Pourquoi la connaissance du nom des lettres est-elle si importante dans l’apprentissage de la langue écrite ?

Inscrite dans le contexte théorique de la litéracie émergente, la présente recherche conduite auprès de soixante quatorze jeunes français révèle que la connaissance du nom des lettres règle les comportements d’écriture précoces et influence l’apprentissage implicite des relations lettre-phonème ainsi que le développement de la sensibilité phonémique. Parce qu’il fournit une identité phonologique aux lettres, le nom des lettres favorise la manipulation et la conceptualisation de l’écriture alphabétique. La connaissance du nom des lettres s’avère une acquisition critique, conclusion suggérant des implications pratiques pour l’enseignement préscolaire et scolaire.Situated within the theoretical context of developing literacy, this research work done with seventy-four young French students reveals that letter names knowledge sets early behaviour patterns towards writing and influences the implicit learning of letter-sound connections as well as developing phonemic awareness. As it gives a phonological identity to the letters, the names of the letters turned out to be crucial knowledge. The conclusion suggests practical implications in pre-school and school teaching.Incluida en el contexto teórico de la literacia emergente, la presente investigación llevada con setenta y cuatro jóvenes franceses revela que el conocimiento del nombre de las letras reglamenta los comportamientos de escritura precoces e influye en el aprendizaje implícito de las relaciones letra-fonema así como el desarrollo de la sensibilidad fonémica. Por proporcionar una identidad fonólogica a las letras, el nombre de las letras favorece el manejo y la conceptualización de la escritura alfabética. El conocimiento del nombre de las letras se revela una adquisición crítica, conclusión que sugiere implicaciones prácticas para la enseñanza preescolar y escolar.Im theoretischen Kontext der Literacy bei kleinen Kindern macht vorliegende bei 74 jungen Franzosen geführte Forschungsarbeit bekannt, dass die Kenntnis der Buchstabennamen das Schreibverhalten beim Frühschreiben bestimmt und das implizite Lernen der Buchstaben-Phonem-Verbindungen beeinflusst so wie die Entwicklung der phonemischen Empfindlichkeit. Da er den Buchstaben eine phonologische Identität verleiht, fördert der Buchstabenname die Bedienung und Konzeptualisierung des alphabetischen Schreibens. Die Kenntnis der Buchstabennamen erweist sich als ausschlaggebende Erwerbung. Dieses Shlusswort bietet praktische Folgen im vorschulischen und schulischen Unterrichten an

Effet de pairs et logiques d’orientation aux études supérieures au sein du marché des établissements scolaires québécois

Le marché des établissements scolaires québécois comprend un réseau francophone et un réseau anglophone. Dans ce contexte, certains parents francophones font le choix d’un établissement anglophone pour leurs enfants. Or, quels sont les impacts de ce choix sur l’orientation scolaire future de leurs enfants ? C’est à partir d’une approche sociologique constructiviste que nous analysons l’articulation entre l’expérience scolaire et les logiques d’orientation de jeunes francophones qui ont fréquenté un établissement anglophone. Les résultats révèlent que les jeunes francophones sont marqués par un effet de pairs, c’est-à-dire par une culture normative de l’orientation véhiculée par les pairs qui valorise la poursuite d’études supérieures en anglais.Quebec’s educational market includes both a French and an English network. Within this context, some Francophone parents choose an English school for their children. How does this choice impact their children’s future educational decisions? We analyze the link between the school experience and the choice of academic direction of young Francophones who attended English schools with a constructivist sociological approach. The results show that young Francophones are influenced by a peer effect, that is to say by a peer culture promoting the choice of English higher education

Roles of consonant status and sonority in printed syllable processing: Evidence from illusory conjunction and audio-visual recognition tasks in French adults.

Notre étude visait à étudier le rôle du codage phonologique en lecture silencieuse chez des adultes français. Nous avons particulièrement étudié le profil de sonorité, les règles phonotactiques ainsi que la structure syllabique aux frontières syllabiques grâce à une tâche de reconnaissance audio-visuelle et au paradigme des conjonctions illusoires (Prinzmetal, Treiman & Rho, 1986). Nous avons évalué si les adultes experts avaient recours aux syllabes. Nous souhaitions également observer si le codage phonologique était sensible à des facteurs linguistiques tels que le statut de la consonne pivot et au profil de sonorité. Les résultats obtenus dans les deux expériences ont montré que les adultes s’appuyaient sur les syllabes. Cependant, le recours aux syllabes était influencé et contraint par la phonotactique. En effet, les adultes se sont montrés sensibles aux profils de sonorité pour déterminer les frontières syllabiques. Ainsi, les profils intervocaliques respectant un cycle de sonorité optimal (i.e., coda liquide-attaque plosive) ont été préférés aux autres profils de sonorité. Ces données s’accordent avec les théories linguistiques selon lesquelles le contact optimal entre deux syllabe repose sur une coda plus sonore que la consonne subséquente en position d’attaque (e.g., Clements, 1990).The paper investigates how French readers visually process consonant clusters between two syllables. First, we aimed at assessing whether skilled adults were sensitive to syllable-sized units. Second, we wondered whether syllable processing depended on linguistic characteristics of consonant clusters such as consonant status and sonority profile. Two visual recognition tasks were used: the classical illusory conjunction paradigm (Prinzmetal, Treiman & Rho, 1986) and an original audio-visual recognition tasks. The results showed that syllable-sized units were used in both tasks. However, sonority profile and consonant status modulated syllable processing whatever the task. Consonant clusters whose sonority profile was ‘sonorant coda-obstruent onset’ (e.g. ‘LP’ in ‘TOLPUDE’) was preferred to all other sonority profiles. These behavioural results were in line with linguistic principles according to which the best contact between two syllables lies on a peak in sonority at the end of the first syllable following by a drop in sonority at beginning of the subsequent one (e.g., Hooper, 1972 ; Clements, 1990)

