When it comes time for me to be looking into schooling for my daughter I have really thought about french immersion especially for the job opportunities she could have.

What are some pros and cons about this? Anyone have any advice from personal experience?

If she hasn't anyone to speak french with outside of school: I don't think it will stick. Her french will probably be as "good" as my english (and french)...

But if she can mingle with native french speakers: go for it!

I looked it up on Wikipedia and found this:
"In 2008, an editorial in the Vancouver Sun [1][2]criticized French immersion programs for having become a way for higher socioeconomic groups to obtain a publicly-funded elite track education"

That's a big pro I should say :-)

I would say so too!

Thanks

ya know what? In this economy, creativity is going to be the saving grace. I would think, as long as a child has the BASICS such as reading, reading comprehension, applying logic, mathematics, and writing, whatever EXTRAS they have will always be an asset to set them apart from others,,,

In Toronto, a.k.a. Hogtown, there is an age-old joke among the locals: "I sent my wife to French Immersion school, she said it would further her career. But it did not work out. They did not keep the students' head under long enough."

Just a joke, for all it's worth.

If I had a school-aged child now, I would send her to Chinese-immersion school. Memorizing the characters is tough, but mastering the verbal language is easy when studying Chinese. It's not a trivial language by any means, there is no trivial language on Earth. But the grammar is a million percent less complicated than in French. If your daughter learns French well, her career options will only enlarge if she works for Government of Canada (that I know of). If she gets even just passably good in Chinese, the whole world will be her oyster. The Chinese will drop their chin and have their national pride elevated when they see a gorgeous blonde Caucasian chick speak their language; and the conservative Wasp or other Caucasian elite in America and Europe will bow to the wonder-woman that she'll have become.

French is a dead language. Nobody speaks French outside of France, Quebec, some small Canadian settlements outside of Quebec, and in countries that used to be French colonies and now have no economic or any other type of clout. The French will not accept your daughter if she emigrates there, and French are hated outside of France almost, but not quite, as much as American tourists and soldiers are hated outside of America. French is a career language in Canada but in all other parts of the world it's a useless, anti-career language.

I tell you, Chinese is the way to go. China had ultimate economic superiority over the rest of the world for all her 3000-year old existence, save for the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It's a power house, and if you can get used to their inhumanely merciless lack of social benefits in their social system, then becoming Chinese is the only way to survive in the New World. Which, incidentally, starts Dec. 12, 2012, at around 12:12 pm. plus seventeen hours Greenwich mean time.

well i have had french immersion. it was great.
i even enjoy writing a little in french now and again...



tested out of my language requirement in college but
decided to study german. i have also learned a bit of
a variety of other languages. really have enjoyed it.

they will never forget their french entirely and they
will also develop wider language skills and know that
it is possible to pick up new languages at any age.

i also speak some chinese but that's a longer story...

it can be extremely fun and rewarding to study different
languages.



but it is not for everyone necessarily.

I am sorry to say, but what you are telling about the french language and the perception of the french people is really full of nonsense. A dead language? You really have no clue.

Immersion is the only real way to develop your language skills. You need to cross the barrier from when you think in English and have to translate into French, to when you can think or even dream in French.

Immersion was what did it for me.

I think he just hates "Les Canadiens"

Chinese? WTF?

I'm not sure what age group your daughter is but my opinion is the Chinese domination is soon coming to an end... Will Vietnam become the new powerhouse? India? Pakistan? Possibly, but I wouldn't go learn those languages on the off chance either.

In the end, Languages are a beautiful thing... and kids are like sponges of learning... So if French is easily offered, do that.

You'd be surprised how my French helps with my Spanish.