Monique Bournot-Trites | University of British Columbia (original) (raw)

Papers by Monique Bournot-Trites

Continuing Studies, the University of British Columbia, in a grant to Scales. The study has been ... more Continuing Studies, the University of British Columbia, in a grant to Scales. The study has been conducted by the UBC Centre for Intercultural Language Studies (CILS) Research Committee with the kind collaboration of a staff member at UBC’s Learning Exchange. Articles Since 2004, the Learning Exchange of the University of British Columbia has hosted an

international languages curricula titled Additional Languages (AL) draft curriculum which set out... more international languages curricula titled Additional Languages (AL) draft curriculum which set out a clear articulation of the province's language education as conceived and developed over the past 15 years. The strength of the draft curriculum lies in its emphasis on plurilingualism as a guiding pedagogical principle, a response to recent recommendations of the Council of Ministers of Canada to adopt the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) in a Canadian context. The CEFR framing has been retained in the latest revision of the AL draft curriculum, the 2011 French curriculum, which has recently replaced the original 2010 draft document. Despite this latest revision, the original AL draft curriculum maintains historical relevance for language education in BC by highlighting the province‟s linguistic diversity and the choice to value more than one language in different ways. In its original conception, the AL draft curriculum operationalized the recognition ...

In 2010, the British Columbia Ministry of Education introduced an updated version of its internat... more In 2010, the British Columbia Ministry of Education introduced an updated version of its international languages curricula titled Additional Languages (AL) draft curriculum which set out a clear articulation of the province's language education as conceived and developed over the past 15 years. The strength of the draft curriculum lies in its emphasis on plurilingualism as a guiding pedagogical principle, a response to recent recommendations of the Council of Ministers of Canada to adopt the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) in a Canadian context. The CEFR framing has been retained in the latest revision of the AL draft curriculum, the 2011 French curriculum, which has recently replaced the original 2010 draft document. Despite this latest revision, the original AL draft curriculum maintains historical relevance for language education in BC by highlighting the province"s linguistic diversity and the choice to value more than one language in differe...

Although Canadian French immersion programs have been shown to be very successful since their beg... more Although Canadian French immersion programs have been shown to be very successful since their beginning in 1965 in the suburb of Montreal, researchers have

Aphasiology, 1995

Luria's functional organization of the brain, and views on language, have influenced major de... more Luria's functional organization of the brain, and views on language, have influenced major developments in conceptualizing cognitive processes and linguistic abilities; research by a Canadian group in these areas is presented in this paper. Aspects of language such as paradigmatic and syntagmatic associations, and the failure to acquire phonological coding, are considered in several empirical studies. The theoretical context for

Canadian Modern Language Review/ La Revue canadienne des langues vivantes, 2001

This study examines the effect of teaching mathematics in French on mathematics achievement evalu... more This study examines the effect of teaching mathematics in French on mathematics achievement evaluated in English. In this context it analyzes the effect of increased intensity of bilingual education on mathematics achievement. It also analyzes the effects of language of testing in the context of French immersion at the intermediate level. The participants in the study are two cohorts of French immersion pupils followed from Grades 4-7. The treatment group received 80% of the core academic curriculum, including mathematics, in French and 20% in English. The comparison group received 50% of the core academic curriculum in French and 50%, including mathematics, in English. Achievement in mathematics was measured for both groups at the end of Grade 6. Analyses of covariance showed an advantage in mathematics for the 80% French group compared to the 50% French group. These results provide further evidence for Cummins' threshold hypothesis and interdependence hypothesis.

Canadian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 2020

To ensure quality of education, a language framework should be the foundation on which second lan... more To ensure quality of education, a language framework should be the foundation on which second language curricula are developed. In 2010, the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC), as suggested by Vandergrift (2006a, 2006b), recommended the use of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) in the K-12 Canadian school context and presented several considerations for adaptation before it should be adopted and used. Although the CEFR is partially used across Canada, few of the CMEC’s considerations have been met to date. Given this state of affairs, we suggest the made-in-Canada, Canadian Language Benchmarks and les Niveaux de competence linguistique canadiens (CLB/NCLC) as an alternative. We argue that the CLB/NCLC, profoundly revised in 2012, best embrace the Canadian context and, using Vandergrift’s criteria for a valid language framework, that CLB/NCLC are now superior to the CEFR in many aspects.

