Evidence of meeting #92 for Official Languages in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was students.
2:55 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Denis Paradis
Thank you very much, Sarah, for your presentation.
We will now move on to Tamie Beattie.
March 1st, 2018 / 2:55 p.m.
Tamie Beattie French Program Coordinator, Edmonton Public School Board
Thank you.
Mr. Chair and Mr. Vice-Chair, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. My name is Tamie Beattie, and I am the French program coordinator at the Edmonton Public School Board.
I am going to continue in English.
I am one of many who work at the Institution for Innovation in Second Language Education, which I will refer to as IISLE. IISLE is situated at the Languages Centre at Woodcroft, which houses five language resource centres. We have regional, provincial, national, and international partnerships, and international credentialling in four languages, and we support the teaching and learning of 11 different languages.
We believe that we are the only school district in Alberta that has a second language mandate from grades 4 to 9 that is governed by a policy, as well as regulations and guidelines around language of instruction, hours of instruction, inclusion of all students, targeted teacher language proficiency, and more.
Of the 100,000 students with Edmonton public schools, 52,000 study a second language in 2018.
French immersion has two entry points: a kindergarten or grade 1 start, as well as grade 7 late French immersion. French as a second language has a grade 4 start, which is division 2, with 10 schools having a division 1 start, which starts at grade 1. We use locally developed courses as a program of study to teach the courses. Some high schools also offer a grade 10 start for students learning French as a second language for the first time.
Over 800 French immersion and French as a second language teachers currently are employed by Edmonton Public Schools. We have 4,027 students in our late French immersion program, as well as 34,934 students in French as a second language.
Students in both French programs achieve high language proficiency levels as measured by the Diplôme d'études en langue française, or DELF, which is an international exam. Upon completion of their programs in grade 12, FSL students will attain a B1 level, and most French immersion students will attain a B2 level.
Currently, French immersion is our most popular program. As such, we are opening two more elementary school sites next year, in the fall of 2018. Alberta, like other western provinces, has no second language mandate, thus the ability for Albertan students to access quality French language programs is limited. Without infrastructure, few in the province have access to FSL and, most especially, to French immersion. Edmonton Public Schools is an anomaly.
The following are some of our barriers and suggestions.
We receive funding from the official languages program. We need this OLEP funding, and we urge you to continue with this funding so that we can support our French programs. Without it, French programming in our district would be at risk, especially in terms of all the different opportunities that we are able to offer our students because of this funding.
Edmonton Public Schools would also like more provincial programs of study with various entry points for French as a second language, such as a kindergarten or grade 1 start and a grade 7 entry point, like the other languages. This would make it easier to meet the demand from parents and to accommodate students in junior high who have not studied French as a second language while in elementary school. This especially would help us better serve immigrants and English as a second language students who currently make up a quarter of our student population.
Transitions continue to be an issue. We only have two entry points in FSL. As mentioned, it would help if we had a program of studies in FSL and French immersion aligned with the common European framework of reference for languages, the CEFR, to better place students in programs suited to their level of proficiency in the kindergarten to grade 12 and post-secondary system. We have used OLEP funding to offer self-exams, especially to our grade 12 students, and these results are recognized at some provincial, national, and international post-secondary institutions.
Edmonton Public Schools believes it is a fundamental right of all Canadians to receive instruction in both official languages. The federal government could help by influencing funding and teacher training to ensure that all students, including new Canadians, can choose to learn both official languages.
Edmonton Public Schools works closely with CASLT, the Canadian Association of Second Language Teachers, at a national level, and the Second Languages and Intercultural Council of the Alberta Teachers' Association at the provincial level, to access current research around second language teaching and learning.
We use its recently published “Literature Review on the Impact of Second-Language Learning” to inform schools, students, parents, and other educational stakeholders on the positive impact of learning a second language for all students. The federal government could play a role by influencing research and by helping to promote the results of that research.
The Edmonton Public School Board also has a philosophy of inclusion: all students have a right to instruction in both official languages. A barrier to achieving this goal across the province and beyond is the persistent belief that only the most academic of students can learn a second language. The federal government should influence and share research, play a strong advocacy role, and lobby provinces to institute a second language requirement with multiple access points to ensure that students can access their right to learn both official languages.
As for the Official Languages Act, it should continue to be revised to move to include the rights of all Canadian students to learn both official languages in the kindergarten to grade 12 educational system, and to not only protect minority language rights, which must remain enshrined in the act.
Thank you so much for giving us this opportunity to voice our concerns as well as our triumphs as a school board.
3 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Denis Paradis
Thank you very much, Tamie.
We will now have a round of questions and comments. Each member of the committee will have six minutes.
We'll begin with Bernard Généreux.
Mr. Généreux, we'll proceed as usual, starting with introductions.
3 p.m.
Conservative
Bernard Généreux Conservative Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC
My name is Bernard Généreux, and I represent the Quebec riding of Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, in the Lower St. Lawrence region. La Pocatière, a town in the riding, has an agreement with Campus Saint-Jean. Ms. Fedoration may have come to La Pocatière to study.
I'd like to start by thanking you all for your excellent presentations. It's not easy to change my mind, but you managed to make me rethink how I look at education on a number of levels. You have had to fight to get what you want. I commend you for all you've been doing for decades to help Canada's francophone community flourish.
Ms. Fedoration, I really want to say kudos to you for your presentation. I still have goosebumps. Your references to the Quebec of yore certainly made me smile.
Several of you, more than once, raised the possibility of amending the act, even the Constitution. Surely, you realize that's no small feat in Canada and tends to be a rare occurrence. Many people would like to see it happen, for all sorts of reasons, but even when it does, we won't be out of the woods. That said, as you know, education is in the provincial domain. The federal government has a say, of course, but, at the end of the day, provincial jurisdiction has to be respected.
