An Overview of the “Big Five” The National Reading Panel Report, completed in the USA in 2000, emphasized a balanced approach to effective reading instruction, highlighting five critical components . These foundational skills collectively enable students to achieve reading proficiency through explicit instruction and integrated practices like shared and independent reading. These are the same skills that Universal Early Literacy Screeners like the Acadience Reading Screener (now being used...

It’s clear that students with higher needs belong in French Immersion. But, it is also clear that reading difficulties tend to be an important reason that students leave the program. This is no surprise, as reading is “arguably the most essential skill for success in all educational contexts” and remains “of paramount importance”. Naturally, parents and teachers worry when their children or students are struggling to learn how to read. This brings us to the question: How can we help all...

Do children with learning disabilities (LDs) and other learning challenges belong in French Immersion? In education, we often talk about equity through the lenses of race, religion, gender, socioeconomic status, or ability. These conversations matter deeply.But one equity issue that is rarely discussed — and yet affects every part of a child’s academic life — is equitable access to high-quality reading instruction . And in French Immersion (FI), this gap becomes even more visible. Many...