|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In fall 1987, Gaston Harvey of the Quebec Government House in New York graciously offered to send me to Quebec for a firsthand view of the linguistic services provided by Quebec schools, universities, and government offices. We agreed that I would subsequently write a summary of the trip for the readers of the ADFL Bulletin , should they wish to follow up on the information. High on the agenda of my four-day trip were interviews with university administrators and teachers who organize special French programs for non-Francophones.
The visits began at the offices of the Quebec Ministry of International Relations, the administrative parent of the Quebec government houses located throughout the United States and around the world. There I met Robert Russell, the ministry's newly appointed counselor for United States affairs, who accompanied me throughout the trip. I also had the pleasure of discussing with André Péloquin, head of the ministry's North American division, some of the administrative changes in Quebec's educational system that have occurred since 1969, when I left the province to pursue my studies in the United States. Until the Quiet Revolution of the 1960s, almost all education in Quebec had been the responsibility of Catholic religious orders. Francophone schools were segregated by sex, and students were brought up in a strict moral tradition, with a heavy emphasis on the culture and literature of France. The massive sociocultural changes of the 1960s, however, reawakened pride in Quebec's special place in the Francophone world. The French language and culture of Quebec was valorized, the educational system was desecularized, and higher education was made available to all. Péloquin gave me a generous number of the ministry's cultural and social publications on Quebec. Lists and samples of these publications are available from Quebec government houses and from the Ministère des relations internationales, Div. Amérique du Nord, 1225 pl. George-V, Québec, PQ G1R 4Z7.
Ministry officials had planned for me to interview other government officials to obtain information on the linguistic situation in Quebec and on the effects of language planning ( l'amènagement linguistique ). The first interview was with Pierre Georgeault of the Conseil de la langue française, who explained to me how the Conseil's work fits in with the Quebec government's linguistic policy. He also explained that the Conseil is made up of twelve individuals who represent different socioeconomic levels. They are assisted by a staff of thirty-five, and they often engage university specialists and scholars to undertake research projects as well. The Conseil's main function is to examine socioeconomic and cultural questions about the linguistic situation in Quebec and to make these analyses available to government officials and the general public. Two of the Conseil's most recent documents are a study of the possible effects that the free-trade agreement between Canada and the United States would have on Quebec's linguistic policy and a book entitled L'avenir du français aux Etats-Unis , which discusses the status of the French language in the United States. According to Georgeault, half of the work toward making French the language of the workplace in Quebec has now been accomplished. The number of Francophone managers has risen from twenty-five percent in the 1960s to sixty-five percent today. Children from minority groups and immigrant children must attend French schools in Quebec to become integrated into the Francophone culture. Special classes are provided in kindergarten and first grade to help children learn French before entering the regular school sequence. The Quebec government welcomes immigrants through the Centres d'orientation et de formation des immigrés (COFIs) and offers services such as courses in French as a second language, child care, community suppers, aid in finding lodging and work for family members, and integration into the community. Further information on the Conseil's work and publications may be obtained from the Conseil de la langue française, 800 pl. d'Youville, Québec, PQ G1R 3P4.
During my visit to the Montreal headquarters of the Office de la langue française, I had the opportunity to discuss with Lise Chicoine the various laws passed since the 1960s to make French the official language of Quebec. The most far-reaching of these laws is the French Language Charter ( Charte de la langue française ), passed in 1977. The office acts as a watchdog for the proper application of the provision of the charter. It also mediates questions of the correct use of terminology and identifies québécismes —words unknown in France but officially accepted in the French language of Quebec. One of the office's main functions has been to implement French as the language of the workplace. To this end, the staff has developed numerous French-English terminology lists for various fields and areas of specialization. Chicoine described the specifics of some of the charter provisions, such as the rules for posting advertisements and labeling products. The office receives complaints about infractions of the linguistic laws, which it has the power to enforce. Chicoine and I also talked about the obligatory French-language exam that students in Quebec must pass before they can obtain high school diplomas, and we discussed how the media's use of a relatively standardized level of language is hastening the disappearance of regional accents. For further information about the work of the office or of the French-English terminology lists, write to the Office de la langue française, 800 pl. Victoria, CP 316, Montréal, PQ H4Z 1G8.
At the Office de Ia langue française, I also met with Roselyne Hébert, who described the highly sophisticated data bank of French and English terms that is accessible by modem from anywhere in the world. Containing an impressive 3,500,000 technical terms and 40,000 documentary references, the data base is an excellent tool for translations, including business applications. For further information on the data base, write or call Hébert, Service de la diffusion linguistique et terminologique, 800 pl. Victoria, CP 316, Montréal, PQ H4Z 1G8; (514) 873–7732 or 7734.
