a. As a student, how did you perceive the value of learning French?

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1 Transforming FSL in Ontario web conference November 18, 2015 Chat notes 1. Perception of French Language learning a. As a student, how did you perceive the value of learning French? For me I perceived French as a low value because I was taught and introduced French in British Columbia. Over there I remember focusing on the basics of the Frech vocabulary, such as the difference between how to say he or she, numbers etc. I perceived it to be very important and an asset in the future as I grew up. I didn t find FSL very helpful in high school as it was largely grammar based so the first time I travelled to a francophone place I was unable to communicate. I however found it very valuable in university as economically it is beneficial to be bilingual and it helped me to better understand not only Canadian culture and identity but also other francophone areas such as France. As an Early French Immersion Student in Elementary, school I did not have a distinct perception. However, when I was in Secondary school and I was unable to attend the French Immersion high School due to boundaries (rural) I focused on making my own opportunities. Mainly the YMCA exchange when I was 16. I saw that there were many opportunities for futures in bilingualism. Although, I have now heard that French is seen as a valuable asset for job hiring I dont think I perceived it as valuable in the past and I think the main reason for this influence is the teachers that I had and the way they taught me. I think as a student I've always been aware of the value of having a second language. As someone who grew up in Ottawa it was reinforced many times the value of speaking French and how it tied into many aspects in society. I also felt it would help later on life, with work as well as travelling and opening up doors to new experiences. I highly valued learning French because I understood that French is one of Canada's official languages. Also, growing up in a household with another language spoken inside, I wanted to be able to speak another language too. Learning another language, to me, was perfect for my personality because I love communicating with others and being able to speak French allowed me to speak to more people. Now I value it even

2 more because one day I wish to work for the Ministry of Education or in the government in some capacity. As a student, I always enjoyed my core French classes throughout elementary and secondary. I found it so fun to learn and USE a new language to communicate. Although there have been many struggles along the way, I continued my growth in speaking French because I knew it could be very valuable to me someone. And now as a teacher candidate, I'm seeing just how valuable having French will be when I'm looking for a teaching job in Ontario. I have always held French knowledge to be important however I did not feel that French core training in elementary school was taken seriously. i took a lot of French in university and found it a lot more useful. I think it is a valuable asset to know both official languages in Canada. b. Who or what influenced that perception? My teachers, classmates and parents influenced my perception. My teachers, professors and francophone My dad - he felt that since Canada has 2 official languages, I should know both My parents put me in French Immersion in Kindergarten so it was all I really knew. My grandfather helped inspire me because he was born in Quebec and although he mostly spoke English we were the only two members of our family who spoke French. The main person who influenced this thought perception was my teacher in grade four and five My mother (who also had dreams of being a French teacher), my high school French teacher, as well as a few professors. The way a student is taught a subject really influences their engagement I think at least My mother is a francophone and my extended family all spoke French. I always wanted to know more and connect with them. I now have my children in the francophone elementary system and I feel that it is very important for them to know two languages.

3 My love for language and culture has mostly influenced my perception. I love learning words in different languages and aspire to eventually learn at least 4 new languages fluently. I felt that French was poorly taught in elementary and secondary school. Now, i realise the value of the subject and wished that more students took it and understood its importance (i.e. finding jobs, qualifications, extra) 2. FSL Framework: Strategic Focus Areas and Suggested Actions a. Heightening Awareness of FSL programs and benefits Schools to increase the visibility of French within and outside the school (e.g. bilingual signage, incorporating French into announcements)e.g. posting their work on bulletin boards in the hallway or encouraging students in presenting French skits as part of school assemblies. One of the biggest comments I have from people who have chosen not to send their child to FSL is that they feel that they would be unable to support their learning. I think that it is important for schools to offer resources to parents and encourage students to teach their parents. Thames Valley also has a FSL French Homework line. The school that I am currently doing my practicum in has promoted French language immediately upon entering the school by posting student work in French to give equal weight to both official languages. I think they could reinforce French more by including it in the morning announcements as well. I think if children hear the language they will make a better connection. As well it may peak other students' curiosity as they wonder what is being said. Leanne, I agree. I felt this was more prominent in the schools I visited in Ottawa versus the dual track school in Toronto. b. Enhancing leadership and accountability c. Strengthening programming to improve achievement in FSL d. Supporting all student Consult with students to determine what would engage them in class and help them learn French e.g. Having students complete a simple survey to determine their interests is a straightforward step in differentiating your instruction and making it relevant to them.

4 Once students enter secondary school, depending on their educational plan, there are a select few that do not have to take French (which is usually a requirement in Grade 9 in order to graduate). Instead of skipping the subject all together there should be more support for French classes so that all students have to partake in a French classroom and be supported despite their learning disability or modified educational plan I remember when I was in school I knew some students who were offered an alternative course in high school I just feel that inclusive classrooms cannot be created when certain students are exempted from subjects such as French e. Implementing effective practices in planning, teaching, and assessment Plan tasks that foster the development of higher-order and critical thinking skills as well as the ability to apply French-language skills spontaneously in interactive activities. Such a task could be having student s role play calling a friend to make plans for an evening out at the movies. In addition to understanding and making themselves understood students will use their competences to express their preferences, negotiate their activities and make decisions. In my practicum I observed the teacher show grade four students a video on how french immersion students communicated in groups of two with each other. This way the teacher provided the students a snap shot of what kind of role playing activity will be required of them. Thus, that is how she has constructed her lesson plan and is currently the manner in which she is progressing During my current block, I was able to attend an inservice regarding FSL textbook selection (secondary level). Here teachers were able to discuss potential resources that aligned best with the new FSL curriculum. In terms of implementing effective practices in planning, we had the opportunity to sit in our school department teams and look at how we can create culminating tasks that satisfy the new requirements in the curriculum. f. Expanding student learning opportunities and heightening engagement Invite parents of FSL students to learn about how French is taught in the classroom. Inviting parents to volunteer in the classroom will give them an opportunity to learn more about the FSL classroom in action Megan: My comment in Heightening awareness applies here as well. Parents need to feel comfortable and confident that they can support their child's learning.