Revue des sciences de l'éducation, 2003

Résumé Le projet présenté visait à améliorer le niveau de lecture des élèves de trois écoles d’im... more Résumé Le projet présenté visait à améliorer le niveau de lecture des élèves de trois écoles d’immersion française grâce au tutorat par les pairs. Le programme consistait en des sessions privées entre un pair de cinquième, sixième ou septième année et un lecteur en difficulté de deuxième ou troisième année. Le projet se poursuit dans les écoles ciblées et se propage dans d’autres écoles d’immersion, d’où son importance et son intérêt pour le milieu. Les résultats obtenus, généralement positifs, montrent que le tutorat par des pairs plus âgés dans les écoles d’immersion peut être une façon efficace d’améliorer le niveau de lecture des élèves qui ont des difficultés mineures, mais que cette approche présente des limites avec les élèves qui ont des difficultés plus sévères.

Some researchers believe that all French immersion students speak the same way and that they make... more Some researchers believe that all French immersion students speak the same way and that they make many transfer errors (borrowing English structures). Although these beliefs are not founded on rigorous observations, current teaching strategies emphasize repeating correct patterns rather than teaching according to student's individual differences. My study posed two main questions. First, are there individual differences in the quality of French spoken by French immersion students? Second, do individual differences in cognitive and linguistic processes influence the type and frequency of errors observed in French immersion students' language production? To analyse individual differences in linguistic processes, I used variables from verbal learning theory that measure Paradigmatic and Syntagmatic processes. I analysed differences in cognitive processes with the PASS (Planning, Arousal/Attention, Simultaneous and Successive processes) cognitive theory. PASS is operationalized ...

Canadian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 2008

This article presents research on teacher shortage in French immersion programs as well as a desc... more This article presents research on teacher shortage in French immersion programs as well as a description of the linguistic needs of French as second language (FSL) teachers. Then, it suggests a way to give support to those teachers to help them improve or retain their knowledge of French. This is done through an online course for a learning community of FSL teachers available to teachers who live far away from city centers. This course follows a constructivist approach to teach linguistic structures on text-based grammar, reflective language observation, systematic practice and reinvestment of learning in creative writing. The course is complete with principles and strategies for teaching grammar and a bank of resources for the classroom.

Canadian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 2003

We examined the perceptions and suggestions of French immersion students regarding their progress... more We examined the perceptions and suggestions of French immersion students regarding their progress in written production in French. Fifty-seven French immersion students were interviewed about two comparable compositions they had written in Grades 5 and 7 and asked about the differences they observed between the two. Students talked about what they had learned and which teaching and learning strategies they had found most effective. The students’ teachers from Grades 5 through 7 were also interviewed about the progress they had noticed in the two compositions. Findings suggest that French immersion students have a high degree of language awareness, understanding what contributes to their writing abilities. These include the benefits of grammar work, reading and vocabulary, and the transfer of first language writing skills.

Although many French immersion studies have focused on students achievement, very few have repor... more Although many French immersion studies have focused on students achievement, very few have reported on the voices of students themselves in the program. Our study explored French immersion students achievement in French, English and Mathematics as well as their perceptions through questionnaires and interviews with regards to their progress in French and English language production and their attitudes towards French and English. They were also asked for their suggestions based on their experiences about the best teaching and learning strategies. In order to find out about students perceptions of their language learning in early French immersion, the present study relied on the students language awareness about their school experiences. By language awareness, we mean the ability to reflect on language use as well as learning and teaching strategies. This is based on Scotts (1994), definition which states that language awareness is the explicit knowledge about language and con...

The Tri-Council Policy Statement, which has its roots in the Nuremberg Code, specifies ethical ob... more The Tri-Council Policy Statement, which has its roots in the Nuremberg Code, specifies ethical obligations of Canadian researchers. The need for such regulations is evident in a number of studies which have shown complete disregard for the rights of human beings, studies which have continued into the current millennium. Teachers who conduct research in their own classrooms encounter ethical dilemmas in common with external researchers, but they also face unique challenges. Following a summary of 13 ethical issues facing educational researchers in general (e.g., students' ownership of their written work; anonymity vs. acknowledgment of accomplishments), this paper explores problems which are particularly troublesome for teacher researchers: the ability of students to refuse to participate, and students' rights to the best instruction, be it experimental or control. For some types of teacher research, the problems surrounding informed consent can be addressed by having a third...

