1,720,987 research outputs found
USING COOPERATIVE LEARNING IN A FRENCH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE CLASSROOM : an action-research study
No full textThis thesis / dissertation was completed and submitted at Nipissing University, and is made freely accessible through the University of Toronto’s TSpace repositoryThis research investigated student perceptions of their speaking abilities and experiences with cooperative small-group learning in a French as a second language (FSL) classroom. This action-research study took place over a 3-week period of student learning where students in the Grade 9 FSL course learned about sports and leisure events through cooperative small-group activities. The study employed a range of data-gathering instruments: pre- and postunit questionnaires, exit cards, personal journal entries, and video recordings of students working with other students. More precisely, 25 students were asked to reflect on their learning through pre- and postunit questionnaires and exit cards at the end of 7 of the 15 days of the study. In general, students found that their willingness to communicate about themselves in French and comfort speaking French increased.M.Ed
INVOLVEMENT OF SOUTH ASIAN, PUNJABI-SPEAKING PARENTS IN THEIR CHILD'S EDUCATION : parental voices
No full textThis thesis / dissertation was completed and submitted at Nipissing University, and is made freely accessible through the University of Toronto’s TSpace repositoryResearch on parents' involvement in the education of their children has often focused on majority-group parents' engagement. The voices of immigrant parents of English Language Learners (ELLs) have been represented to a lesser degree. This study explored the thoughts and opinions of immigrant parents from the South Asian, Punjabi-speaking community in an urban area in southern British Columbia (BC), Canada. The research examines issues of involvement and how they are perceived by these parents. More specifically, I explore the views of five parents and their feelings toward involvement in their children's education. In particular, data were collected through face-to-face, informal discussions and interviews with five immigrant parents. As a result of this research, educators and administrators can access these South Asian, Punjabi-speaking parents' views and potentially gather insight to better involve immigrant parents in the educational processes of their children.M.Ed
Involvement of South Asian, Punjabi-speaking parents in their child's education : parental voices
No full textThis thesis / dissertation was completed and submitted at Nipissing University, and is made freely accessible through the University of Toronto’s TSpace repositoryResearch on parents' involvement in the education of their children has often focused on majority-group parents' engagement. The voices of immigrant parents of English Language Learners (ELLs) have been represented to a lesser degree. This study explored the thoughts and opinions of immigrant parents from the South Asian, Punjabi-speaking community in an urban area in southern British Columbia (BC), Canada. The research examines issues of involvement and how they are perceived by these parents. More specifically, I explore the views of five parents and their feelings toward involvement in their children's education. In particular, data were collected through face-to-face, informal discussions and interviews with five immigrant parents. As a result of this research, educators and administrators can access these South Asian, Punjabi-speaking parents' views and potentially gather insight to better involve immigrant parents in the educational processes of their children.M.Ed
Navigating landscapes : international student expectations and lived experiences of Canadian outdoor recreation
Get PDFThis thesis / dissertation was completed and submitted at Nipissing University, and is made freely accessible through the University of Toronto’s TSpace repositoryTo attract international students, Canadian universities promote safe and diverse cultural experiences and showcase Canada?s outdoor environment, according to the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (2015). Outdoor recreation may offer international students unique benefits in the adaptation across cultures as they transition to their new study environment. Cross-cultural transitions are associated with physical and mental stress, depression, anxiety, and a lack of sense of belonging (Berry, Kim, Minde & Mok, 1987; Oberg, 1954; Poyrazli & Grahame, 2007), while participation in outdoor recreation is associated with physical and mental health well-being, reduced anxiety, increased social participation, and cultural exchange (Roe & Aspinall, 2011; Stodolska, 2015; Weng & Chiang, 2014). Drawing on interdisciplinary fields including international education, marketing, and sport sociology, and using a sequential qualitative dominant mixed methodology with survey participants (n= 47) and three-stage guided walk participants (n= 7), I address a main question: How do international student expectations of the Canadian outdoors compare to their lived experiences in their first year at a university in Northern Ontario, Canada? Findings suggest that participants had met and unmet expectations leading to positive experiences related to: (a) equipment and access, (b) sense of community, (c) English communication, and (d) learning about Canada; and negative experiences in: (a) finding partners, (b) cold weather, (c) safety, and (d) communicating with domestic students. Participants also had unanticipated experiences in the outdoors related to cultural differences and sense of well-being. In this dissertation, I also offer reflections on the findings situated in the current literature and advice on advancing the guided walk method for future researchers.Ph.D
USING COOPERATIVE LEARNING IN A FRENCH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE CLASSROOM : an action-research study
No full textThis thesis / dissertation was completed and submitted at Nipissing University, and is made freely accessible through the University of Toronto’s TSpace repositoryThis research investigated student perceptions of their speaking abilities and experiences with cooperative small-group learning in a French as a second language (FSL) classroom. This action-research study took place over a 3-week period of student learning where students in the Grade 9 FSL course learned about sports and leisure events through cooperative small-group activities. The study employed a range of data-gathering instruments: pre- and postunit questionnaires, exit cards, personal journal entries, and video recordings of students working with other students. More precisely, 25 students were asked to reflect on their learning through pre- and postunit questionnaires and exit cards at the end of 7 of the 15 days of the study. In general, students found that their willingness to communicate about themselves in French and comfort speaking French increased.M.Ed
