Abstracts
Abstract
Gatekeepers’ language ideologies and beliefs about language learning determine how learners experience French as a second language programs, in particular, their access to, and success and inclusion in, the French immersion (FI) program. In this article, we explore how FI principals understand language learning and the inclusion of English language learners (ELLs) and how these perspectives shape school policy in FI programs. The study took place in a large urban school board in southern Ontario with student population consisting of 50% ELLs. After conducting a questionnaire with principals across the school board, we interviewed a subgroup of principals gathering quantitative and qualitative data. In addition, we consulted the board’s website and documentation provided to parents regarding enrolling their children in FI. The study highlights convergence or divergence from principals’ beliefs in relation to board policy about access and inclusion to the FI program. Through critical discourse analysis, data revealed that principals have contradictory beliefs about language learning, and at times principals struggle to reconcile these beliefs with official board policy. While FI principals are mostly positive about including ELLs in FI, to provide equal access to the program, they would benefit from (a) moving away from a definition of bilingualism as equalingualism and (b) expanding and developing the meaning of inclusivity beyond physical presence to adapt the FI space for greater inclusion of ELLs.
Keywords:
- second language education,
- multilingual education,
- third language education
Résumé
Les idéologies et les opinions des gardiens de l’accès au français langue seconde déterminent la façon dont les apprenants vivent leurs expériences dans les programmes de français langue seconde, y compris leur accès au programme d’immersion française, leur réussite scolaire et leur inclusion dans le programme. Dans cet article, nous examinons comment les directeurs d’école d’immersion française voient l’apprentissage d’une langue et l’inclusion des apprenants d’anglais langue seconde et comment leurs perspectives influencent la politique de langue dans le programme d’immersion française dans leurs écoles. L’étude s’est déroulée dans un grand conseil scolaire urbain dans le sud de l’Ontario où 50 % des élèves sont des apprenants d’anglais langue seconde. Après avoir effectué des questionnaires auprès des directeurs d’école du conseil scolaire, nous avons fait des entrevues avec un sous-groupe de directeurs d’école pour récolter des données quantitatives et qualitatives. De plus, nous avons consulté le site Web du conseil scolaire et ainsi que les documents qui sont fournis aux parents qui veulent inscrire leurs enfants dans le programme d’immersion française. Par le biais d’une analyse de discours critique, les données ont révélé que les directeurs d’école avaient des opinions contradictoires au sujet de l’apprentissage des langues, et dans certains cas, les directeurs d’école avaient de la difficulté à concilier leurs opinions et la politique officielle du conseil scolaire. Bien que les directeurs d’école soient généralement positifs au sujet de l’inclusion des apprenants d’anglais langue seconde dans le programme d’immersion française, pour assurer un accès égalitaire au programme, les directeurs d’école pourraient bénéficier du fait (a) de se distancer d’une définition du bilinguisme comme « équilinguisme » et (b) d’étendre et de développer la définition du concept de l’inclusion au-delà de la présence physique dans la salle de classe pour y intégrer les principes d’inclusion de façon plus approfondie et créer un espace favorable au développement linguistique des apprenants d’anglais langue seconde dans le programme d’immersion française.
Appendices
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