Two cohorts of French immersion students in a British Columbia school who were entering Grades 4 ... more Two cohorts of French immersion students in a British Columbia school who were entering Grades 4 and 5 respectively participated in the study and were each tested at the end of Grades 5 and 7. The Grade 4 cohort followed the newly introduced 80% French, 20% English language (high intensity) program, while the Grade 5 students followed the 50% French, 50% English language (low intensity) program. Compositions written in Grades 5 and 7 by each group were analysed and compared in regard to the lexical, grammatical and discourse development. Results showed an increase in the quality of writing between the beginning of Grade 5 and the end of Grade 7. However, students from the cohort who received a higher intensity of French instruction did not achieve any better in vocabulary, grammar and discourse development than the students in the low intensity group. The results showed a plateau effect between Grades 5 and 7 for only two of the variables investigated: vocabulary diversity and frequ...

At the graduate level, where negotiation and discussion are paramount, asynchronous delivery may ... more At the graduate level, where negotiation and discussion are paramount, asynchronous delivery may be insufficient for developing a community of inquiry in which knowledge is created through group construction. One solution is a blended approach in which off-site students participate in traditional classes with on-site peers through videoconferencing and online discussions. This paper reports on one such program, focusing on how the social presence of off-site participants was perceived by on-site and off-site students and how perceptions changed over the two-year program. Initial findings suggest that low perceived language ability negatively impacted social presence; however, following a three-week mid-program course attended by all students, a marked positive shift was observed. The data come from a larger study evaluating a Master’s program delivered in French in a large Western Canadian university.

The Chinese National Matriculation English Test (NMET) aims to select higher-achieving students f... more The Chinese National Matriculation English Test (NMET) aims to select higher-achieving students for tertiary education. This study presents student perceptions of the effectiveness of NMET preparation for after-test college English learning. Through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, tertiary students reported that the NMET facilitated their learning of college English. However, they also felt that having more English speaking and listening skills for the NMET would have better prepared them to handle college workloads. The students’ perceptions correlated with province of origin, senior high school and college status. Students’ suggestions for the NMET included making the speaking and listening NMET subtests obligatory, and adopting the same national standards for all English curricula to narrow the gap between secondary students’ English competence and the demands of tertiary education. Studying long-term washback effects of high stakes language tests and adopting the ...

Since 2004, the Learning Exchange of the University of British Columbia has hosted an award-winni... more Since 2004, the Learning Exchange of the University of British Columbia has hosted an award-winning ESL Conversation Program Facilitators Training Workshop. The workshop is designed to develop the skills of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside community members to lead local English conversation classes and contribute to civil society, and to support confidence and capacity building for the participants. The article reports on the key strengths of this innovative volunteer training program and addresses the first of the study's two research questions: What are the perceived strengths of the ESL Conversation Program Résumé Depuis 2004, le Learning Exchange de l'Université de la Colombie-Britannique est l'hôte d'un atelier de formation primé, destiné aux animateurs de programmes de conversation en anglais langue seconde. L'atelier est conçu pour développer les compétences des membres de la communauté du quartier Downtown Eastside de Vancouver à offrir des cours locaux de conversation anglaise et contribuer à la société civile, et favoriser le renforcement de la confiance et des capacités des participants. L'article présente les principaux atouts de ce programme innovateur de formation de bénévoles et adresse la première des deux Articles 2 Key Strengths of an Innovative Volunteer Training Workshop

Study Abroad Research in Second Language Acquisition and International Education

Given the increase in international mobility opportunities for educators, analyzing how the exper... more Given the increase in international mobility opportunities for educators, analyzing how the experience of studying and teaching abroad benefits teachers is of utmost importance in a globalized educational system. Using Deardorff’s (2009) model of intercultural competence (IC), this study explores how a group of recently graduated Canadian foreign language teachers benefitted from a four-month international teaching experience (ITE). The following questions guided this investigation: In which ways did the ITE contribute to the participants’ IC development? How did the ITE affect the participants’ professional identity and sense of legitimacy? Data were collected, triangulated, and interpreted using thematic content data analysis. This study provides illustrations of the participants’ IC development across all components on Deardorff’s IC model, showing that properly scaffolded ITEs afforded the participants opportunities to develop their IC. The findings also show that the ITE of liv...

Journal for Learning through the Arts