5 Elizabeth Butterfield: Having students correspond to French students in francophone communities is an excellent way to expand their learning. To do this I plan to provide resources and suggestions for students to use outside of the classroom. For example, I would provide French book titles appropriate for their level, web resources (educational games), Francophone music and television shows/films. I believe that by providing students with such resources will allow them to pursue an interest in French and understand how it's used outside the classroom. This may help make French as a used language in the world REAL to them. 3. What do you know about the FSL curriculum? For both elementary and secondary, the major focus is authentic/task-based learning. I know that the FSL curriculum begins at grade four for all English based schools In other words: "How and where can I use this in real life?" And the students start from the basics of conversational FSL To be completely honest I have not had the time to open it up and look at it just yet. It is definitely on my list of things to do though. Although I have not used this curriculum in a classroom setting yet, I know that it focuses on listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Megan: I know that the curriculum has been divided into four main groups Listening, Oral and writing and for French Immersion there is Intercultural awareness. I also have not used it in a classroom setting formally, just through observation. They very heavily focus on the grammar and vocabulary aspect of the FSL curriculum I just received my copy earlier this week and I've just started looking through it. I've noticed in the Core program it places a good amount of emphasis on the cultural aspects of the language and how it ties into various Canadian region. To be honest, the FSL curriculum is pushing for a shift away from grammar-based learning and towards authentic task based learning through which they learn grammar and oral communication skills. Since I have yet to use it, I find myself confused about how to decide what content to teach to which grades. For example, my core French experience revolved around

6 translating verbs, vocabulary, etc. So for me, I'm unclear about how I would implement/create a core FSL program using the core expectations. Carla, your point has helped me understand this a bit more. But it's hard for me to imagine it since I haven't experienced it yet I know that when I was in school we were taught grammar and such. Vocally being taught how to speak French was of little importance but having looked through the document it seems that the reverse is happening now. More of an emphasis on speaking rather than grammar and how to write sentences I like that there is metacognition, asking students to think about how they learn and what they found helpful in their learning Ashley, do not worry, I am in the same boat. I am trying to figure that out during my block right now. *out Although there is a reverse aspect to conversational French that is not the way I was taught When I was in elementary school 4. Revised FSL Curriculum : Enduring Ideas a. Authentic Oral communication: Reception, Production, and Interaction Learning French is a social act, therefore must be interactive!!! Another thing about authentic Oral communication is the idea that the language used by the teacher must be used to reflect the context, the experience and the learner. The main idea I can think of is working up to a goal in oral communication. Not expecting students to understand all at the beginning. Also we should encourage the students to be part of this goal setting. b. Listening, Speaking, and Writing: Interconnected but Distinct I think listening, speaking and writing are key to FSL development as it incorporates all of the learning styles c. Development of Language Learning Strategies d. Interdependence of Language and Culture Language cannot be learned independent of culture, so it is important for FSL teachers to highlight the countries of la Francophonie.

7 Engaging in a specific language rich cultural environment also improves that language too So the more experience one has speaking in French the more fluent they become I think that we need to be, and make students aware of the cultural richness associated with learning French and how many Francophones there are. It reinforces that connection back to origins of the language as well as areas that still connected to the language. e. Emphasis on Critical and Creative Thinking Skills Although critical thinking is part of every discipline, we must scaffold further critical thinking in French, since this language may not be a person's first language. We need to help students think in French first. I think that critical creative thinking is linked to all aspects of the different learning styles and the culture that one is exposed to. This also fosters good critical thinking skills in the FSL language f. Goal Setting and Reflection Goal setting in FSL will give students a purpose for their learning and will hopefully encourage them to strive to reach that goal. g. Making Real-World Connections Learning to speak a second language, especially in Canada, will greatly benefit you as you enter adulthood and are seeking a full time job. Getting a job with the government is easier to accomplish if you speak English and French. When students take French class today they few it as a useless and boring subject, for the most part. But it can get you a job and can be very beneficial to have when traveling. The French teacher needs to make more connections to the real world so that students can understand the benefits of taking French class and apply it to the real world Just as an example, I used the idea of comparative shopping to teach le comparatif in FSF 1P1. Here we used grocery flyers from QC to make comparative shopping lists. Since French is a big part of the Canadian culture it will be of a great advantage for all teachers and students. Making connections in the FSL is important to make it meaningful for all students

8 I think French teachers should be able to bring in as many outside/real world artifacts and experiences into the classroom. I don't hear of too many outside class experiences when it comes to those in the Core French programs.