One thing to know about language immersion schools is that there's a sunk cost issue: the standard recommendation is that a child needs to stay in for 5-7 years in order to maintain fluency. So if you're thinking about the language immersion school because it's an easy way for the child to become bilingual (and who wouldn't!), realize that the benefit might well not accrue if you try it for a year or two and then leave. Even if the child makes very good progress during that period. The teachers tell us, for instance, that DS speaks French as well as or better than a native child his age. But if we stopped now it's not just that he would be stuck speaking as a four year old; he might well lose it all. This is not a reason not to do it, but we're confronting now the reality that there's a strong incentive to make things work at the French school instead of up and leaving. We're hopeful that the school will be responsive to his academic needs when the time comes, and we're getting very involved. But it does give us the feeling of a bit less freedom. Well worth it, in our minds, for the advantage of a second language. But just so you know.
BB
Wonderful illustration that a school that is labled 'Gifted' may or may not be teaching kids at a higher 'readiness level' than other school. Observation is the only way to know for sure. Talking to Admins is the worst, because they use all the same words, to mean completely different things.
I would like to say that here again, the 'rules' that apply to 95% of the population, might, or might not apply.
Smiles,
Grinity
