A Course or a Pathway? Addressing French as a Second Language Teacher Recruitment and Retention in Canadian BEd Programs

Institutions strive to offer programs that address both the needs of the educational system and incorporate current pedagogical research. Creating a program that is relevant, inspiring, and accessible to aspiring French as a Second Language (FSL) teachers, while also equipping them with the skills and knowledge deemed necessary by the education system, is a delicate balancing act. This study reviewed 44 FSL teacher education programs that lead to professional certification across Canada. Environmental scans drew information from the program websites related to admission requirements, program structure and content, practicum, and graduation criteria. Follow-up interviews with program stakeholders were conducted to verify or clarify the data. The results highlight the inconsistencies that exist among programs for developing FSL educators. We position the ways in which Canadian faculties of education might provide a more holistic “pathway” approach to recruiting, preparing, and retaining emerging FSL teachers.Les établissements qui préparent les futurs enseignants de français langue seconde (FLS) s’efforcent d’offrir des programmes qui répondent à la fois aux besoins du système éducatif et qui intègrent les recherches pédagogiques actuelles. Créer un programme à la fois pertinent, inspirant et accessible aux futurs enseignants de FLS, tout en les dotant des compétences et des connaissances jugées nécessaires par le système scolaire, est un exercice d’équilibre délicat. Cette étude a examiné 44 programmes de formation des enseignants de FLS qui mènent à la certification professionnelle au Canada. Des analyses de l’environnement ont permis de tirer des informations des sites Web des programmes concernant les conditions d’admission, la structure et le contenu du programme, les stages et les critères d’obtention du diplôme. Des entrevues de suivi avec des intervenants des programmes ont été menées pour vérifier ou clarifier les données. Les résultats mettent en évidence les incohérences qui existent entre les programmes de formation des futurs enseignants de FLS. Nous proposons des moyens par lesquels les facultés d’éducation canadiennes pourraient offrir une approche plus holistique de « parcours » pour recruter, préparer et retenir les nouveaux enseignants de FLS

ESL academic writing and electronic bulletin boards : the viability of technological supplements for writing improvement and sociocultural development

Studying issues of second language writing and identity in an academic context is important as both students and teachers are adapting to an environment that is becoming increasingly multicultural, multilingual, and technological. A research project was conducted at the English Language Institute at the University of British Columbia in order to assess the viability of technological supplements in writing improvement and sociocultural development. This study evaluated whether on-line interactive writing using an electronic bulletin board helps students improve their academic writing skills, including meta-linguistic and critical thinking skills, as well as accuracy, fluency, complexity, and coherence. Additionally, secondary gains using this intervention were evaluated. These expected gains included increased student confidence and motivation, as well as a greater awareness of identity issues, cross-cultural understanding, and improved peer relations through collaborative tasks and introspective narrative and critical inquiry. Both quantitative and qualitative research methods were used to gather data in order to evaluate writing progress over time. Measures used for the quantitative analysis included pre-tests and post-tests of the Cambridge Advanced Exam of English Usage, as well as expository essays written at the onset and conclusion of the three-month term. Upon comparison with a control group that utilized traditional paper-based and face-to-face instruction, the quantitative results gathered from test and essay scores did not reveal significant differences between the two groups, and as such, did not strongly support the efficacy of on-line interactive writing for improving academic writing. However, the qualitative results, gathered from guided on-line journal entries, interviews, questionnaires, and the researcher's observations, suggested that on-line writing can improve academic writing. Interactive writing on the electronic bulletin board was both form-focused and meaning-focused, and provided opportunities for authentic communication, negotiation of meaning, peer review, and self-correction. The guided tasks led to a development of meta-linguistic and critical thinking skills. Furthermore, the qualitative results of student self-report data revealed that on-line interaction assisted students in improving their confidence, increasing their motivation, and developing their cross-cultural and interpersonal communication skills. International students interacting on an electronic bulletin board were also more aware of self and group identity issues as they were integrating into a new academic and multicultural environment. The findings of this research project are consistent with previous research conducted using similar tools and contexts. Interactive electronic writing has the potential for improving second language writing skills, thereby providing international students with a greater opportunity to meet the academic standards set by the university. Additionally, on-line writing can enhance student confidence, motivation, and cross-cultural awareness to communicate with native speakers and other international students. Finally, interactive writing using an electronic bulletin board allows ESL students the possibility of becoming multiliterate, thereby enabling them to integrate into and contribute to the academic community more effectively.Education, Faculty ofLanguage and Literacy Education (LLED), Department ofGraduat

The Role of Drama on Cultural Sensitivity, Motivation and Literacy in a Second Language Context

Although drama has been used successfully in English as a second language and has been shown to have positive effects on achievement and on self-confidence and motivation in various studies, it has received little attention in French immersion context where subjects are taught in French, the second language of students. The objective of this study was to teach about Acadian culture to one French immersion class using drama (Drama group) and the other French immersion class using a more teacher-centered method (Library group). Both classes were at the intermediate level. Our central question examined the impact of drama activities in elementary early FI on language learning motivation, on cultural sensitivity, and on second language writing? The data included a motivation test, a written composition, teachers’ journals and classroom observations. Results showed a positive effect of drama on several variables. First, the Drama group evaluated the learning unit significantly higher than the Library group. Furthermore, the Drama group showed a significantly higher integrative motivation and also a significantly higher desire to learn French than the Library Group. Both groups had a high cultural sensitivity before the intervention and thus there was no difference between the two groups either at post-test time. The writing of the composition revealed that the Drama group received a significantly higher overall score, and a significantly better score on cultural content. Both groups achieved high on content, accuracy, and details