French immersion in different settings: A comparative study of student achievement and exemplary practices in immersion centres versus dual- and multi-track schools

The purposes of this research were (a) to compare the results of grade 6 students enrolled in immersion centres to the results of immersion students attending dual-track or multi-track schools and (b) to look at the practices of the schools where the grade 6 students have achieved the best academic results. Alberta's provincial achievement tests' data over a five-year period, in the four core subjects taught in French (mathematics, science, social studies and French language arts) were examined to reach the first purpose. The design of this study combined the quantitative and qualitative methodologies to establish a broad database in order to develop a better knowledge and understanding of the findings associated with the student achievement results (Gall, Borg, & Gall, 1996; Glesne, 1998). Results of Grade 6 Alberta achievement tests from the 1995–1996 to the 1999–2000 school year were used to determine if students in immersion centres achieved higher scores than immersion students in dual-track and multi-track schools. The results also helped to identify the 10 immersion schools that have students with the highest levels of achievement and the principals that were leading them. Six principals were interviewed and interpretational analysis was the method used to look at the data. The findings of the study indicated that students enrolled in immersion centres achieved better results than their dual-track or multi-track counterparts. The principals of the top achieving schools mentioned that their students' success was due to the fact that high quality teachers were hired, good relations were established between teachers, support for struggling students was in place, parents were involved in their children's learning, and principles of good leadership were exercised in the school. Other findings include the reasons given by the principals to explain why immersion centre students achieved better results than immersion students in dual-track or multi-track schools.