A two-and-a-half-year study in northern Ontario (Canada) investigated the relationship between characteristics of the minority French-speaking community, home environment, and the school and classroom environments. Focus was on factors affecting the development and maintenance of cultural awareness, ethnic identity, and communicative competence in French. Four cohorts of students were studied: from kindergarten to second grade, third to fifth grade, sixth to eight grade, and ninth to eleventh grade. Data presented here are based on descriptive statistics, structured ethnographic observations, and normative tests. Data and analyses are summarized in substantial statistical tables within and appended to the report. Findings resulted in the recommendation of 20 instructional strategies and actions for French-language schools in Ontario, based on five basic principles: (1) input before output, life experiences before competence, and comprehension before production; (2) competencies must be developed in accord with the environment; (3) accentuation and validation of Ontario youth and their cultural identity as French Canadians; (4) while addition of a second language does not require loss of the first language, lack of experiences in the first language can have that effect; and (5) support for French Canadian management of their own institutions. (MSE)