19 May 2009
Report 09103 to Education Committee
Re: French as a Secondary Language Review, Secondary Phase
ORIGINATORS:
Jennifer Adams, Superintendent of Curriculum
Barry Bickerton, System Principal, Secondary Curriculum
Joan Oracheski, Manager, Quality Assurance
PURPOSE:
1.
To present the final report of the Review of French as a Second Language Programs, Secondary
Phase.
BACKGROUND:
2.
On 30 January 2007, Board approved the initiation of a review of French as a Second Language
(FSL) programs as set out in the framework developed by the FSL Review Ad Hoc Committee.
This framework proposed that the review would focus on all FSL programs (i.e., immersion and
core) and would address key aspects at the elementary panel (i.e., entry points, locations of
programs, and program framework). As such, the objectives for this initial phase of the FSL
review were to:
• improve the effectiveness of delivery and instruction for FSL programs;
• ensure that students throughout the school district have equitable access to FSL
programs;
• ensure that FSL programs have viable and sustainable enrolments; and,
• ensure that FSL programs are cost effective.
3.
On 19 September 2007, Education Committee received Report No. 07-146: Final Report of the
Review of French as a Second Language Programs, Elementary Phase. Based on the information
contained in the report and subsequent consultation with stakeholders during the fall of 2007,
trustees approved the following motion on 18 December 2007:
THAT
A. The Late French immersion (LFI) program be phased out beginning September 2008,
with a phase-out strategy which will ensure, subject to there being sufficient
enrolment, that students currently enrolled in grades 4 to 7 continue to have access
to a Late French immersion program and that any student who does not have access
to an MFI program in Grade 4 has access to an LFI program.
B.
Effective September 2008, the OCDSB program delivery structure for French as a
Second Language will be:
• Core French (maintaining current time allocation of JK/SK 100 minutes/week;
grades 1-8 200 minutes/week);
• Early French Immersion (EFI) (SK to grade 8);
• Middle French Immersion (MFI) (grades 4 to 8);
with Late French immersion offered in accordance with the phase-out plan.
C.
The phase-out of LFI and the introduction of new MFI sites be implemented as
detailed in the implementation plan outlined in Report 199-07 to Education
Committee.
D.
The FSL sub-committees on Core French and French Immersion established by
Board motion on 25 September 2007 will be staff committees that will undertake
the work as described in the motion and will report on their work in February
and June 2008.
E.
Staff develop an accountability framework designed to measure the outcomes
achieved as a result of the changes made to FSL programs as they relate to the
following objectives established by the FSL Review Ad Hoc Committee:
• to improve the effectiveness of delivery and instruction for FSL
programs;
• to ensure that students throughout the school district have equitable
access to FSL programs;
• to ensure that FSL programs have viable and sustainable enrolments;
and,
• to ensure that FSL programs are cost effective
and that the accountability framework be presented to the FSL Review Ad Hoc
Committee no later than June 2008.
F.
4.
Staff evaluate the FI program against the accountability framework in a report for
May 2011 to determine if the remaining LFI sites or other solutions satisfy unmet
needs, particularly those of at-risk or immigrant students or students newly
arrived to the district, and bring forward a report outlining any recommended
changes to the Board at that time.
Updates from the elementary FSL staff committee were presented to Education Committee on:
• 20 February 2008 – Report No. 08-043: Update on the Work of the Elementary
French as a Second Language (FSL) Staff Committee described the composition of
the committee as well as their progress made to date with respect to improving FSL
programming at the elementary level – time allocation and language of instruction for
specific subjects being the primary foci.
• 9 June 2008 – Report No. 08-120: Update on the French as a Second Language
Review (FSL), Elementary Phase described the work of the FSL staff committee
towards meeting the defined objectives of the elementary FSL review. The report
provided details regarding the allocation of funds to each OCDSB elementary school
requiring the purchase of new textbooks in subjects now mandated for instruction in a
particular language, the hiring of two additional FSL elementary instructional
coaches, and the selection of a district-wide common assessment tool (reading) for
French Immersion students in grades four to eight.