The remaining interviews were scheduled with administrators and teachers of French language programs for non-Francophones at schools and universities that joined together in 1980 to form the Association québécoise des ecoles de français (AQEF). Four institutional members are located in Montreal: the Université de Montréal, Concordia University, McGill University, and the Collège de Bois-de-Boulogne. In central Quebec one finds the Université du Québec a Trois-Rivières and the Cégep de Trois-Rivières. The Collège Saint-Charles-Garnier and the Université Laval are located in the historic city of Quebec. The northern Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region provides the site for the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi and the Collège de Jonquière, whereas on the northeastern bank of the Saint Lawrence River one finds the Collège de Rivière-du-Loup.
A nonprofit organization, AQEF provides information to professors, teachers, and students about language courses, immersion courses, cultural exchanges, housing with Francophone families, language-teaching methodology, and Quebec culture and civilization. Sessions may last anywhere from three to fifteen weeks, or the student may choose a yearlong program. Classes are generally held in the mornings and practice sessions in the afternoons; evenings and weekends are devoted to sociocultural activities that permit students to partake in the life of the community. Some member institutions arrange lodging with Quebec families; others house students in university or college residences. Yearlong programs provide specialized language training as well as instruction in French and Quebec literature and civilization. All non-Canadian students must obtain a student authorization, which is issued by federal and provincial immigration bureaus and available from any Canadian consulate, embassy, or Quebec government house. Every year thousands of students, from five continents, study in Quebec for a unique living and learning experience in a rapidly developing sociocultural Francophone environment.
At the University of Montreal's School of Continuing Education, I had the pleasure of meeting its director, Jean-Yvon Timothée, who spoke of his school's French-language programs for non-Francophones. The University of Montreal has a forty-year tradition of intensive French-language courses for native English speakers. The objectives of the program are to help the student acquire communicative competence in French and become acquainted with the Francophone culture of Quebec. The school offers six levels of courses, each of which has specific communicative, cultural, and linguistic objectives. Each candidate takes a placement test on the first day of the session to determine the appropriate level of study; one level equals approximately seventy-five classroom hours. Courses are given both in intensive summer sessions and in regular semesters and are conducted exclusively in French. Course instructors, who are specialists in language education, have at least a master's degree and five or more years of teaching experience. The school also offers a summer course in French-language pedagogy for teachers of French. Housing is available in university residences, at youth hostels, and with Francophone families. For additional information, write or call the Ecole francaise, Secrétariat des inscriptions, Faculté de l'education permanente, Univ. de Montréal, CP 6128, Succursale A, Montréal, PQ H3C 3J7; (514) 343–6990.
The University of Montreal also offers a complete introductory program to Quebec culture and literature. Headed by Lise Gauvin, an internationally known specialist on Quebec literature, this one-year, multidisciplinary program requires thirty credits and leads to either a certificate of completion or an MA in Quebec studies. Course contents range from ethnographic and demographic questions to economic, political, and cultural issues; options in Quebec sociology, history, literature, and the arts are plentiful. The program is ideal for junior-year-abroad students who wish to expand their knowledge of Francophone culture or for persons wanting to earn the MA degree. Courses are conducted in French, but the student is permitted to write tests and papers in English. The cost is low—foreign students enrolled in the program pay resident fees of $300 (Canadian) per semester. For further information, get in touch with the Secrétariat des programmes facultaires, Faculté des arts et des sciences, Univ. de Montréal, CP 6128, Succursale A, Montréal, PQ H3C 3J7; (514) 343–7327.
At McGill University, Gabrielle Pascal treated Robert Russell and me to a rare treat—a reception in the university's outstanding faculty center. Pascal directs McGill's French Summer School, which offers several programs for non-Francophones. The goals of the school are to help English-speaking students and teachers attain fluency in French and get acquainted with the literature, fine arts, and civilization of French-speaking countries. Programs in the six-week summer session are divided into three groups. Beginning students with no previous knowledge of French and undergraduates with up to four semesters of French register for division B. Students who have already attained French proficiency equivalent to the BA level may take graduate-level courses in language, literature, and civilization in division C. Division C is also appropriate for graduate students at other universities who want to transfer the credits they earn at McGill. Teachers of French at all levels who want a refresher course in the language can register for either division B or C. Division D is reserved for graduate students who wish to work toward an MA in French literature at McGill; they will attend five annual sessions of the French Summer School. This master's degree covers civilization and both Quebec and French literatures from all centuries. It can be obtained with or without completion of a thesis. The school offers several levels of cultural and social activities, many of which take advantage of the Montreal location. Among these activities are visits to Old Montreal, meetings with representatives of social and professional groups, cinema and museum outings, and excursions to Quebec City, the Laurentians, or the eastern townships. For further information, write or call the French Summer School, Peterson Hall 242, 3460, rue McTavish, Montréal, PQ H3A 1X9; (514) 392–7408.
