Declining French Immersion Enrolment 1
Transcrição
Declining French Immersion Enrolment 1
DECLINING FRENCH IMMERSION ENROLMENT TRENDS IN CANADA AND ITS IMPACT ON ÉCOLE LETELLIER SCHOOL Maria Bonan Overview of the Evolution of French Immersion Programs Student enrolment in French Immersion programs is declining (Commissioner of Official Languages, 1997). “In Manitoba and Saskatchewan, fewer than 1,500 students graduated from French Immersion programs (in 2001-02) last spring. Enrolment is even declining in Ottawa and Toronto, longtime French Immersion strongholds” (Sokoloff, 2002, p. B.1.FRO). “Overall, growth in immersion is concentrated in B.C., Alberta, Quebec and in parts of Atlantic Canada. Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan are experiencing declines in immersion enrolments, as are the territories, where the decline is particularly sharp” (Schmidt, 2003, p. 32). This paper will attempt to describe the current trends in enrolment in French Immersion Programs across Canada and particularly in Manitoba. Specifically, this paper will address the impact of this institutional level of change (Hoy & Miskel, 2001) as it pertains to École Letellier School. École Letellier School is one of 19 schools in the Border Land School Division. It is a small Kindergarten to Grade 8 school with an enrolment of 33 students and three teaching staff. It is the only French Immersion school in this division. Border Land School Division was formed as part of provincial amalgamations and is currently in its third year of existence as a newly formed school division. The issue of declining enrolment at École Letellier School has been one of contention at the divisional level since the amalgamation. This paper will elaborate on the national enrolment trends and the direct impact that has been observed at the local school level over the past three years. Based on the research available, this paper also suggests topics for future study and proposes recommendations to resolve this declining enrolment issue. French Immersion was a concept of Canadian education which began with a group of Anglophone parents in a suburb of Montreal, St. Lambert, Quebec in 1964. The immediate success of these initial teaching programs created a boom in popularity for French Immersion programs across Canada (Canadian Education Association, 1983). This bilingual experiment has now become an integral part of every Canadian province’s educational system. Maria Bonan Declining French Immersion Enrolment Trends More than 30 years of research has been documented in French Immersion program studies. What was originally thought to be a “fad” has unfolded into a very unique Canadian phenomenon which has been the premise for developing similar programs worldwide. In the early sixties, parents were enrolling their children in French Immersion programs to provide them with better job opportunities in the future or to provide an enrichment program for their children. Over the years, a rash of research projects has been carried out to assure parents and educators that the complex innovation called immersion is, in fact, a success. Early studies focused on the “product” of immersion programs and how well students performed in comparison to students not enrolled in immersion programs. As immersion is now an established educational alternative, the success of these programs has given rise to new issues. It is the purpose of this paper, therefore, to focus on areas where attention must be placed in order to ensure the continuation of the success of immersion programs in the future. “Recent studies and statistics show that a levelling off and a drop in enrolment and participation in immersion programs, especially at the secondary levels is evident” (Commissioner of Official Languages, 1996, p. 98). With the aim of investigating the variables associated with attrition, a national study involving more than 350 school districts throughout Canada was undertaken in 1991 (Halsall, 1991). Chief researcher Nancy Halsall reported in the document that “between 20% and 80% of French Immersion students had left the program upon entering high school for a variety of reasons” (p.3). The issue of attrition and declining enrolment in French Immersion programs in Canada continues to present one of the greatest challenges for the program. The reasons associated with the decline of school bilingual programs have been well documented (Commissioner of Official Languages, 1992; Halsall, 1991). As a program, immersion seems to be well understood to mean that all instruction is carried out in French. French Immersion is a program in which students, whose mother tongue is not usually French, are taught a variety of subjects in French by a teacher who is fluent in that language. What is sometimes less known are the varying models of French Immersion education. Early Immersion means that students enter at Kindergarten or Grade 1, Middle Immersion means students enter at Grade 4, and Late Immersion means students enter at Grade 7. There are also varying degrees of intensity: Total Immersion means that all subjects are taught in French; Partial Immersion, sometimes referred to as Bilingual 74 Maria Bonan Declining French Immersion Enrolment Trends Education, means that the students receive part of their instruction in French and part of their instruction in English. Issues for Implementing, Supporting, and Maintaining French Immersion Programs Although French Immersion programs are found in all provinces, there are still many obstacles to the acceptance of such programs within individual communities. Among these are social, political, and economic factors. In some cases, the demand and success of immersion create some very real and unfortunate situations, particularly in the case of school closures and the displacement of students. This is appearing to be a very real issue in particular in the case of École Letellier School. With its small student