French Immersion and Multilingualism for Youth in Transnational Times

• In Event: Expanding the Terrain of Bilingual Education Research

Abstract

Despite the increased value of multilingualism as a practical norm in competitive national and international markets, official educational policies and curriculum in French as a Second Language (FSL) in Canada, particularly French Immersion(FI), are just beginning to consider ways of including the explicit development of multilingual repertoires in classrooms. This is significant considering that 19.4% of Canadians speak more than one language at home (Statistics Canada, 2017). Drawing upon a five-year transdisciplinary sociolinguistic ethnography, we highlight the complex significance of multilingualism for 20 multilingual high school students of immigrant origin enrolled in FI programs within the provinces of Alberta and Ontario. Our aim is to re-conceptualize French/English bilingual education in Canada for students and teachers in transnational, contemporary times.

Authors

• Julie S Byrd Clark, The University of Western Ontario

• Sylvie Roy, University of Calgary