Possibility, Actuality, Sustainability: Contemplating Cultures of Experimentation in Canadian French as a Second Language (FSL) Teacher Education

This article discusses a 2021 survey of French as a second language (FSL) teacher candidates (TCs) in Faculties of Education in Ontario whose practice teaching experiences were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, pivoting them into remote FSL teaching and learning. The survey, which formed a component of a larger mixed method SSHRC-funded research project1, was designed to capture the varied practice teaching experiences of FSL teacher candidates in order to ascertain symmetries and asymmetries in their preferred digital practices, devices and tools for social communication, and for French language teaching and learning. Survey respondents (N=17) from different teacher education programs in universities across Ontario provided a picture of scattered and fragmented approaches to FSL digital pedagogies and hinted at a persistent reliance on traditional FSL pedagogies in the classroom. Digital preferences for teaching and learning were, interestingly, not parallel, and were anchored in common educational tools and platforms that reaffirmed teacher-centred approaches to FSL rather than more innovative, learner-centred, and agentive language teaching and learning. The survey results raise an important question: Has FSL teacher education adequately moved with the communicative changes wrought by socio-technical change and related pedagogical innovations?

This article discusses a 2021 survey of French as a second language (FSL) teacher candidates (TCs) in Faculties of Education in Ontario whose practice teaching experiences were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, pivoting them into remote FSL teaching and learning. The survey, which formed a component of a larger mixed method SSHRC-funded research project1, was designed to capture the varied practice teaching experiences of FSL teacher candidates in order to ascertain symmetries and asymmetries in their preferred digital practices, devices and tools for social communication, and for French language teaching and learning. Survey respondents (N=17) from different teacher education programs in universities across Ontario provided a picture of scattered and fragmented approaches to FSL digital pedagogies and hinted at a persistent reliance on traditional FSL pedagogies in the classroom. Digital preferences for teaching and learning were, interestingly, not parallel, and were anchored in common educational tools and platforms that reaffirmed teacher-centred approaches to FSL rather than more innovative, learner-centred, and agentive language teaching and learning. The survey results raise an important question: Has FSL teacher education adequately moved with the communicative changes wrought by socio-technical change and related pedagogical innovations?

Abstract: This study documents the experiences of anglophone French as a second language (FSL) teacher candidates during their pre-service program. The authors describe how this group of non-native FSL teacher candidates felt about the adequacy of their FSL skills, their need for some level of second language (L2) support, and the maintenance of their L2 skills during their teaching careers. Participants represented three teaching divisions (elementary through secondary school), interviewed separately in focus groups. Most students felt that their L2 skills were adequate. In all cases, students expressed a need for some form of FSL support; although they felt responsible for maintaining their L2 themselves, they recognized the need for some level of organizational support. Results are similar to those of studies of non-native ESL teachers and raise many issues that should be addressed in a wider forum to ensure the continuation and improvement of quality FSL education.

The purpose of this study was to examine the self-efficacy beliefs of novice elementary French as a second language (FSL) teachers. A mixed methods approach was used to investigate self-efficacy appraisals of core French (n = 14) and French immersion (n = 13) teachers in delivering instruction in FSL programs. A questionnaire was administered that explored teachers’ self-perceived efficacy in four categories: general teaching methodology, second language pedagogy, language proficiency, and cultural knowledge. Findings revealed that both groups of participants did not perceive themselves to be particularly confident in delivering instruction upon completion of their teacher education programs. The self-perceived confidence in FSL teaching abilities of both groups increased with classroom experience. However, French immersion teachers reported a higher sense of efficacy than their core French colleagues in all four categories. Implications of the findings for core French and French immersion programs as well as FSL teacher preparation programs are discussed.

