Argument:
Background to the study
In an increasingly multilingual world, the demand for language immersion programs has increased significantly (Barrett DeWiele & Edgerton, 2020). Since immersion programs can be challenging, parental involvement is essential for student success (Selvachandran et al., 2022). However, for parents who do not speak the target language of the program, there is often a breakdown in communication between parents and the school (Tarasawa & Waggoner, 2015).
Contextualization of topic/research problem/research question(s)
In Canadian French Immersion programs, which are publicly funded and designed for non-francophone students, there is an increasing number of English language learners who enroll (Sinay et al., 2018). By design, this means that very few guardians speak the language of instruction (French), and some have low proficiency in the school and community language (English). For many ELL students, they speak their L1 at home, English in the community, and French in school with little overlap across contexts. This study therefore investigated the access to and availability of support in French Immersion programs, particularly as it pertains to the bridge between the school and home environments.
Research aims/objectives
1. How do home factors (e.g., language status, socioeconomic status) affect access to and support within the FI program?
Methodology and findings
In this study, we interviewed 8 parents, 2 teachers, and 1 principal. They were selected from a larger study involving 6 home schools. All parents filled out a demographic questionnaire, and then participated in a semi-structured interview with two graduate students. Results show that participants were highly concerned with the limited access to resources, including assessment, French support at home, French resources in school, costs of resources as well as differences across schools and programs. This presentation will discuss how the relationship between home and school is critical for successful target language acquisition.
References
Barrett DeWiele, C. E., & Edgerton, J. D. (2020). Opportunity or inequality? The
paradox of French immersion education in Canada. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 1-15.
Selvachandran, J., Kay-Raining Bird, E., DeSousa, J., & Chen, X. (2022). Special
education needs in French immersion: A parental perspective of supports and challenges. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 25(3), 1120-1136.
Sinay, E., Presley, A., Armson, S., Tam, G., Ryan, T. G., Burchell, D., & Barron, C.
(2018). Toronto District School Board French as a second language program review: Developmental evaluation (No. 18/19, p. 03). Research Report.
Tarasawa, B., & Waggoner, J. (2015). Increasing parental involvement of English
Language Learner families: What the research says. Journal of Children and Poverty, 21(2), 129-134.
