FRENCH TEACHERS
Naomi Dinniwell
519-833-9665 ext. 461
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Madame Dinniwell had her first introduction into the French Language in Kindergarten as a French Immersion student and graduated grade 12 with the Ontario F/I certificate. She has traveled to France, Quebec and Acadia (French speaking eastern Canada) a number of times to visit friends and family and immerse herself in francophone culture. She has an Honours Arts Degree from Brock university where she studied Drama and French. In her classes Madame Dinniwell loves to create authentic interactions for students using drama practices and believes that every student has a right to be heard.
Marc
Filion
519-833-9665 ext. 409
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Monsieur Filion has taught in many departments at EDHS including having been the former head of the Math Department and the current head of the Technology and Business Department. Monsieur Filion has a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering and Bachelor of Education from the University of Western Ontario.
Having grown up in Ontario’s north where French communities abound, French is his first language. In his courses students are challenged to grow their creativity in an inclusive and engaging classroom that focuses on communication technology, tools and strategies.
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Laura
Ovington
519-833-9665 ext. 469
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Madame Ovington grew up in the UK and, after finishing her Masters degree in French language and literature from the University of Glasgow, lived in France for two years. That’s when she realized her passion for teaching! Since then, she has taught French to children of all ages and to young adults at the post-secondary level, but her true passion is working with high school students. Mme Ovington has been teaching in Ontario since 2008. She always aims to make strong connections with her students and tries to find engaging approaches to teaching French, incorporating real and relevant materials as much as possible. She hopes to inspire her students to discover other countries and communicate with different cultures.
James
Porteous
519-833-9665 ext. 468
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Monsieur Porteous started French in grade four in a rural school in Ontario, watching videos of talking ananas and listening to songs about pizza in a Core French classroom. In high school, he fell in love with languages and this love turned into a passion for linguistics at the University of Western Ontario, leading eventually to a Masters Degree in French Linguistics. M. Porteous combines a quirky appreciation for languages and historical linguistics with a zeal to learn about cultures and history from all over the world. In his classes, M. Porteous focuses on Big Ideas and aims to lead his students to make connections both between historical events and between different cultural practices - always trying to see the broader picture whenever possible.
Janna
Youngblut
519-833-9665 ext. 466
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Madame Youngblut fell in love with French and travel at a young age. She was an exchange student with Rotary Youth Exchange for a year in rural France during high school. She has a degree in French and History from the University of Waterloo where she spent another year in France studying. She also has multiple experiences in Quebec, especially in Quebec City. In her classes, she believes in high standards but meets students where they are in their learning through her extensive Special Education training. She works to make French fun, incorporate cultural understanding and highlight student strengths.