Knowing One s Community Through the French Curriculum Documents

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1 Knowing One s Community Through the French Curriculum Documents This document is part of the series Knowing One s Community, published by the Canadian Teachers Federation (CTF). The project was made possible by a long-standing partnership with the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Citizenship and Minorities which in the project Knowing One s Community: For the Successful Mission of the French-language Minority School examined images of the Francophone community as depicted in the curricula of Canada s provinces and territories. The project could never have been completed without financial support from the Department of Canadian Heritage. The first document in the series, Knowing One s Community General Overview presents findings that could apply to all curricula. The analyses and recommendations in this document are essential to provide a proper framework for the other documents in the series, which will consider specific subject areas such as the following document relating particularly to French. CTF always strives to provide teachers with tools they need to perform an important dimension of their mission, which is to transmit and build the Francophone identity. The Knowing One s Community series is an initial initiative to explore the contribution of curricula, and it proposes courses of thought on how to approach this area. Many teachers work together with curriculum developers to write these essential documents. We hope that the information in this series will provide food for thought and action to sustain our common goal of providing French-language school students the best education possible. Information contained in Knowing One s Community Through the French Curriculum Documents is largely based on the final research report entitled Knowing One s Community: For the Successful Mission of the French-language Minority School, 1 which was submitted by CIRCEM and is available on the CTF Web site. A list of those who took part in the national consultation to identify possible avenues for action as part of this initiative is appended. CTF wishes to thank them all for their contribution to this initiative. Ronald Boudreau Director of Services to Francophones 1 GILBERT, Anne, Sophie LeTouzé and Joseph Yvon Thériault. Knowing One s Community: For the Successful Mission of the French-language Minority School, final research report. Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Citizenship and Minorities (CIRCEM), University of Ottawa, [

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3 THROUGH THE FRENCH CURRICULUM DOCUMENTS GENERAL The French curricula naturally play a key role in all of the provinces and territories. Every jurisdiction acknowledges the importance of a good knowledge of the French language in all of the subject areas taught to students attending French-language schools. Nevertheless, it is a given that schools in minority communities need to develop more than language skills for people to be able to live in French. The transmission of the Francophone culture and identity is also an integral part of the mission of French-language schools and the French curricula generally identifies this objective. Depending on the region of the country, the learning outcomes are expressed in varying degrees of intensity. As might be expected, French is taught in all grades in every jurisdiction. French is a compulsory subject from kindergarten to Grade 12 in all of the provinces and It is a given that schools in minority communities need to develop more than language skills for people to be able to live in French. Although there is a compulsory French course in every grade, the range of French courses available has fewer options for students than other areas such as social studies. Although some jurisdictions offer more general course options, others focus on indisputable features of identity building: this is the case in Ontario and Manitoba, which have Grade 12 courses on French- Canadian literature and Francophone literature. REFERENCES TO THE COMMUNITY aternelle à la 8 e In addition to these general findings concerning French curricula, the research team looked into two aspects that refer to the Francophone community. On the one hand, the study showed that the place assigned to culture and identity varies considerably from one range of the spectrum to the other. Some jurisdictions assign it virtually no place at all in the curricula whereas others make it the focal point of learning. On the other hand, the authors of the study noted that some provinces articulated their cultural intervention around a core that is essentially literary. The team therefore attempted to identify the literature in question in order to be able to specify how it is defined in the curricula and how it establishes a link with the community. territories. In elementary school, it is the subject that takes up the most time on the school timetable. In high school, courses are assigned credits, which correspond to a prescribed number of hours of teaching. The time spent in French courses is therefore the same as the amount of time spent in other courses, and it is not possible to increase this time unless students enrol in optional French courses. 3

