I believe this information may be useful for teachers who want to encourage parents, students and families to enrich their lives with extra-curricular bilingual pursuits.

QUEBEC SUMMER CAMP DIRECTORY

A resource I found useful for many years was the free directory of French camps in Quebec. You can call to have one mailed to you. The phone number is 514-252-3113. The web site is: www.camps.qc.ca.

SUMMER CAMPS IN QUEBEC - AND FAMILY CAMPS

Alongside a listing of dozens of summer camps for youth, this directory also includes listings of FAMILY camps for the entire family. One warning though: the directory is entirely in French and interested parents may need a French-English dictionary.

Over the years I sent both of my children to these camps and they really made a difference. My daughter is perfectly bilingual and I credit this to spending her summers in Quebec. The camp I was most impressed with was Camp Mariste, which includes drama and dance camps. Being encouraged to read, memorize and act out scripts can make a big difference in a child's fluency while they are still having fun.

THE ARCO INTERNATIONAL COOPERATIVE PROGRAM

This agency provides an opportunity to speak both French and Spanish. ARCO organizes group trips with a focus on community work in Cuba. Various group trips of preteens, teens, college students and even adults are organized throughout the year. Since this agency is based in Montreal, and most of the participants travelling to Cuba are Francophone, it provides an opportunity to practise both French with the participants and Spanish with the Cubans. The web site is: www.arocoopintl.org The contact person there is Collette.

iSE ONTARIO STUDENT EXCHANGES

In Ontario, there is a third program that may be of interest. This is ISE Ontario which organizes student exchanges and even credit courses in Europe. You can find them at: www.iseontario.on.ca. I do not have personal experience with this organization but it seems like a great opportunity.