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The Challenges of Teaching Immersion

The Challenges of Teaching Immersion. Janice Aubry. BACKGROUND/PERSPECTIVES. CASLT IISLE at Edmonton Public Schools SLIC Confucius Institute in Edmonton Cervantes Institute Associated Centre (Teacher, Consultant, Administrator) (University Instructor of Preservice Teachers)

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The Challenges of Teaching Immersion

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  1. The Challenges of Teaching Immersion Janice Aubry

  2. BACKGROUND/PERSPECTIVES • CASLT • IISLE at Edmonton Public Schools • SLIC • Confucius Institute in Edmonton • Cervantes Institute Associated Centre • (Teacher, Consultant, Administrator) • (University Instructor of Preservice Teachers) • (Team Leader Languages at Alberta Education)

  3. CONTEXT:EDMONTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS • 79,539 students (K-12) • 197 schools • Alternative programs since 1974 • 13 languages • L2 study required Grades 4-9* • 40,610 students studying a language in addition to English • 12, 621 EAL/ESL/ELL • “Enabling” provincial language policy • Partnerships: China, Spain, Germany, France…etc.

  4. LOTE ENROLMENTS: 40,610 • French Immersion Programs: 3130 • Bilingual (Partial Immersion) Programs: 3914 • Extended Cree Program: 72 • French as a Second Language (FSL): 27,371 • International Language and Culture: 5370 • Aboriginal Language and Culture (Cree): 531 • Signed Language and Culture (ASL): 222

  5. 13 languages, 38 program streams

  6. IMMERSION AND BILINGUAL (PARTIAL IMMERSION) PROGRAMS • French Immersion • Early: 3037 • Late: 93 • Extended Cree: 72 • Bilingual (Partial Immersion) • Arabic: 927 • ASL (American Sign Language): 46 • Chinese (Mandarin): 1760* • German: 583 • Hebrew: 119 • Spanish: 271* • Ukrainian: 162

  7. WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES OF TEACHING IMMERSION? THOUGHTS FROM A SCHOOL DISTRICT

  8. PERSPECTIVES:WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE? • Teachers • Principals • Immersion/Partial Immersion Teacher Consultants • My thoughts! • Informal Survey…..“conversations”

  9. TEACHERS’ THOUGHTS (27) • Resources (12) • Students engagement/valuing L2 (5) • Meeting diverse student needs (5) • Instructional time to teach “all” (2) • Teaching content effectively (1) • Teacher language proficiency (1) • Ensuring parent support (1)

  10. PRINCIPALS’ THOUGHTS (13) • Supervision/support for teachers (4) • Pedagogy (3) • Inclusive ed./meeting diverse student needs (2) • Maintaining a school community (1) • Teacher language proficiency (1) • Instructional time (1) • Targets – What is a successful program? (1)

  11. CONSULTANTS’ THOUGHTS (3) • Ensuring teachers maintain target language exclusively (2) • Teacher pedagogy (1)

  12. MY PERSPECTIVE – TODAY!

  13. MY PERSPECTIVE: CHALLENGES Classroom level: • Ensuring meaningful, relevant, engaging approaches to produce engaged, functional students

  14. MY PERSPECTIVE: CHALLENGES Classroom level: • Ensuring effective and welcoming inclusive classrooms (for example, ensuring good support/interventions for students of diverse needs across our range of languages)

  15. MY PERSPECTIVE: CHALLENGES Classroom level: [Technologies….] distracters versus effective integration of technologies - to have a measurable impact on improving student achievement

  16. MY PERSPECTIVE: CHALLENGES Systemic Level: • Impact of baby boom: • Volume of new teachers and principals • Teachers: proficiency, pedagogy, knowledge of model • Principals: Standards, supervision, continuous improvement in achievement, quality

  17. MY PERSPECTIVE: CHALLENGES Systemic Level: Ensuring ongoing, continuously improving, consistent ,quality programming across the system that ensures excellent student achievement Standards, measures Leadership and teachers training Program alignment Etc.

  18. STRATEGIES ARE IN PLACE Examples: • Strategic Plans with concrete activities, such as: • Resourcing: • Resource acquisition ,development, Centres • Inclusive education: • Consultant support, modules, lit reviews, symposium • Technologies: • Research/lit reviews, technologies playground, training • Literacy • Interventions research and programs • Leadership/capacity development • Leadership Sessions, Institutes, Networks, Courses • Quality Standards, tools, training …..AND MORE!

  19. CLOSING THOUGHTS… • The successful Canadian French Immersion model was adapted to other languages in the prairie provinces beginning in the late 1970’s, with great and increasing success • Today, this model is used throughout the world in many countries, with expanding momentum and great success • Dr. Lambert and his team were foundational contributors to this movement.

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