For many Canadians, acquiring the country's second language is an urgent matter. In the past 10 years, there has been a rapid change in language policy at both federal and local levels of government. Bilingualism is now a prerequisite for advancement at the federal level. Experimental French "immersion" classes were begun at St. Lambert Elementary School in 1965. Vocabulary and French comprehension skills have been used in a direct native language approach in kindergarten. In first grade, reading, writing, and arithmetic are introduced in French; in second grade, two half hour periods of English are introduced each week. The approximate time in min per week devoted to each subject in French and/or English in grades two through seven is illustrated in table form. Every attempt is made to have native speakers teach. The students' progress has been compared each year with control classes of French children taught in French and English children taught in English. A battery of individual and group tests, achievement tests, science and math, listening, and speaking tests are administered. The results after seven years indicate that the experimental students can read, write, speak, understand, and use English as well as the students taught in English. In addition, they have all the same skills in French in a way that English students in a French second language program never do. These students have mastered the basics of French phonology, morphology, and syntax. They are not yet balanced bilinguals, but such a goal is realistic and can be achieved. J. Hartling