The suitability of core French for recently arrived English as a second language adolescent immigrants
Get PDFIn Ontario, recently arrived English as a second language (ESL) immigrant students are frequently excluded from participating in the Grade 9 core French program, which is obligatory in principle for all secondary school students. I designed a mixed-method study to explore whether this practice, where it occurs, is well founded. First, through a survey of the secondary principals and guidance heads of a large urban southern Ontario school board, I examined the present practices of inclusion of ESL students in core French. Second, I compared the French proficiency of three, groups of secondary students: recently arrived ESL adolescents, multilingual Canadian-born students and unilingual Canadian-born students. Third, this study examined the contributions the ESL participants brought to the French-learning context by means of participant journals, participant and parental interviews. The survey of the principals and guidance heads revealed that French was considered an optional course for ESL students. The French proficiency measures, however, demonstrated the ESL students' ability to be successful in core French. French proficiency was measured using a multi-skills test consisting of a multiple choice listening test, three reading tasks, two writing tasks, a dictation and three oral tasks. The ESL group outperformed the other groups in one writing task and in both the reading and listening test components. They also outperformed the unilingual group on one section of the speaking test and the multilingual group on another section of the speaking component. There were no significant differences found among the groups for the other test components: the dictation, the second writing section or the final speaking component. The qualitative findings reveal that the ESL participants were confident in their ability to learn French. This confidence was founded in their prior successful language-learning experiences. Moreover, the ESL participants expressed satisfaction in their progress in learning French after one semester of study. Their positive affect was grounded in their view of multilingualism that tolerates and celebrates different levels of competence in multiple languages. In addition, they attributed value to learning French as one of the official languages of Canada.Ph.D
French Immersion for English Language Learners?: Kindergarten Teachers’ Perspectives
Get PDFGiven the increasingly diverse, multilingual student body in Canada, the call for increased inclusion in education, and in light of research highlighting the potential for inclusion in French immersion (FI) to be limited by gatekeepers, this study examines the beliefs of kindergarten teachers regarding the inclusion of English language learners in French immersion where entry begins in Grade 1. The theory of planned behavior as discussed by Ajzen (2005) served as a theoretical lens through which the data were examined. In particular, through their responses to a mixed format questionnaire, including a 12 item Likert scale of agreement and open-ended questions, kindergarten teachers revealed that a) French immersion is not for everyone, and b) may be disadvantageous to English language learners in particular. The teachers grounded their beliefs in the importance and influence of English on students’ future endeavours. Beliefs that FI is not for all students were supported by the board’s provision of information to parents as revealed by a document analysis. Such findings highlight the need for information sharing on multilingual language acquisition to extend beyond administrators to include parents and additional educators who have the potential to influence parents’ choices for their children.Compte tenu du corps étudiant canadien de plus en plus diversifié et plurilingue, de la demande pour une intégration accrue en éducation et de la recherche soulignant la possibilité que des gardiens limitent l’inclusion en immersion française, cette étude examine les croyances des enseignants de maternelle face à l’inclusion en immersion française d’élèves apprenant l’anglais (où l’apprentissage du français commencerait en 1re année). La théorie du comportement planifié telle que proposée par Ajzen (2005) a servi d’optique théorique pour l’analyse des données. Les résultats d’un questionnaire à 12 items (réponses sur une échelle de Likert et questions ouvertes) ont indiqué que, entre autres, les enseignants de maternelle croient: a) que l’immersion française n’est pas pour tout le monde et b) que les apprenants de l’anglais pourraient y être particulièrement défavorisés. Les croyances des enseignants reposaient sur l’importance et l’influence de l’anglais dans l’avenir des élèves. Une analyse documentaire a révélé que les croyances selon lesquelles l’immersion française n’était pas pour tous les élèves étaient appuyées par des informations remises aux parents de la part du conseil. Ces résultats soulignent la nécessité d’un partage d’informations sur le plurilinguisme et l’acquisition des langues au delà des administrateurs de sorte à inclure les parents et d’autres enseignants susceptibles d’influencer les choix que font les parents à l’égard de leurs enfants
French as a Second Language Teacher Candidates’ Language Proficiency and Confidence: Exploring the Influences of a Home-stay Practicum Experience
Get PDFTeacher language proficiency and confidence influences students’ classroom experiences. With the view to supporting French as a second language teacher candidates’ language development, 15 teacher candidates participated in a home-stay practicum experience within a French milieu. This study sought to explore teacher candidates’ self-concept of proficiency and their confidence pre and post-experience. Both qualitative and quantitative findings show an increase in perceived proficiency and confidence
Les besoins des familles dans une école de langue française en Ontario : des tensions à considérer
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