Media CPF Letters Letter to the Ministry of Education from the Greater Vancouver Language Educators’ Consortium
| Letter to the Ministry of Education from the Greater Vancouver Language Educators’ Consortium |
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November 30, 2010 James Gorman Dear Mr. Gorman: We write to you on behalf of the Greater Vancouver Language Educators’ Consortium composed of lower mainland language coordinators, teachers, principals, vice principals and representatives from UBC and SFU. The group meets on a monthly basis to discuss items related to language education. The territory covered by the consortium represents more than half of BC’s student population attending French second language programs. We are concerned about the new Additional Languages curriculum that is proposed to BC educators. The use of the term “additional language” in relation to French, one of Canada’s two official languages, could threaten Core French programs through diminished valuing and possible elimination. While the intent stated in the preface of the proposed curriculum is to promote a multilingual society, with all the advantages that entails, there is a very real potential to undermine and undervalue the importance of one of Canada’s official languages and an element of Canadian identity. French and its unique historical context is recognized in our country’s constitution and entrenched in its democratic system. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Official Languages Act guarantee the equality of status and use of English and French in Canadian society. As language educators, we strongly believe that the status of French as a second official language must continue to be singularly identified. There is no provision for strengthening the role of French in the new curriculum, and we are concerned that certain school boards may not offer French at all. We suggest, therefore, that learning additional languages be considered as an option “in addition to” Canada’s official languages. It is clear from a number of recent Canadian and BC-based research studies, as well as the popularity of French Immersion programs attended in increasing numbers by learners who speak languages other than English and French, that developing proficiency in both of Canada's official languages is important to many of BC’s newest citizens. For these and many other learners, speaking both of Canada’s official languages is important. As such, we believe we have a responsibility to ensure hat our students learn and attain a certain level of proficiency in both languages. We propose the maintenance of a separate and specific curriculum for Core French education, and this should include a focus on the history of our country and the cultural background that has shaped Canada’s two official languages. We would welcome the opportunity to make other recommendations about how to implement a new curriculum with the goal of improving language teaching and learning in BC classrooms. Sincerely,
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