Making Sense of the French in French Immersion: Concept Development in Early FI

Walsh, Adele; Yeoman, Elizabeth

doi:10.3138/cmlr.55.3.339

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…In fact, while first language use has long been a topic of much debate and controversy in many second and foreign language contexts beyond French immersion (e.g., Cook, 2001; Levine, 2003; Liebscher & Dailey‐O’Cain, 2004; Macaro, 2005, 2009; McMillan & Turnbull, 2009; Turnbull, 2001) the results of this debate have generally been ignored by French immersion professional organizations and policy makers throughout Canada. Nevertheless, some researchers (e.g., Behan, Turnbull, & Spek, 1997; McMillan & Turnbull, 2009; Sanaoui, 2005, 2007; Skerritt, 2003; Swain & Lapkin, 2000; Walsh & Yeoman, 1999) suggested that teacher and learner codeswitching (CS) practice varies significantly in French immersion, especially in teaching and learning content. All scholars call for more research on CS in French immersion.…”

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confidence: 99%

The First Language in Science Class: A Quasi‐Experimental Study in Late French Immersion

Turnbull

Cormier

Bourque

2011

The Modern Language Journal

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This article reports analysis of data collected from a quasi‐experimental study in 2 Canadian late French immersion science classes. We examine if, how, and when the first language (L1) is used when students in the first years of their second language learning talk about complex science concepts. We compare differences in groups following a 2‐month intervention. Specifically, we study differences in complexity of oral utterances, and differences in use of L1 in oral utterances after participating in an intervention using a literacy‐based approach, or the typical, district‐prescribed approach. Furthermore, we assess whether increased use of the L1 in complex content statements is positively associated with gains in French and science knowledge. Advanced statistical analyses linked the complexity of student utterances with language use, written skills in French, and performance in science. In this way, this article makes a significant contribution to the existing body of literature on this important topic.

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confidence: 99%

The First Language in Science Class: A Quasi‐Experimental Study in Late French Immersion

Turnbull

Cormier

Bourque

2011

The Modern Language Journal

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“…Some research has, for example, considered how children's conceptual development is affected, not always positively as it turns out, by French immersion teaching. Such teaching has been found to be restrictive with over-reliance on closed questions from teachers concentrating on concrete vocabulary in the early years of a programme (Walsh and Yeoman, 1999). The author of another detailed study of 215 grade 6 learners in Montreal, concluded that mere exposure to a second language, even when that exposure is intensive and sustained, is not enough to ensure an increase in learners' grammatical knowledge and hence their ability to generate language (Morris, 2001).…”

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Primary modern foreign languages: an overview of recent research, key issues and challenges for educational policy and practice

Hunt

Barnes

Powell

et al. 2005

Research Papers in Education

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There has never been a UK-wide policy for primary modern foreign language provision.Scotland, which has for many years managed its educational affairs autonomously, introduced foreign languages into its primary schools over a decade ago. Wales has formulated its own primary and secondary curriculum with due respect for Welsh, tending to give greater priority to its national language than other languages. Northern Ireland, similarly, has had to take account of its indigenous language and has never developed a foreign language programme for young learners. Recent government documents relating to England (DfES 2002), however, have outlined an entitlement for all primary school children in England to learn a language by 2012. In order to achieve this the DfES has provided additional funding for 19 LEA-led Pathfinder projects to identify sustainable and replicable models. It is appropriate at this point to review the current situation in order to gauge progress and development. This article, written by a research team funded by the DfES to evaluate the Pathfinder projects, outlines the national and international research context, the current national context and the key issues and challenges facing these local education authorities.Keywords: primary modern foreign languages, early foreign language learning, 2 'A nation's fate will depend, in the end, on the quality of the education its children get in language'. (Comenius, 1630) National and international research context Age and L2 learningThere has been considerable research into the relevance of age in foreign language (L2) learning. The critical period hypothesis (CPH) which has given birth to the "younger the better" claim maintains that young children have a special instinctive capacity including both speech and morpho-syntactic development, that their brain has plasticity before it lateralises and that they can acquire L2 in similar ways to their mother tongue (L1). As a result, it is a common assertion by those promoting early foreign language learning 1 'It should be obvious that, given the conflicting evidence and contrasting viewpoints that still exist, parents, educational institutions or ministries of education should be exceedingly cautious about translating what they read about the CPH research into personal practice or public policy' (Scovel, 2000).(EFLL) that age is an important factor contributing to success at school due to this special capacity. Indeed, this argument is used regularly, for example, by elementary schools in the USA, to justify and advertise their foreign language programmes and has no doubt contributed to the rapid growth of such provision. For example, a survey by Rhodes and Branaman (1999) concluded that 31% of elementary schools there are offering some form of EFLL, an increase of 10% over the decade since the previous survey. However, researchers today are more critical about this hypothesis and recent publications advise caution about the CPH as a valid basis for early language learning policies:There remain, however, widely a...

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English–Chinese Bilingual Education in China

Yu¹

Encyclopedia of Language and Education

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Making Sense of the French in French Immersion: Concept Development in Early FI

Cited by 4 publications

References 8 publications

The First Language in Science Class: A Quasi‐Experimental Study in Late French Immersion

The First Language in Science Class: A Quasi‐Experimental Study in Late French Immersion

Primary modern foreign languages: an overview of recent research, key issues and challenges for educational policy and practice

English–Chinese Bilingual Education in China

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