Immigrant Youth in Canadian Postsecondary Education: Pathway Morphologies in the Province of Quebec

This article aims to describe and understand the postsecondary pathway morphologies of immigrant youth in Quebec, as well as the factors contributing to structuring them. The results obtained from the analysis of the Ministry of Education data (N = 20,387) show that these young people pursue postsecondary education through linear pathways in larger proportions than their peers whose parents are born in Canada. However, the differences are much higher at university level than at that of general and vocational colleges (known by their French acronym CÉGEP: Collège d’enseignement général et professionnel). In addition, there are significant differences among immigrant youth according to the geographical region of origin of their parents. In contrast, there is almost no difference in nonlinear pathways. This article suggests some possible interpretations.Cet article vise à décrire et comprendre la morphologie des parcours des jeunes Québécois issus des familles immigrantes dans l’enseignement supérieur, ainsi que les facteurs qui contribuent à la structuration de ces parcours. Les résultats obtenus à partir des données du ministère de l’Éducation (N=20,387) révèlent que ces jeunes poursuivent les études supérieures par la voie des parcours linéaires dans une proportion plus élevée que leurs pairs dont les parents sont nés au Canada. Toutefois, les différences sont nettement plus élevées à l’université qu’au collège d’enseignement général et professionnel (CEGEP). De plus, il existe des différences significatives parmi les jeunes d’origine immigrante selon l’origine géographique des parents. En revanche, il n’y a presque pas de différence à propos des parcours non linéaires. L’article suggère quelques pistes d’interprétation.Este artículo tiene por objeto la descripción y comprensión de la morfología de trayectorias de jóvenes de origen inmigrante en la educación superior, así que los factores que contribuyen a su estructuración. Los resultados recogidos a partir de datos del ministerio de Educación (N = 20,387) demuestran que estos jóvenes cursan estudios superiores siguiendo trayectorias lineales en mayor proporción que sus pares cuyos padres nacieron en Canadá. Sin embargo, las diferencias son considerablemente más altas en la universidad que en los colegios de enseñanza general y profesional (CEGEP en Quebec). Además, se observan diferencias significativas entre los jóvenes de origen inmigrante según el origen geográfico de los padres. En cambio, no se observan diferencias en lo que concierne las trayectorias no lineales. Este artículo propone pistas de interpretación de dichos resultados.

Profiles of learner readers and their early literacy skills and environmental predictors: a large-scale longitudinal study from preschool to grade 1

As part of the French national cohort ELFE, a two-year longitudinal study was conducted and children’s literacy skills were assessed twice (N = 2,767), namely at the end of preschool (t1) and at the end of Grade 1 (t2). At t1, letter-name knowledge (LNK), phonological skills (PhoSk) and vocabulary were assessed and at t2, phonemic segmentation, word reading, listening and reading comprehension. Latent profile analyses conducted at t2 resulted in five profiles, ranging from good readers (48.8%), to average readers above the mean (16.2%), readers with very low phonological awareness skill (8.2%), poor readers with low reading comprehension skill (19.4%), and poor readers with general difficulties (7.4%). Two early literacy skills (LNK and PhoSk) and two environmental variables (parents’ educational level and household income) constituted good predictors of membership of a profile. However, home literacy practices also predicted membership of the good reader/poor reader profiles, albeit at a lower level

Achieving food system resilience requires challenging dominant land property regimes

International audienceAlthough evidence continues to indicate an urgent need to transition food systems away from industrialized monocultures and toward agroecological production, there is little sign of significant policy commitment toward food system transformation in global North geographies. The authors, a consortium of researchers studying the land-food nexus in global North geographies, argue that a key lock-in explaining the lack of reform arises from how most food system interventions work through dominant logics of property to achieve their goals of agroecological production. Doing so fails to recognize how land tenure systems, codified by law and performed by society, construct agricultural land use outcomes. In this perspective, the authors argue that achieving food system “resilience” requires urgent attention to the underlying property norms that drive land access regimes, especially where norms of property appear hegemonic. This paper first reviews research from political ecology, critical property law, and human geography to show how entrenched property relations in the global North frustrate the advancement of alternative models like food sovereignty and agroecology, and work to mediate acceptable forms of “sustainable agriculture.” Drawing on emerging cases of land tenure reform from the authors' collective experience working in Scotland, France, Australia, Canada, and Japan, we next observe how contesting dominant logics of property creates space to forge deep and equitable food system transformation. Equally, these cases demonstrate how powerful actors in the food system attempt to leverage legal and cultural norms of property to legitimize their control over the resources that drive agricultural production. Our formulation suggests that visions for food system “resilience” must embrace the reform of property relations as much as it does diversified farming practices. This work calls for a joint cultural and legal reimagination of our relation to land in places where property functions as an epistemic and apex entitlement

