Indigenous Languages and International Languages - Elementary Programs

About the Program


Students in Senior Kindergarten to Grade 8 can learn to read, write and speak a new language or maintain their heritage language. Please note that no experience is necessary in a language to enroll in the program. More than 20 different language programs are available.

Please Note:

  • Courses offered are subject to enrolment and teacher availability. 

  • Stacked classes may be created based on registration numbers.

  • Additional fees are required for international fee-paying visa students.

 

Registration Information


Edsby Registration Deadline: Monday, September 9, 2024 (registration will reopen on Friday, October 11, 2024)

Important Information:

  • The use of a laptop or desktop is highly recommended over a mobile device to register.

  • After Edsby registration closes, reorganization will take place which may impact courses and locations. The revised list of courses and locations will be updated and you may register for the revised courses between October 11 to October 27 (inclusive).

  • Students who register after September 9, 2024 will not be able to attend the first day of class. A new start date will be provided. In order to start the program on the first day of classes, and attend the full program, registration must be received before Monday, September 9.

Classes take place once a week, for 2.5 hours. 

Important site location information can be found in the Site Calendar.

First Day of Class Day of Class Class Time
September 27 Friday 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
September 28 Saturday 9:30 am to 12:00 pm (all classes)
9:00 am to 11:30 am Markville SS, Mandarin Simplified 
October 1 Tuesday 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
October 2 Wednesday 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
October 3 Thursday 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm

The program is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Education. 

A $20.00 consumable and resource fee is collected. 

International fee-paying visa students are required to pay the $20 consumable fee plus $225 for a total of $245.

Transfer Policy

  • Once payment is completed, any changes made to the registration before the start of the program will require a $5.00 administration fee.

After the start of the program:

  • No refunds are issued after the start of the program
  • Should you choose to transfer to another program day and/or location, your registration will be canceled and you will need to re-register on Edsby and pay the applicable fee.

Refund Policy

  • No refund will be issued after the start of the program.
  • A full refund, less a $5.00 administration fee will be applied if a refund is requested before the start of the program.

Elementary school-aged children (SK to Grade 8). Students must be age 5 before December 31 (proof of age is required).

NOTE: use of a laptop or desktop is highly recommended over a mobile device.

  1. Use your existing Edsby parent account to register online.

  2. If you do not have an Edsby account, create a new account first, then register online. Please see our step-by-step guides on how to create a new account and instructions on how to register.

  3. Please have your credit card (Visa/MasterCard) or PayPal account ready. If paying by credit card, you will see a transaction charge of $20.00 called YRDSB LANG on your billing statement.

  4. Select the language course, date, time and location.

  5. You will be required to provide your child's OEN (Ontario Education Number) as part of the registration. This number is located on your child's report card. For students who are not current YRDSB day school students, this number is not required.

  6. IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

    • Please print the "Registration Submitted" page for your records.

    • You will receive two email confirmations:

      • one from Edsby confirming the registration was submitted

      • one from PayPal with your payment details

Non-YRDSB students, please note:

You may be contacted to confirm your enrolment if you are a new student to the program. At that time you will need to provide proof of status in Canada:

  • Canadian citizens require one original citizenship/immigration document.

  • Other citizenships require two citizenship/immigration documents.

All students will be placed into age appropriate classes (day school grade) regardless of level of language fluency; teachers will differentiate instruction based on student needs. This will mean that, depending on enrollment, language classes may have a variety of grades represented in each class.

Indigenous Languages

Location Day of Class Class Time
Remote Tuesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM

To preserve this language, this program will be taught in an online format to better accommodate participants from across the province. Classes occur online using a synchronous and asynchronous model, with check-in opportunities with the teacher. Families will be contacted with updates as necessary.

Location Day of Class Class Time
Remote Friday 6:00 to 8:30 PM

To preserve this language, this program will be taught in an online format to better accommodate participants from across the province. Classes occur online using a synchronous and asynchronous model, with check-in opportunities with the teacher. Families will be contacted with updates as necessary.