Increasingly, scholars are attending to questions of identity and power in French as a second language (FSL) education. An underdeveloped area of research is the experience of queer, trans, and nonbinary FSL teachers in Canada. Understanding how marginalized teachers navigate building inclusive and equitable learning spaces is the focus of this study. To this end, this study used narrative inquiry and photo elicitation methods to understand how—if at all—participants embody inclusivity in their classroom practices. Four themes emerged from this study: (1) (in)visibility of queerness, (2) performing a balancing act, (3) urgency to disrupt, and (4) navigating the teaching of a gendered language. These findings suggest that while participants in this study strive to build inclusive spaces for themselves and their students, external factors, such as fear of opposition and being reprimanded, abound. These findings offer insights into discursive moves to facilitate a meaningfully queered and inclusive FSL learning space, and contributes to the growing body of queer applied linguistics by revealing how queer teachers’ embodied practices can reshape inclusivity in FSL education.

Originally used in artistic circles, the portfolio is quickly gaining ground in French as a second language teaching and learning. For example, the European Language Portfolio (ELP), under the auspices of the European Council, is a tool that is rapidly adaptable to advances in Web 2.0 technology. In this context, we draw a portrait of the portfolio in French as a second language (FSL) education and cite the advantages of the electronic portfolio. Finally, we draw on empirical results, from a specific eportfolio, eduportfolio, to illustrate its potential for FSL teaching and learning.

This article explores student motivation to learn French as a second language (FSL) in school. Ontario Grade 9 students (N = 63) were surveyed on their intention to (dis)continue studying French in the Core French (CF) program in Grade 10 when FSL becomes optional. Survey participants shared their reasoning, and a subset (n = 7) took part in a focus group. Although motivating factors to (dis)continue in CF align with previous studies, participants openly contemplated the relevance of these factors to their lives. In response, this article explores the discourse on the benefits of learning French and debates its applicability to adolescent FSL learners. The implications for efforts to address CF attrition and promote FSL learning are also discussed.

In 2020, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic forced teachers in Ontario to move online. Since then, teaching online or in hybrid models has been common across the province. To understand how French as a Second Language (FSL) teachers navigated these spaces, four Ontario French teachers were interviewed about their experience using educational technology and teaching online. Findings were analyzed in light of Hargreaves and Fullan’s (2020) reframing of classic understandings of teachers’ work in the context of the global pandemic. Findings show that factors influencing these teachers’ professional capital reflect common concerns among Canadian educators, alongside those specific to the FSL context. Participants' professional marginalization and seclusion demonstrates the importance of both the psychic rewards of teaching and cultures of collaboration. Ongoing efforts to capture ways in which teaching FSL has been shaped by the pandemic experience, therefore, require looking beyond individual classrooms to connected systems and systematic efforts of reform.

This paper presents the findings related to culture from an online survey with French as a second language (FSL) teachers (n = 45) about equity and antioppression in the Ontario FSL curriculum. FSL teachers defined culture and reflected on the link between language and culture and the role of students' cultures in FSL. Framed by an anti‐biased, antiracist (ABAR) framework, data were thematically analyzed from an intercultural and ABAR perspective. Results show that FSL teachers have a strong, nuanced, and highly diverse understanding of culture, they all believed that language and culture are interrelated (to varying degrees), and most thought that students' cultures should be integrated into FSL classes to improve students' experiences and language learning. FSL teachers' conceptions of language and culture also revealed a need to develop critical orientations in teacher preparation and learning.

This article draws upon a 10-month study of core French as a second language (FSL) teachers to explore the professional identities that are produced in their work. Adopting rhizoanalysis and the Deleuzian concept of becoming, this article positions the ways in which these teachers both affect and are affected by the multiple material and discursive practices that circulate within their local context and Canadian FSL education. Engaging data from classroom observations, interviews, and lesson artifacts, several vignettes are offered as empirical examples that extend insights into how the status of FSL, the material components of the school, and the teachers’ identities are co-constituted. These data entry points are possible lines to think differently about the intricacies of becoming a core FSL teacher in day-to-day practice and the ways in which these educators are constantly (re)shaped in relation with the material, human, and affective elements in their classrooms. These affordances can disrupt existing understandings and suggest how (re)imagining FSL teachers from a sociomaterial perspective might further nuance discussions of retention, support, and identity.

