Parents of students in French immersion and English programs: a comparative study

The purpose of this study was to elicit and examine in a comparative context, the personal and social factors which influence the differential placement of children in the English or the French immersion elementary school program. The study took place in a rural dual-track school in Northwestern Alberta. A questionnaire, which was given to parents via the eldest child in each family (N = 245), provided the data to be analyzed. Significant differences were found between parents with children in the English program and parents with children in the French immersion program with respect to socio-economic status, values, attitudes, beliefs, and practical concerns and practices regarding their children and elementary education. Specifically, parent groups differed with respect to the following factors: educational background, occupation, confidence in their children's ability, volunteer time, frequency of reading to their children, influence of others, stability of opinion, and desire to learn a second language. Their attitudes toward several socio-political issues and views on bilingualism, the effectiveness of core French/immersion programs, dual-track schools, and the cost of programming, also differed.