Research Directions for Core French in Canada

Lapkin, Sharon; Harley, Birgit; Taylor, Shelley K.

doi:10.3138/cmlr.49.3.476

Cited by 29 publications

(19 citation statements)

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“…French has been part of most mainstream curricula in Canada for many years, and about 90% of Canadian students studying French in this country are enrolled in these core French programs. Historically, the core French curriculum was based principally on a grammar-translation approach and resulted in disappointing student outcomes (see Foley, Harley, & d'Anglejan, 1988, for a bibliographic review of about 100 studies conducted; Lapkin, 1998;Lapkin, Harley, & Taylor, 1993). However, in 1990, the Canadian Association of Second Language Teachers (CASLT) published the findings of a major research project whose principal aim was to examine how core French programs could become more effective.…”

Section: Core French In Canadamentioning

confidence: 99%

Multidimensional Project‐Based Teaching in French Second Language (FSL): A Process‐Product Case Study

Turnbull

1999

The Modern Language Journal

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The study describes the pedagogical approaches of 4 Grade 9 core French teachers and compares students' results on tests of general French proficiency and achievement tests, based on the objectives of a multidimensional project-based instructional unit used by all 4 teachers during the time I observed them. The observation data suggest that the 4 teacher participants were implementing this new multidimensional project-based approach in very different ways in their core French classes. Two teachers were classified as multidimensional project-based and 2 as less-multidimensional. Students from the multidimensional project-based classes obtained higher test scores than those in the less-multidimensional classes on some components of the French proficiency and achievement tests. It was not possible to conclude with certainty that project-based multidimensional teaching was the single cause of superior test performance by the students from the multidimensional project-based classes. Student involvement in curriculum decisions, a dual form-meaning focus, and teachers' uses of French are discussed as possible confounding factors.

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Section: Core French In Canadamentioning

confidence: 99%

Multidimensional Project‐Based Teaching in French Second Language (FSL): A Process‐Product Case Study

Turnbull

1999

The Modern Language Journal

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“…It was found that the experimental classes performed significantly differently from the comparision classes on sociolinguistic measures of written production, formal oral production and multiple choice. Some researchers (Lapkin, Harley & Taylor, 1993), however, had argued that cross-cultural comparison is so important that the first language could be allowed. Lyster concludes that learning may lead to acquisition more readily than predicted by the monitor model, and that the functional-analytical approach appeared to have allowed students to acquire socially appropriate 140 forms to an extent not equalled by experiential learning in traditional immersion contexts.…”

Section: Developing Sociolinguistic Competence and Greater Accuracymentioning

confidence: 99%

Research on language learning and teaching: 1994

Johnstone

1995

Lang. Teach.

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In my view, 1994 was a good year internationally for research on the teaching and learning of second or foreign languages (henceforth designated as L2). Not only were a number of interesting studies published, written in some cases by researchers with whose work I have not been familiar, but there were also some highly useful reviews of key areas by acknowledged experts which make sense of what research is suggesting to us thus far and contribute to further theory-building. It would have been futile for me to have attempted to provide a rounded summary of these reviews, since in a sense they themselves already summarise large bodies of key information, but I have mentioned some points from them that seem particularly important and have attempted to link them, where appropriate, to research published last year.Driven partly by individual or small-group research and partly by these reviews, there appeared to be a particular build-up of research-based thinking in three areas: motivation; the role of mediation in enhancing L2 development; and the role of interaction/negotiation in converting input not only to comprehension but possibly also to acquisition. These three aspects have each been given their own section in the present review, along with others that routinely appear from year to year.As in previous yean, reference may be made to abstracts that have been published in Language Teaching. Thus, Meara (1994: 95-202) means an article by Meara published in 1994 that appeared as entry 202 in the 1995 series of abstracts for the journal.

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“…With this emphasis o n the so-called "skills," the teaching of culture is often a neglected, if not forgotten, component of second language programs. (Lapkin, Harley, and Taylor 1993;Lessard-Clouston 1992;Byram, Esarte-Sarries, and Taylor 1991). The need for teaching culture in foreign language programs has been longestablished (Omaggio 1987) but as the authors of the cultural syllabus of the NCFS point out, "While the need for the cultural dimension of FSL (French as a second language) is widely accepted in the abstract, it is not always fully realized in practice."…”

Section: Foreign Language a N N A U A U M M E R 1994mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…that crosscultural communication and understanding are too important to be treated superficially and that therefore teachers should feel free to teach culture in the first language. (Lapkin, Harley, and Taylor 1993;Rivers 1993;Byram 1991;Sadow 1987;Hammerly 1985;Seelye 1984).…”

Section: Foreign Language Annals--suiumer 1994mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Teaching of Culture: Guidelines from the National Core French Study of Canada

Flewelling¹

1994

Foreign Language Annals

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In recent years, core French teachers have been faced with a number of changes in approach with regard to the teaching of French as a Second Language. One such change is the increased emphasis being put on the teaching of culture. The Culture Syllabus of The National Core French Study offers not only a theoretical look at how and why culture should be taught in FSL programs, but it also provides examples of cultural topics and practical activities which could help them integrate these topics into their teaching programs. This article looks at the implications of the Culture Syllabus of The National Core French Study for foreign language teachers. It also examines some of the suggestions made regarding how culture should be taught. The information is such that it could be adapted to any foreign language teaching situation. A list of Canadian sources for cultural information can be found in the Appendix at the end of the article.

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Research Directions for Core French in Canada

Cited by 29 publications

References 0 publications

Multidimensional Project‐Based Teaching in French Second Language (FSL): A Process‐Product Case Study

Multidimensional Project‐Based Teaching in French Second Language (FSL): A Process‐Product Case Study

Research on language learning and teaching: 1994

The Teaching of Culture: Guidelines from the National Core French Study of Canada

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