5.
On 18 June 2008, Education Committee received Report No. 08-121: Proposed Plan for the
Secondary Phase of the FSL Review. Approval was granted to proceed with the secondary phase
of the FSL review at the 24 June Board meeting.
6.
Similar to the elementary phase of the review, a staff committee was established in the fall of
2008 to focus on improving program delivery and instruction – one of the objectives of the
review established by the FSL Review Ad Hoc Committee in January 2007. This staff committee
includes representation from a variety of central departments, secondary school administrators
and secondary school department heads with responsibility for FSL programs. The primary
purpose of this committee is to build alignment and consistency of FSL programs throughout the
district and to oversee initiatives aimed at improving FSL programs.
7.
On 10 November 2008, members of the staff committees for the elementary and secondary
reviews of FSL programs attended a consultation session organized by the Ministry of Education.
The Ministry of Education is in the process of a cyclical review of FSL curriculum documents
and policies. French as a Second Language, Grades 1-8 is scheduled for release in the spring of
2010. French as a Second Language, Grades 9-12 is expected for the spring of 2011.
8.
On 9 December 2008, Report No. 08-249: French as a Second Language Review, Secondary
Phase was presented to Education Committee as an interim report. The report highlighted
findings from the research, central data, and stakeholder surveys, which is again presented in the
status section of this report, below. The report also presented a rationale for the modified
timelines for the final report and recommendations coming forward to Education Committee (i.e.,
changes to programs need to be made in the fall of the year prior to the change being
implemented so that the district’s secondary schools program booklet and option sheet process
could be updated).
STATUS:
Secondary Phase of the FSL Review
9.
Information that was gathered during the elementary phase of the FSL review that pertained to
secondary FSL programs has been incorporated into the interim report. The following additional
information regarding FSL program offerings and student outcomes has been collected from
central data sources and summarized in the interim report:
• information on secondary school FSL course offerings, enrolments, retention rates and
student characteristics;
• academic achievement of students enrolled in French immersion vs. non-French
immersion classes, as measured by the grade 9 EQAO mathematics assessments and the
grade 10 OSSLT;
• attainment of immersion/extended certificates (i.e., French immersion and extended
French); and,
• FSL grants generated by secondary school students.
10.
In addition to central data, consultation with secondary school administrators, secondary school
teachers, randomly selected secondary students and the secondary sub-committee of the OttawaCarleton Assembly of School Councils (OCASC) has taken place. The consultation has been
primarily through surveys designed to gather feedback regarding experiences with, perceptions
of, and expectations for, FSL programs in the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board.
11.
The FSL Review Ad Hoc Committee and the FSL staff committee met three times during the fall
of 2008 to review and discuss the information being collected for the secondary phase of the FSL
review. On 21 November 2008, both committees had an opportunity to meet and discuss the
contents of the interim report; the following observations were made:
• The decision to enroll in an extended, immersion or core French program in secondary
school is influenced by a number of factors, including first language skills, the ability to
adapt to challenging situations, work habits, and family support. For students who pursue
either an extended or immersion program in secondary school, their French skills and
interest in learning French are also key motivators. For students in the core French
program, interest in learning French was the greatest barrier cited for pursuing the
program through to the end of grade 12.
• Research has demonstrated that the learning environment and instructional strategies
have an impact on student learning and achievement. Within this category falls the debate
regarding the best language in which to offer various subjects. Although academic
achievement is not negatively impacted by instruction in French for technical subjects,
the research does show that teaching social sciences in French will have a more positive
impact on French language acquisition than teaching more technical subjects in the
second language. Parents, students and staff supported the ideas of French being the
language of instruction for social sciences and English for more technical subjects.
Course offerings in OCDSB secondary schools during the 2007-2008 school year also
seem to reflect these attitudes. This analysis also revealed that immersion/ extended
programs are not as accessible to students studying at the applied level or in the senior
grades. That is, the majority of subjects taught in French are in the academic and
university/college levels and there are significantly more options available in grades 9
and 10.