4 The Place of Culture and Identity French programs are articulated from year to year around three components that evolve with the intellectual maturity of the students: oral communication, reading and writing. It is through these language learning components that culture and identity are introduced. < A MARGINAL COMMUNITY Some French programs focus on oral communication, reading and writing, and spend very little time on identity building. The research team found that the curricula in the Atlantic provinces and Ontario made statements that were rather vague. They also frequently delegated the role of building identity factors into the curriculum to literature without really providing guidance to teachers about which works would be the best suited to achieve these goals. The same can be said for objectives aimed at introducing personalities from the world of culture or advocates of the French cause. The analysis indicated once again that there was reliance on literature to convey these messages, but that it was up to teachers to find the means and the tools to get there. < A PARALLEL COMMUNITY There is an interesting trend in Western Canada and the territories with regard to establishing the French learning outcomes. Indeed, the common framework for French as a first language education includes the usual three areas of oral communication, reading and writing, in addition to cultural and identity skills. This trend is also found in the curricula developed by these jurisdictions at various levels of interpretation. include approximately 40 specific learning outcomes spread over the various grades. The Alberta programs also suggest to teachers a number of activities to support the desired learning outcomes in order to help them interpret the expected goals. The structure of the French programs in Manitoba interpret the common framework differently. Instead, they advocate a cross-sectional approach to the learning outcomes bearing on culture and identity. In these three provinces, although special attention is paid to the cultural and identity dimension, there are They (the curricula) also frequently delegated the role of building identity factors into the curriculum to literature without really providing guidance to teachers about which works would be the best suited to achieve these goals. no references to guide teachers about which artists, authors or works ought to be chosen. The main cultural events are also not mentioned in the curricula. It can clearly be seen that the common framework inspired this part of the country to work more on the concept of identity building. As a result, some programs, like those in Saskatchewan and Alberta, 4

5 < A COMMUNITY AT THE CORE OF THE PROGRAM British Columbia has adopted a curriculum structure that is peculiar to that province. The learning structure consists of three aspects: language and culture, language and personal development, and language and communication. Thus, not only the curriculum incorporates cultural and identity factors in reading through the use of literary works, as is the case elsewhere, but it makes these aspects central to all areas of learning. Therefore, there are learning outcomes for identity, culture and the French fact in all three components of the program. The authors of the analysis observed a few other characteristics specific to the French study programs in British Columbia. On the one hand, the French fact is not presented to elementary students from a minority standpoint. What they suggest instead is that the Francophonie is an In terms of identity, we found that the high school curricula focus on a higher level of intentionality, as can be seen in Cadre d orientation en construction identitaire 2 (identity building orientation framework). Several learning outcomes in fact focus on active involvement in building a Francophone space. One could no doubt say that the curricula go well beyond the French instructional framework, but saying this would ignore the fact that each of the learning outcomes aims at a balance in language training. The fact is that it is essential to assign a great deal of time to relevant action when what is involved is building a solid identity. Minority Francophone Literature All of the French curricula give special importance to studying literary works. Whether the goal is to develop the analytical ability of the students or to exhibit the richness of literature, the research team attempted to analyze what literary works were included in the curricula for the students. The question of minority Francophone literature is no doubt the aspect of the curricula where the greatest variety of statements can be found. important component of Canadian society and one that they can take pride in being members of. It is presented to the students as a unified whole in which everyone can find their place and share the same language. Nor is there any reference to different Francophonies in artistic output, which makes it possible instead to promote the idea of a common heritage. < A DISCREET MINORITY FRANCOPHONIE The question of minority Francophone literature is no doubt the aspect of the curricula where the greatest variety of statements can be found. Most of the curricula do not refer to any specific works and instead suggest studying Canadian authors, various literary genres from classical literature and modern French- Canadian literature in Canada, or works that have been important in French literature in Canada. There is rarely specifically an emphasis on minority Francophone literature. Curricula sometimes promote cultural products that convey identity values without linking them to learning outcomes or specific activities. The authors of the research nevertheless wish to mention the efforts made by the Alberta curricula, which suggest a few French-Canadian authors and further suggest that these be studied in relation to the cultural, political and historical context of French Canada. 2 ACELF, Cadre d orientation en construction identitaire, Tableau évolutif de la construction identitaire appliqué à l intervention, page 27. 5

