How to Become a French Immersion Teacher in Ontario, Canada

A French immersion teacher teaches students who do not normally speak French. French immersion schools instruct children whose parents want them to take lessons in French rather than English. Ontario French immersion schools usually follow a curriculum of all-French courses, including math, geography and science, except for an English language arts class. These schools are common in Ontario and other Canadian provinces, since the concept promotes bilingualism. Bilingualism, proficiency in both of Canada's official languages, supports the culture of a French-Canadian country and enhances an individual's job prospects. French immersion teachers require multiple years of training at recognized institutions.

Complete 33 courses at an Ontario high school or equivalent. You must acquire an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent to begin the post-secondary portion of the French immersion teacher education program.

Apply to an accredited university through the Ontario Universities Application Centre (OUAC). You must complete the application online at ouac.on.ca. You must pay the application fee to validate the application. As of November 2010, the base application fee was CA$125.

Complete a university undergraduate degree with at least a B- average. You may complete any three year degree at a post-secondary institution and average a B-, or 70 percent. Depending on which teacher's college you apply to, the institution may look at 10 to 15 courses or your best 10 to 15 courses to arrive at your average.

Finish multiple courses at the university level related to the grade level and subject you wish to teach. To become a French immersion teacher, successfully complete multiple courses in French studies. Similarly, if you wish to teach junior level students, you must take three classes in a teaching subject including French, history, etc. For intermediate level students, you must take eight classes in teaching subjects, five in one subject and three in a second subject.

Volunteer or work with children or in a teaching environment. Since many applicants apply to teacher's college each year and only a fraction get in, volunteer experience looks great and can give your application an extra push.

Apply to teacher's college through the OUAC. The Ontario Faculties of Education, also known as teacher's college, requires an extensive application indicating your educational and extracurricular experience. The fee for applying, as of November 2010, is CA$125 plus a unique fee per school you apply which ranges from CA$40 to $100.

Finish a year at an accredited Ontario Faculties of Education and receive an Ontario Colleges of Teachers certification. The one year program includes cooperative education within the Ontario school system. Upon successful completion of a year at teacher's college, you can officially apply to French immersion schools as a teacher.