Mr. Chair, I'm not going to ask my questions straightaway. Everything we've heard from the witnesses over the past two days leads me to think that the Standing Committee on Official Languages should consider organizing a meeting in Ottawa for members of the educational community, from across the country. I think we are at that stage. Provincial education representatives should be there as well—ideally, ministers, but at least senior officials. They could tell us how Ottawa and the provinces could work together to advance the French fact across the country.
Consider this my formal request. The time has come for us to go farther. I was really moved by your remarks. Nearly everyone shed a tear today. That doesn't happen every day. We are paying very close attention to what you have to say.
The Government of Canada just added $400 million to the upcoming roadmap. If the devil is in the details, as they say, it'll be important to see how the money is going to make its way to you—under what conditions, in what way, and so forth.
You mentioned the Official Languages Act, which will be studied over the next few months. We will no doubt have a hand in its development or, at the very least, its renewal. Any suggestions you have in that regard should be forwarded to the committee for consideration. Mr. Nolette, I believe you said you had some proposals for us.
I took many notes and have about 50,000 questions for you, especially regarding the official status you talked about.
What did you mean when you talked about the need for official status countrywide in relation to education and French immersion programs?
3:05 p.m.
Vice-President, Association canadienne-française de l'Alberta
We are still thinking about how that official status could fit into a new version of the Official Languages Act. What's important is providing some protection for second-language learning programs, including immersion programs. As we've heard today, these programs are somewhat at risk and depend on the good faith of provincial governments, school boards, and school administrations. If the federal government could somehow extend protection under the Official Languages Act for second-language learning programs, as well as funding, it would be a major step forward. I can assure you that, as soon as we have finished our examination and put a proposal together, we'll let the committee know.
3:05 p.m.
Liberal
3:05 p.m.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
My name is Darrell Samson, and I'm from Nova Scotia. I'm the province's only Acadian representative, something I'm very proud of. Ms. Fedoration's parents are from Nova Scotia as well.
3:10 p.m.
Liberal
3:10 p.m.
Voices
Ha, ha!
3:10 p.m.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
Education is something I'm very passionate about, having spent 31 years in the field. I worked in a number of positions, from teacher, vice-principal, and principal to supervisor, coordinator, and deputy superintendent. I spent the last 11 years of my career as superintendent of all of Nova Scotia's French-language schools. I've taught at two universities as well, so, as you can see, I've been around the block.
According to what we've heard today and over the past couple of days, the big problem with French-language education, from early childhood right through post-secondary, is section 23. It does not mention French-language education for children under the age of five or students 18 and older. That's something we need to fix somehow or, at least, find a solution to.
My questions will be short. As my fellow member Mr. Généreux so passionately mentioned, you did a good job explaining the challenges you face.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought I heard you say that not all public school students have access to core French. If that's true, I'm shocked because I thought it was mandatory. If the students aren't receiving core French classes, it means that the province doesn't get the federal funding. However, money is set aside for every child taking a core French class from grade 4 on. It's automatic. A tremendous amount of money is being lost if it's not being used. Furthermore, I thought it was mandatory, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Do I understand that correctly?
3:10 p.m.
Executive Director, Canadian Parents for French - Alberta
In Alberta, it's not mandatory. It's up to each school board.
3:10 p.m.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
You're referring to core French. Is that correct?
3:10 p.m.
French Program Coordinator, Edmonton Public School Board
The problem is not that school boards don't want to offer core French; it's that they don't have the teachers with the proficiency to teach the second language.
3:10 p.m.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
I see. That's a bit different, then. Money is available for every single student, which is what matters.
Does the province have extended core French programs? In other words, are other subjects taught in French, in addition to French language classes?
3:10 p.m.
Executive Director, Canadian Parents for French - Alberta
No, not really. Only three or four school boards in the province offer intensive French classes, and only as of grade 5 or 6.
3:10 p.m.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
It's a hybrid of core French and immersion available in some regions.
The shortage of teachers is well known. If, however, we had more teacher graduates, we could deal with the problem. It would be possible to give the classes. Why not just increase the number of students in the education program?
3:10 p.m.
Professor, Campus Saint-Jean, University of Alberta, As an Individual
At Campus Saint-Jean, it's a matter of money, first and foremost. The university currently receives funding for 514 students. The dean is trying to secure funding for every student, but that isn't the case right now. We have 750 students, but we receive funding for only 514, so we are underfunded.
3:10 p.m.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
The province should address the teacher shortage and make an investment.
3:10 p.m.
Professor, Campus Saint-Jean, University of Alberta, As an Individual
Yes.
3:10 p.m.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
I'd like to make another point.
It's something I think about often. It costs the same amount to teach a child core French, immersion French, French as a first language, and so on. It requires the same amount of space. Someone mentioned that earlier. You need a classroom, a teacher, and resources. That's all.
I wonder, then, why the province wouldn't want to create those spaces. The cost would be more or less the same, and I even think the Department of Canadian Heritage provides funding for immersion programs from kindergarten up to grade 12.
Ms. Fedoration, I have to pick up on something you said. You mentioned that teachers needed access to more learning opportunities, summer courses or other programs. Are you aware that the Association canadienne d'éducation de langue française, or ACELF for short—a national organization based in Quebec City—offers courses every summer? Have you ever taken any?
3:10 p.m.
Assistant Principal, Grandin Catholic Elementary School, Edmonton Catholic Schools
No, I've never taken them.
I know about the courses, but I don't think the vast majority of our teachers realize they can improve their language proficiency by going somewhere else.
