I am in the beginning stages of narrowing in on my inquiry focus and I catch myself switching back and forth on topics and content. To ease my anxiety and confusion, I decided to research content pertaining to my own educational practice. I am an early year French Immersion teacher and my focus for this class is to find ways and best practices to enhance student vocabulary and oral proficiency in French. French expressive abilities of French Immersion students remain well below proficient levels (Pomper, 2017). This is true in our school, I am finding more students below grade level that continue to struggle in French and in English. Why is that?
In researching this issue, I came across an article written by Megan Pomper, a recent graduate from University of Victoria in Early Childhood Education. Her article, Rethinking Home-Reading: Supporting Early French Immersion Students and Parents with Meaningful Home Literacy Programs, was the perfect starting point in my journey towards enhancing student language ability and proficiency in French.
In Pomperās article, she examined multimodal practices to support literacy development for French Immersion learners and she explores best practices to help support the child at home. She also addressed working with non-French speaking parents who wish to support their child at home with learning French literacy. Her research demonstrated positive impacts using multimodal practices which has provided me with ideas I can start using in my classroom. According to Pomper, allowing children to explore literacy through different mediums and through collaboration supports their language acquisition (Pomper, 2017).
Pomper described three theories that emphasized the benefit of children exploring literacy in various ways.
- Multimodality
According to Pomper, multimodal approach to literacy learning enables students to identify, distinguish and develop the range of modes that are used in communication and meaning-making, including images, drawings, sounds, digital technology and gestures. These mediums are vital in the development of conveying thoughts, meaning, and understanding. Using Multimodal practices empowers Early French Immersion students to manage and overcome their language and literacy struggles (Pomper, 2017).
- The Ecological Systems theory
According to Pomper, the Ecological Systems theory (as cited by Bronfenbrenner, 1979), āinterprets human development from an ecological perspective and argues that development is the product of the interaction between an active, developing child and the many environments in which that child resides. Bronfenbrenner (1979) described these environments as a complex, multi-layered ecosystem, where each system influences and impacts human development in varying degreesā (Pomper, 2017).
- Linguistic Interdependence
According to Pomper, (as cited by Cummins, 1979), Linguistic interdependence theory examines the impact of literacy skills in a first language on the development of literacy skills in a second language. This theory suggests that literacy skills in a second language can be positively and directly supported by developed literacy skills in a first language (Pomper 2017). Therefore, parents who are non-French speakers can help support their child, regardless of the language barrier, by using English reading strategies. These skills can be transferred to learning the second language.
According to Pomper, digital tools can also help teachers implement and support more multimodal practices in the classroom. These tools can be used to support home literacy. For example, using an iPad provides an oral record of different texts which students could then refer to while reading independently, or with parents at home. I find this to be a great idea and interactive and engaging for the student. Recording their voice guides their pronunciation and decoding at school and home and helps parents who are non-French speakers (Pomper, 2017). Children who are quiet and reserved in class and do not demonstrate adequate oral proficiency could use a recording device at home to record their own voice in a space where they feel safe and comfortable (Pomper, 2017).
Pomper provided good insight and ideas that I can apply in my classroom. The next tool that I am going to test out in my class is having my students use a voice recording app. Upon research I have found this app that I can install on our classroom iPads.
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/hd-audio-recorder-voice-memo/id951390217
Here are 13 ways to use a voice recorder in class:
https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/teacherzone/12548-2/
This website provides 13 ways to use digital voice recording in the classroom.
I feel like Iāve barely made a dent in my research, but I am happy to have chosen an article that can steer me in the right direction and closer to my inquiry of researching the benefits of learning a second language using digital technology!
Photo by stem.T4L on Unsplash
Pomper, M. (2017). Rethinking Home-Reading: Supporting Early French Immersion Students and Parents with Meaningful Home Literacy Programs. Retrieved from https://dspace.library.uvic.ca/bitstream/handle/1828/8019/Pomper_Megan_MEd_2017.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
mrsandersenswestcoastclassroom
September 29, 2019 — 7:57 pm
Interesting post today, Sarah! Before I write, here are my biases: I worked for a tutoring company after I finished my teaching degree. 95% of my students were French Immersion students who were struggling in French and English and 50% of them had left French Immersion and were now trying to catch up in English. As a result of this experience, I encountered students who didn’t benefit from second language learning, but rather were now struggling in all areas.
I have a friend who has enrolled her daughter in French Immersion and I remember many conversations with her about whether she was doing the right thing. Her and her husband are not French speakers and couldn’t help her with her homework. Now, three years later, her daughter is doing well and is reading in both languages. My friend struggled with getting French materials for her daughter to read.
Anyway, I have a few suggestions for you! Does your school have a subscription to A-Z Reading? (https://www.readinga-z.com) It has levelled readers in English and French. If you sign up your families, your students can access the books at home on a computer or tablet. Plus, you can assign books to them and they can record themselves reading it to you. That is my favourite feature.
You could also check out Epic! Books. I know they have books in Spanish but I’m not 100% sure if they have books in French. Also Vooks – same thing, I’m not sure if there are French books.
Good luck with your voice recording. It would be a great tool to also hear if they are beginning to read with inflections etc..
sarahfromtheprairies
October 4, 2019 — 6:54 pm
Thanks! I love literacy A-Z! I use this reading program in my classroom and will also be sharing my account with parents (I never did that last year, but will for sure do that for my grade one class). I read the readers with my students to practice their sight words, and it’s amazing how quick they remember them!
There are so many biases, and I see so many students with the same struggles… and yet parents continue to enroll their students in French! We need more support and resources to ensure their success!
megc
September 30, 2019 — 12:47 am
Hi sarahfromtheprairies,
I think that’s a great idea to use voice recording to support bridging second language learning between school and home, especially for non-French speaking parents. It might also give students increased motivation to engage in building their French by getting to share it with others at home. Looking forward to hearing about how this goes with your students!
laucoo
September 30, 2019 — 9:20 am
Sara this is great information for French Immersion teachers! I am happy that you seem to have found a direction for your inquiry project. I am not a French Immersion teacher and do not have kids, yet. However, I have always been hesitant about thinking about having my children go to a French Immersion school (even though I know there are so many great benefits), I hesitate because I worry that I will not be able to support my children with their school work at home. I think providing parents and students with french supporting resources through technology is an excellent idea! Thanks!