enrolment, many parents are beginning to question the school’s viability and what may happen to their children and the program in the future. It appears, according Canadian Parents for French (2000), that, Unfortunately, as far as reviews of French language programs are concerned, surfaces are cruelly deceiving. Those in Canada who are familiar with the history of French Immersion programs outside the province of Quebec all know what the sad reality is: Report after report is commissioned and report after report seems to point to the exact same issues and problems. Time and time again, the problems of French Immersion in 2000 eerily resemble those of the mid 1970’s. Remarkably, the issues appear to be virtually the same. . . . . Attrition rates are too high and remedies should be found to bring them down; there is insufficient variety in the choice of courses in high school; authentic cultural content should be brought to the core of French teaching; much more must be done for special needs children; immersion teachers need to be supported institutionally with targeted professional development. (p. 19) The biggest issues school boards have in implementing, supporting, and maintaining French Immersion programs are: hiring qualified teachers to deliver the program, obtaining suitable instructional materials, problems associated with transportation, and enrolment. 75 Maria Bonan Declining French Immersion Enrolment Trends Students, parents, and school boards have identified issues in French Immersion which make it limiting for students especially in the high school years. A shortage of qualified teachers with expertise in the subject area they teach as well as in French language has been identified as the number one issue of declining enrolments. This factor has been identified as a problem by every province and territory. Challenges “The drop out rate of the program at high school is a concern” (Canadian Education Association, 1992, p. 9). According to Halsall (1998), the reasons for attrition in immersion programs at the high school level are: a lack of variety of course choices; too heavy a workload caused by the demands of immersion; the need to choose between immersion and other programs; the belief that higher marks for university entrance would be obtained in English; a lack of opportunity to practice speaking French, both in and out of school; and a poor quality of teaching and courses. At the elementary levels, the reasons, according to Halsall, (1998), for transferring out of immersion programs are: difficulty in understanding, speaking, and reading French; difficulty in reading English; poor relations with the immersion teacher; emotional or behavioural problems; and lack of remedial help. “As graduates of the French Immersion school system move on to the job market, many lose the ability to speak French because they find few occasions to use it” (Hebert, 2002, p. A.6). Location of immersion sites has been noted to also pose a problem for some school boards across the country. However, in the situation of École Letellier School, location of the site is not an issue as this school was already established with its immersion program prior to the amalgamation initiatives. The hiring of appropriate qualified personnel including bilingual administrators, teachers, and support staff is a prevalent issue in all immersion situations, including École Letellier School. It is becoming increasingly difficult to find bilingual teachers and support staff as well as administrators. “The lack of methods and resource teachers in French Immersion programs (i.e., the lack of special help for students who might experience difficulty) is a key factor in some parents’ decision to not choose French Immersion for their child” (Canadian Parents for French, 2001, p. 6). In Manitoba there is a shortage of 76 Maria Bonan Declining French Immersion Enrolment Trends bilingual personnel to offer services for special needs students. Again this impact has been felt at École Letellier School, and, as a result, the school has had to turn away several prospective students of the program based on their special needs. Although these special needs students enrol with provincial funding, École Letellier School was unable to accommodate their individual programming needs due to the lack of the required bilingual supports. The Canadian Parents for French report (2002) has identified the following challenges for Manitoba: The level of funding is still inadequate for needs; a letter from the Minister to divisions has not resulted in divisional reporting of the actual dispersal of funds. This information is not readily available; amalgamation of school divisions should benefit French second language programs. School divisions currently do not offer the same consistent high levels of program quality in French Immersion. (p. 27) The viability of École Letellier School, looking particularly at the enrolment factor, appears to be difficult to maintain. At the moment École Letellier School, which is located in a small, largely French community of southern Manitoba, has been fortunate in acquiring qualified personnel: The administrator, the teachers, all support staff including the secretary, the caretaker, and the bus driver are bilingual. It is, however, becoming more and more difficult to fill vacated positions with equally qualified people. This issue of qualified personnel shortage is referred to by Hoy and Miskel (2001) as the environment of the organization. “Environment is everything that is outside the organization” (p. 28). As we approach a teacher and administration shortage with many retirements fast approaching, specifically in Manitoba, the task of filling the said positions with qualified personnel has become more of a challenge. Very few school boards offer special services in French. Again the major reason for this is the lack of qualified personnel in these areas. Canadian Parents for French (2002) has stated that “sixty percent of Canadian school boards anticipate (teacher) shortages by 2005” (p. 27). According to the Canadian Education Association (1983) “there is a crisis of leadership in French Immersion programs” (p.26). They go on to observe: 77 Maria Bonan Declining French Immersion Enrolment Trends It is difficult to see how a school principal can have a thorough understanding of the factors that nurture French as a second language, including the sociolinguistic factors needed to support this language environment, without being bilingual. Principals cannot help French Immersion teachers, develop new training strategies and curriculum materials, or evaluate present curriculum or materials, unless they comprehend and communicate in French. (p. 27) Low enrolment in French Immersion programs also causes split or combined classes. This is true across the country and is especially obvious at École Letellier School, where, at times, five grade levels are present in one class at a time. Generally speaking, the split classes at École Letellier School are extended to three grades in one class. This is a larger split than that of its counterparts in most other immersion programs where, when there is a split, it usually implies two grade levels in one class. Parents have come to object tremendously to this trend, and many have removed their children from French Immersion programs. This fear is a reality in the case of École Letellier School, as many families have already chosen either an all-French education for their children at the nearest Francophone school or an allEnglish education at one of the nearby English schools in the division. Another real issue for French Immersion schools is that parents are opting for a core or basic French program for their children. In recent years this program has gained much positive exposure in terms of being a viable option to French as a second language for many people. According to Canadian Parents for French (2001): During the last decade, core French curriculum development in Canada has experienced a paradigm shift. The National Core French Study (NCFS) has opened the door to a more stimulating learning experience for core French students in Canada. A multidimensional curriculum, integrating four syllabuses (experience/communication, culture, language and general language education) into one unified curriculum model, provided a framework for developing a richer core French curriculum. (p. 26) Immersion programs are affected greatly by budgets. “Financial pressures restrict the provision of remedial assistance for students encountering difficulties, and all too often, they are simply ‘counselled out’ of immersion programs” (Canadian Parents for French, 2002, p. 78 Maria Bonan Declining French Immersion Enrolment Trends 49). The question of transportation costs also plays a part in the budget for immersion programs. Again this is true for École Letellier School where nine different communities are represented in the student population. Transportation costs are a very large part of the viability of the program. Some parents are not happy with the fact that their children may have to go to school outside of their community in order to participate in French Immersion education. Others feel that their children may be missing out on other specialties which might be offered in English program schools such as Band, Choir, Art, and extracurricular activities. This is especially true in rural areas and is the case for the program at École Letellier School. Because of the size of the school and its limited program options, parents may be inclined to enrol their children at their own community schools rather than at École Letellier School for immersion because the English schools in the area may be perceived as better suited to offer a wider variety of programs. The success of future French Immersion programs depends partly on the school boards’ accountability for the grant monies generated by student enrolment in these programs. Currently there are no systems in place to guarantee that subsidized monies from the government are going back to the students in programs who generate such funds. There is currently no accountability as to how school boards decide how these funds are spent. In some cases, these monies are not even being used in the schools that have students enrolled in French Immersion programs but rather are being used elsewhere as school boards decide. “There must be controls established to make sure that the monies generated by immersion students are in fact being put back into immersion programs. School boards must be made accountable” (Rehorick, & Edwards, 1992, p. 388). It is reassuring to know that “Manitoba was the first province who in 2000 the Minister of Education wrote to all school boards directing them to be open and transparent about their use of funding for French second language programs” (Canadian Parents for French, 2001, p. 32). Although this is true, Canadian Parents for French (2001) also noted in 2000, “The flow of funds to school districts is easily tracked, but the way in which funds are actually used in schools is not clear” (p. 16). Suggestions In addition to the items mentioned above, time, resources, and a close supervision of classroom instruction are needed if school boards are to give parents the assurance that the 79 Maria Bonan Declining French Immersion Enrolment Trends programs being developed and delivered are meaningful and are being taught competently. Capping of enrolment for entry into French Immersion programs can be removed to ensure more students can enrol. Providing information to parents about French Immersion programs will allow parents to make well-informed decisions about French instruction for their children. In Manitoba, a publication was made available containing such information in 2002, entitled French Immersion in Manitoba (Manitoba Education, Training, and Youth, 