• Approximately 20% of OCDSB secondary students are enrolled in an immersion or
extended French program, the majority of whom are girls. The granting of
immersion/extended certificates is on the rise, with close to half of the grade 8 students
who were enrolled in an immersion program in grade 8 in 2003-2004 having earned a
certificate upon graduation four years later. Further, the proportion of immersion
certificates granted compared to extended certificates has also increased since 2006-2007.
• OCDSB retention rates at the secondary level are highest in the immersion program,
followed by extended, and lowest in core French. Perhaps this is not a surprising trend,
given that students are only required to attain a single credit in French in order to
graduate with an Ontario Secondary School Diploma.
• Despite the fact that immersion/extended certificates are issued, there has been concern
with the lack of proficiency testing upon graduation from secondary school. This is not
unique to the OCDSB, but rather national research has revealed the lack of consensus
regarding French proficiency for both students graduating from these programs and for
teachers who teach them. Nevertheless, expectations of parents, students, and educators
for French proficiency outcomes in reading, writing and oral communication skills are
quite high, particularly in the extended and immersion programs. Feedback from
secondary students in the core French program also indicated that they had high
aspirations in terms of being able to communicate in French upon graduation from high
school.
• In 2007-2008, the OCDSB received an additional $11 million in funding from the
Ministry of Education as a result of the French as a Second Language Grants; $1.6
million of this was generated from secondary students. While this funding is not
enveloped specifically for provision of FSL programs, it does help to buffer staffing and
transportation costs associated with delivering a wide range of programs within our
school district to support the needs of our students.
Secondary FSL Staff Committee
12.
Since January 2009, the secondary FSL staff committee has met on a number of occasions to
discuss ways of improving the quality of FSL programs in OCDSB secondary schools. Central
data on retention rates and survey data from students, teachers and administrators have indicated
that grade 9 FSL programs are arguably the highest priority. As a result, the committee has
defined a work plan that focuses on specific FSL courses. Specifically, grade 9 Core French
courses at both the applied and academic levels (FSF1P and FSF1D, respectively), as well as
grade 9 academic Extended French (FEF1D) and grade 9 academic French Immersion (FIF 1D)
courses. This plan focuses on effective instructional strategies, assessment and evaluation
practices, student engagement and the development, use and implementation of resources that
support student learning.
13.
A variety of initiatives have also been introduced throughout the district, including:
a)
Professional Development:
• an emphasis on differentiated instruction and assessment practices, and the
integration of both arts and technology in FSL courses primarily for teachers of
grade 9 French language courses
• release time for all secondary schools to allow for site-based Professional
Learning Communities of FSL teachers to integrate learnings acquired through
professional development workshops in order to align practices across the district
b)
Resource Development:
• A sub-committee comprised of Curriculum Services staff and school-based
teachers and department heads representing ten schools are developing a resource
kit for each of the four identified grade 9 French language courses. The kit will
include enduring understandings from the curriculum documents, appropriate
summative tasks and a scope and sequence of lesson plans that address the three
curricular strands (i.e., reading, writing and oral communication).
• The sub-committee will facilitate teacher training for FSL teachers throughout
the district.
c)
Resource Review:
• A review of secondary FSL resources available for core, extended and immersion
courses was conducted by central and school-based staff in April 2009 in order to
establish a listing of recommended resources to guide school-based purchasing
decisions. Feedback on the resource that was piloted in grade 9 applied French at
two schools will be considered in this review.
d)
FSL Proficiency Pilot:
• As a means of addressing French proficiency outcomes, the district is exploring
FSL proficiency models and is participating in a research study conducted by The
University of Western Ontario involving the Common European Framework of
Reference (CEFR). The CEFR is a framework for describing proficiency levels
in second language acquisition.
•
•
e)
Ten FSL teachers from the following grades and programs are currently involved
in the pilot project: French Immersion – grades 1, 4, 7, 9 and 12; Extended
French – grades 9 and 12; Core French – grades 4, 7, 9 (Applied), 9 (Academic),
and 12.