International Languages

Language Location Area Day of Class Time of Class
Arabic Remote Online Tuesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Arabic Sir William Mulock S.S. Newmarket Tuesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Arabic Milliken Mills S.S. Markham Friday 6:00 to 8:30 PM

 

Language Location Area Day of Class Time of Class
Cantonese Remote Online Wednesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Cantonese Pierre Elliott Trudeau H.S. Markham Tuesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Cantonese Sir William Mulock S.S. Newmarket Tuesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Cantonese Stouffville D.S.S. Stouffville Tuesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Cantonese Unionville H.S. Unionville Tuesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Cantonese Middlefield C.I. Markham Thursday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Cantonese Markville S.S. Markham Friday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Cantonese Milliken Mills H.S. Unionville Friday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Cantonese Tommy Douglas S.S. Woodbridge Friday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Cantonese Unionville H.S. Unionville Friday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Cantonese Bayview S.S. Richmond Hill Saturday 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Cantonese Markville S.S. Markham Saturday 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM

Language Location Area Day of Class Time of Class
Dari Remote Online Wednesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM

 

Language Location Area Day of Class Time of Class
Farsi Remote Online Tuesday
6:00 to 8:30 PM
Farsi Remote Online Wednesday
6:00 to 8:30 PM
Farsi Sir William Mulock S.S. Newmarket Tuesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Farsi King City S.S. Richmond Hill Wednesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Farsi Richmond Hill H.S. Richmond Hill Saturday 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Frasi Thornlea S.S. Thornhill Saturday 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM

Language Location Area Day of Class Time of Class
Filipino Remote Online Wednesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM

 

Language Location Area Day of Class Time of Class
German Remote Online Tuesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM

Language Location Area Day of Class Time of Class
Greek Remote Online Wednesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Greek Sir William Mulock SS Newmarket Tuesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Greek Unionville H.S. Markham Tuesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM

Language Location Area Day of Class Time of Class
Gujarati Remote Online Wednesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM

Language Location Area Day of Class Time of Class
Hebrew Remote Online Tuesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Hebrew Stephen Lewis S.S. Thornhill Wednesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM

 

Language Location Area Day of Class Time of Class
Hindi Remote Online Tuesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Hindi
Tommy Douglas S.S.
Woodbridge Friday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Hindi Middlefield C.I. Markham Saturday 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM

Language Location Area Day of Class Time of Class
Italian Remote Online Tuesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM

Language Location Area Day of Class Time of Class
Japanese Remote Online Tuesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Japanese Remote Online Wednesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Japanese Unionville H.S. Unionville Tuesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Japanese Thornlea SS Thornhill Saturday 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM

Language Location Area Day of Class Time of Class
Korean Remote Online Tuesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Korean Remote Online Wednesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Korean Sir William Mulock S.S. Newmarket Tuesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Korean King City S.S. Richmond Hill Wednesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM

Language Location Area Day of Class Time of Class
Macedonian Middlefield C.I. Markham Thursday 6:00 to 8:30 PM

Language Location Area Day of Class Time of Class
Mandarin Unionville H.S. Unionville Saturday 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Mandarin Remote Online Tuesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM

 

A Mandarin program where instructors teach Traditional writing script and also focus on Simplified writing script, however, please note these classes are subject to instructor availability.

Language Location Area Day of Class Time of Class
Mandarin - Simplified Remote Online Tuesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Mandarin - Simplified Remote Online Wednesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Mandarin - Simplified Newmarket H.S. Newmarket Tuesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Mandarin - Simplified Pierre Elliott Trudeau H.S. Markham Tuesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Mandarin - Simplified Stouffville D.S.S. Stouffville Tuesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Mandarin - Simplified Unionville H.S. Unionville Tuesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Mandarin - Simplified Bur Oak S.S. Markham Wednesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Mandarin - Simplified King City S.S. Richmond Hill Wednesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Mandarin - Simplified Pierre Elliott Trudeau H.S. Markham Wednesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Mandarin - Simplified Stephen Lewis S.S. Thornhill Wednesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Mandarin - Simplified Middlefield C.I. Markham Thursday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Mandarin - Simplified Bayview S.S. Richmond Hill Friday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Mandarin - Simplified Markville SS Markham Friday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Mandarin - Simplified Milliken Mills H.S. Unionville Friday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Mandarin - Simplified Tommy Douglas S.S. Woodbridge Friday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Mandarin - Simplified Unionville H.S. Unionville Friday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Mandarin - Simplified Bayview S.S. Richmond Hill Saturday 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Mandarin - Simplified Markville S.S. Markham Saturday 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Mandarin - Simplified Middlefield C.I. Markham Saturday 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Mandarin - Simplified Richmond Hill H.S. Richmond Hill Saturday 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Mandarin - Simplified Thornlea S.S. Thornhill Saturday 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM

