| Grade nine early (onset of kindergarten) and late (onset of grade seven) French Immersion students experience classes rich in oral and written comprehension and production. These learners struggle to comprehend past tense verbs. Using a quasi-experimental design, the purpose of this study was to determine if differentiated instruction was more effective than whole group instruction and age (early or late French immersion) at which students comprehend the past tense on student achievement of French (passe compose) and (imparfait) past tense verbs. The study was conducted with two groups of early and late grade nine French immersion junior high students in St. John's, NL, Canada. Using logistic regression analyses, associations were made between pre- and post-tests, scored as students regressed, maintained, or improved, comparing with differential versus whole group instruction groups, early versus late immersion groups (age), and a combined model of the aforementioned. Results indicated significant differences between students instructed as a whole group compared to students taught through differentiated instruction, as measured through scores of the imparfait verb pre- and post-test assessments (OR=3.07, 95% CI=2.16-4.37), and as measured through the scores of the passe compose and imparfait combined sequence on pre- and post-test assessments (OR=1.82, 95% CI= 1.44-2.26). Significant differences were noted between early and late French Immersion groups in comprehension of the passe compose, as measured through pre- and posttest scores(OR=1.57, 95% CI=1.13-2.18). Growth comparison of early and late French immersion students' grades seven to grade nine using random assignment would be a suggestion for further research. |