2002). In some divisions in Manitoba, French Immersion programs are cut because of the misconception that it costs more to educate a child in French than it does to educate a child in English. Some school divisions restrict enrolments or cut sections of French Immersion programs. In areas where there are few French Immersion students, the school board generally refuses to extend the program past Grade 6. Encouragement of postsecondary studies in French would also ensure the viability of French Immersion programs at the early, middle, and senior years. In Manitoba, Collège St. Boniface offers such post secondary instruction. Availability of the French Immersion programs to all students is the key to increased enrolment. This includes gifted French Immersion programming as well as special needs programming. Enrolment is enhanced when parents and students receive relevant information outlining all programming. Effective communication and promotion of immersion programs can be accomplished by holding annual information sessions for prospective parents. “It’s the concept of learning a second language that we have to promote. The awareness of the importance of second language is a way to build French enrolment” (Sokoloff, 2002, p. B.1.FRO). Assurance that designated government funding is used specifically for immersion programs is crucial in ensuring the survival of French Immersion programs. School administrators must be aware that these funds exist and confirm that they are not being redirected for other purposes. To guarantee that this happens, records should be kept concerning the use of these funds, and these records reviewed to ensure that the funds are used effectively. Canada NewsWire (2003) has stated that to increase enrolment in French programs the following need to occur: · · Greater transparency and accountability for the spending of dedicated FSL funding; introduction of a wider range of core French delivery models and teaching tools; 80 Maria Bonan · · · · · · Declining French Immersion Enrolment Trends more and better classroom materials for French Immersion studies; innovative variation on existing programs (such as a move to ‘compact core’ or block scheduling); aggressive recruiting to ensure that reserved spaces for French second language teachers at education colleges are filled; more use of distance learning to expand and enrich French second language education; more opportunities for study, work or exchange programs in French majority language regions; and stronger promotion of French second language programs to parents by school boards. (p.1) The Bureau de l’éducation française in Manitoba needs to take on more of a leadership role in French Immersion programming. “While there may be individuals and specific groups within schools and divisions playing a leadership role, there is no province-wide leadership and certainly, no clear vision of the future of French Immersion” (Manitoba Education and Training, 2000, p.5). The Bureau de l’éducation française needs to be more actively involved in providing supports for the French Immersion programs offered in Manitoba. Suggested ways the bureau can help maintain school enrolment in French Immersion programs have been offered in the report by Manitoba Education and Training (2000). Suggestions such as: Informing schools that at the senior level, Maths is not required to receive a French Immersion diploma, would go a long way to helping maintain numbers in high school. Ensuring that new curriculum is available in both French and English would help address concerns that French Immersion students are disadvantaged by their language choice. Providing principals and teachers with information and research that would help them combat ‘myths’ about second language learning, would help retain students in the program. Developing a support network for principals of French Immersion schools would help principals share problems and successes, and help each other meet the challenges that exist. (p. 5-6) 81 Maria Bonan Declining French Immersion Enrolment Trends Recommendations Actions which would assist in increasing French Immersion enrolments would include keeping parents involved and informed through consultations with the school. In Manitoba, the Bureau de l’éducation française holds a French Immersion conferences twice a year for parents and educators. These are useful in distributing relevant information on immersion programs province-wide. “The Canadian government has set a national objective of doubling the proportion of secondary school graduates with a functional knowledge of their second official language by 2013” (Canadian Parents for French, 2003, p.3). This was announced as part of Prime Minister Jean Chretien’s The Next Act: New Momentum for Canada’s Linguistic Duality. The Action Plan for Official Languages (2003) in March of 2003. Under the Action Plan, “the government has committed an additional $137 million to second language education” (Canadian Parents for French, 2003, p.3). It is expected that with the additional funding provided by the Action Plan, which is in addition to the support currently provided, the following changes will occur: “Revitalizing immersion programs with more qualified teachers, additional high quality teaching materials, more exchange programs and more opportunities for bilingual graduates to put their skills to good use” (Canadian Parents for French, 2003, p.4). In provincial and territorial consultations held in April of this year, the following recommendations were made in the report to increase enrolment in immersion programs: Promote the practical career benefits . . . target campaigns at parents . . . start promotion early . . . provide meaningful cultural exchanges . . . champion bilingual success stories . . . search out through different media . . .recruit and train more French second language teachers . . . provide adequate resources and teacher support . . . improve training for French second language teachers . . . increase professional development opportunities . . . improve the work environment . . . provide funding for local initiatives and infrastructure . . . more points of entry . . . expand French curriculum . . . mandate French as a second language . . . mandate postsecondary requirements . . . develop competency standards for teachers . . . monitor progress . . . augment resources funding . . . incentives for students . . . stakeholder consultation . . . 