6 < A MINORITY FRANCOPHONE PRESENCE The authors of the study carried out an overview of initiatives in some of the provinces where the minority Francophone community is clearly mentioned in the curricula. Among other things, there are the annotated bibliographies in Alberta that offer teachers a wide range of options ranging from translated international authors to a local Francophonie whose importance has been acknowledged. The authors noted that Ontario suggests a minimum number of local Francophone authors and adds that The most references to a Francophone literature from Canadian minority settings can be found in the curricula for optional courses. The most references to a Francophone literature from Canadian minority settings can be found in the curricula for optional courses. New Brunswick, for example, has taken up the idea of making a wide range Those who teach French courses would certainly agree that the task of teaching French is a heavy one that is often targeted when it involves transmitting a Francophone culture to the students. of works available for study, with French, Quebec and Acadian works alongside translations of Englishlanguage and Spanish-language classical writers. novels, plays, comic books or collections can be used. The curricula nevertheless do not make any suggestions about how to exploit these resources. Manitoba sets itself apart in this regard in terms of its clear intention to focus on cultural and identity development in the optional course called Francophone literature. The educational goals include valuing the literature from the Francophone minority, in addition to the international Francophonie and the diversity that makes up this Francophonie. Ontario also has a curriculum for the optional course on French-Canadian literature and it has appended a list of over 100 authors, both contemporary and classical, including Franco-Ontarians, Quebecers, Acadians and Westerners. 6

7 RECOMMENDATIONS Those who teach French courses would certainly agree that the task of teaching French is a heavy one that is often targeted when it involves transmitting a Francophone culture to the students. Given this situation, it is therefore surprising that the French curricula contain little information that could support teaching and learning in minority settings. The first document in this series, Knowing One s Community - General Overview, describes the mechanisms that the provinces and territories use to develop, adapt or translate curricula for teachers in French-language schools. For the French curricula, the Atlantic provinces and Western Canada and the North have established common frameworks that provide a basis for them in curriculum development. These special features need to be taken into consideration in order to do justice to the efforts that have been made from one end of the country to the other to ensure that curricula are relevant. On the basis of the findings of the analysis conducted and the expertise of the people who took part in the national consultation in June , here are some general considerations with respect to curriculum development in French curricula for minority French-language schools: An integrated approach to culture and identity in every facet of language development must be favoured in French curricula to avoid assigning responsability for identity building solely to literature. In view of the heavy burden on teachers of French courses, the curricula should clearly suggest ideas and activities to support them in their teaching and in their responsibility for transmitting and developing culture and identity. The curricula need to showcase authors from Canada s Francophone minorities. They would benefit from a Canada-wide initiative that would engage students in learning by inviting them to build for themselves a literary background to help them embrace a broader Francophonie that would decrease their isolation and their feelings of minoritization. The analysis showed that the curricula do not suggest ideas for exploring literary works in a minority context. The French curricula would benefit from guidelines on how to use works from the minority Francophonie in the classroom. The curricula need to be more explicit about how to deliver content to students who differ widely in terms of their language skills. 3 National consultation on the images of the Francophonie, Ottawa, June

8 Certain more general recommendations were developed as part of the analysis by the research team in conjunction with participants in the national consultation. Here are general considerations with respect to curriculum development for minority French-language schools: [Extract from Knowing One s Community General Overview, p ] In order to provide a framework that is conducive to the transmission and building of identity in French-language schools, the provincial and territorial jurisdictions need to establish a process that will directly involve teachers in these schools and key community stakeholders in curriculum development. The teachers are in the best position to identify the needs being experienced in the classroom and the realities of students in minority settings. Research about the integration of culture and identity building in teaching through curricula needs to be carried out at the national level because it is a challenge that runs through all of our minority Francophone communities. The Cadre d orientation en construction identitaire (identity building orientation framework) published by the Association canadienne d éducation de langue française (ACELF), which involved an extremely experienced team of researchers, has laid the foundations for the dialogue that needs to begin. Teacher training needs to factor in how identity building can be incorporated into the objectives targeted by each of the curricula. This concern should be a priority in the process of curriculum development and in the cultural education approach that needs to be used to promote integration strategies. It is important to keep the teaching load realistic while at the same time making more room for identity building. Regional collaboration initiatives like the ones that led to the adoption of the common frameworks, or national initiatives, need to be encouraged. A national educational resources portal accessible by subject area and grade, for example, would make it possible to target those resources that would be the most useful in promoting identity building. 8

