Children learning English or French

My children are attending a school in Ontario. Can they get help with their language skills?

If you have children who do not speak English or French as their first language, or if they speak a variety of English or French that is different from that used in Ontario schools, they can get language training and support in Ontario elementary and secondary schools.

Children and youth who are learning English or French and attend elementary or secondary schools can get direct support from teachers who specialize in meeting their language learning needs. Children and youth can also get help to develop language and literacy skills.

There are Newcomers’ Guides to Education that you can download from the net in many different languages. These will give you more information about Ontario’s publicly funded school system.

Some Ontario school boards have newcomer reception centres which may assess the language skills of students and help them find schools with specialized services language training support.

School Board	Contact Information
Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board	Newcomer Reception and Assessment Centre St. Veronica School 680 Novo Star Drive Mississauga, ON L5W 1C7 Telephone: (905) 361-2344 Newcomer Reception and Assessment Centre St. Isaac Jogues School 300 Great Lakes Drive Brampton, ON L6R 2W7 Telephone: (905) 361-2344
Greater Essex County District School Board	Newcomer Reception Centre 284 Cameron Ave. Windsor, ON N9B 1Y6 Telephone: (519) 254-5017
Halton District School Board	Reception & Assessment Centre 1511 Sixth Line Oakville, ON L6H 1X8 Telephone: 905-844-1022
Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board	Assessment Centre (In Dr. Harry Paikin Room on the first floor of the Education Centre) 100 Main St. West Hamilton, ON L8P 1H6 Telephone: (905) 521-2554
Ottawa Catholic School Board	Family Welcome Centre for Newcomers 570 West Hunt Club Road Nepean, ON K2G 3R4 Telephone: (613) 224-2222
Ottawa-Carleton District School Board	The Family Reception Centre 300 Rochester St., Room 202 Ottawa, ON K1R 7N4 Telephone: (613) 239-2416
Peel District School Board www.peelschools.org	We Welcome the World Centre - Brampton 25 Kings Cross Road Brampton, ON L6T 3V5 Telephone: (905) 366-8793 ext. 6025 We Welcome the World Centre - Malton 3131 Morning Star Drive Mississauga, ON L4T 1X3 Telephone: (905) 366-8793 ext. 6000 We Welcome the World Centre - Mississauga 30 Elm Drive Mississauga, ON L5B 1L9 Telephone: (905) 366-8793 ext. 6010
Simcoe County District School Board	The Newcomer Welcome Centre 320 Bayfield Street Barrie ON L4M 3C1 Telephone: (705) 725-8360 ext. 310
Toronto Catholic District School Board	Orientation Centre 783 Bathurst St. (in Loretto College Annex) Toronto, ON M5S 1Z5 Telephone: (416) 393-5500
Toronto District School Board	West End Reception Centre 777 Bloor St. W. Toronto, ON Telephone: (416) 393-0542 Greenwood Reception Centre 24 Mountjoy Ave. Toronto, ON Telephone: (416) 393-0750
Waterloo Catholic District School Board	Newcomer Reception Centre 154 Gatewood Road Kitchener, ON N2M 4E4 Telephone: (519) 743-3328
Waterloo Region District School Board	Welcome Centre for Newcomers 749 King Street West, Unit 203 Kitchener, ON, N2G 1E4 Telephone: (519) 576-3018
Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board	Newcomer Reception Centre 1214 Ottawa St. Windsor, ON N8X 2E6 Telephone: (519) 973-9282
York Catholic District School Board	ESL/ELD Reception Centre CEC 320 Bloomington Rd. W. Aurora, ON Telephone: (905) 713-1211
York Region District School Board	Reception Centre Upper Yonge Place (Elgin Centre) 10909 Yonge St., Suite 201 Richmond Hill, ON L4C 3E3 Telephone (905) 883-5241