Wilvaken offers campers a unique opportunity for practice in both of Canada's official languages, English and French. Most of our staff are fluently bilingual, as are many campers. All of the staff are more than willing to make the effort to speak in either language. We are not primarily a "language school" — we simply function in both languages.
Wilvaken is not an immersion camp as this is a program that places someone in an environment away from what they are normally used to. There are camps that are immersion and they take a group of children who all speak the same language and enforce the use of the other language various ways. For some children that works well but Wilvaken is a traditional outdoor camp first and became bilingual due to a need in the province of Quebec. We have been offiicially bilingual since 1987 and are proud of the achievements since it was first introduced..
We do have on staff a language instructor, who works specifically with those who have a particular interest in improving their English or French. All our staff participate in encouraging campers to learn to communicate in both languages. With our approach, the use of both languages is simply the norm at camp. The learning process is natural, without pressure — and fun.
Of course, those who are most open to learning, and willing to make a certain effort, are those who profit most by this opportunity. Many youngsters have become quite fluent in a second language when their only opportunity for practice has been their summers at camp. Usually these are youngsters who stay for a month, and come for more than one summer.
There are two sessions per day given specifically to the second language - one is to learn English and the other to learn French. We focus on vocabulary development and ease with the second language. On our daily program sheet it is called COMMUNICATION . These communication groups may not be necessary throughout the stay of your child. We do offer more advanced groups should you wish your child to attend.
All our staff are bilingual and many of the children who come are already quite at home in their second language so if there is something during the day your child does not comprehend, then there is someone there to translate at all times.
Upon registration ,we will send a form that allows the child and parents to agree that they will sign up for this program. There is no extra charge! The language activity is often looked upon as a school classroom situation by the camper but it really is not and you as parents must make that clear to your child.
Of course learning a new language is difficult and you must talk honestly with your child before camp that there will be frustrating moments. All our staff are trained to be sensitive to this and are there to help. We ask you NOT to impress upon your child that language learning is paramount to coming to camp. We have to remember that this is summer time and they are here to enjoy what camp has to offer!
If you talk to some of our campers who have been with us several years then you will realise that learning the second language did not occur in one 2 week session. When spending time at camp, perhaps for the first summer, it takes a little time to acclimatize and relax before the learning begins. Most of the learning happens due to the mix of campers (English/French) and hearing the language on a daily basis as a living entity.
During the summer we have a routine where by two days French is the working language and two days English is the working language. We encourage all the campers to try to speak and work on the language of the day. Instructions are mainly given in that language but translation is available if necessary. In case of emergency, instructions are given in both languages. Sundays are free choice!