Modern Languages Department

Program Information

Burnaby North offers language instruction in French, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, and Spanish.  All grade 8 students in Burnaby take French 8 (unless they’ve gained advanced placement with a placement exam, see below).

Where there is sufficient enrolment, Burnaby North offers the following Enriched courses:

  • French Enriched from grades 9-11
  • Advanced Placement French Language & Culture 12
  • Advanced Placement Mandarin Language & Culture 12.

Students much achieve a minimum of 80% in both oral and written work and must be recommended by their language teacher to be accepted into Enriched or AP courses.

Challenge Exams

(Lower Mainland Consortium of Boards). These exams are available for students with background in French, Japanese, Mandarin, Spanish, German and Punjabi at the grade 11 and 12 levels. The full day exam (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) occurs in late winter. Credits and a mark are given with a passing grade.  Students can register for the exams in Student Services; check the bulletin in the Fall for registration and cost info.

Placement

Students with background in French, Japanese, Mandarin, and/or Spanish should consult the Modern Languages department head or the counseling department for placement at the 8-10 levels. Results of the placement test will be given to the student and counselor to allow for proper placement in a language course.  No course credits are given for skipped courses.