Although more than 40% of students fail high school at the end of high school, 10 Quebec celebrities and teachers were interviewed Newspaper Propose 10 concrete solutions to the situation, which they believe is an unprecedented initiative that will encourage Quebec to act.
Last fall, the government set up a working group to improve the writing skills of CEGEP and university students, whose recommendations will be made public soon.
However, many believe it is time to raise the bar on the school network and accuse Education Minister Jean-Franசois Roberz of dragging his feet.
Mary-Franz Morin, a professor at the University of Sherbrook, notes that “the minister did not pay much attention to this question, which seems to be crucial to student success.”
The same story of Luke Babino, a French teacher in high school: “Why this deafening silence in elementary and high school? How could Minister Roberz not respond?
A “national drama” to follow
For decades, student shortcomings in the written French language have been in the headlines. Years have passed, but the results of the ministerial written exams have not really improved.
Grammar spelling is a commotion among many students: 42% did not pass this criterion during the fifth secondary ministerial election in 2019.
At the elementary level, there are writing estimates for grades four and six, but the Ministry of Education does not compile results at the provincial level. The same is true for the secondary writing test.
Ministerial Written Test (Secondary 5)
Results of Quebec students in written French
* Ministerial written examination includes five criteria. To cross the “regular spelling and grammar spelling” criteria, students must make no less than 15 mistakes in a text of 500 words. During the exam, the student can discuss a dictionary, a grammar, a link book and a sheet of personal notes.
“There has really been no change. National drama has been around for 25 years,” said Susan-G. Chartrand, a retired professor at Laval University.
“This is a huge cultural problem,” he adds. Language in Quebec is culture. The two are inseparable. This is a serious problem but the government is not paying attention to it. “
Possible solutions
We have to go back to 2008 to find the last major initiative of the government in teaching French. Former Minister of Education Michelle Courchesne, inspired by the recommendations of the panel of experts, presented an action plan based on 22 measures.
However, this initiative did not provide the expected impetus. “I think the project has paid off, but we still have work to do.
It is in this context that it is Newspaper He called on teachers, professionals and educators – a dozen experts – to establish new measures to improve the quality of the French language written in the school.
Who are our 10 experts?
Susan G. Chart margin
Retired Professor of French Teaching at Laval University
Carol Fisher
Associate Professor, University of Quebec, Chicoutimi
Isabel Gadpois
Former leader of the association des orthopédagogues du Québec
Isabel Cowin
Professor of French Detectives, UQAM
Pascale Lefrancois
Dean of the Faculty of Education, University of Montreal
Mary Franz Morin
Professor in the Faculty of Education, University of Sherbrook
Yves Nadon
Retired Teacher, Teacher and Educational Consultant
Luke Babino
Secondary French teacher
Katya Pelletier
President of the Quebec Association of French Teachers
Mary-Claude Dordiff
Elementary school teacher
This tutorial allowed us to identify 10 solutions (see below), many of which are derived from academic research. However, there are some who come to a consensus, which shows how subtle and complex the matter is. “There is no simple answer,” says Yves Nadon, a retired teacher and lecturer.
“True reflection” was requested
Interviewed participants are pleased with this initiative, which makes it possible to put issues related to French language proficiency in school back into the public arena, but few point out the limitations of such training.
Author Luke Babino warns that unilaterally imposed “magic solutions” often lead to far worse results, calling for a “real reflection on French teaching” in Quebec.
“Instead of doing DIY, take the time to think a little,” he says.
