More than learning a language, students are exposed to a multicultural environment with significant cognitive development gains.
For Canadian educators, the term bilingualism means more than just learning a second language. Bilingualism is an approach, not an end in itself. It is about an opportunity for students to learn while being completely immersed in a second language. This gives them exposure to a multicultural environment, naturally developing the ability to think in another language and enhancing the capacity to adapt quickly and comfortably to different contexts. This is why the nature of Canadian education is built upon a multicultural approach. Since its foundation in 1867, Canada has had two primary languages, English and French.
The country has also welcomed immigration and diversity. During different migratory movements, the government took measures to receive and integrate these new Canadian families. Education is this process’s primary tool, always seeking to understand the families and students’ needs and by adopting strategies focused on practical learning using perception, experimentation, and sharing. This is the fundamental difference from “learning English” to “learn in English.”
At the end of the 1960s, while establishing the obligation for all Canadian Federal Organizations to offer support to its citizens in both French and English, The Official Languages Act helped spread the concept that bilingualism means not just developing fluency in a second language, but having two officially recognized native languages. Maple Bear’s methodology aims to create connections and a favourable environment for the student’s development. “When being immersed in an environment where a new language is used, children gradually adopt the language. They do this not only by memorizing vocabulary and grammar structures but by truly assimilating the nuances and subtle meanings of the language in an effective and definitive form”, explains Cintia Sant’Anna, Maple Bear Academic Director.
One of the experts of this method is the Canadian lecturer, writer, and educator Michael Fullan. He highlights the importance of the 6C`s: Character Education, Citizenship, Collaboration, Communication, Creativity, and Critical Thinking. Fullan, the author of Deep Learning, states that the anticipated result from this model is that students care more for school and for life. They also learn to think about how to make a difference and how to help humanity.
Maple Bear takes bilingualism to another level, going beyond linguistic teaching. Maple Bear provides an education focused on research, citizenship, and entrepreneurship. These skills can make all the difference in a child’s life.