82 Maria Bonan Declining French Immersion Enrolment Trends grassroots messages . . . interaction among francophone and Anglophone communities . . . bilingual community resources . . . leadership and collaboration . . . ambassadors and champions of linguistic duality . . . job fairs and school visits . . . career development and support . . . incentives for business . . . sponsorship and involvement . . . promote extra-curricular experiences in French . . . bring role models into the schools . . . collaborate on cultural activities . . . encourage bilingual information at cultural institutions . . . and promote bilingual and French programming. (Canadian Parents for French, 2004, p. 2-15) Manitoba has made some effort to increase enrolment in its French Immersion programs. According to the 2002 Canadian Parents for French annual report, the Education Minister has stated his support for expanding immersion programs in rural areas. School division amalgamations are expected to have helped this process (Canadian Parents for French , 2002). To some extent, it has in École Letellier School. Being part of a larger division has increased the base from which potential students can be recruited. In Manitoba more distance education course opportunities have been added allowing students the possibility of acquiring French Immersion diplomas upon graduation. In the past five years enrolment figures have dropped in Manitoba overall across all areas, not only in French Immersion programs. The overall decrease in enrolment will have a direct impact on the enrolment of French Immersion programs. This decrease has been noted in the Border Land School Division and holds especially true for École Letellier School. Over the last three years enrolment at École Letellier School has decreased by fifteen percent. As a reaction to this decline in enrolment, this year École Letellier School introduced a Late Immersion entry program at grade 4. This program addition yielded a four percent increase in enrolment. It is a slow process, but by not capping and limiting the entry level for kindergarten and grade one students only, the school may be able to gradually increase enrolment and secure its viability for the future. 83 Maria Bonan Declining French Immersion Enrolment Trends Conclusion French Immersion has evolved from being a just another “fad” to a uniquely popular Canadian approach to bilingualism. It has come a long way in the time it has been in existence, but still many challenges remain to be resolved. This paper focused on the critical situation of French Immersion programs in Canada. This finding raises a concern about the future of French Immersion programs. In our current overloaded workload and paperwork, educational leaders can easily become overwhelmed and fall back on a management stance that will see them through the day, but little more. In so doing, they diminish the chance of improving the learning experience of the students and teachers who constitute their community of learning (Hoy & Miskel, 2001). This paper has provided a framework for those wishing to contribute to the leadership of the school and the school board to build and enhance capacity. Although the territory may be unknown, the incentive is large–to create the kind of learning community that connects and invigorates us in our professional purposes and that allows us to access the deeper meanings that transcend the overload and make our collective and individual efforts worthwhile. The ideas mentioned here are neither exhaustive nor conclusive; however, they offer a starting point as to the decline in French Immersion programs across our country. With the predominance of the English language in the international community, learning French as a second language may lose its prestige and seem less valuable to young people who must make their way in a global marketplace. A possible question for future research is: During the current era of globalization, to what extent has the declining status of the French language affected participation levels in French Immersion programs? Given the declining enrolments in French Immersion programs in Canada (Commissioner of Official Languages, 1997) and the dominance of English within the international community, further study of French Immersion programs could provide a greater understanding of the potential linkages between contextual variables and retention. Although French Immersion programs have been alive and well in Manitoba for the past 30 years, meeting the challenges and the future of French Immersion is still very much an issue for administrators in schools offering such programming. According to the annual report put out by Canadian Parents for French in 2002 (Canadian Parents for French, 2002), “attrition from immersion programs continues to be a worry” (p.49). 84 Maria Bonan Declining French Immersion Enrolment Trends References Canada Newswire (2003, October 24). Canadian parents for French puts forward innovative solutions to deal with worrisome national decline in French second language (FSL) education. Retrieved September 9, 2005 from http://www.newswire.ca/en/October2003/34/c4381.html. Canadian Education Association. (1983). French Immersion and school boards: Issues and effects. Toronto: Author. Canadian Education Association. (1992). French immersion today. Toronto: Author. Canadian Parents for French. (2000). 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