The primary purpose of the research is to determine the extent to which the
framework engages students in learning French as a second language.
FSL Student Engagement:
• In addition to providing teachers with strategies which integrate the arts and
technology in French language classrooms, secondary FSL students from across
the district will be invited to attend a musical presentation in May 2009 to
introduce them to French culture.
Development of Final Recommendations
14.
In addition to the aforementioned activities focusing on improving FSL programs and instruction
in secondary schools, the secondary FSL staff committee also developed a series of
recommendations for long-term improvements. The staff recommendations were shared with the
FSL Review Ad Hoc Committee. The FSL Review Ad Hoc Committee developed a set of final
recommendations that appear at the end of this report. Appendix A contains additional details
regarding specific activities that are supported by the FSL Review Ad Hoc Committee.
15.
It should be noted that during the secondary FSL program review, recommendations have not
been brought forward regarding the location of FSL programs in specific secondary schools. This
work is the domain of a much broader discussion regarding elementary and secondary schools in
the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, as framed under the umbrella of Schools for the
Future: Planning for the 21st Century Learner. This dialogue will begin with the broader
community in the fall of 2009.
CONSULTATION:
16.
Consultation regarding the program structure for elementary immersion programs began in the
spring of 2007 under the direction of the FSL Review Ad Hoc Committee. Stakeholders including
teachers, administrators and randomly selected parents were surveyed on a number of issues
related to FSL programming, including their views on the choice of language of instruction for
different subjects. The final report was presented to Education Committee on 19 September 2007.
17.
Surveys for secondary school administrators and teachers, and randomly selected classes of
secondary school students in grades 9 through 12 occurred in the fall of 2008 to gather their input
regarding their experiences with, perceptions of, and expectations for FSL programs in the
OCDSB. Staff attended a meeting of the secondary sub-committee of the Ottawa-Carleton
Assembly of School Councils (OCASC) to communicate progress and gather feedback.
18.
Similar to the consultation process established for the elementary phase of the FSL review,
individuals, e.g., secondary parents, community members, staff wishing to provide comment on
the secondary phase of the review have had an opportunity to do so through an e-mail link
available through the board website.
19.
Information regarding the secondary FSL review was shared with secondary FSL teachers during
the Professional Activity day in February 2009. Similar information was shared with secondary
principals at a Secondary Schools Operations meeting in April 2009.
20.
As demonstrated, significant consultation has taken place in the development of
recommendations as presented to Board. Some of the specific recommendations (i.e.,
investigating the feasibility of implementing a French proficiency assessment at the end of grade
12) will require additional consultation.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
21.
The Quality Assurance division budgeted $3,000 to cover the costs of postage and other related
costs for the mailing of surveys to randomly selected students. Based on input from the secondary
FSL staff committee, the surveys were distributed to identified classes and completed in class.
Therefore, significantly less than the $3,000 budget was used to cover the printing costs for the
student surveys.
22.
This year’s activities described in the work plans developed by the FSL staff committee will be
funded through the board’s allocation of Ministry FSL renewal funds. The budgeted amount is
$260,000.
23.
This is the fourth and final year of the Ministry’s FSL renewal funds. The Ministry has not
announced its intention to renew this additional funding source.
24.
Several of the FSL Ad Hoc Committee’s recommendations will have long-term budget
implications (e.g., the possibility of establishing a proficiency test, continued teacher training).
The implementation of the recommendations will be subject to Board decision-making during
annual budget processes.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
The French as a Second Language Ad Hoc Committee recommends THAT:
A.
