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Article published In: Issues and Perspectives on Student Diversity and Content-Based Language Education
Edited by Fred Genesee and Diane J. Tedick
[Journal of Immersion and Content-Based Language Education 9:2] 2021
► pp. 336–363

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“More languages means more lights in your house”

Illuminating the experiences of newcomer families in French immersion

 | University of Regina
 | McGill University
 | McGill University
Published online: 13 April 2021
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/jicb.20015.dav
Abstract
French immersion programs throughout Canada have historically consisted of predominantly Anglophone populations pursuing bilingualism in the country’s two official languages, English and French. Nevertheless, recent developments in immigration and refugee resettlement have contributed to increasingly diverse student backgrounds nationwide (Statistics Canada, 2014). Researchers have explored the motivation for Allophone families to pursue FSL in Canada (Dagenais, D., & Berron, C. (2001). Promoting multilingualism through French immersion and language maintenance in three immigrant families. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 14(2), 142–155. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar; Dagenais, D., & Jacquet, M. (2000). Valorisation du multilinguisme et de l’éducation bilingue dans des familles immigrantes [Supporting multilingualism and bilingual education among immigrant families]. Journal of International Migration and Integration, 1(4), 389–404. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar; (2010). Motivation to study core French: Comparing recent immigrants and Canadian-born secondary school students. Canadian Journal of Education, 33(3), 564–587. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar); the language proficiency of Allophone learners in FSL programs (Bérubé, D., & Marinova-Todd, S. H. (2012). The development of language and reading skills in the second and third languages of multilingual children in French Immersion. International Journal of Multilingualism, 9(3), 272–293. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar; Carr, W. (2007). Teaching core French in British Columbia: Teachers’ perspectives. British Columbia Association of Teachers of Modern Languages.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar; (2015). Examining immigrants’ English and French proficiency in French immersion. Journal of Immersion and Content-Based Language Education, 3(2), 268–284. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar); and the perspectives of FSL educators with respect to such learners ( (2016). French immersion for English language learners?: Kindergarten teachers’ perspectives. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 62(3), 253–267.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar; Mady, C., & Masson, M. (2018). Principals’ beliefs about language learning and inclusion of English language learners in Canadian elementary French immersion programs. Canadian Journal of Applied Linguistics/Revue canadienne de linguistique appliquée, 21(1), 71–93.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar; (2015). Discours et idéologies en immersion française [Discourse and ideologies in French immersion]. Canadian Journal of Applied Linguistics (CJAL)/Revue canadienne de linguistique appliquée, 18(2), 125–143.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar). The present study draws from interview data to explore and compare the experiences and perspectives of seven Allophone parents and 43 FI educators in Saskatchewan. In the present article, we examine the perspectives of FI educators, the experiences of Allophone families, and the implications for immersion programs worldwide.
Article outline
  • 1.Overview of French immersion
  • 2.Languages in Saskatchewan
  • 3.Allophone family motivation
  • 4.Allophone language learning in Canada and Europe
  • 5.Research questions and methodology
  • 6.Findings
    • 6.1Canadian culture and identity in FI
    • 6.2Economic opportunity in FI
    • 6.3Motivation for multilingualism
    • 6.4French language learning in FI: Confidence and competence
    • 6.5English language learning in FI: Confidence and concern
    • 6.6Heritage language learning in FI
  • 7.Discussion
  • 8.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • References
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