At the McGill University Faculty of Education, several programs provide professional training for teachers. Jacques Rebuffot described the one-year certificate in second-language teaching for English or French, which permits the student to attain greater proficiency in the language as well as to get exposure to modern theories of linguistics, psycholinguistics, and sociolinguistics. The program is open to teachers who wish to enhance their professional competence in teaching a second language. The Faculty of Education also offers BEd and MEd degrees in teaching English or French as a second language, as well as an interdisciplinary doctorate for teaching both. All prospective students must pass an evaluation test; only those already proficient in the language are accepted. For further information on the one-year certificate, write to Jan Lobelle, Program Director, Faculty of Education, McGill Univ., 3700 McTavish St., Montreal, PQ H3A 1Y2. For further information on the BEd and MEd programs, write to the program director, BEd and MEd TFSL or ESL, McGill Univ. Faculty of Education.
Jacques Rebuffot graciously offered me a copy of a document on establishing national standards for immersion teachers that he recently cowrote. The document gives an overview of the immersion situation in Canada, which has long been important, and examines questions relating to the establishment of national standards. For a copy of this document, which contains an extensive bibliography, write or call the Canadian Association of Immersion Teachers, 2nd fl., 1461 Heron Road, Ottawa, ON K1V 6A6; (613) 738–4477.
The Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières is located on the north bank of the Saint Lawrence Seaway midway between Montreal and Quebec City. Trois-Rivières, the third-oldest city in Quebec, is renowned for its hospitality toward visitors and tourists; ninety-eight percent of its population speaks French. There I met Louise Mathieu and Bernard Gaucher, who described their two annual sessions of summer immersion classes in French for non-Francophones, their special summer program for French teachers, and their programs during the regular semesters. These intensive courses, with an average student-teacher ratio of twelve to one, are divided into elementary, intermediate, and advanced levels. During the summer, students attend three hours of morning classes and one hour of controlled conversation each day, leaving the afternoons and evenings free for social and cultural activities. This course of study can easily be integrated into family vacations. Housing in furnished apartments is available, and the university arranges childcare services for children up to six years old and provides a supervised playground area for children from six to eleven years of age. The summer session also includes a three-week teacher's program, designed specifically for French teachers who want to improve their ability in the language and their knowledge of computer terminology and pedagogical techniques. During the regular semesters, students can choose a short-term total-immersion program to acquire a solid grounding in spoken and written French (covering grammar and phonetics) or an advanced program leading to a BA in French for non-Francophones. The advanced program develops strong communicative abilities in spoken and written French and provides a basic understanding of present-day Quebec society. For further information, get in touch with Louise Mathieu, Directrice, Ecole internationale de français, Univ. du Québec à Trois-Rivières, CP 500, Trois-Rivières, PQ G9A 5H7; (819) 376-5124.
In 1852, by order of Queen Victoria, Laval University was founded in Quebec City as the first Catholic Francophone University in America. It is known for having one of the oldest and most comprehensive programs of language courses for non-Francophones, administered by the Centre d'enseignement des langues vivantes (CELAV). Marcel Tremblay and Colette Viau spoke with pride of their programs. They offer six-week intensive summer courses on six levels and draw high school through graduate-level students from around the world, as well as teachers of French who want to improve their language skills, further their understanding of Quebec culture, and upgrade their teaching abilities. Program participants must pledge to speak only French during their stay in Quebec. In the immersion sequence, students spend eighteen hours a week in the classroom and several additional hours in the lab, working exclusively with authentic oral and written texts. Living accommodations are provided in university residences and with French-speaking families, and several sociocultural activities are made available to the students. During the regular semesters, students may choose from special elementary and intermediate programs for non-Francophones or, if they have placed at the superior level on the entrance evaluation test, from the regular sequence of French programs. This regular sequence can lead to a BA, a diploma, or a certificate in French as a second language. In addition, a one-year program is available in French and Quebec studies for non-Francophones. Laval University also offers an MA in French studies for non-Francophones and a PhD in French literature and in Quebec literature. A program leading to a certificate in professional translation is available as well. For further information, write to the Centre d'enseignement des langues vivantes (CELAV), Pavillon Charles De Koninck, Univ. Laval, Cité universitaire, Québec, PQ G1K 7P4.