Achieving Food System Resilience Requires Challenging Dominant Land Property Regimes

Although evidence continues to indicate an urgent need to transition food systems away from industrialized monocultures and toward agroecological production, there is little sign of significant policy commitment toward food system transformation in global North geographies. The authors, a consortium of researchers studying the land-food nexus in global North geographies, argue that a key lock-in explaining the lack of reform arises from how most food system interventions work through dominant logics of property to achieve their goals of agroecological production. Doing so fails to recognize how land tenure systems, codified by law and performed by society, construct agricultural land use outcomes. In this perspective, the authors argue that achieving food system “resilience” requires urgent attention to the underlying property norms that drive land access regimes, especially where norms of property appear hegemonic. This paper first reviews research from political ecology, critical property law, and human geography to show how entrenched property relations in the global North frustrate the advancement of alternative models like food sovereignty and agroecology, and work to mediate acceptable forms of “sustainable agriculture.” Drawing on emerging cases of land tenure reform from the authors’ collective experience working in Scotland, France, Australia, Canada, and Japan, we next observe how contesting dominant logics of property creates space to forge deep and equitable food system transformation. Equally, these cases demonstrate how powerful actors in the food system attempt to leverage legal and cultural norms of property to legitimize their control over the resources that drive agricultural production. Our formulation suggests that visions for food system “resilience” must embrace the reform of property relations as much as it does diversified farming practices. This work calls for a joint cultural and legal reimagination of our relation to land in places where property functions as an epistemic and apex entitlement

Évaluation des connaissances précoces prédictives de l’apprentissage de la lecture en grande section de maternelle

Le premier objectif de ce travail, mené auprès de plus de 3000 élèves de grande section de maternelle, était de valider une batterie de tests évaluant les compétences prédictives de l’acquisition de la lecture dans ses deux composantes, identification de mots écrits et compréhension. Pour cela, les qualités métrologiques des épreuves expérimentales en reconnaissance de lettres, en habiletés phonologiques, en vocabulaire et en compréhension orale ont fait l’objet d’un examen. Le second objectif était d’identifier des profils d’élèves et les difficultés des plus faibles (par l’analyse des erreurs). La conclusion souligne l’intérêt des sessions précoces d’évaluation afin de prévenir les difficultés avec des aides ciblées à l’apprentissage de la lecture en CP.The first goal of this study, conducted among more than 3000 kindergarten children, was to validate a series of tests which assess predictive skills necessary to master reading in two main components, word recognition and language comprehension. For that purpose, measurements from experimental tasks in letter recognition, phonological skills, vocabulary and comprehension were examined. The second aim was to specify pupils’ profiles and the difficulties of the poorest pupils (through error analysis). The conclusion emphasized the benefit of early assessment sessions, in order to prevent difficulties with targeted support for learning to read

Mutation of neuron-specific chromatin remodeling subunit BAF53b:rescue of plasticity and memory by manipulating actin remodeling

Recent human exome-sequencing studies have implicated polymorphic Brg1-associated factor (BAF) complexes (mammalian SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complexes) in several intellectual disabilities and cognitive disorders, including autism. However, it remains unclear how mutations in BAF complexes result in impaired cognitive function. Post-mitotic neurons express a neuron-specific assembly, nBAF, characterized by the neuron-specific subunit BAF53b. Subdomain 2 of BAF53b is essential for the differentiation of neuronal precursor cells into neurons. We generated transgenic mice lacking subdomain 2 of Baf53b (BAF53b Delta SB2). Long-term synaptic potentiation (LTP) and long-term memory, both of which are associated with phosphorylation of the actin severing protein cofilin, were assessed in these animals. A phosphorylation mimic of cofilin was stereotaxically delivered into the hippocampus of BAF53b Delta SB2 mice in an effort to rescue LTP and memory. BAF53b Delta SB2 mutant mice show impairments in phosphorylation of synaptic cofilin, LTP, and memory. Both the synaptic plasticity and memory deficits are rescued by overexpression of a phosphorylation mimetic of cofilin. Baseline physiology and behavior were not affected by the mutation or the experimental treatment. This study suggests a potential link between nBAF function, actin cytoskeletal remodeling at the dendritic spine, and memory formation. This work shows that a targeted manipulation of synaptic function can rescue adult plasticity and memory deficits caused by manipulations of nBAF, and thereby provides potential novel avenues for therapeutic development for multiple intellectual disability disorders