9 Curricula need the support of an educational resources development strategy designed to address not only how to transmit and build student identities, but also how to provide support for teachers in the classroom. The jurisdictions responsible for curriculum development need to define an image of the Francophone community that can be conveyed to the students, along with ways of presenting it in the various curriculum subject areas at every grade level. The current failure to mention any ties among the different Canadian Francophonies is an example of a gap that needs to be avoided. The analysis of curricula found that the theoretical framework was rarely echoed in the learning outcomes that articulate the fields being studied. Provincial and territorial jurisdictions need to ensure that those responsible for curriculum development properly articulate these intentions in terms of concrete learning outcomes and ways of achieving them. In view of the already heavy workload of teachers in minority settings, the provincial and territorial jurisdictions must make a significant effort to incorporate courses of thought, examples and activities into the curricula, as well as references to works that can support content delivery. 9

10 List of Participants NATIONAL CONSULTATION JUNE Louis Allain Gilles Arsenault Imelda Arsenault Sylvain Aumont Robert Bisson Daniel Bouchard Ronald Boudreau Pierre Bourbeau Chantal Bourbonnais Saveria Caruso Judith Charest Mireille Cloutier Gérard Cormier Marianne Cormier Colette Côté Mireille Coulombe-Anifowe André Deschênes Martin Deschesnes Mary-Lou Donnelly Jacques Dorge France Fortier Murielle Gagné-Ouellette Jacques Gascon Marcel Gatien Clermont Gauthier George Georget Anne Gilbert Véronique Jobin Suzanne Jolicoeur Raymonde Laberge Louise Landry Réjean Laroche Gilles Le Blanc Sophie LeTouzé Jacqueline LeVert Michèle Matteau Lise Paiement Beverley Park Debra-Anne Reid Lise Routhier-Boudreau Paulette Rozon Hélène Saint-Denis Ronald St-Jean Paul Taillefer Joseph Yvon Thériault Fédération canadienne des directions d établissements scolaires francophones, Manitoba Prince Edward Island Teachers Federation Department of Education, Prince Edward Island Fédération culturelle canadienne-française, Ontario The Alberta Teachers Association Syndicat du Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique Director, Services to Francophones, CTF, Ontario Fédération culturelle canadienne-française, Ontario Fédération nationale des conseils scolaires francophones, Ontario Ministry of Education, Ontario Association des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-ontariens, Ontario Member of the CTF Advisory Committee on French as a First Language, Alberta Nova Scotia Teachers Union, Nova Scotia Université de Moncton, New Brunswick Member of the CTF Advisory Committee on French as a First Language, Saskatchewan Ministry of Education, Ontario Association des enseignantes et des enseignants francophones du Nouveau-Brunswick Northwest Territories Teachers Association CTF Vice-President, Nova Scotia Department of Education, Manitoba Canadian Heritage, Ontario Commission nationale des parents francophones, Ontario Association des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-ontariens Alliance canadienne des responsables, des enseignantes et des enseignants en français langue maternelle, Ontario Université Laval, Québec Saskatchewan Teachers Federation Interdisciplinary Research Center on Citizenship and Minorities, Ontario Université Laval, Québec Member of the CTF Advisory Committee on French as a First Language, Manitoba Department of Education, Northwest Territories President of the CTF Advisory Committee on French as a First Language, New Brunswick Éducatrices et éducateurs francophones du Manitoba Department of Education, Nova Scotia Interdisciplinary Research Center on Citizenship and Minorities, Ontario Member of the CTF Advisory Committee on French as a First Language, Nova Scotia Association canadienne d éducation de langue française, Québec Association des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-ontariens, Ontario Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers Association Nunavut Teachers Association Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada, Ontario Ministry of Education, Ontario Administrative Assistant, Services to Francophones, CTF, Ontario Alberta Education Member of the CTF Advisory Committee on French as a First Language, Ontario Interdisciplinary Research Center on Citizenship and Minorities, Ontario