Methods
    • 2.1Participants
      • 2.1.1Bilingual participant with DS
      • 2.1.2Monolinguals with DS
      • 2.1.3Interview participants
    • 2.2Procedure
      • 2.2.1Bilingual participant, testing
      • 2.2.2Monolingual group, testing
      • 2.2.3Parent and teacher interview procedure
    • 2.3Assessment instruments
      • 2.3.1English and French language
      • 2.3.2English and French reading
      • 2.3.3Cognition
    • 2.5Data analyses
      • 2.5.1Longitudinal analysis
      • 2.5.2Comparative analysis
      • 2.5.3Interviews
  • 3.Results
    • 3.1Descriptive participant characteristics
    • 3.2Longitudinal outcomes
    • 3.3Individual bilingual and monolingual group comparisons
    • 3.4Interviews
      • 3.4.1Parent interviews, times 1 and 2
        • Family language policy
        • FI enrolment
        • Jake’s experience in FI
        • Parent advocacy
        • Outcomes of FI
      • 3.4.2Teacher interview, time 1
        • Challenges
        • Factors influencing success
        • Outcomes
  • 4.Discussion
    • 4.1FI language and reading outcomes
    • 4.2Monolingual comparisons
    • 4.3Jake’s bilingual abilities
    • 4.4Limitations
    • 4.5Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 13 April 2021
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/jicb.20011.mar
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