Mr. Chair, members of the committee, my name is Sarah Fedoration, and I'm proud to be one of the 268,000 people who choose to live and work in French here, in Alberta. I'm delighted to be here today to speak to you about second language learning in French and, more specifically, to discuss three important considerations for expanding French immersion programming.
When I first experienced French as a second language, immersion programs had just come out. I know it doesn't show, given my youthful looks. The francophones I interacted with were so passionate about the French language that, as a young English speaker, I couldn't help but want to be a part of that wonderful community and live in French.
This year, 2018, marks my 19th year as an educator. Having spent many years working in immersion programming, I can attest to its growth and the increasing availability of high-quality French-language resources. More important than that, however, is the transformation I have seen in how people perceive the program. Initially viewed as elitist, the program is now considered accessible to everyone.
Although the program has undergone many improvements since it was created, we still have important work to do to ensure its continued growth and provide a richer cultural and language learning experience for our students. The popularity of immersion programming in Alberta is so great that we are constantly and desperately trying to recruit more and more teachers. The French teacher shortage is a huge problem all school boards in Canada face.
Although our francophone campus, Campus Saint-Jean, produces approximately 75 teachers a year, it's not enough to fill all the vacant positions, not even in our region. If we want to keep immersion programming accessible to everyone, it is paramount that post-secondary institutions be given the financial support and long-term commitment they need to train more future second language teachers.
Adding to the shortage is the challenge around maintaining and upgrading the language skills that language teachers need. Every class needs a qualified teacher with a high level of language proficiency. However, the severe shortage of French as a second language teachers has often meant that we have had to sacrifice language quality just to put a teacher in each class.
From my own experience, I can tell you that, when I graduated, I was one of the ones who lacked the language proficiency required to teach immersion programs. Even after my training to become a teacher, I did not fully understand the tremendous responsibility parents were entrusting me with: providing their children with a quality French-language education.
I'm not the first person, nor will I be the last, to have doubts about their language skills, but the quality and continuity of our second language learning programs hinges on the importance teachers place on their ongoing French-language education. Possible solutions might be to offer teachers more learning opportunities, such as exchanges and summer programs, and to create programs that build more purposeful ties between francophone communities and immersion schools. That might help teachers continue their language education.
Flora Lewis, an American journalist, said, and I quote:
“Learning another language is not only learning different words for the same things, but learning another way to think about things.”
The cultural activities I took part in as an immersion student had me convinced that all francophones were spoon-playing lumberjacks who ate fresh maple taffy. We have to move past that perception of the old days and expose students to the richness of the French language and culture through new experiences, ones that will help them see the world through their new language lens.
Giving immersion students more diverse learning opportunities means placing more importance on building closer ties between immersion schools and the francophone community.
For instance, access to francophone theatre, dance, movies, sports, and music could open up a new world for young learners in immersion programs, while enriching their development. To facilitate those opportunities, immersion schools could work with francophone organizations in each province. Financial investments in those types of projects could encourage more young people to do as I did and use French, not just as a tool for communication, but also as a living language in their day-to-day lives.
Thank you for listening. I would be happy to answer any questions you have.