Laval University also houses the Centre international de recherche sur le bilinguisme/International Center for Research on Bilingualism (CIRB/ICRB). Lorne Laforge, the bilingual specialist who directs the center, explained to me that it was created in 1967 to provide an international clearinghouse of information for research on bilingualism and immersion. Divided into two areas—Canadian and international—the collection now comprises 5,000 books and 20,000 documents, in addition to the microfiche, microfilm, and paper copies of more than 50 scholarly journals. The Canadian collection contains publications dealing with language didactics and problems in learning and teaching French and English as a second language; official documents from the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism, the Commission of Inquiry into the Situation of the French Language in Quebec, and the Commission on Bilingual Districts; briefs submitted to parliamentary commissions; an extensive collection of press clippings; and MA and PhD theses on bilingualism in Canada. The international collection keeps abreast of developments in bilingualism and language contact throughout the world and includes some of the most recent works in this field. Visitors may use the collections on the premises during working hours. Visiting scholars or language teachers who wish to work at the CIRB/ICRB over a period of time may apply for working space; requests should be addressed to the director of the center and should include a vita, indicate the field of specialization, and outline the research project. For the benefit of scholars and language teachers, the center compiles bibliographies from its data base; one of the latest is entitled Bulletin bibliographique sur la didactique des langues . The center also publishes the results of research projects on bilingualism, language and culture contact, and teaching and learning a second language in Canada. It maintains an extensive list of publications that can be obtained for a modest price. For further information, write or call CIRB/ICRB, Pavillon Casault, #6420, 6 e étage sud, Univ. Laval, Québec, PQ G1K 7P4; (418) 656-3232.
In addition to meeting with institutional administrators, I had lunch with Adrien Roy, president of AQEF and administrator of the French as a second language program at the Collège de Bois-de-Boulogne. He gave me a detailed list of the objectives of the program's three levels. These goals are broadly grouped into four categories: communication, vocabulary and idiomatic expressions, grammar, and oral production and pronunciation. The stress is on communication activities, oral production, and pronunciation. For further information, write or call the Coll. de Bois-de-Boulogne, Ecole française d'été, 10555 av. Bois-de-Boulogne, Montréal, PQ H4N 1L4; (514) 332-3000, ext. 399.
Other colleges and universities that are members of AQEF include: Coll. de Rivière-du-Loup, Centre de promotion de la langue et de Ia culture québécoises, 80, rue Frontenac, Rivière-du-Loup, PQ G5R 1S8 ([418] 862-6903, ext. 217); Univ. du Québec a Chicoutimi, Ecole de langue française et de culture québécoise, 555, blvd. de l'Université, Chicoutimi, PQ G7H 2B1 ([418] 545-5637); Coll. de Jonquière, Centre linguistique, 2505, rue Saint-Hubert, Jonquière, PQ G7X 7W2 ([418] 547-2191, ext. 362); Cégep de Trois-Rivières, Ecole française d'été 3500, rue de Courval, Trois-Rivières, PQ G9A 5E6 ([819) 376-1721); Coll. Saint-Charles-Garnier, Ateliers de langues, 1150, blvd. Saint-Cyrille ouest, Québec, PQ G1S 1V7 ([418] 681-0107); Univ. Concordia, Ecole française d'été, 7141, rue Sher-brooke ouest, Montréal, PQ H4B 1R6 ([514] 482-0320).
I would like to take this opportunity to heartily thank the Quebec government's Ministry of International Relations for sponsoring this special and informative series of visits. I would also like to thank all the individuals who helped organize the trip and who participated in the interviews. The trip was highly successful overall. On the one hand, I was able to inform our Quebec colleagues about the work of the ADFL and the MLA in order to develop closer professional ties. On the other hand, the trip has provided readers of the ADFL Bulletin with a unique overview of special programs that can be of interest to them, their students, and their colleagues.
Cheryl A. Demharter was the director of ADFL and of the MLA Foreign Language Programs Office from 1986 to 1988.
Frisson-Rickson, Francine, and Jacques Rebuffot. La formation et le perfectionnement des professeurs en immersion: Pour des critères nationaux/The Training and Retraining of Immersion Teachers: Towards Establishing National Standards . Written for the Association canadienne des professeurs d'immersion. November 1986.
Laforge, Lorne, ed. Bulletin bibliographique sur la didactique des langues . BIBELO publication J-1. Quebec: Centre international de recherche sur le bilinguisme, 1987.
Veltman, Calvin, with Benoît Lacroix. L'avenir du français aux Etats-Unis . Documentation 27. Quebec: Conseil de la langue française, 1987.
© 1988 by the Association of Departments of Foreign Languages. All Rights Reserved.
|
|---|
|
|
|
