Showcase meeting 4: Wednesday, March 8, 2023

Many FSL projects would not have been possible without the valuable collaboration of organizational partners. At this showcase meeting, the National Table for French as a Second Language is pleased to invite three organizations to share their projects. They will tell us about the support of the stakeholders who have made these initiatives successful.

PRESENTATIONS

1. Natalie Leblanc, Program Manager, Association des collèges et universités de la francophonie canadienne (ACUFC)
   Bursaries for Postsecondary Studies in French as a Second Language Program

This program is designed to encourage students whose first official language is English to pursue postsecondary education in French. They have the opportunity to receive an annual non-renewable bursary of $3,000. The goal is simple: to enable more English-speaking Canadians to become bilingual.

ACUFC was able to publicize the bursaries thanks to the support of many partners including the Canadian Association of Immersion Professionals (ACPI), the Canadian Association of Second Language Teachers (CASLT), Canadian Parents for French (CPF), and French for the Future.

2. Betty Gormley, Executive Director, Canadian Parents for French-Ontario (CPF-Ontario)

Pathways to French Second Language Education for Bilingual Students in Ontario

The goal of this project is to address the growing gap created by the increased demand for FSL programs in Ontario schools and the declining enrolment in faculty of education programs that lead to FSL teaching positions. Activities included the SayOui.ca website, a promotional campaign and a youth conference.

Many partners were involved: Ontario School Counsellors’ Association (OSCA), ACPI, Ontario Modern Language Teachers Association (OMLTA), French for the Future, CASLT, Groupe Média TFO and CPF-National.

3. Laura Ambrosio, Professor, Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute (OLBI), University of Ottawa

Community Engagement Learning for Future Teachers in Francophone Minority and French Second Language Schools

The purpose of this project was to provide online and other pedagogical support for FSL instruction in publicly funded schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. OLBI partnered with the Community Engagement team to match student volunteers with FSL faculty and professional associations through the Community Engagement Learning (CEL) program. The program provides students with the opportunity to engage in a 30-hour volunteer placement as part of their coursework.

Fifty-three undergraduate students enrolled in the Community Engagement Learning program participated in the project. In collaboration with CPF, children from across Canada benefited from 1,830 hours of volunteer online homework tutoring.

LINKS TO PRESENTATIONS

Natalie LeBlanc, ACUFC, Presentation (French)

Betty Gormley, CPF Ontario, Presentation

Laura Ambrosio, OLBI – uOttawa, Presentation