Language Location Area Day of Class Time of Class
Mandarin - Traditional Remote Online Wednesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Mandarin - Traditional Bayview S.S. Richmond Hill Friday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Mandarin - Traditional Unionville H.S. Unionville Friday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Mandarin - Traditional Bayview S.S. Richmond Hill Saturday 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Mandarin - Traditional Middlefield C.I. Markham Saturday 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM

Language Location Area Day of Class Time of Class
Punjabi Remote Online Wednesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Punjabi Tommy Douglas S.S. Woodbridge Friday 6:00 to 8:30 PM

Language Location Area Day of Class Time of Class
Russian Remote Online Tuesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Russian Remote Online Wednesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Russian  Newmarket H.S. Newmarket Tuesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Russian  King City S.S. Richmond Hill Wednesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Russian  Stephen Lewis S.S. Thornhill Wednesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Russian  Richmond Hill H.S. Richmond Hill Saturday 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM

Language Location Area Day of Class Time of Class
Sanskrit Remote Online Wednesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Sanskrit Bayview SS Richmond Hill Friday 6:00 to 8:30 PM

Language Location Area Day of Class Time of Class
Sinhala Remote Online Wednesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM

 

Language Location Area Day of Class Time of Class
Spanish Remote Online Tuesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Spanish Remote Online Wednesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Spanish Sir William Mulock S.S. Newmarket Tuesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Spanish Stouffville D.S.S. Stouffville Tuesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Spanish Stephen Lewis SS Thornhill Wednesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Spanish Middlefield C.I. Markham Saturday 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM

Language Location Area Day of Class Time of Class
Tamil Remote Online Tuesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Tamil Remote Online Wednesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Tamil Newmarket H.S. Newmarket Tuesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Tamil Stouffville D.S.S. Stouffville Tuesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Tamil Bur Oak S.S. Markham Wednesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Tamil Middlefield C.I. Markham Thursday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Tamil Tommy Douglas S.S. Woodbridge Friday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Tamil Middlefield C.I. Markham Saturday 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM

Language Location Area Day of Class Time of Class
Turkish Remote Online Tuesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM

 

Language Location Area Day of Class Time of Class
Ukrainian Remote Online Tuesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM

Language Location Area Day of Class Time of Class
Urdu Remote Online Tuesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Urdu Tommy Douglas S.S. Woodbridge Friday
6:00 to 8:30 PM

Language Location Area Day of Class Time of Class
Vietnamese Remote Online Tuesday 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Vietnamese Tommy Douglas SS Woodbridge Friday 6:00 to 8:30 PM

 

Language Location Area Day of Class Time of Class
Yoruba Remote Online Thursday 6:00 to 8:30 PM

 

As the language course is new to the program, to better support its development, it will be taught in a fully online format. Online learning does not require students and teachers to be face-to-face with each other. Classes occur online using a synchronous and asynchronous model, with check-in opportunities with the teacher. Families will be contacted with updates as necessary.

These programs will be offered subject to student enrollment and teacher/instructor availability. York Region District School Board reserves the right to cancel any program due to low enrollment and/or teacher/instructor availability.

 

Google Classrooms


Please note that all ILIL teaching staff will continue to be used as a supplementary instructional tool. 

Accessing the Google Classroom

For YRDSB students, a Google Classroom invitation link will be sent directly to the student’s @gapps.yrdsb.ca email address. 

For non-YRDSB students, a call (from Private Number/No Caller ID) will be made to the parent/guardian listed on this form to provide sensitive information. Once you have received the student log in credentials, complete the following:

Using a PC or a MAC 

  1. Sign out of all other Google accounts, either from your home school board or personal accounts. 

  2. Open Chrome and select ‘Incognito Window” from the menu at the right hand side of the screen (where there are three dots in a row) 

  3. In your Incognito window, go to https://classroom.google.com When prompted, select “Go to Classroom” 

  4. When presented with the Google Login form, enter your 9 digit YRDSB student number and @gapps.yrdsb.ca (i.e. 123456789@gapps.yrdsb.ca) 

  5. On the next login screen, which will have the YRDSB logo, please enter the student number only and the password that was provided (i.e. 123456789 & password) 

  6. When prompted, accept any Google conditions. 

  7. You are now logged in. Look for the plus sign in the top right corner, and use the Google Classroom code.

Issues with Finding the Student’s Google Classroom

If a Google Classroom code was not provided, please use the student’s @gapps.yrdsb.ca Gmail account of an email containing the Google Classroom invite

If you have any questions regarding the program (e.g., Google Classroom invitation links, class times, etc.), please contact ILIL@yrdsb.ca.