Equipped with their hard-earned knowledge and experience, Ontario’s French as Second Language teachers have a crucial role in our changing schools. In applying their special skill set and sharing insights, they are assisting teachers to introduce new students to Canada, and students to a multilingual world.
How will they do this? Here are 8 ways your school’s French teacher can help support English Language learners.
#1 It’s their job to teach another language
This is an obvious one, but it’s still the most important reason to tap into your resident FSL teachers wealth of knowledge and experience supporting students learning another language. They’ve spent a career taking lessons and tailoring them effectively to attain a language learning goal. What may seem obvious and simplistic to them can benefit your next lesson. They will be more than happy to support a colleague, and you might even want to buy them a coffee for their help!#2 They’re motivational experts
If you teach adolescents, then you probably already have a few tricks up your sleeve to generate buy-in and inquiry, when they are otherwise not a given element of the student mindset. I won’t go into the specific motivational challenges involved with learning French in anglophone Ontario, but it’s suffice to say, FSL teachers often have to do the pedagogical equivalent of juggling fire on a unicycle to get their students attention. All students are included in the French program, and we have to motivate all of them.
#3 They’re experts at differentiation, Universal Design and Equity & Inclusion
As above-stated, all students participate in the French program. And, French teachers wouldn’t have it any other way! The French period is the most inclusive block of time in all Ontario English-language schools. At this time, all students, otherwise withdrawn for support in other subject areas, return to their classes. Your school’s language specialist provides programming with a universal scope and access points for a variety of learning preferences and levels of linguistic proficiency. Rather than reinvent the wheel or make a separate plan for your ELL, invite your newcomers to join in the learning via the on-ramp you constructed in collaboration with your FSL colleague.
#4 They teach culture
The 2013 revised FSL Ontario Curriculum includes specific instructions to make learning about French-speaking world cultures a part of all French programs. The language expert in your building has been integrating culturally responsive pedagogy into their practice for over five years now, and it might be time to take your class’ inclusivity global.
#5 They’re Balanced Literacy Ninja
A core concept of second language pedagogy is iteration. Language items are retained better if we participate in multiple exposures to them through a variety of modalities. Simply put, your French-teaching colleague knows how strategically to embed multiple exposures to the same content without it becoming boring. If you want to help your ELL build their vocabulary, stop in at the French office (or basket) for a consult!
#6 They’ve successfully learned a foreign language at least once
If a French teacher speaks French and works at an English-speaking school, that means one of those tongues was once an additional language. Being able to relate to the process of adding a new language, sometimes in a new and scary environment is priceless. Tap into that experience that better relates to your new student. If you’re really lucky, you’ll work with a multilingual lifelong language learner who can convey current and relevant pro-tips for integration into your programming.
#7 They’re resourceful
French teachers are the pedagogical equivalent of MacGyver. Drop a French teacher down in any isle of the Dollar Tree and 5$ later you’ll have an epic lesson on making small talk in French. All teachers are resourceful, and most have learned this due to restrictions in funding and material, but being forced to buy your own travel bucket and store your gear in the trunk of your car can bring this to the next level. For additional language-related resourcefulness ideas see a French teacher.
#8 STEP continuum, meet the CEFR
Sometimes pronounced in Ontario as “seeferr”, the Common European Framework of Reference or CEFR, is the cornerstone of every second language program in Ontario schools. FSL educators have participated in tons of PD relating to the CEFR since the 2013 Curriculum was released. Intimidating at first, like the STEP, the CEFR is a language proficiency leveling tool that helps inform all language learning done in our classrooms. Second language educators know how to use something like the STEP to more easily build powerful content for students. If you’re new to the STEP, just ask your friendly neighbourhood French teacher about the CEFR, and you’ll see that it’s much more helpful than the jargony acronym suggests!
There you have it! Ontario's FSL educators are perfectly trained and positioned to support a growing need in our schools. I encourage my #barrieCEFR colleagues to get involved if you have new ELL students in your school. Just knowing how to use the many features of Google Translate will be of immeasurable benefit to your colleagues.
If you think I missed any other great reasons French teachers in Ontario can support ELL, please share in the comments or via my Twitter @pcroteauirt.