The Review of French as a Second Language Programs, Secondary Phase report
be used to guide program improvements to the delivery of French as a Second Language
education at the secondary level, with a focus on the following areas of work and with
regard for the recommendations contained in Appendix A, including:
i)
improving all grade 9 FSL programs;
ii) investigating the feasibility of implementing a French proficiency assessment at the
end of grade 12 for all FSL programs;
iii) continuing to offer support to secondary FSL teachers through the instructional coach
model, subject to the annual budget process;
iv) taking steps to maintain and improve the availability of quality FSL teachers;
v) investigating the feasibility of course offerings for French immersion students with a
workplace and/or college destination (e.g., applied and workplace level courses); and,
vi) emphasizing the development of oral communication skills in all FSL programs,
grades 9-12.
B.
That staff, through the Secondary FSL staff committee, be directed to move forward with
the implementation of these recommendations through
i)
communication through a variety of methods (e.g., school newsletters,
principal meetings, district web site, etc.) to ensure that all stakeholders are
informed of the changes in secondary FSL programs in the district;
ii)
the provision of an annual report to Education Committee that describes the
work carried out by the secondary FSL staff committee and the progress
against the recommendations contained in Appendix A, as well as the key
communications to stakeholder groups regarding changes or improvements
to FSL programs;
iii)
amendments to the current evaluation framework developed for the
elementary phase of the FSL review (described in Report No. 08-123:
Proposed Framework for the Evaluation of Outcomes as a Result of Changes
Made to French as a Second Language (FSL) Programs) to include outcome
measures that are pertinent to elementary and secondary (e.g.,
retention/attrition rates, enrolment, staffing), as well as additional outcome
measures that emerged as a result of the secondary phase of the FSL review
(e.g., retention from grade 8 to grade 9);
iv)
distribution of the program review report and any related information to the
Ontario Ministry of Education as a form of input regarding the review of FSL
curriculum documents, grades 9-12.
____________________________
Lyall M. Thomson
Director of Education/
Secretary to the Board
_________________________
Jennifer Adams
Superintendent of Curriculum
Appendix A
FSL Program Review – Secondary
The FSL Review Ad Hoc Committee supports the following:
Quality of Programs
1. The provision of support through a secondary instructional coach model to assist secondary FSL
teachers (with a focus on teachers of grade 9 and 10 courses) with an emphasis on effective
instructional strategies and learning materials appropriate to the grade level and program.
2. The establishment of a proficiency assessment at the end of grade 12 to measure French
proficiency in oral communication, reading, and writing for all FSL programs (Core French,
Extended French, French Immersion).
3. The hiring and retention of quality FSL teachers in regards to French proficiency and knowledge
of second language acquisition and effective instructional strategies for FSL.
4. The submission of input to the Ministry of Education regarding the establishment of a Core
French Certificate to recognize students who have completed the four FSF language courses
(grades 9 to 12).
Equity of Access
1. The establishment of a workplace pathway for French immersion students by:
• providing input to the Ministry of Education regarding the need to create course
codes/outlines for French immersion programs at the applied and workplace levels.
• exploring options for grade 9 French Immersion students in need of applied level courses
in content areas (e.g., geography, science).
• focusing the instructional practices on the development of oral communication skills.
2. The enhancement of program accessibility by meeting the learning needs of all students (e.g.,
boys, ELLs, students with special needs) through better access to multimedia approaches.
3. The support of FSL students with special education needs through access to Student Success
teachers, Learning Support teachers, and other support staff.
4. The enhancement of co-operative education opportunities and examination of expanding Focus
Programs in Trades and Technology and the Arts and Specialist High Skills Majors into FSL to
support students pursuing workplace and apprenticeship pathways.
Viability and Sustainability
1. The structuring of French Immersion course offerings to move away from a pyramid model
throughout grades 9 to 12 (i.e., many at intermediate (grades 9 and 10) and few at senior (grades
11 and 12)) towards a balance of courses offered at all grade levels.
2. The investigation of extended French vs. French immersion course offerings throughout the
district, coinciding with the Ministry review of FSL curriculum documents.
3. The clarification of the difference between a gifted French immersion program and a gifted
English program that is co-located in a school with a French immersion program.
Cost Effectiveness
1. The maximization of FSL grants by motivating more students to continue with credits in Core
French and French Immersion.