Culture, Confidence, and Crêpes Sucrées: Exploring Teacher Candidate Perceptions of Francophone Homestay Community Leadership Experiences
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17507/jltr.1204.02Keywords:
teacher education, immersion, homestay, French second language, community leadership experienceAbstract
This study examines the perceptions of two groups of teacher candidates (TCs) who had participated in a 2-week, French immersion homestay Community Leadership Experience (CLE) in rural Trois-Pistoles, Quebec, Canada. Based on individual participant interviews, the co-authors, who also each served as a Faculty Facilitator for several of these CLE trips (2015-2020), present thematic findings surrounding the five components (homestay, school placements, community volunteering, cultural workshops/events, and Quebec City trip), and perceived benefits of the program including accessibility, language acquisition and improvement, cultural awareness, self-confidence, career planning re-assessment (division/program), and future employability advantages.
References
Arnott, S., Hart, D., Lapkin, S., Mady, C., Vandergrift, L., & Masson, M.-E. (2015, March). French as a Second Language in Canada: Potential for collaboration. Council of Ministers of Education, Canada Report. https://cmec.ca/Publications/Lists/Publications/Attachments/370/CASLT-Report-FSL-in-Canada-EN.pdf (accessed 10/05/2021).
Arnott, S., Masson, M., & Lapkin, S. (2019). Exploring trends in 21st century Canadian K-12 French as Second Language research: A research synthesis. Canadian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 22(1), 60-84. https://doi.org/10.7202/10609006ar.
Canadian Parents for French. (n.d.). An overview of French second language education in Canada. https://sencanada.ca/content/sen/committee/412/OLLO/Briefs/2013-11-22CPFBrief_Addendum_e.pdf (accessed 10/05/2021).
Castaneda, M. E., & Zirger, M. S. (2011). Making the most of the “new” study-abroad: Social capital and the short-term sojourn. Foreign Language Annals, 44(3), 544-564. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1944-9720.2011.01146.x.
Cho, C. (2019, November). The promise of bilingualism. Special Issue: 50th Anniversary of the Official Languages Act, Teach/Le Prof, 41-43.
Conroy, M. A. (2018). Contextual factors in second language learning in a short-term study abroad programme in Australia. The Language Learning Journal, 46(3), 311-328. https://doi.org/10.1080/09571736.2015.1118643.
Di Silvio, F., Donovan, A., & Malone, M. (2014). The effect of study abroad homestay placements: Participant perspectives and oral proficiency gains. Foreign Language Annals, 47(1), 168-188. https://doi.org/10.1111/flan.12064.
Gillmore, M. (2019, November). Educators key to keeping bilingualism alive: A Conversation with the Official Languages Commissioner. Special Issue: 50th Anniversary of the Official Languages Act, Teach/Le Prof, 13-17.
Harbon, L. (2007). Short-term international experiences and teacher language awareness. International Education Journal: Comparative Perspectives, 8(1), 229-243.
Kinginger, C., & Carnine, J. (2019). Language learning at the dinner table: Two case studies of French homestays. Foreign Language Annals, 52(4), 850-872.
Kinginger, C., Lee, S. Wu, Q., & Tan, D. (2016). Contextualized language practices as sites for learning: Mealtime talk in short-term Chinese homestays. Applied Linguistics, 37(5), 716–740. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/amu061.
Lee, S.-H., Wu, Q., Di, C., & Kinginger, C. (2017). Learning to eat politely at the Chinese homestay dinner table: Two contrasting case studies. Foreign Language Annals, 50(1), 135-158. https://doi.org/10.1111/flan.12244.
Mady, C. (2018). French as a Second Language teacher candidates’ language proficiency and confidence: Exploring the influences of a homestay practicum experience. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 9(5), 887-894. https://doi.org/10.17507/jltr.0905.01.
Ontario Ministry of Education. (2013). Ontario curriculum: French as a second language. Author. http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/fsl18-2013curr.pdf (accessed 10/05/2021).
Ontario Public School Boards’ Association. (2017). Meeting labour market needs for French as a Second Language instruction in Ontario: Understanding Perspectives Regarding the French as a Second Language Teacher Labour Market Issue, Author. https://www.opsoa.org/application/files/5715/2727/0115/Final_Version_FSL-OLMP_Year_End_Report_May_23_2018.pdf (accessed 10/05/2021).
Ryan, T. G., & Sinay, E. (2020). A Canadian perspective: French language learning. International Journal of Educational Reform, 29(4), 311-333. https://doi.org/10.1177/1056787920913245.
Shiri, S. (2015). The homestay in intensive language study abroad: Social networks, language socialization, and developing intercultural competence. Foreign Language Annals, 48(1), 5–25. https://doi.org/10.1111/flan.12127.
Tang, S. Y. F., & Choi, P. L. (2004). The development of personal, intercultural and professional competence in international field experience in initial teacher education. Asia Pacific Education Review, 5(1), 50–63.
Torii, J., Fruja Amthor, R., & Murray, J. L. (2020). Two-way cultural transmission in study-abroad: U.S. host families and Japanese college students in short-term home stay programs. Journal of Student Affairs Research & Practice, 57(5), 578-590. https://doi.org/10.1080/19496591.2020.1726360.
Western University. (n.d.). French Immersion School, Trois-Pistoles, QC. https://frenchimmersion.uwo.ca/the_experience/the_school.html (accessed 10/05/2021).