Any language learned after mastering the first language is a second language. The practice of learning a second language has a long world history.Canada is famous for its bilingualism and world-class education. Language issues of particular concern in Canada include the study of French as a second language (FSL) by English-speaking Canadians and immigrants in Quebec; study of English as a second language (ESL) by French speakers in Quebec and immigrants in English Canada; supporting other languages, such as those of immigrants and indigenous people; and learning English or French as a second language by indigenous people. The experience of Canada is significant in teaching a second language, and especially the experience of second language teacher training. Therefore, the purpose of the article is to analyze the Canadian experience of second language teacher training.Universities of Canada offer a variety of second language (English) teacher training programs, including a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Linguistics, English as an additional teacher certification language, CELTA and TESOL. The analysis revealed that 62 universities and colleges offer 70 TESOL programs, while only 10 offer CELTA. Therefore, in our article we will look at the content of the TESOL program with the support of TESL Canada – the national English language federation for second language teachers.It has been stated that ESL teacher performs the following duties: conducts hands-on activities; organizes work in discussion groups, individual and group projects; develops curriculum and prepares study materials; prepares tests and papers to evaluate student performance; oversees individual or group projects; may serve on committees to discuss budgets, review curricula and course requirements; can provide advisory services to government, business and other organizations

In Canada, French as a second language (FSL) teachers have indicated a lack of professional learning opportunities adapted to their needs and interests. In order to support their ongoing development, more research is needed to study professional learning models that address their unique set of knowledge and skills, such as language proficiency, intercultural awareness, pedagogy, and collaborative professionalism (Masson et al., 2024). To respond to this need, this study implemented a four-month professional development series for FSL teachers in an Ontario school board based on a community of practice (CoP) framework. Data was collected through pre-/post-questionnaires and participant interviews and analyzed through Wenger et al.’s (2011) cycles of value creation. The results show that while the CoP initiative created immediate and potential value for participants, it did not necessarily lead to an applied value, or reported changes to the FSL teachers’ practice.

Institutions strive to offer programs that address both the needs of the educational system and incorporate current pedagogical research. Creating a program that is relevant, inspiring, and accessible to aspiring French as a Second Language (FSL) teachers, while also equipping them with the skills and knowledge deemed necessary by the education system, is a delicate balancing act. This study reviewed 44 FSL teacher education programs that lead to professional certification across Canada. Environmental scans drew information from the program websites related to admission requirements, program structure and content, practicum, and graduation criteria. Follow-up interviews with program stakeholders were conducted to verify or clarify the data. The results highlight the inconsistencies that exist among programs for developing FSL educators. We position the ways in which Canadian faculties of education might provide a more holistic “pathway” approach to recruiting, preparing, and retaining emerging FSL teachers.

French as a second language (FSL) teachers in Canada face unique circumstances and challenges in the profession, from their initial teacher preparation into the beginning years of teaching and beyond. These challenges play a role in the long-standing FSL teacher shortage across Canada. To better understand the complexity and nuance of issues facing teachers of FSL in minority settings, we conducted a study in 2021 across different regions in Canada that included 29 focus groups with a total of 89 participants from three key stakeholder groups: teacher educators working in faculties of education; school district and board representatives; and FSL teachers, with a focus on recently graduated novice teachers. In our analysis, we found that participants’ unique and contextualized experiences are framed around two key points of convergence in our data: access and conceptualizations. We present and discuss these findings, considering practical and ideological elements stemming from these points of convergence. We then conclude the paper with a synthesis of the complexities and interconnectedness inherent in the factors related to FSL teacher preparation and support, including a reflection on what this might ultimately tell us about the FSL teacher shortage.

The French as a second language (FSL) teacher shortage crisis has been a longstanding issue in Canada. In this paper, we examine the links between teacher agency, autonomy and identity in light of findings about marginalization, deprofessionalization, and/or difficulty in developing a strong sense of identity. Taking these findings into account, we propose an FSL teacher preparation model rooted in social justice and well-being which centers identity development through four pillars for success: language proficiency, intercultural competence, pedagogical knowledge and skill, and collaborative professionalism. We examine the implications of taking such an approach in FSL teacher preparation and argue that applying a social justice lens to identity development sets FSL teachers up for effective professionalization and a sense of well-being that can lead to long-term retention in the field. Keywords: French as a second language, language teacher identity, teacher retention, social justice, well-being