Lived experiences of seven senior high school students in a french immersion program

Abstract

This qualitative study investigated the lived experiences of seven senior high school students in a French Immersion program. The participants, four females and three males in grades eleven and twelve in a dual-track composite high school, provided insightful and compelling phenomenological descriptions which reflect the nature of this educational alternative. The semi-structured interviews focused on the main research question: What is your lived experience as a senior high school French Immersion student? Findings indicated the strong sense of “family” that characterizes the immersion experience, the factors that have contributed to the participants’ success in the program, the participants’ reasons for remaining committed to the program, perceptions of French Immersion students, and challenges that are unique to the immersion experience.