Canadian Parents for French (CPF) has launched its tenth research report, entitled The State of French-Second-Language Education in Canada 2012: Academically Challenged Students and FSL programs.

The 2012 report, the most recent in a line of publications exploring trends, challenges, and successes of French-second-language (FSL) education in Canadian schools, highlights the unique obstacles faced by students with learning difficulties in an FSL environment. The report features summaries of presentations by six researchers studying this subject in Canada to a round table of diverse participants in June. The round table included representatives from CPF, researchers, federal and provincial government officials, school board officials, academics, and other stakeholders concerned with accessibility in FSL programming.

“Too many FSL programs are closed off to students with learning difficulties, when these are the very programs that might be able to help such children really shine,” says CPF President Lisa Marie Perkins. “The majority of students — including many of those with academic challenges — can succeed in becoming bilingual, especially when adequate resources are in place to help with student academic development.“

The 2012 report includes comprehensive recommendations to facilitate better access to, and success in, FSL programs for students with learning difficulties that were developed by round table participants. CPF believes that given adequate resources, more awareness about academically challenged students’ abilities, and sufficient teacher support, more Canadians than ever before can become bilingual in both of Canada’s official languages. All FSL programs, and in particular French immersion—the FSL program best suited to the widest range of student ability—should be sufficiently resourced in order to offer all students the chance to become bilingual. CPF Executive Director Robert Rothon notes that preventing academically challenged students from full participation in a standard-curriculum program may in some cases amount to discrimination:

“For too long, and by too many, French immersion has been seen as a program for the gifted child or the child from the ‘right’ background or the child without any kind of learning challenge or difficulty,” says Rothon. “Actually, French immersion is a program designed for all children where the standard curriculum is taught in both official languages. Until we understand this and change discriminatory practices and policies identified by our round table participants and presenters, many—too many—children will never get a fair deal.”


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