Showcase meeting 5 – Tuesday, April 22, 2025

PRESENTATIONS

1. Reinforcing FSL Teachers’ Confidence and Sense of Self-Efficacy

Veronica Rios, Education and Outreach Assistant, Canadian Association of Second Language Teachers (CASLT)

CASLT research identified language confidence as crucial for retention and found significant inconsistencies in teacher preparation nationwide. In response, the FSL Fundamentals project launched in 2022 with Canadian Heritage funding, offering self-paced online courses and instructor-led sessions on language proficiency development and pedagogy. These courses target pre-service teachers, those new to FSL teaching, and in-service teachers lacking French-language proficiency or specialized pedagogical knowledge. Unlike general French courses, these feature classroom-focused vocabulary, FSL teaching integration, practical application, and community-building. This session will cover course structure, evolution, results, feedback, and plans for the future.

2. Tackling the Elephant in the Room: the Unexpected Popularity of a French Language Coaching Programme for Immersion Professionals

Lesley Doell, Manager of Educational Services, Cathleen Armstrong, Educational Project Coordinator, Canadian Association of Immersion Professionals (CAIP/ACPI)

ACPI’s “French Language Coaching Programme” provides school boards with coaching to support the development of French language skills for immersion professionals. The coaching model aims to improve language skills in order to express oneself confidently in French as a second or additional language. Teachers have access to tools to become more confident in teaching French, and ultimately, become better language role models for their students.

3. Question and Answer Session

The two presentations will be followed by a question answer session moderated by François Ouellette, member of the National Table for French as a Second Language (NTFSL), and Director of the Éducation en français Division at the Department of Education, Government of Nunavut.

PRESENTATIONS (PDF format)

Presentation by Veronica Rios, CASLT

Presentation by Lesley Doell of ACPI

Video of the presentations (pres. 1 in French and pres. 2 in English)